How to Pronounce amigurumi

Meaning and Context

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crafting small, stuffed, and often whimsically cute creatures or objects through crochet or, less commonly, knitting. Emerging from Japan's kawaii (cute) culture, the term itself is a portmanteau of the Japanese words ami (meaning crocheted or knitted) and nuigurumi (meaning stuffed doll). These charming handmade items range from simple animals and food items to intricate characters from pop culture, becoming a beloved global craft phenomenon. The technique typically involves working in continuous, tight spiral rounds with single crochet stitches to create a dense fabric that securely holds stuffing, ensuring the finished piece maintains its adorable, sculptural form. The craft emphasizes creativity, precise pattern following, and meticulous detailing through embroidery and accessory attachment, making it a popular and satisfying project for crochet enthusiasts seeking to create unique gifts, collectibles, or decorative art.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The standard and correct spelling is amigurumi. As a direct romanization of the Japanese word あみぐるみ, it is most commonly seen in this form. However, common misspellings and typos often arise from phonetic interpretations or autocorrect errors. These include "amigurmi" (dropping the 'u'), "amigurumi" (incorrectly doubling the 'm'), and "amigurumi" (substituting an 'e' for the second 'i'). Some may also mistakenly spell it as "amigurumi" or "amigurumie." In plural contexts, the word is typically used as both singular and plural (e.g., one amigurumi, a collection of amigurumi), though some English speakers occasionally add an 's' to create "amigurumis," which is generally considered unnecessary. When searching for patterns or communities online, being aware of these common variants can help in locating all relevant resources.

Example Sentences

After learning the basic single crochet stitch, Maria decided to tackle her first amigurumi project, a small, smiling whale.

The intricate amigurumi pattern for the forest sprite required careful attention to color changes and precise embroidery for the facial features.

Her Etsy shop, filled with custom amigurumi of people's pets, became a thriving business almost overnight.

Crafters often use safety eyes and specialized yarn to give their amigurumi a professional and polished finish.

He found the repetitive, meditative process of creating amigurumi to be an excellent way to relieve stress after work.

The convention's craft hall featured an impressive display of amigurumi, including an entire crocheted solar system and detailed characters from classic video games.

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