Kokeshi Doll Amigurumi (Crochet)

I crocheted this Kokeshi Doll amigurumi for my niece from a pattern created by Michelle McLaughlin (available for free at her site Suncatcher Eyes).

The pattern calls for mostly single and half-double crochet stitches. In my case, the embroidery is simple straight stitches.

I used Caron Simply Soft yarn for the body, face and hair and standard embroidery floss for the embroidered accents. This was one of my first crocheted amigurumi and it was a quick project that looks quite cute!

Here’s a definition of Kokeshi dolls from Wikipedia:
“Kokeshi (???, kokeshi^?), are Japanese dolls, originally from northern Japan. They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. One characteristic of kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs. The bottom is marked with the signature of the artist.”