Safety eyes are a commonly used accessory for crocheting dolls, amigurumi, kawaii, and other cute items. Although we all know safety eyes are safe, I’d like to share what to do — and what not to do — when placing the eyes. So today, a post fully dedicated to safety eyes for your crochet work.
Placing safety eyes in your crochet project is a fun task. It gives the doll that extra expression or that cute cupcake a sweet smile. Safety eyes are safe, but only if you use them correctly. But which side of the backing is the right one? And how do you make sure the eyes won’t come off? Keep reading and you’ll find out today.
Safety Eyes; what are they?
If you’ve never heard of safety eyes, now you will! How fun is that? Safety eyes are those black or colored little “plastic balls” on crochet and knitting projects. They give the doll, animal, cake, or something else a pair of eyes. They are quick to place and don’t cost you any yarn. The eyes are available in plain black in multiple sizes. But you can also buy them with glitter, cat eyes, dog eyes, with eyelashes, and much more! They start at a size of 2 mm — very tiny — up to 30 mm for larger animals and toys.
The eyes come with a matching “backing.” This backing is placed on the inside of your crochet or knitting work before you close the piece. And that is exactly the point that determines the safety of the safety eyes.
How do you place the backings?
Each eye comes with a backing. If you bought a large box with different sizes, make sure you use the correct size backing for the eyes. But which side should face which way? There are different theories about how the backings should be placed. The back of the eye is flat, but most backings are not. They have a half-donut shape, with a domed side and a small flat side, with a hole in the center.
The correct way to place them is as follows: insert the eye through the stitches and push the post to the inside. Place the backing on the inside of your work with the large domed side against the flat back of the eye. Really — yes!
Most tutorials show that you should place the small flat side against the back of the eye. This is not correct!! Why? Because a child can then get their fingers between the eye and the crochet/knit fabric. Even though the eye post has a few tie-wrap-like ridges, with enough pressure a child can push the backing off the eye post. The eye could then be pulled out of the work. This is not good, as a child could choke on these small safety eyes.
So the correct method: place the safety eye, then place the backing with the large domed side against the flat back of the eye.
Extra safety? Use glue!
If you want extra security, you can always use glue. Apply a small amount of glue to the edge of the backing and press the backing very tightly against the back of the eye. Wait a few minutes before continuing to crochet or knit.
