How to Embroider Eyes onto Crochet
By Rachel Choi – 7 CommentsSo, you’ve crocheted a cute animal or doll and now you’re ready to add its face. In this tutorial I’ll show you how I embroider eyes with yarn. Of course, there are other methods for adding eyes, but this method is one of my favorites, because you can use scraps of yarn you already have. Here I’ll show the technique being done on a little lion that’s a part of the Little Safari Animals set. You can use this technique on any knit or crocheted doll, animal, or amigurumi.
Start with a scrap of yarn, about a foot or two long, the length doesn’t have to be exact since the excess will be trimmed later. Thread the yarn onto your yarn needle, and insert the needle through your crocheted piece where you want the eye to be.
Pull the yarn through, but leave a short tail, as shown in the photo below.
Insert the needle again, through your crocheted piece, into the same “holes”, and pull the yarn through being sure the short tail is still visible.
Continue to insert your needle into the same “holes” until the eye is as full and round as you desire. The more repeats the larger and rounder the eye will become.
You can finish off this eye or create a second eye by using the needle to pass the yarn on the inside of the work and start the next eye where you want it to be. You’ll make the second eye just like the first.
After you’ve completed your eyes, feel free to make a nose or even a mouth! Get creative and pass the needle in and out of your crocheted item to create the lines that you like for your face. To finish off your work, pull the ends of the yarn into your crocheted piece. If you’re worried about the ends unraveling you can tie a small knot with the ends, but be sure to pull the knot into your work to hide it.
Have fun adding cute faces to your crochet creations! If you need any help, feel free to leave a comment below.
Thanks for the tutorial and pictures. I have used this method many times, but with varying success. I always have trouble choosing the right ” hole” and making eyes or whiskers match on both sides of face.
Me too
How do you “pull the ends of yarn into the crochet piece” without puling it all the way through? I’m not sure how to “leave it” in the piece?
Hi Tandra! You can pull the end all the way through then cut the part that is sticking out or you can use a small crochet hook to pull the end into the work.
can you explain how you finish off the eye? do you tie it?
You don’t have to tie a knot, but I sometimes do when I feel like I want the extra security. Either way, you will pull the extra ends into your work, and if you do tie a knot the knot will be pulled into the work as well.
Thank you – I really needed your know-how. Your demo made it easy to learn. Pressin’ on – mm