I’m sure you’ve seen the insane cuteness of the amigurumi plushies (also known as crocheted softies) hanging around the Insanitek store. Come one, I know you’ve at least seen Keiran the Beaver:

This, as well as dozens of other designs, are brought to you by Stacey Trock of Fresh stitches. But who is the mastermind behind all this cuteness? Well, according to her blog she’s living her fantasy life designing these stuffed animals, while fulfilling her goal of spreading the love of crochet and cuddly animals. We had the chance to sit down with Stacey before she left on holiday to ask a few questions about what drives her and what’s her process. Here is what she had to say:

InsanitekInk (II): How did you get started?

Stacey Trock: It’s pretty funny… I really just said, ‘what would I like to do for a job?’ And the answer was crochet stuffed animals. So I started 🙂

II: How do you decide what animals to work on next? Where is your favourite inspiration drawn from?

Stacey: I wish I knew! It just hits me: “hey! I could make an otter!” And then I just roll with it. I don’t have much of a schedule except when there are holidays, then I do try to make something relevant (like a reindeer in December, for example).

I love looking at cartoons and illustrations, since the basic shapes are pretty similar to the ones used in crocheted stuffed animals.

II: When you design your animals, do you do research on the placement of parts or just “go with it” and judge by cuteness? Or, are you able to  just wing it and it turns out awesome?

Stacey: I do a bit of both. Based on my crocheting experience, I have a feeling for which proportions will look cute (like a head the same size as the body), but when it comes to animal specific body parts (how big *are* an otters ears?), I do a bit of research.

II: What is your favourite animal? Have you made it yet? If not, why not?

Stacey: In real life? A dog. Specifically a rottweiler (because I grew up with one). I haven’t made one yet, mostly because up until now, I’ve just done a generic ‘cartoon dog’ and haven’t experimented with breeds. I’m planning on branching out, though… keep your eyes peeled this spring!

II: Do you take requests?

Stacey: I do! My customers are always welcome to send me a request! Although, not all animals (that are cute in real life) turn into cute crocheted animals… so not all requests come to life 🙂

Beyond being a crocheter and designer, Stacey is also a teacher. If you’d like to learn how to make these cute animals for yourself, please visit her blog and Craftsy classes. We can guarantee once you make your first cute softie, you’ll be addicted and ready to make another.