Polar bear amigurumi in collaboration with @cozyyarnfriends

I wanted to find a name that best represented my crocheted toys. I see my crocheted cuddly toys as cosy, warm, comforting, friendly beings made from yarn. It was not easy to find the perfect name, and I thought about it for a long time. For a few weeks, I wrote different words on a sheet of paper and tried out different combinations until I found this name.

When my account was still new, I simply shared photos of amigurumi that I had recreated from other designers. Now I design my own creations and usually post amigurumi I have recently made, as well as free amigurumi patterns that I enjoy sharing with my followers. So everyone can find lots of crochet inspiration on my account.

My name is Tatiana and I am 31 years old. I grew up in northern Russia, in a place covered with snow from October to May, where summer weather feels like autumn weather in southern Germany. Even as a child, I loved crafting and handicrafts, but I had never tried crocheting before moving to Germany. Besides crocheting, I enjoy hiking, doing puzzles and playing tennis.

After a few years in Germany, I realised that something was missing in my life. I was missing something I had lost during busy working years, and it took a while before I realised that I needed to regain my creativity. I tried handmade home accessories, then accidentally crocheted a few scarves for myself and my husband, and finally found amigurumi. I spent a few years making amigurumi, crocheting one cuddly toy after another and trying different methods, tricks and techniques. When simply following instructions was no longer enough for me, I designed my first amigurumi in early summer 2020. That was when I realised that I could also share inspiration with people, inspiration I had previously received from different designers and creators.

I was so inspired when I read the message about a possible collaboration with Gründl, and I spent the whole evening thinking about what I could offer. Bears are probably the most popular toys in the amigurumi world, so I decided to make one for the winter holidays. For me, wintertime means lots of snow, Christmas and northern lights. Everything came together in my head, and the idea of a polar bear with rosy cheeks from the frost appeared. It took me about three days to create the first polar bear; later I added a sweater and little mittens to complete the whole picture.

Inspiration is a fragile thing. It comes and goes, and you cannot really control it. I have noticed myself that the more I crochet, the more ideas come to mind. Sometimes I already have a list of new amigurumi ideas in my head that I want to make; sometimes I cannot decide for days or weeks what to crochet. The exchange with my followers and their comments help me a lot to maintain enthusiasm for what I do.

“A crocheted piece is the lovely manifestation of a thought, expressed through hand, heart, hook and yarn.” - Francine Toukou

My advice is to use invisible decreases. They are quite simple, and they will really improve the result when crocheting your amigurumi. Another thing I would like to mention is stuffing. Stuff your amigurumi very firmly when the pattern says so. It is best to add only a small amount of filling at a time so that it is distributed well and evenly and the amigurumi gets the right shape.

I think it was a scarf. But if you ask about amigurumi, it was a little snowman with a hat and scarf. I thought that if I managed to make it, I would buy more yarn and try something more difficult. And it worked out quite well. I have not been able to stop since. It turned out that crocheting is very addictive.

I am really glad I had the opportunity to try this yarn. One of the most important things for me is the softness of the yarn. And Cotton Quick uni is soft and easy to work with. White yarn is usually a little rough, but I was really surprised that Gründl's white yarn is as soft as coloured yarn. I am sure I will continue crocheting with Cotton Quick uni and can only recommend it.

At the moment, only on my Instagram account, where I have already published several free patterns. But I am planning to publish my patterns on other platforms as well.

I would like to thank the Gründl team for this wonderful collaboration and wish you all growth and success. I enjoyed every minute of working on this project. It introduced me to the large, talented and supportive German crochet community. To those who have never tried amigurumi before, I would say: just try it. It really brings a lot of joy and calm. There are many talented designers, and I am sure you will find patterns and styles you like. And you can also find many friends within the amigurumi community, as I experienced during the collaboration.
We at Gründl would also like to say thank you for the incredibly wonderful collaboration and are delighted with the positive feedback on our yarn. The crocheted polar bear is a true eye-catcher and radiates incredible attention to detail.
Feel free to stop by Tatiana's unmistakably beautiful Instagram page Cozy Yarn Friends. There you will find her whole family of handmade amigurumi, along with more free crochet patterns.