Maya
15 Years Experience
Kansas City, MO
Female, 27
I make dolls and stuffed animals by hand, and I'm learning to do wooden toys also. Sometimes I design my own toys! I've been making them since I was 12 years old. (And this Q&A has been running for 10.) I sell them at craft fairs, farmers markets, through word of mouth, and also (soon) online. Ask me anything! :)
When I got started making toys, I was twelve years old, and living with my parents in an RV. (We were traveling for a year to see the country.) There were a lot of long hours in the back seat, and I had to entertain myself. I already knew how to knit and crochet, and I had the amazing lucky chance of finding a book on crocheting toys in a book store somewhere, so I just went to town! These days, I keep doing it mostly for the joy; a little bit for the money; and also to feel more productive. I make toys while watching television in the evening, while riding shotgun on long commutes, and even occasionally while walking around in public! (I keep my yarn in my bag.) It just feels more wholesome and exciting than playing endlessly with computer games and things. :)
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Originally, I happened across the book "Amigurumi World" by Ana Paula Rimoli. It showed me how to make basic crochet shapes, how to stitch faces, and how to find inspiration for toys in everyday objects (even cartons of milk)! From there I just bought a few more knit/crochet toy pattern books over time, and mostly printed off patterns from the net. There are a lot of free ones posted by the designers themselves. Over time, I just got a general sense of how to make the little limbs and faces and everything, and I got my start in designing through trial and error. :)
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Well thank you Jenna! :) That varies widely depending on what style and size toy I'm making. A little 'amigurumi' (cartoonish, few-inch-tall toy) can take me an hour to a day to complete, since it is so small and simple, and I usually sell those for $5-$8 dollars. My Waldorf dolls, which are sewn, take longer, although I don't have an average yet (maybe a week or two? But please don't quote me). They run closer to $130-$140. Normal stuffed animals are a happy medium in time and price. :) Toymaking could be a lot faster if I always used the same set of patterns, and put them on a sweater-knitting machine; however, I like to do all of my toys by hand, and I often experiment with alterations and things, which means that they can take a little longer. But I still have a few of my earliest creations, and they haven't shown signs of wear yet. I'm currently working on setting up my online store! In the meantime I can be found on Twitter @ChaiMaya, and I'll tweet the link as soon as I get the store finished. Shouldn't take me more than a couple of weeks. Edit: I do have the site set up, and toy listings should start appearing in 1-2 days. I can be found at toysofearth.com :)
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Ooh, that's a tough one. Honestly, I don't remember every single toy I've made. ... But I am especially proud of a yellow dragon that I made years ago. It was the first crochet toy I ever designed, and I still have it and the instructions to make it. And the first Waldorf doll I ever made, of course, I was very proud of that! Ultimately, though, every toy makes me happy and proud. I do my best to put love into every stitch. I guess my hope is that if I am excited about the toy, then the child who eventually receives it will somehow feel that and love it the way that I do. :)
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Yep, that's right! I've made a red bird, yellow triangle bird, and even a 'bad piggy.' But those are the only cartoon/game characters I've made. I don't play many video games, so I don't know a lot of other characters. ... I could most likely copy some characters from pictures, but the human and humanoid ones might not have the exact same facial features, because of the translation from photo/illustration to stylized stuffed doll. It's just part of the medium. :)
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It did for awhile, sure. Once upon a time, traditional toys were the only kind there was; fast forward a few years, and, unfortunately, video games and Barbies eclipsed them. Traditional toys are definitely making a comeback, but in more of a niche market. They're cute, so they catch anyone's eye, but the ones who seek them out are the natural-minded parents, those who go for quality over quantity, those who don't necessarily like seeing their kids playing on computers all the time ... There are plenty of other groups who like this sort of toy. I can't list them all. My point is, natural/traditional toys are not necessarily declining in popularity now, but they are still not as widespread as they once were. It isn't as realistic for every parent to get handmade toys, either; they take a lot more effort, and cost a bit more than their mass produced counterparts, so I can understand how many parents would rather go to the toy store. I still think my kind of toy has a chance, though; they may be a bit more expensive, but they're vastly more versatile in play, and they are a lot longer-lasting. I am optimistic about their popularity continuing to rise, especially considering the current trend of "green" or sustainable living, going back to the land, etc. :)
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That's a good question! I never consciously used one toy as an inspiration or starting-off point. But my interest in simple, often Waldorf-style toys is definitely due to my favorite childhood doll: a Waldorf doll that I still have today! I believe that growing up with a Waldorf doll has informed my knack and passion for making them, and it helps me understand what kids are drawn to in a deeper way. I can't thank my mum enough for that doll! :)
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