Over the last few years, my interest in making amigurumi crochet dolls have grown exponentially. When I first started off, I had a challenging time trying to find skin color yarn. I mainly resorted to what I could find in the local craft store, which wasn't a lot.
Finding skin color yarn can be challenging for a few reasons. The range of skin colors is incredibly diverse, with a wide variety of undertones, shades, and hues.
Trying to find the right shade of skin color yarn can be overwhelming, particularly for light-colored skin. You can have peach-colored yarn, but then you don't want the peach to be too pink/red. But there are so many more different shades of skin than just peach.
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While it is not necessary to use the same brand and line of yarn for your projects, there are benefits to doing so. I prefer my dolls to look uniform - like they belong together in a collection. Using different lines and/or brands of yarn doesn't promise me the same consistency, quality, and finished size of the project.
Over the years of making amigurumi, I found that I favored using worsted-weight cotton yarn for my projects. And recently, I discovered that Hobbii Friends Cotton 8/8, which is a light worsted-weight yarn has a beautiful rainbow of colors to choose from, including skin tone colors!
Sometimes just when you think you found the right shade of yarn for your doll, shadows from your stitches will also make your finished doll's skin look slightly darker than you expected. So to help you decide which color to choose, I will share with you the skin color yarn that I've tested and swatched so you can make an informed decision!
Light to Medium Skin Tone Yarns
Oatmilk (#03) is a beautiful light beige color. This color works well for a doll that has fair skin. Although some may find it to be on the pale side.
Cream (#04) is a beautiful skin color yarn that will also work well for dolls that have lighter skin tones. I am particularly fond of this color for my amigurumi dolls because there's a light pink undertone to it that gives your amigurumi doll a more lively look with a bit of "blood flow".
Beige (#05) is a classic skin tone color that is light to medium in shade. This color is versatile and works well for a range of skin tones, from fair to medium. The beige color has a slight yellow undertone. It gets captured well on camera as "skin color" as compared to Oatmilk and Cream.
Nougat (#09) is a beautiful tan-colored yarn that will work well for amigurumi dolls. The warm yellow and red undertones in this skin color yarn will give your amigurumi doll a sun-kissed or golden look.
Here's another look at the colors put together side-by-side:
Clockwise from the top left: Oatmilk, Cream, Nougat, and Beige
Oatmilk vs. Cream
The differences between Oatmilk and Cream are difficult to capture on camera. As a personal preference, I can see myself reaching for Cream more often for my amigurumi dolls that have light-colored skin
Unless it's a doll that I'm expecting to have a paler skin tone like a Wednesday Addams amigurumi doll where I would use Oatmilk, I think my go-to would be Cream.
Medium to Dark Skin Tone Yarns
Cappuccino (#10) is a beautiful medium coffee brown colored yarn that will work well for dolls with a darker skin tone while still remaining to keep the details on the doll. It has a lovely neutral tone that complements a wide range of other colors.
Caramel (#14) is a warm, golden brown color that works well for those with a medium to deep skin tone. It's a beautiful shade of brown that is extremely versatile and may be just what you're looking for.
Chocolate (#12) is a rich, dark brown color that works well for those with a deep skin tone. There's a warm and reddish undertone to this yarn and while it's dark, you can still manage to see the stitch details in this yarn, including the safety eyes.
Americano (#20) is a deep brown color that will work for those who want to make amigurumi dolls with very dark skin. Because the color of this yarn is so dark that details of the stitches and safety eyes may get lost in photographs. But the rich dark brown is beautiful and is an option for those with deep-toned skin.
Clockwise from the top left: Cappuccino, Caramel, Americano, and Chocolate
When choosing skin color yarns for your amigurumi dolls, it's essential to test your colors before starting your project. You can create small swatches and hold them up against your other doll parts to see how the color looks. It's also helpful to keep notes on the colors you use and the ratios, so you can recreate the same shade in the future.
In conclusion, skin color yarns for amigurumi dolls come in a range of shades, and it's important to choose the right one for your project. Beige, peach, caramel, and brown are all great options to consider. With a little experimentation and testing, you can create stunning dolls that come to life with realistic skin tones.
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