Safety eyes give amigurumi their expressive, finished look, but placing and securing them correctly matters both for appearance and, especially for toys made for children, for actual safety. This guide walks through the process step by step, along with important safety considerations, and pairs well with the general finishing habits covered in our guide on why crochet can look uneven.
What You’ll Need
- Plastic safety eyes appropriate for your project (correct size and washer type)
- A crochet hook or awl to create the insertion point
- Pliers (optional, useful for securing tighter washers)
Understanding Safety Eye Components
Standard safety eyes consist of a plastic eye piece with a shank on the back, and a separate backing washer that locks onto the shank from the inside of the piece, permanently securing the eye once pressed into place. Once the washer is attached, safety eyes typically cannot be removed without damaging the piece, which is intentional—it’s part of what makes them secure for children’s toys.
Step 1: Plan Placement Before Attaching Anything
Since safety eyes are essentially permanent once attached, planning placement carefully in advance is essential.
How to do it: Use removable stitch markers or small pins to mark potential eye positions, then step back and view the piece from multiple angles and distances to check symmetry and proportion before committing.
Step 2: Check Spacing and Symmetry Carefully
Even a small difference in eye height or spacing can significantly affect the overall expression and symmetry of a finished amigurumi face.
How to do it: Count the exact same number of stitches from a fixed reference point—like the center or a specific round—on both sides to ensure symmetrical placement, rather than eyeballing the position.
Step 3: Insert the Eye Shank Through the Fabric
Once you’re confident in the placement, gently push the eye shank through the fabric at your marked point, working it between the strands of the stitch rather than through the very center of a stitch.
Step 4: Attach the Backing Washer From Inside
Reaching inside the piece (before stuffing, or through the stuffing opening if partially filled), press the backing washer onto the shank from behind, pushing until it clicks or locks securely into place.
Tip: If the washer is difficult to press on by hand, needle-nose pliers can help apply even, controlled pressure without damaging the surrounding fabric.
Step 5: Confirm the Eye Is Fully Secured
Gently tug on the eye from the front to confirm the washer has locked securely and the eye doesn’t move or pull loose.
Why this matters: This step is especially critical for amigurumi intended for children, where a loose eye presents a genuine choking hazard.
Safety Considerations for Children’s Toys
Age recommendations: Standard plastic safety eyes are generally not recommended for children under three, due to choking hazard concerns, regardless of how securely they’re attached. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes general guidance on small-parts choking hazards in toys, which is worth reviewing for any handmade item intended for young children.
Alternatives for young children: For amigurumi intended for infants or toddlers, embroidered features are a safer alternative to plastic safety eyes, since there’s no small, separable piece that could detach.
Regular inspection: For amigurumi toys that will see regular handling by children, periodically checking that eyes remain securely attached is a reasonable precaution over the life of the toy.
Choosing the Right Eye Size
Eye size should be proportional to the overall size of the amigurumi piece—patterns typically specify a recommended eye size, but as a general guideline, smaller pieces call for smaller eyes (around 6-9mm), while larger pieces can accommodate larger eyes (12mm and up) without looking disproportionate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Attaching eyes before finalizing placement, when the process is essentially irreversible once the washer locks.
- Estimating symmetry by eye rather than counting stitches from a fixed reference point on both sides.
- Using standard plastic safety eyes for toys intended for children under three.
- Failing to test that the washer has locked securely before considering the piece finished.
Tips for Better Results
- Take a photo of your piece with eyes pinned in place (not yet attached) before committing, since photos often reveal asymmetry more clearly than looking directly at the piece.
- Attach eyes before fully stuffing the piece, since reaching inside to secure the washer is much easier with an unstuffed or lightly stuffed piece.
- For gifts or toys where the recipient’s age is uncertain, consider embroidered features as a universally safer alternative to plastic eyes.
- Keep spare washers on hand, since they can occasionally be lost or damaged during attachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can safety eyes be removed and repositioned if I make a mistake? Generally no, once the washer is locked onto the shank, removal typically requires cutting the fabric or damaging the piece, which is why careful planning before attachment is so important.
Are safety eyes actually safe for children’s toys? When properly and securely attached, and used for children over the age recommended by the manufacturer (typically three and up), safety eyes are designed to resist pulling loose. However, embroidered features remain a safer choice for younger children or when there’s any uncertainty about the toy’s intended recipient.
What size safety eyes should I use for a small amigurumi? This varies by pattern, but as a general guideline, smaller pieces (under 4 inches) often use 6-9mm eyes, while larger pieces can accommodate 12mm or larger without looking out of proportion. Check your specific pattern’s recommendation when available.
Can I use safety eyes on amigurumi made from very open or loose stitches? It’s more difficult, since the eye shank needs a reasonably dense fabric to grip firmly. If your fabric is looser than ideal, consider sizing down your hook for future projects, or reinforcing the area around the eye placement.
What’s the alternative if I don’t want to use plastic safety eyes at all? Embroidered eyes, worked with yarn or embroidery thread and a needle, are a popular alternative that avoids any small, separable parts, making them suitable for all ages and often preferred for a hand-stitched aesthetic.