Who is a Black Brown Indigenous Melanated Person (BBIMP) who has inspired you or your work?
Aram Kim
How do you find inspiration?
Aram uses beautiful illustrations and tells a story that shows Korean culture as every day life in America. I love the way she uses humour and teaches a lesson. I often use my amigurumi to teach son a lesson, to tell a story or share about our Asian cultures.
Share your maker journey. How did it all begin for you?
I started my amigurumi journey as a way to make gifts for friends and their babies. My niece inspired me a lot when she was born and I made many toys for her. It wasn’t until my son was born that I started to story-tell with my designs to help him understand different things. I always felt that through play, a child (and even myself) can learn the most.
What is your favorite design?
Ollie in Space series that I made on Youtube. A boy who visits space and makes friends on different planets.
Who taught you, encouraged you in your craft?
Mei from Amigurumei.
As a BBIMP, in your line of crafting, what steps do you find you need to take, to promote and share your creativity if any?
I try to focus on sharing about our lives in Hong Kong and family life to share and I find people find interest in that. So I try and integrate that in all of my social media posts as well as the stories behind each of my amigurumi designs.
Do you feel being a BBIMP has an impact on how your creativity is viewed/received?
I do feel there is interest in my cultures and life in Asia, but I usually post and make what I want without anyone but my son in mind.
What suggestions, other than your tools, would you suggest another maker to learn or pick up?
A helpful hint for amigurumi artist that was essential for me: using a hook size smaller than the recommendations on the yarn label. The maker will need to experiment but generally, for my tension, one size smaller is usually the right size.
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a picture book for children using amigurumi.
How does your creative work| craft help you?
My stress and anxiety are soothed whenever I crochet or knit. It brings me a tremendous amount of joy to create.
Tell us a little bit about your practice or the steps you take to create your work.
Often times there is a lesson, moral, or script of what I am trying to achieve. Then I usually draw it out with or without my son. Dolls are usually made around those sketches and sent to pattern testers.
What’s the overall message you want your audience to take away from your work?
Children are brilliant. We teach them but often times, they teach us more about being a good human.
What is the most helpful resource for your business that you can share with us?
I always found friends who make incredibly helpful in the amigurumi process. I always bounce ideas off them and get their opinion, advice and encouragement. It really helps me during the times I’m stuck. Testing patterns for others teaches you so much on the designing process too. I learned the most from that.
What is a personal habit that has helped you significantly in your business?
Giving myself a time limit to stop for the day. If I don’t, I never stop and often times can get stuck in the designing process. Giving myself that limit can refresh my creative juices.
Where do you see your business|Crafting in 5 years?
I hope to write more children’s books and use my dolls as illustrations.
What is a lesson learned, from being a designer, that you wish someone had told you when you first started?
Make what you want! Don’t do it for the “gram”, create what gives you joy.
What is something that you’re passionate about and why?
Gentle parenting. I feel that by raising them in a gentle environment they are able to learn, grow and become more self-confident adults.
