Yareah Magazine

Amigurumi- orangutan baby

June Gilbank

www.planetjune.com 

-Why do you love designing amigurumi crochet patterns? I have always loved animals, and so being able to recreate some of my favourite animals with nothing more than yarn and a crochet hook is a wonderful feeling. I love to challenge myself to come up with new creations. Designing patterns keeps me fresh and inspired, and stops me from becoming bored with crochet. I find inspiration from visiting zoos and farms, watching nature documentaries, and exploring the countryside looking for wild animals and birds. The natural world is so vast and beautiful that I don’t think I will ever run out of inspiration! 

-Is it difficult? Amigurumi is one of the simplest forms of crochet to master – it only uses the simplest stitch (single crochet) and each piece of the toy is typically formed by working in a continuous spiral, without joining at the end of each round. The pieces are then stitched together to form the finished animal.

-Crochet is good for your health - forming the repetitive stitches over and over is very relaxing and can lower stress levels.

-Where have you learnt this technique? About 5 years ago, I bought a ‘learn to crochet’ book and taught myself how to crochet. As soon as I discovered it was possible to make crocheted animals, all my other hobbies took a back seat to my new passion. I am a qualified technical writer, so it comes naturally for me to share my designs by creating clear, accurate patterns.

-Can you explain us something about the origins of this Japanese  technique?Amigurumi is a Japanese style of crocheting (or knitting) stuffed animals. The word ‘amigurumi’ comes from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll. Most amigurumi have a very simplified cute and cartoon-like appearance. I like to give my designs more of a realistic shape and appearance than that of traditional amigurumi.

-This issue of Yareah magazine is dedicated to the Romanticism, can you show us your most Romantic work and explain us its meaning? My most ‘romantic’ work is my design that is closest to my heart. Orangutans have always been one of my favourite animals: I have visited many zoos over the years to watch the orangs, and taken hundreds of photographs of them. I always wanted to make a realistic life-sized baby orang utan, but I wasn’t sure that I would have the skills to create it! Orangutans are critically endangered in the wild, and I hope people will view my art and it will help to raise awareness of the plight of these wonderful creatures.
It took me a year to come up with this design, and many, many hours of work. My baby orang utan is life-sized, fully jointed and poseable. He is by far my most ambitious work to date, and I put my heart and soul into making him!

BIO

June Gilbank is a crafter and crochet pattern designer. Her patterns, free tutorials and craft blog are all available from her website, PlanetJune (www.planetjune.com). Originally from the UK, she now lives with her husband and cat in Ontario, Canada.  

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