Amigurumi book “Unforgettable Childhood Toys”
Author Mari-Liis Lille, photographer Annika Metsla
Varrak 2024
BACKGROUND STORY
The story of the book “Unforgettable Childhood Toys” began in the spring of 2020, when my then 16-year-old son wrote a piece of music. When I listened to it for the first time, an image suddenly unfolded in front of my eyes, which was so clear and memorable that I couldn’t get rid of the thought of turning it into a book.
In this imaginary picture, a little girl discovers an ancient coffin in the attic of her grandparents’ house. When she opens it, she finds a bunch of strange, outdated toys that probably belonged to his parents. The toys are worn, but clearly loved. They are full of stories that only those who have ever held them can remember.
Somewhat surprisingly, it turned out later that the title of Jakob’s song is “Don`t Forget Your Childhood Home”. Many of the toys here were born in the background of this piece of music. Rewind, click the listen button, close your eyes and let the sounds take you away…
SEARCHES OF STYLE
When I started the work, I was full of inspiration, but testing the book’s ideas and searching for new means of expression took significantly more time than I had thought. My desire was to create something new, surprising. However, creating something completely new is a painful and difficult process. I admit that I was already on the verge of breaking down on this journey and giving up on the whole thing.
There was a lot of experimentation to find the right color solutions and new yarn combinations. In this book, I have approached yarns more boldly. Next to the classic and beloved cotton, wool appears even stronger than before in its rustic beauty. Today’s wool yarn is no longer earth wool, which should be scorned because of its roughness. It is a material with character that is soft and pleasantly furry. I hope I can inspire you with the combination of different yarns and color solutions.
Also in terms of design, I tried to find new perspectives to bring you something not so traditional. If you find the toys in this book a little weird, I’m overjoyed and take that as a compliment. I hope I manage to surprise you with some patchy or otherwise swingy designs.
CHARACTERS OF THE BOOK
There are a total of 22 previously unseen characters in the book, for the preparation of which I crocheted more than 70-80 toy samples. It took 3 years in total.
In the book “Unforgettable Childhood Toys” you will find dolls and a few smaller toys for babies. However, the majority is taken up by various stuffed animals, among which are animals that I have not crocheted before.
VISUAL CONCEPT AND PHOTOS OF THE BOOK
Almost as important as the toys and their designs was the creation of the book’s visual concept. I am very lucky to have my “body photographer” Annika Metsla, who is willing to come up with all kinds of crazy ideas. With toy animals in the suitcase, we went to a small and beautiful Muhu Island to photograph them. Külli, the landlady of the Laasikse farm, has created a truly idyllic shack, whose old wooden floors and walls, worn exotic carpets and other interior details were just the mood we were looking for in our book.
I also thank the designer of the book, Päivi Palts, who helped shape the material into a beautiful whole.
BOOK NAME
The fourth book was titled Unforgettable Childhood Toys. It is a tribute to the toys that play an important role in our childhood, making it brighter and safer. I am grateful to all the children for whom I have been able to crochet toys and who have cherished them.
On the other hand, the name is related to my journey as a toy creator. It may end at some point, but it will remain an unforgettable part of my life and identity.
