Designer we love

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with my husband Carl and our two dogs, Thunder and Storm.

Could you tell us a bit about what you do?

I have a slight obsession with making super-cute amigurumi! I love kawaii things and design patterns for all skill levels. I taught myself how to crochet after I begged my grandma to get me a book on amigurumi one Christmas. She wasn’t a crocheter but was an avid crafter and loved to sew. Crafting was something we did together so she encouraged me to learn.

How did you get into crochet design?

About a year or two after I started crocheting, I jumped into designing my own amigurumi patterns. There were many times when I couldn’t find certain patterns for the things I wanted to make, so I knew I had to come up with it on my own. Now I’m a full-time crochet designer.

What are your most popular designs?

Currently my most popular designs are the 100 Days of Mini Amigurumi series, my chemistry set, many of my food designs and all of my plants. This changes through the year but it’s always these designs that people gravitate to the most.

What achievements are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of writing four crochet books, which includes Crochet Café and First Words With Cute Crochet Friends (Blue Star Press). Each one is so special to me and it was always a dream to write my own. I never thought that getting the amigurumi book from my grandma would lead to me one day being on that same shelf. My latest book is Animal Amigurumi Adventures Vol. 2 (Blue Star Press, £21.99), which builds on my designs featured in Animal Amigurumi Adventures Vol. 1.

Tell us about your colour palette…

I love bright colours! I typically gravitate towards yarns that are easily accessible and affordable for all, so a lot of my designs are made with acrylic yarn I get from the craft store. I’ve started making things with yarn from Hobbii and I love all of their cotton yarns because they come in so many fun colours.

What’s your favourite part of the process?

It’s a mix of everything. I love sketching out an idea on paper then grabbing all the different yarns I want to use. Seeing a piece come together, whether I frog a bunch or get it on the first try, is always exciting. One of my favourite parts is sewing it together and seeing the finished product.

Any advice for an aspiring crochet designer?

Never give up! Designing takes a lot of time and work but at the end of the day it’s so worth it. Don’t compare yourself to others and stay true to who you are and what you love making.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Designing more amigurumi! I have loads of new ideas I’ve been wanting to make so it’ll be fun to tackle that list. I’m also working on adding more free tutorials for great beginner-friendly designs to my YouTube Channel. As for new books, I have a couple of ideas but we’ll see where the year takes me…

Find all Lauren’s patterns at www.amenagerieofstitches.com