Want to put a little extra sparkle on your latest doll or amigurumi? No toy is complete without a cute pair of eyes! You can crochet or knit eyes, but plastic safety eyes look so much cuter!
Plastic safety eyes (commonly referred to as craft eyes) are the perfect touch for making your creation come to life. You just have to know where to start.
What are the best safety eyes for amigurumi? The best choice of safety eyes will depend on your amigurumi project, but a versatile set with a variety of colors or sizes is ideal. You’ll want safety eyes made of high-quality, durable plastic and with a tight lock. Please note that they are not advisable for baby, toddler, or pet toys.
We’ll walk you through the best things to consider when buying safety eyes, give you some of our top choices and even teach you how to put them on yourself!
Amigurumi Safety Eyes – What You Need To Know
Amigurumi is a soft toy made by crocheting or knitting. The craft originated in Japan. The word “ami” is the Japanese word for crocheted or knitted and the word “nuigurumi” means stuffed toy, doll, animal or other cute little character.
You can stuff your amigurumi with anything you like. You can use fiberfill, wool, roping, sponge, or cotton batting. The toy can be as dense or floppy as you like, depending on the purpose of your craft.
Safety eyes consist of two pieces that you put together on either side of the fabric or knitted head of the toy: the front “eye” (with a straight or threaded rod) and the washer that holds it in place.
They’re perfect for everything from amigurumi, dolls, and animals to knitted hamburgers and french fries. Everything looks better with a cool set of safety eyes. Coupled with a good yarn selection, there’s no end to the personality and originality you can bring to a project!
Keep in mind, safety eyes are not suitable for toys intended for children under the age of three or for pets. Although the eyes are fastened very securely, there is always a small chance that they will come off and create a choking hazard.
What Safety Eyes To Buy – Where And Why
As you know by now, safety eyes are the perfect addition to your amigurumi animals and dolls. They look great, are super easy to install and you will very rarely have a problem with them breaking or falling off.
However, as we’ve said before, when making toys for babies or pets, it is advisable to find an alternative because these eyes are just too irresistible for little ones to keep out of their mouths.
In case you haven’t heard about safety eyes before, they are adorable plastic eyes made specifically for handcrafts like knitted, crocheted, or fabric toys. The eyes are usually made of plastic and are available in a large variety of styles, shapes, sizes, and colors.
Each eye is two parts – the eye itself, which is an eye with a post on the back and a metal or plastic washer which locks onto the post and keeps the eye in place.
So where do you buy safety eyes for amigurumi? Amazon has a wide range of safety eyes that are perfect for amigurumi. Since they have such a wide range of choices, we did the shopping for you and selected our 5 favorites. Check them out in the next section: The 7 Best Safety Eyes For Amigurumi (plus a bonus option).
You could buy safety eyes at a brick-and-mortar store, but with so many choices, you will feel like you are drowning in a sea of eyes!
For many, shopping online is much easier. True, there are more choices online, so you might still feel a little bit overwhelmed. But, the nice part is that you are in the comfort of your own home so you can browse and shop at your leisure.
You never have to worry about long lineups at the check-out and there is no hassle trying to find a parking spot! And then trying to remember where you parked after your shopping is done.
The 7 Best Safety Eyes For Amigurumi
Just slip into your comfy clothes, find a nice comfortable chair and shop for as long as you like. Here’s a quick list to help you get started:
Rank | Brand | Includes |
---|---|---|
1. | MENKEY 570Pc Safety Eyes and Noses Set | Eyes, noses, mult. sizes/colors, box |
2. | Swpeet 180Pc Black Assorted Sizes Set | Eyes, noses, washers, mult. sizes, box |
3. | Outuxed 240Pc Black Assorted Sizes Set | Eyes, noses, mult. sizes, washers, box |
5. | TOVOT 210Pc Colorful Safety Eyes Set | Eyes, mult. colors/sizes, washers, box |
6. | Luzen 50Pc Black Safety Eyes | Eyes, black, 30 mm, washers |
7. | BESTTOYHOME 264Pc Safety Eyes Set | Eyes, mult. colors/sizes, washers, box |
8. | Teensery 50Pc Glitter Safety Eyes | Eyes, glitter rings (mult. colors), washers |
This list was carefully compiled to ensure you won’t have these unpleasant experiences. These are high-quality products that will have you creating fabulous amigurumi dolls and toys quickly and easily without any fuss or bother!
1. MENKEY 570Pc Plastic Safety Eyes and Noses Set
This set by MENKEY features a whopping 570 pieces of assorted sizes and colors.
These safety eyes come in five different eye sizes ranging from 8 mm to 14 mm (0.31 inches to 0.55 inches), so you’ve already got plenty of choices to work with.
Plus it has two extra sizes for noses, measuring 10 x 11 mm (0.39 x 0.43 inch) or 10 x 13 mm (0.39 x 0.51 inch). All of the pieces are made with high-quality plastic, which appears to be well-polished, solid, and durable. Plus they come with a handy storage case!
2. Swpeet 180Pc Black Assorted Sizes Set
This fantastic set comes with 180 pieces of black eyes in assorted sizes ranging from 5 mm to 14 mm (0.19 inch to 0.55 inch), and washers are included!
These safety eyes are made of high-quality plastic, which is solid and durable and comes with a glossy and smooth finish for that extra touch.
These eyes and washers also feature a very tight lock. Once they’re on, they’re on and they’re not coming off. They’ll hold up well and look great in a variety of amigurumi projects. They even come with a handy box for carrying and storage.
3. Outuxed 240Pc Black Assorted Sizes Set
This 240-piece set really has it all including safety eyes in multiple sizes, washers and safety noses for that extra touch. (After all, your critters and bears and dolls probably need a nose, right?)
These classic black safety eyes range in size from 5 mm to 14 mm (or 0.19 inch to 0.55 inch). They’re made of high-quality, durable plastic.
With 40 pieces per size plus 20 safety noses measuring 10 x 11 mm (0.39 x 0.43 inch), you’re pretty much set for any and every project. This set by Outuxed even comes in a storage box. It won’t be easy to damage, lose, or mix your safety eyes.
4. TOVOT 210 Pieces Colorful Safety Eyes Set
This 210-piece set is full of color. With seven color choices – black, yellow, blue, red, golden, green, and brown – you’ll have plenty of variety to add to your projects.
These safety eyes come in 3 sizes, measuring 8 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm.
There will be no end to the personality you can add to your amigurumi with this set from TOVOT. And it comes in a handy plastic storage box. Perfect for any job!
5. Luzen 50Pc Black Safety Eyes
These black safety eyes have a simple, classic look to them – but sometimes that’s all you really need or want.
The come rather large at 30 mm (or 1.18 inches) each, which is larger than many teddy bear and bigger dolls’ eyes. So don’t think these black beauties don’t have personality!
If you want a simple, but cute, look for your amigurumi project, this choice is a great way to go.
6. BESTTOYHOME 264Pc Colorful Safety Eyes Set
This safety eyes set from BESTTOYHOME is perfect for all types of puppets, dolls, teddy bears, plush animals, and amigurumi, of course.
This 264-piece set includes:
- 20 – 6 mm (0.23 inch) black eyes
- 20 – 8 mm (0.31 inch) black eyes
- 20 – 9 mm (0.35 inch) black eyes
- 20 – 10 mm (0.39 inch) black eyes
- 20 – 12 mm (0.47 inch) black eyes
- 14 colorful eyes measuring 10 mm (0.39 inch) each
- 14 colorful eyes measuring 12 mm (0.47 inch) each
Plus, with a handy storage and organization case, this set is great for handy crafts, very convenient to use, and has an excellent value.
7. WillBond Glitter Safety Eyes
This premium set is perfect for truly unique projects like aliens or other space creatures – or frankly, any critter that just needs some glittery eyes.
Glitter enthusiasts will appreciate this 50-piece set of 12 mm shimmery gems that come in multiple colors so you can really up your glitter game – and customize your projects.
BONUS: Violet Nebula Safety Eyes by Colibrox
Sometimes you just need beautiful violet cat eyes in your life – or in your amigurumi’s life.
This set comes with four pairs and each eye measures 15 mm. We think this choice is especially fun for amigurumi dragons, monsters, or, of course, cats. (It’s in the name after all!)
All of these are great choices. You will find them easy to install and a breeze to work with. There are horror stories out there about safety eyes – the washer doesn’t fit properly, the eyes are cracked, the colors are not as described and many others.
How To Attach Safety Eyes To Amigurumi
There are no size or design restrictions on your amigurumi. You are free to let your imagination run wild and create whatever you like!
But if you aren’t sure how to attach safety eyes to your amigurumi, here is a quick tutorial to help you get started:
Decide where you want to place the first eye. Slide the eye through the stitches of your toy from the inside – if you haven’t stuffed it yet. If it is already stuffed, work from the outside in. Most crafters find it easier to put the eyes on before stuffing, but the choice is yours.
Choose your location carefully, once the washer is in place, it can’t easily be moved. Once it is locked, it stays locked. Place the other eye along the same line as the first one for a nice symmetrical look. Of course, you could go for a wonky look and put the eyes askew from each other. It’s your toy, build it any way you like!
Lock the eyepiece and washer together between the fabric. Push down until you hear a pop. When it pops, you know it is locked. Make sure the washer has the round side facing up. Do not have the washer face down.
If your stitches are large enough, it is still possible to pull the eye through. Ideally, your stitches will be too tight for this. You can crochet or knit around the eyes to make it tighter and keep the eyes in place. Plus, you can bring “life” to your eyes with crocheted circles around the outer edge.
Even though the eyes are locked in place securely, they can come loose from the knitting and fall off. Yarn stretches over time, so it is very possible for the eyes to come loose. The eyes themselves will never come apart. The washer and eye are locked together for life.
But, the whole thing can come loose from the yarn if you’re not careful. This small plastic eye can turn into a huge choking hazard for a small child or pet, which is why it’s best for projects for slightly older children and adults.
Now that you have the eyes in place, finish your stuffing, knitting or crocheting to keep it all together and you’re done!
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