Safety eyes for crochet are plastic or glass eyes with a locking washer back, and they’re the standard way most amigurumi patterns finish a face. The single most useful thing to know before you buy: size to your project’s actual scale, not just the pattern’s suggestion, and lock every eye with its washer before you stuff the piece — a loose safety eye is a real choking hazard.
That choking-hazard point matters most for anything meant for a child under three. However securely you attach safety eyes, small hard parts are not appropriate for that age group; use embroidered or felt eyes instead, covered further down this guide. For everyone else, read on for types, sizing, attaching, and our top picks.
Types of Safety Eyes for Crochet
Safety eyes for crochet come in a few different back mechanisms and finishes, and the terms get used loosely, so here’s what each actually means:
- Snap-washer eyes: the most common type. A plastic post pushes through the fabric, and a separate washer snaps onto the back and locks in place — it does not come off once seated correctly.
- Screw-back eyes: a threaded post that a nut screws onto from the back. Less common for amigurumi, more often seen on larger stuffed-toy or doll eyes.
- Glass safety eyes: a glass front on the same washer-locking post, giving a more realistic, glossy look than plastic; typically pricier and used on higher-end or display pieces.
- CE/safety-certified eyes: tested and rated for children’s toys, generally the pick for anything a child will actually play with — check the listing for an explicit safety certification rather than assuming.
- Cat-eye / oval eyes: the same locking mechanism, shaped as an oval or slit pupil instead of a round dot — purely a style choice for animal amigurumi.
Plastic eyes are lighter and less likely to shatter if a finished toy is dropped, which is part of why they’re the default for most amigurumi; glass eyes look more realistic under close inspection but add weight and a small breakage risk, so they suit display pieces more than pieces meant to be handled. Color options extend well past black and white too — safety eyes come in a wide range of iris colors and finishes, so browse a full assortment pack before committing to one look.
Sizing runs from around 4.5mm, used for tiny keychain-scale amigurumi, up to 30mm or larger for jumbo pieces made with bulky or blanket yarn. Whatever style you choose, only the snap-washer or screw-back mechanism actually locks in place — glue alone is never a substitute for the washer.
What Size Safety Eyes for Crochet Amigurumi
Match the eye size to the finished scale of your project rather than guessing. As a starting point:
| Project scale | Typical eye size |
|---|---|
| Keychain / mini amigurumi | 4.5mm–6mm |
| Small amigurumi, under ~4in (fingering/sport yarn) | 6mm–9mm |
| Standard doll, ~4–8in (DK/worsted yarn) | 9mm–12mm |
| Large plush, bulky yarn | 12mm–20mm |
| Jumbo, blanket/velvet yarn | 20mm–30mm+ |
[VERIFY: confirm these mm bands against a current niche source before publishing — sizing conventions vary somewhat between sellers.] If you’re between two sizes, buy an assorted pack and hold a couple of options up to the unstuffed head before committing — eyes read larger once the head is stuffed and rounds out, so err slightly smaller if you’re unsure.
Pattern designers often specify an exact size, and it’s worth following that recommendation the first time you make a pattern, since it reflects how the designer photographed the sample. Once you’ve made a pattern once, feel free to size up or down half a step based on how the finished piece actually looks to you. As a rough rule of thumb, the eyes should sit no wider than about a third of the head’s total width apart, though this varies a lot by species and style.
How to Attach Safety Eyes for Crochet
The steps below apply to the common snap-washer style; screw-back eyes follow the same placement logic with a nut instead of a washer.
- Finish crocheting the head before attaching eyes — do this before you stuff it, while you can still see and feel the inside of the fabric.
- Decide on placement using removable stitch markers or straight pins first. Try a few positions and check them from a distance and from both sides before committing to anything permanent.
- Check symmetry by counting stitches out from the center in both directions, rather than eyeballing it — this is the single most common way amigurumi faces end up looking "off."
- Push the eye post through from the right side of the fabric, between two stitches rather than through the center of one, so it doesn’t distort the stitch.
- Reach inside the head and push the washer onto the post from the wrong side until it locks — you should feel and hear it click into place, and it should not spin freely.
- Repeat for the second eye, double-checking spacing and height against the first before locking the washer.
- Give both eyes a firm tug from the front once locked to confirm neither one moves before you stuff and close up the head.
One important note: once a washer is locked on, it’s genuinely difficult to remove without damaging the fabric, so treat step 2 as the point of no return and don’t skip it.
Best Safety Eyes for Crochet — Top Picks
Safety Eyes for Amigurumi (Assorted Sizes with Washers)
Multi-size pack with locking washers
An assorted-size multipack is the most practical way to start, since it lets you test two or three sizes against your actual project before committing to one, instead of guessing from a size chart alone and ordering again if it’s wrong.
| Contents | Assorted sizes, each with a matching locking washer |
|---|---|
| Best for | Building a stock that covers keychain-scale up through standard doll-scale amigurumi |
| Price range | [VERIFY: current price] |
What I like
- One pack covers most common amigurumi sizes
- Washers are matched to the posts, so locking is reliable
Watch-outs
- Assorted packs mean you may end up with sizes you rarely use
- Not a substitute for CE-certified eyes if the finished piece is genuinely a child’s toy
What to Check Before You Buy
A few practical checks before you order a batch of safety eyes: confirm the washer size matches the post, since mismatched packs are a common complaint; check whether the listing states a safety certification such as ASTM F963 or EN71 [VERIFY: confirm current certification wording on the specific listing] if the finished piece will be a genuine child’s toy; and buy a few extra of your most-used size, since a stray washer or a scratched eye is easy to waste.
Alternatives to Safety Eyes for Crochet
For anything intended for a child under three, skip plastic or glass eyes entirely and embroider the face instead. Embroidery floss lets you stitch a satin-stitch or French-knot eye directly into the fabric, with no small hard parts to work loose over time.
Embroidery Floss for Safe Amigurumi Faces
A basic embroidery floss set covers eyes, noses, and mouths on any baby-safe amigurumi, and doubles as your thread for closing seams.
Felt eyes, hand-sewn on securely, are another option, though they still carry more risk of coming loose over time than embroidery worked directly into the stitches. When in doubt for a baby or toddler item, embroidery is the safer default.
Frequently asked questions
What size safety eyes should I use for amigurumi?
It depends on your project’s finished scale: roughly 4.5–6mm for keychain-sized pieces, 6–9mm for small amigurumi, 9–12mm for a standard 4–8in doll, and 12mm or larger for big, bulky-yarn plush.
Are safety eyes actually safe for babies and toddlers?
No. However securely you attach them, plastic or glass safety eyes are a choking hazard for children under three. Use embroidered or felt eyes instead for anything a young child will handle or chew on.
Can you use safety eyes for crochet without a washer?
No. The washer is what locks the post in place and stops it from being pulled out from the front. Never substitute glue alone — it doesn’t provide the same secure, tested lock a washer does.
Where do you place safety eyes on an amigurumi face?
Mark placement with removable stitch markers before stuffing, count stitches out from the center in both directions to check spacing, and view the head from a distance before locking anything permanently in place.
Get the Sizing and Attachment Right the First Time
Safety eyes make or break an amigurumi face, and the two things worth getting right are sizing to your project’s actual scale and locking the washer securely before you stuff the piece. Mark placement first, check it from a distance, and don’t rush the permanent step.
Start with an assorted-size pack so you can test before committing:
For application-specific advice, see our eyes for crochet animals guide or our plastic eyes for crochet guide, or head back to the crochet hooks hub.