ADORABLE AMIS

We chat to Khuc Cay, master amigurumi designer, who explains how she draws upon both Vietnamese and French cultures to come up with her oh-so-cute creations…

- Lucy Evans

There’s just something about amigurumi that makes a crocheter’s heart sing! They are so adorable it’s no wonder so many of us are hooked. However, Khuc Cay (whose real name is Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh) has taken the amigurumi trend to a whole other level – her crochet characters are perfectly formed and beautifully dressed, with a touch of French chic to boot.

Khuc’s amigurumi expertise is all the more humbling when she explains she’s only been crocheting for less than three years. “In late 2017, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and saw one mum had crocheted a hat for her daughter. It was cute and I wanted make something similar for my daughter,” she explains. “Before that, I did not know what a crochet hook was, nor what it was used for. I learnt the elements of crochet from watching YouTube videos. The first thing I made was a bunny hat. It was full of mistakes but I was so excited and proud of it!”

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Soon after Khuc finished making the hat, she discovered amigurumi and the rest, as they say, is history. “I don’t like ‘monotone’ patterns and don’t have enough patience to make big projects like blankets,” she says, “But making amigurumi is so different; I love how the increase or decrease in stitches can make different shapes. I don’t get bored making them because each piece is small and unique, and the result is just adorable.”