When did you first start knitting / crocheting and where did you learn?
My mom is a very skilled crafter and she taught me how to knit when I was like maybe 10 or 12. She tried to teach me crochet too but at that time I just was not into it. My interest in crochet came much later—around 2012—when I started seeing all these adorable amigurumi designs online. So I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials and learned to crochet, one stitch at a time, thanks to the generosity of our wonderful crochet community and their super helpful video tutorials.
Can you remember the first thing you made?
The first thing I ever knitted was the Rainbow Babies by Jean Greenhowe whose knitted dolls were reason I learned to knit in the first place. I was so proud when I finished making a pair of them!
My first attempt at crochet was a teddy bear and the result was horrendous! The colors were, in retrospect, all wrong; instead of working single crochet stitches I was making extended single crochet stitches; the tension was too loose. Everything that could go wrong on your first crochet project, did! I still have that teddy bear; it reminds me not to get too cocky.
Who are your favourite pattern designers and celebrity knitters & crocheters?
Alan Dart and Jean Greenhowe are my all time favorites when it comes to knit toys, whereas it was Elisabeth A. Doherty whose work inspired me to design my own crochet toys.
Among my contemporaries, there are so many talented amigurumi designers whose work I follow with delight: Ilaria Caliri of Airali Handmade, DenDennis, Erinna Lee of LittleAquaGirl, IlDikko, Stephanie of All About Ami. They are just a few names off the top of my head. There’s just so much talent out there, it’s amazing!
What are your favourite things to stitch and do you have a favorite item you've made?
I absolutely love making amigurumi. From four inch critters to much larger humanoid toys, I love making them all. Along with premium patterns, I also release a number of free patterns every year to raise awareness on animal welfare and rights. So every single amigurumi I design is special to me.
My absolute favorite though would be the Halloween themed girls “Violet and Ivy” because they are fully wired, and hence fully poseable. You can have hours of fun just making these girls pose for you. It is also my most downloaded premium pattern till date.
What music/podcasts/TV shows do you love to stitch along to?
They say women are great at multitasking but I, unfortunately, have a one track mind. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time. No wonder there are so many movies I watched while crocheting that I remember nothing about.
Do you do any other crafts and what are your hobbies?
Does cutting up cardboards count? I like upcycling waste materials and making stuff out of them, though I have to admit I haven’t done much of that lately. But I intend to. The last thing I made was a miniature cardboard ukulele but that was two weeks ago.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Animal rights and welfare is a subject close to my heart. Unfortunately, animal abuse is a widespread problem where I live. So I combine my love for crochet with my love for animals to do what little I can to highlight the wonderful work being done by Animal Nepal, a not for profit organization committed to improving the lives of animals in Nepal.
This small, yet fiercely committed organization has been treating, neutering/spaying street dogs, providing them shelter, and helping them find their forever home. Animal Nepal is also known for their relentless fight against animal abuse, including those of working equines and working elephants. I would really appreciate it if you could visit my blog to learn more about this dedicated team and how you can help them make a difference. Thank you for caring.
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