Crochet Artist Instagram Interview – Irina From Blue Rabbit Toys (CoCrochet Tour Ep08)

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Do you love creepy crochet toys? – because this month I’ve brought up one of the best crochet artist interviews, Irina from Blue Rabbit Toys and I am sure you’ll enjoy today’s interview. Irina is one of the famous crochet artists on Instagram names in amigurumi toys and I am sure you’ll love her style and designs. She is one of the inspirations for me to start to design and this blog to share my amigurumi with the world.

Looking at her creepy amigurumi patterns crochet toys with unique crochet ideas, would open you to the whole new world of crochet which will have you hooked on your yarn. Those adorable Halloween crochet amigurumi and creepy crochet patterns she makes, with unique designs and colors, are to die for.

Let’s learn whats her secret to her crochet business is and how to become a full-time amigurumi designer. I am sure you will love her creepy crochet patterns and horror crochet patterns toys and want to learn how to design amigurumi patterns by yourself.

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CHECK OUT THE CROCHET ARTIST AND HER CREEPY AMIGURUMI PATTERNS

LET’S CHAT WITH THE CROCHET ARTIST DESIGNER

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.

I’m 35, but I don’t feel like that. I think I’m still 25. 😀 I understand I know nothing and there are so many things I need and I want to learn in this life, languages, for example. What can be better than be able to speak with people from other countries?

I’m a wife and also a mom of two boys. It’s funny and also not easy sometimes. But I’m trying to do my best.

I’m more introverted than an extrovert. I like to be alone and do what I love the most – crochet. My designs are sometimes spontaneous, sometimes – a hard brain-storming result. Sometimes, I don’t know what kind of toy I create – each detail comes by itself. Each of these processes is exciting and I really enjoy it.

2. How long have you been crocheting?

Since childhood actually. My friendship with crochet hooks started when I was 4 or 5 years old. I spent summertime in my grandma’s country house. We lived 2 km from the center and I had no friends nearby, but I had an amazing nature around, books, a funny grandpa, who taught me to play cards, and grandma, who loved to knit different types of clothes for all the family and I adored her talent and ideas. Knitting needles and crochet hooks have been my best toys every summer.

Also in school, I loved the housekeeping lessons the most. I always finished knitting and crochet pieces faster than other girls, and I could just do nothing, reading books, eating snacks right on the lessons. 😀

The first piece I made was a Tunisian pattern and I was so proud when I did it without any help! 🙂 I still remember crochet doilies, scarfs, mittens, gloves, and cardigans I made when I was a schoolgirl. Such wonderful memories!

3. Why crochet? What is it that interests you?

My Amigurumi passion started when I got pregnant with my first son. It was May 2013. I had an interest in amigurumi before that but never tried to make something. One day I was bored and started to read about crochet toys again. Then I made my first toy. It was a kitten. I just have been following my heart and made him without any pattern. I still have him somewhere in the boxes with my first amigurumi and love to hold him in my hands and remember the beginning of my amigurumi life.

After the kitten, I couldn’t stop. Amigurumi took all my time and all my thoughts.  I don’t know. I just like that feeling while working. It’s very relaxing, except when you messed up with stitches amount and notice it when you almost finished the piece and need to fix that 😀 I don’t like to repeat the same rows, because the yarn thread is thinner after ripping out.

4. Where do you usually get inspiration for your designs?

I like the seasonal toys. It means I prepare for Halloween, Christmas time, Valentine’s Day, etc. I usually search on Google for drawings or plushies of seasonal characters. All that amount of pictures and ideas gives me a big mass to work with.

I always try to make my toys unique and check what kind of crochet patterns is available on Etsy by the theme and don’t want to create a design, which will look like someone else’s design. I like originality.

5. Tell us about your happiest moments since you became an amigurumi designer?

I’m happy every time when I get 5-star reviews on Etsy, which contains not only the stars but also a text or picture of a finished toy. I love to read buyers’ thoughts about my crochet patterns.

I’m happy when I receive messages with “thank you” words and when customers send me photos of ready-made toys. I’m happy when they are excited about the finished result, about the reaction of their children, grandchildren, friends, or buyers.

It’s an amazing feeling to know that you are a part of their happiness and joy! And of course, I’m happy when I finish a new design or an older designed toy in new colors and people loves it. Creating is what makes me happy and also a positive reaction of my followers and buyers.

6. What is the most struggle that you have faced during your design career?

Ohh, I think the most struggle is to create something totally new and unprecedented, a new body shape or a new way how to make some details of crochet patterns.

I never liked to crochet something that already existed, I mean very similar designs. I always dreamed and still dreaming about a series of designs, which will become spectacular and totally
special in the amigurumi world.

7. How did you start to be a professional designer and treat the hobby as a business?

My husband pushed me into that when I have been selling finished toys only. He said “The others can create crochet patterns, I think, you can do it too! You have all the potential!” So that’s how I started. I’m so thankful to him for the inspiration!

8. What is your strategy to grow a design business? How did you start to promote yourself and which platform?

I posted pictures of my toys on Instagram at the beginning. Then I registered on Etsy to sell them. First two years there were only finished toys in my Etsy store.

I thought that making crochet patterns was hard and I didn’t know how to start. So I use only these two platforms. I also have a Ravelry, but I’m so accustomed to using two others, that I am a very rare guest on Ravelry.

I never promoted myself using famous people or IG advertisements and did it all by myself. Only my own publications and well-working hashtags. I’m trying to communicate with my followers as much as possible, praise their work, answer questions, be their friends…

9. I saw that you have tons of sales on Etsy and other sales platforms, what you think is the main factor that leads to your success today?

I think one of the factors is the big amount of followers on Instagram I have. When I release a new design I automatically get many sales on that day and that affects that the crochet pattern goes to the first pages on Etsy search.

The second one is good pictures. You can’t have good sales if you don’t have “tasty” pictures of the product.

And the third one is the design by itself. It should be eye-catching. Toys should be well made, colors should be good looking together.

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?

Just start! It will be not easy. Everything you want to be professional in needs a lot of work! You should be patient!

You will make mistakes and will spend hundreds of hours to become a great designer, but it is worth it! Every hour is worth it! You maybe will get angry, tired, or frustrating. But if you really like crochet, if you enjoy the process, and if you set a goal, go for it! Work for it! The result will be amazing if you will do it with all your heart!

I’m 8 years in the amigurumi world, but I’m still learning, still making mistakes, and still thinking I can do better. People love my designs and this is the most important thing – to make them happy and satisfying with their purchases and ending results.

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Thanks to Irina, we will have a 40% coupon for all of her patterns and collections in her Etsy shop, till September 1st, 2021.

Copy this coupon and grab your favorite patterns from Irina

COCROCHETOUR2021

Now have fun!

Thank you for reading and see you next month in EPS 09 of COCROCHET TOUR 2021!

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From Joy with love!