Stuffing is one of our three entry criteria: a box without yarn, without a hook or without stuffing does not enter the catalogue. All thirty-nine therefore contain it, without exception.
It's also what eliminated whole brands — Hoooked kits announce “everything you need” and have none.
Only one type will do
Polyester toy filling, sold in a bag, also called siliconised hollow fibre. It's what all our boxes contain, listed as “stuffing” or “polyester filling”.
It pulls apart into small pieces you push in one at a time. That behaviour is exactly what you want: a material that spreads without lumping.
What not to use
Cotton wool packs down and hardens within weeks. Chopped foam shows its corners through the stitches. Cut-up fabric is heavy and distorts the shape.
And above all, don't reuse the filling from an old cushion: it's compressed, it has lost its loft, and it smells.
How much you need
Far less than you'd think. Our rattle kits state 15 g for a complete piece — a handful.
A 250 g bag, sold at around €6.50, therefore makes about ten amigurumi. It's the one purchase on the list that pays for itself on the second project.
The one move that matters
Stuff more firmly than your instinct says, and in small amounts. An under-stuffed amigurumi sags, and there's no fixing it once the piece is closed.
If the stuffing shows through the stitches, it isn't the stuffing — it's the hook, too large.
