Ana Paula Rímoli is the creative mind behind Amigurumi World and Amigurumi Two! Read on to see how she comes up with these quirky, adorable toys.
When you were growing up in Montevideo, Uruguay, your neighbor Marta taught you to crochet. How old were you and what was the first thing you made?
I was about six or seven years old. A lot of us kids were always playing outside in the summer, and Marta was always crocheting, so we asked her to teach us! The first things I made were a scarf and a teeny blanket for my dolls.
How did you get started making amigurumi toys?
Almost six years ago, when I was expecting my first child, Oli, I was searching the Internet looking for patterns to make crocheted toys. I found pictures of amigurumi and thought they were the most adorable little toys. I went on a hunt for patterns, but all the instructions I found were in Japanese. So I started to make my own. The first ones were really ugly!
Your first book, Amigurumi World, has been a huge success, and you’ve now written another book, Amigurumi Two! What inspired you to include the toys for boys—the hammer, pliers, and screwdriver—in your new book?
Well, I’m an only child and I have two girls, Oli and Martina, so ideas for boys don’t always come easily to me. But I’ve had lots of moms write and ask for more boy-oriented toys, so I asked my husband to help. He came up with the tools idea. There are also some robots and a happy little plane in the book.
What are some of the other toys readers can look forward to in this new collection?
I’m so excited about Amigurumi Two! There’s a lot more variety in this book because it includes some mobiles, stroller toys, a big turtle with eggs and babies that can be stored inside the shell, and more boy-oriented toys. There are fruit boxes with little friends hidden inside (Martina loves those) and there’s also the little baby doll I made for Oli when I was expecting Marti (so that Oli could pretend to change diapers) and much more! There are lots of toys that kids can play with and that make learning fun.
You say your young daughters provide your inspiration and quality control. Do they have some particular favorites among the toys you’ve created?
Their all-time favorites are the happy eggs (the pattern is in Amigurumi World). It’s been almost three years since I made the eggs, and the girls still consistently play with them!
Approximately how long does it take you to make one of these toys?
It can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days.
When dreaming up a new Amigurumi design, what’s the typical process? Do you draw it on paper or just start crocheting?
I usually draw them first. I have a little notebook that I carry everywhere, where I draw ideas for future toys.
These wacky toys have inspired quite a few people to learn to crochet. What advice would you give to someone just learning to do amigurumi?
Practice a lot! The more toys you make, the better you’ll get, guaranteed. I’d also say have fun and don’t get frustrated. When in doubt, ask! There are tons of crochet resources on the Internet, most of them with very detailed pictures, and there are even videos.
You sell your adorable creations on Etsy at anapaulaoli.etsy.com. How do you fit Etsy into your schedule while you’re home caring for children?
I usually email the patterns late at night, once Oli and Marti are in bed. (I sell the patterns as a pdf file that I email within 24 hours of payment.) I work on new patterns and toys all day long, around the girls’ schedules. Martina’s still taking naps and Oli’s at school, so that’s always a good crafting time.
Do you have a separate studio in your home?
I wish! (I really wish.) We live in a little apartment, and I’m always daydreaming about one of those makeover TV shows coming over and giving me my own crafting room. It would be full of yarn and notions, with wooden bins and cuteness all over, and a big sunny window. But I guess first we’ll have to get a house with an extra room, and then I’ll have to fight my husband for it (he dreams of a separate place where he can do his writing). So meanwhile, I have my very own two-person sofa, which we call “my office” (seriously!). I sit on the left, and the yarn, stuffing, and everything else I need sits on the right.
What would we see if we were to walk in while you’re creating Amigurumi toys?
You’d see a really messy couch!
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not crocheting?
I like to be with my family. I am really lucky to have the sweetest kids and the nicest husband ever. He’s really supportive and puts up with my horrible homemaking skills. I love to make craft projects with Oli and Marti, walk Santiago (our dog), read, watch movies, and listen to public radio (I love This American Life).
What’s next—are you working on any new projects or books?
I’ve been embroidering and making hand-carved rubber stamps (so much fun!). I have an idea for a new book, and I would love to teach some amigurumi classes. I’m also dreaming about making crocheted clothes for the girls, and I’m taking a knitting class in a month.
What are some of the biggest joys or surprises that you’ve gotten from Amigurumi?
I’d say definitely the people I’ve met. It still amazes me how nice people are, how generous and friendly, and how supportive and encouraging! If it hadn’t been for the nice, nice people that liked my patterns on Etsy way back when, I would never have sent the proposal for Amigurumi World. So thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart.
