Hello there! I'm Kach and I'm a crafter from the Philippines. If there’s one activity that I miss doing these days that I’m deep in work, it’s crocheting. I learned how to crochet when I was in fifth grade. Our Home Ecoomics teacher made us do various needle work and it was crocheting that I enjoyed the most. She had us make a table centerpiece, and my work ended up in the Home Economics exhibit during the school fair.
However, I didn’t think of making it into a hobby until I got pregnant with my youngest daughter. It was then when I had the urge to pick up a hook and yarn to make something. My first attempt was to make a doily, which is a common crochet project. I tried making one project after another. I tried making a purse, a utility basket, a bag, but all of them had me feeling dissatisfied. I almost gave up the hobby.
Then I discovered the world of amigurumis. Amigurumi is the Japanese word for a small crocheted doll. Of course, the first amigurumis that I made were that of my favorite boy band’s cartoon counterparts—BT21. I just tried making Koya, because to me he was the easiest one and I already had the right yarn colors to make him. Then I made Mang, for my J-hope who is my bias.
A good friend of mine requested a dinosaur doll for her female student. After making it, other friends started requesting also. At first I just asked to be reimbursed for my materials. Then when I got deep into the small biz, I learned how to put a price to my works.
This made my little hobby an extra source of income. One of my college batchmates who resides in Singapore has even ordered a lot of dolls from me. Her daughter loves my work she keeps requesting for a different doll almost every month!
My favorite project out of all that I’ve made must be the Leni-Kiko dolls a college batchmate requested. I enjoyed making the dolls because it was requested in the middle of the presidential campaign season in the Philippines. That was in May of 2022. After posting my Leni-Kiko dolls, a former student also requested for three pairs! Unfortunately, I had to make them post-election when we learned that our presidential bet lost. It was heartbreaking, and doubly difficult to continue with the project but my student insisted that I continue with the dolls.
I've made a few other projects before I let go of my hobby to focus on managing my father's grocery store. Sometimes I would still try and pick up my hook, but I'm just too weary from the day's work to start a new project. When we left Sorsogon, I also left my boxes of yarns and my kit.
How I wish I have the time and materials to continue my hobby!
Note: First photo was edited in Canva