You might think crocheted things are not for you but wait till you see the unique crafts that may.crochets have in store. Every piece was made with love and a lot of thought was put into their designs and it shows! We managed to get a hold of Mun Yee, one of the brains behind may.crochets to get to know her a little better and to find out how it all started.
Meet Mun Yee, One Of The Brains Of may.crochets
“Hi! This little online store is mainly run by me, but all the crochet creations are handmade by my mom, May!”
A 23 year old who is also a Master’s student, Mun Yee runs the online store, may.crochets, whereas her mother makes the creations. “We are a mother-daughter duo,” explained Mun Yee, “All the crochet creations are handmade by my mom, May!”
Mun Yee is responsible for handling the business side of things such as marketing, logistics etc. while May is the one who comes up with designs and does the actual crocheting of their products.
Even though May only started crocheting in late December last year, her little hobby sure pays off with the birth of may.crochets. “We actually have very different interests and hobbies, but this has been a project that’s brought us together!”, Mun Yee shared.
How Did may.crochets Started
“The idea for @may.crochets came about when my mom stumbled upon the crochet side of YouTube and wanted to make me a bag.” shared Mun Yee. It all started with one idea that May had when she discovered ‘Amigurumi’ or the art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures – in other words, plushies!
The rush that she feels whenever she finishes a plushie just grows May’s interest in crocheting. Since the bag project, May continued on to crochet more items and even made graduation plushies for both Mun Yee and her brother. “Soon, crochet started becoming a reignited hobby from her experience as a tailor and so she wanted to start sharing and selling them to others.”
May is entirely a self-taught crocheter! Her skills as a tailor definitely helps her to develop her skills and learn different techniques. How does she do this? By watching videos online! Even now, May is still learning and developing her skills. As for Mun Yee, “I’m sadly not as gifted as my mom in crafting, but I do know the terms and all, so I help out as much as I can.”
Where Does The Inspirations Come From And How Are They Made
When asked where the inspirations for their adorable designs come from, Mun Yee said, “Most of our crochet creations are ideas from both of us. We tend to share our passing thoughts of ideas and inspirations from scrolling Instagram or YouTube with each other, and if my mom’s super interested, we both start researching patterns that fit our envisioned idea!” Other than that, they also get inspiration from custom orders and commissions from their customers which include their supportive friends and family.
Mun Yee also explains that their items are made with milky cotton yarn and any other necessary items such as polyester fibre, doll eyes, the keychain and more. As for patterns that they researched, May will go through a trial and error process to create them.
“There have been times where she’s had to frog (unravel) entire projects because it wasn’t turning out as intended, so she’ll try out a different technique till she’s happy with the result.”, Mun Yee explained.
As the person in charge of quality control, it is Mun Yee’s duty to point out mistakes, defects and any improvements that need to be done.
What Makes Handcrafted Items Such As The Ones From may.crochets Special
“Handcrafted items are unique because so much thought is put into it from everyone involved, from the crochet idea itself to color selection and small variations to make an item one of a kind!” Mun Yee enthusiastically explained.
She also explains that when customers come to them for commission pieces, their customers will often share a part of their life with them. This includes the reason why they are giving this particular gift to their loved ones.
“There is a genuine touch to handmade products that allows the giftee to feel the giver’s love language.” Mun Yee shared. “It sends a simple message of “I thought of you” in a heartwarming way and we’re honored to be part of that moment.” Mun Yee added.
GIving a person a handmade gift is not only full of meaning, but it also helps to support small local businesses that pour their heart and passion into their business.
may.crochets Through The Years
Admittedly Mun Yee shared that starting an online business and joining the community has been daunting as is with every new experience. Fortunately, they have supportive family and friends throughout their journey. Their current challenge centers on figuring out their next steps and finding their niche.
Previously, figuring out logistics was crafty for them too. “It took some time for us to figure out how best to pack our parcels and send them out, but now we’ve gotten into a good groove and it’s always a work in progress to make sure our packaging is eco-friendly.” Figuring out their packaging situation was also how Mun Yee’s dad was roped into the business making it a true family affair.
The support from their family and friends have been really encouraging for them. From becoming their first few customers to lending a hand with photography, their solid support system allowed them to blossom. In addition to that, the public has shown them a lot of love too. “Suffice to say, the response has been good, and we hope that our store will be known for providing unique personalized creations.” Mun Yee gratefully shared.
What’s In Store For The Future For may.crochets
At the moment, the direction of their store is anyone’s guess. But one thing is for sure, they are always creating and designing be it plushies, bags and more. The sky is truly the limit. “We’re excited to create new items and also work with customers to bring their ideas to life.” Mun Yee passionately said.
may.crochets
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