Chain stores with stuffed animal eyes??

[yarn_monkey]

I don't have any sort of specialty craft store around (just Walmart and Michaels as far as I know) and I've unhappily tried felt, beads, french knots and other embroidery for the amigurumi eyes. I don't want to buy them online because I really need to see what I'm buying and know it's going to work before I spend the money, especially when you consider that shipping is so darn expensive.

 

So I'm wondering, do ANY chain stores sell these things?? (Michaels sends me to Joann's and Joann's sends me to Michael's) Or is there anyone around the Gloucester/Yorktown/Williamsburg VA area who knows of a place to get the darn things? Any help is greatly appreciated! Seriously, I'll love you FOREVER!!

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

My Michaels has some brown safety eyes But I buy eyes at Hobby Lobby they have a better selection. If you were to buy some online the shipping shouldn't be that much for such a small thing. All the safety eyes I've used have basically been the same so you could just try the online thing. If you have to run all over town you'll spend more in gas anyway.

[Tampa Doll]

I just bought, cat eyes and black safety eyes at Joann's. Look in the secion with the boa's and such.

[Ankh]

Michaels has a small selection. AC Moore carries them in their doll section and they tend to have more than our Micahels do. Our Joanns has the best selection and evencarries the animal noses. They tend to be in the general vicinity of the brass hoops and the suction hooks in Joanns for some reason.

[manateegirl95]

I don't know if you have pat catan's where you live, but they have a bunch of them at a good price.

[yarn_monkey]

Okay I must have just been to the stinkiest Joann's and Michael's around, because neither of them carry them. Unless I wanted the googly eyes, which is what their employees always take me to. When I say "no, not those. The kind for stuffed animals, with a washer on the back so they're safe for small children", they look at me like I've grown a second nose on my forehead! I know the only Joann's I used to have locally was one of the smaller stores (which I think means "we don't have anything, so you're better off going somewhere else" lol).

 

I think I'll have to try the Michaels in Newport News. The Joann's there is another smaller store (it figures), the closest AC Moore is about an hour away and the closest Hobby Lobby is about 3 hours away. Yay for variety! I'm going to try calling a few of the local little places too (a bead store and a quilting/craft store) to see if they can help. And if they can't, then it's online ordering I spose. I have a hangup about touching things I'm buying, I guess.

 

But it looks like Hobby Lobby has sets of 4 for $.76 and 5.95 shipping up to $15. So I think I'm gonna buy me some eyes.

 

Are 6mm and 9mm the most commonly used sizes for ami? Just a glance at a few of my patterns makes me think that.

 

And thanks everyone!!

[Cremecycle]

Okay I must have just been to the stinkiest Joann's and Michael's around, because neither of them carry them. Unless I wanted the googly eyes, which is what their employees always take me to. When I say "no, not those. The kind for stuffed animals, with a washer on the back so they're safe for small children", they look at me like I've grown a second nose on my forehead! I know the only Joann's I used to have locally was one of the smaller stores (which I think means "we don't have anything, so you're better off going somewhere else" lol).

 

I had the same reaction just a few weeks ago, in my local Michael's. I ended up ordering online from Suncatcher Eyes. I bought 4 different types of "frog" eyes. Since it was the first time ordering them, I was unsure what color would work best for my tree frog. I paid $2.15 for the shipping. Anyways, I am really happy with all of them and will buy more in the future.

[karenj]

I also bought from Suncatcher last year and they are beautiful. Get some noses too - very fun!

[amigurumiamry]

I usally just embroider eyes on with black yarn.

[yarn_monkey]

I just made my first ami with REAL stuffed animal eyes and I'm so proud of myself! He's so cute! It's a sort of altered Snuzzle Bear from the Suncatcher eyes website. I changed the body a bit, and the legs and he's made with plain ole RHSS instead of anything bulky, but he's adorable. I'll post a pic when I finish the panda I'm working on!