What the F*@! is amigurumi?

It’s the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed animals, typically cute animals or inanimate objects endowed with human characteristics.  The pervading aesthetic of amigurumi is cuteness (kawaii). Typical amigurumi animals have an over-sized spherical head on a cylindrical body with undersized extremities.

How did you learn to make amigurumi?

I first saw amigurumi on the internet and was immediately drawn to it. I taught myself by watching videos on the internet! (don’t get me wrong, I knew the basics of crochet already… my mom taught me when I was a kid) I found lots of free patterns on the internet, too. After following the patterns, I learned how to make different shapes. I’m able to make all kinds of monsters just by combining different shapes.

How did you decide to make monsters?

I tried the whole cute bunny and bear thing but I thought it was boring. Even though I love Hello Kitty and Chococat, I have no interest in crocheting them. Plus I’m not very good at sewing things on evenly and sometimes I can’t even crochet the same from one day to the next – monsters can have one leg bigger than the other and no one cares!

How long does it take to make a monsterami?

It depends on the size and how many parts there are. The more arms, legs, ears, tail, etc. there are, the longer it takes. It takes me about an hour to make a wine topper (I’m getting faster though!), 2-3 hours to make a small monster, 4-5 hours to make a medium sized monster, 6-8 hours to make a large monster, and extra large monsters take 9+ hours to make.

How come there aren’t that many products for sale on your site?

I personally make every monsterami by hand and I have to juggle making custom monsteramis with making more to restock the local boutiques they are sold in, as well as making more to sell on my website. Most nights I stay up making monsteramis until 2 a.m.

Where did the name “monsterami” come from?

I invented the word!  It’s a mash-up of the words monster and amigurumi. I originally wanted to name my business “Nice Monster” but that name was already taken.

Where do the stories come from?

The stories all come from my own life experiences. There are some that are embellished a tiny bit, but for the most part they are true. I’m basically putting all my issues out there for the world to see (so “BITCH, DON’T JUDGE”). Surprisingly, I’ve gotten a lot of positive responses from people who have had similar experiences…

Have you thought about seeing a therapist?

Yes.

Do you currently see a therapist?

Yes.

Will you continue to see a therapist? For how long?

Yes. I’m going on 9+ years right now, so hopefully not for much longer. Thanks for your concern…

Did you go to college?

Yes. I have a BA in English literature from The University of Texas.

Does your sister get mad that you write about her?

Not so far. (There have been a few times I was worried she’d be mad…)

Do your parents get mad that you write about them?

No. My dad passed away a few years ago and my mom doesn’t know how to use a computer and pretends she can’t read English.

Did your cousin get mad that you wrote about her vagina?

I have no idea. She doesn’t really like me anyway. I don’t think she even knows anything about me except what city I live in.

What are the tags made of?

Shrinky Dink!  I hand write all the tags, cut them out and bake them in the oven. They come out a little misshapen but hey, so do the monsteramis. http://www.monsterami.com/history/what-are-the-tags-made-of/

Where can I see more monsteramis?

Almost every monsterami I have made can be seen on the monsterami Facebook fan page.

I want to give a monsterami as a gift, but the stories are too “out there.” Why don’t you make monsteramis with less offensive stories?

I just started making a new product line for just that reason! It’s called G-monster by monsterami. You can also give a wine topper as a gift – they are kickass and don’t have a story.

What is G-monster by monsterami?

It’s a less “offensive” line of monsterami, designed with the consumer in mind. The stories are not my personal stories, so they are more “G-rated” and generic to fit many gift giving occasions. (Hey, not everything is about me, right?) Read my blog entry to find out how the name G-monster by monsterami came to be. http://www.monsterami.com/history/what-is-g-monster-by-monsterami/

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