How to Create a Bendable Amigurumi Knee

• This crochet photo tutorial takes you step by step through how to make a bendable knee for any of my Striped Chums - but the technique will work just as well for any long legged Amigurumi you crochet and it's a great way to add movement and bring your makes to life.
• This simple technique seals off the bottom part of the leg from the top, isolating the two separate sections of stuffing to create a bend.
• You can use this technique to make bendable arms too!
• These instructions are written for right handed crocheters. If you are a leftie, your work will be mirrored to my photos.

Fig 1

Fig 2

If you're going to make an arm or leg bendable, the first thing to remember is to only stuff the bottom half of it initially, stopping where you want the knee to be. (Fig 1).
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With the foot pointing forwards, squash the unstuffed top half of the leg flat (Fig 2).

Fig 3

Fig 4

Thread a yarn needle with the same colour as the rnds you'll be working into - I'm using a contrasting yarn here so you can see what I'm doing. You're going to be sewing into the "trough" between two rounds.
Insert the yarn needle from back to front on the right hand edge of the Leg (it'll be the left hand edge if you're left handed). (Fig 3).
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​In effect, for the first stage of the bendable knee, you'll be working a row of running stitch across the leg, working through both its back and front layers. Insert the yarn needle into the gap after the first post (the vertical part of a crochet stitch) to the left (or right, if you're left handed) of where you brought the yarn through on Fig 3, creating the first running stitch. (Fig 4).

Fig 5

Fig 6

Bring the yarn needle through from the back again, into the gap immediately after the next post along to start the second running stitch, take it over the next post and reinsert the needle from front to back, completing the second running stitch. (Fig 5).
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​Continue working in the same way across the Leg to create a row of running stitches, ending with the yarn coming out of the leg from back to front as if you're about to make another running stitch (Fig 6).

Fig 7

Fig 8

Take the yarn over the edge , insert the yarn needle from the back and bring it out again in the same place as it came out of the front in Fig 6 above. Fig 7 above shows the yarn over the edge and my left thumb is sitting on the back of the Leg.

​Pull the yarn taut so that it's sitting snuggly over the edge of the Leg. (Fig 8).
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Fig 9

Fig 10

You're now going to work another row of running stitch across the front of the Leg, filling in the gaps between the stitches in the first row of running stitch (Fig 9), so insert the yarn needle into the closest end of the next stitch along (Fig 9) and bring it through from the back on the furthest end of that stitch.

Continue working this second row of running stitches across the front of the Leg, filling in the gap between each stitch. (Fig 10).
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Fig 11

Fig 12

When you get back to the start of the first row of running stitches, you should have a continuous line of stitches without gaps in between. (Fig 11).

Fig 12 above, shows the Leg from the back, with the starting tail on the left and the working tail , with yarn needle attached on the right. In the next step you'll be working over the edge of the Leg to finish isolating the two parts of the Leg from each other.
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Fig 13

Fig 14

Insert the yarn needle into the end of the last whole running stitch on the back of the Leg and bring it back out temporarily through the same hole as the starting tail (Fig 13).

Now you're going to fasten off the yarn tails and conceal them inside the Leg. Insert the yarn needle back in where you've just brought it out and bring it up 3 or 4 rounds further up in the unstuffed part of the Leg. It's important that it's coming out of one of the gaps and isn't passing through the yarn of the Leg itself. (Fig 14).
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Fig 15

Fig 16

Unthread the yarn needle from the finishing tail. Thread the starting tail onto the yarn needle, insert it into the Leg and bring that out in exactly the same place as the finishing yarn tail is coming out. (Fig 15).

You'll them have both yarn tails coming out of the same gap. Unthread the needle. (Fig 16).
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Fig 17

Fig 18

Take the yarn tails and knot them together. (Fig 17), sliding the knot down so that it's tight and sitting snuggly against the Leg. (Fig 18).
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Fig 19

Fig 20

Trim the yarn tails off, leaving ends around 1cm/0.5in long. (Fig 19).
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You're now going to pull the knot and yarn ends back inside the Leg (which is why it was important that the yarn tails came out of the same gap) Insert the wrong end of the yarn needle through a gap in one of the rows between the knee stitches and the knot/yarn ends. (Fig 20).

Fig 21

Fig 22

Swivel the end of the needle inside the Leg anti-clockwise (or clockwise if you're left handed) and it'll catch the yarn leading to the knot and pull it inside the Leg (Fig 21).

​Keep swivelling back and forth until the knot and yarn ends have completely disappeared inside the top part of the Leg (Fig 22).

Fig 23

Fig 24

You can now stuff the top part of the Leg (Fig 23).

Your character can now bend his Legs! (Fig 24).
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