Do you love the cute and tiny crochet toys for infants and toddlers like rattles, teethings? If yes, I bet you know Natalia of Rnata, who designs the most adorable mini crochet toys for kids! Today let’s have a chat with her about how she became an amigurumi designer, her advice for wanna-be amigurumi designers. And the best part, get a lovely gift from her: the PDF copy of an amigurumi owl free pattern.
I hope you enjoy the crochet designer interview series and their stories, as well as their wonderful works. Find other designer interviews here: CoCrochet Tour.
The interview is inside 2021 COCROCHET TOUR – a year-long Amigurumi Designer Interviews, that will feature 12 famous amigurumi designers, listen to their unique success stories, and have the wonderful gifts from them. You can read more about CoCrochet Tour and other interesting events in 2021 here.
AMIGURUMI DESIGNER INTERVIEW
A sneak peek video about the interview, click play to watch! Follow my Youtube Channel for free amigurumi tutorials and many interesting videos
1. Please, tell us a little about yourself and your designs.
Hi. My name is Natalia and I’m a mum of two girls: Anastasia and Maria. I’m a crochet pattern designer and animal lover. I learned crocheting at school, but never really love it so much as last five years. So I crochet every day and now crochet is my big love, power, and relaxation.
2. How long have you been crocheting?
I started to learn crocheting in school. We were making some tablecloths, collars and home decoration things. After some years I came back to this hobby, and I absolutely can say now it’s more than work and hobby, it’s my power and anti-stress for every day.
3. Do you have other hobbies?
’m a book and garden lover. I try to find some times for these hobbies too
4. Where do you usually get inspiration from for your designs?
All my inspiration is going from the internet, kid’s books and toys
5. Tell us about your happiest moment since you became an amigurumi designer?
My happiest moment was 3 years ago, my little giraffe toys were chosen as a monthly project of May Ami-Along. You ask me, what’s the Ami-Along. It’s a fun project from @Amigurumicom, where a large group of crocheters make the same project during a limited time.
6. What is the most struggle that you have faced during your design career?
I think I didn’t have struggled moments in my career. Of course, sometimes I can’t crochet some parts of a toy, I can’t do it. In that way, I just leave it for a few days or weeks to find another solution.(Joy: You are so lucky)
7. How did you start to be a professional designer and treat the hobby as a business?
It came naturally to me through the years. I make amigurumi and promote my designs on social media. That’s all, I don’t have a special strategy for my business. Of course, I try to work every day. That means, not only crochet the toys but make the beautiful photos make one or two posts per day on Instagram and Facebook page.
8. What is your strategy to grow a design business? How did you start to promote yourself and which platform?
I do it in via Instagram and Facebook. Very important for social media, you shouldn’t disappear for a long time (one or more weeks). Visit your page one-two times of the day, talk with people via comments, and promote your works every day, run on the giveaways with other designers, make small gifts for your followers as free patterns…
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9. I saw that you have tons of sales on Etsy and other platforms, what you think is the main factor that leads to your success today?
I think these few rules would help you to have good sales on Etsy: the uniqueness of your design, the easy and great writing and understanding of your patterns, beautiful pictures, sales and actions, promotion on social media…
10. You are famous right now, but I know that it would be a long story behind with all the effort and of course, luck! What is your advice for people who want to be a designer and live with a career?
Believe in yourself and your designs. Make a plan, know what you want to achieve and what you have to do, and go for it with small steps.
Thank you so much, Natalia, for a great interview. I feel so grateful to have this opportunity to talk with you and have valuable lessons from your experiences.
Hard working will pay back , do you think the same? Comment below and let me know!
In case you are new to amigurumi, check my Ultimate guide to amigurumi for beginners to learn from scratch this beautiful art!
IT’S TIME FOR GIVEAWAY
Thanks to Natalia, we have a special gift from her for only my readers. A tiny and almost no-sew owl amigurumi crochet pattern is ready for you to download and learn how to crochet the small birds. The pattern is premium, easy-to-follow, printable, and perfect for amigurumi beginners. You can find the baby owl inside my Tribe Vault with the password for my Tribe members.
If you are not a member yet, click here to sign up and grab the free owl amigurumi pattern along with other free amigurumi patterns, exclusive printables, and resources.
Do no forget to tag me @anvisgranny and Natalia @rnata6744 on Instagram when you share your crochet owl toy on your social media.
Now have fun!
Thank you for reading and see you next month in EPS 07 of COCROCHET TOUR 2021!
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From Joy with love!
