Amigurumi is super popular in Japan and it forms part of the kawaii (かわいい) culture in the country. You can learn it really fast and easily by yourself.
Amigurumi originated in Japan and is part of its Kawaii culture. They are meant to make you cheer up and support you when your spirit is down. They show friendship and company in Japan and are a thoughtful gift for everyone.
Amigurumi means literally knitted stuffed toy. It is the Japanese art of creating great and sweet stuffed toys. The word is a combination of "ami" (crocheted) and "nuigurumi" (stuffed toy). The basic appeal of these creations are their cuteness factor and the fact that you can use them as accessories such as a keychains, phone straps, collars, etc. They consists usually of really big heads, small bodies and small limbs.
You can create all type of animals and characters. Among the most popular ones are big headed cats, dogs, rabbits, bears and pigs. Anime characters are very popular as well such as Totoro, Kodama and Kiki, just to name a few. This makes them perfect as gifts and are also nice collector items.
All models are made of yarn and a crochet hook, so you only need a few items. The way these little cuties are made is very simple. All patterns work in circles. Depending on your yarn thickness, you choose an appropriate hook to make the stitches tight. The individual parts are filled with fiber stuffing and then sewed together.
In Japan, Amigurumi is very popular today and is still gaining popularity. There are a lot of books and magazines that talk and teach about Amigurumi. It is mainly seen as a girly hobby in the west but don't be fooled. Men, Women, boys and girls do it and gender has nothing to do with this. Who does not like to have their own character? I personally like making anime keychains and straps for my phone, bag, psvita, etc.
If you like, you can even sell them. On Etsy, people sell all types of amigurumi. If you take a look at the site, you will notice that they retail for about $5 - $50. It all depends on the size, popularity, uniqueness and complexity.