We all love amigurumis amigurumisWe consider them as one of those little knitted dolls that are able to win the hearts of everyone at home. They are so tiny and adorable that you want to take them all with you, proudly displaying them in your children’s room or other domestic spaces.
But behind all that sweetness and mysticism that they transmit, there is a real story of overcoming to be known. An example of life for this new generation, showing them how possible it is to overcome adversity with effort and empathy for the pain of others.
The amigurumis are not only present in exclusive stores or stores specialized in children’s items. We can also visualize them in the creations made by our grandmothers through the crochet technique, giving us pieces impregnated with the purest love and that will accompany us for the rest of our existence.
If you want to know what are those mystical origins of amigurumis and the meaning of this word, read on because this post seeks to educate and inform you about what is behind these magnificent characters.
Go for it!
It is a trend of Japanese origin that consists of the embroidery of dolls under the hook weaving technique, better known as crochet. The amigurumis are dolls made of wool and cotton thread that have been manufactured within this pattern of handmade manufacture, standing out for offering a pleasant visual effect and offering a soft touch that makes it impossible not to want to hug them.
They can personify various animals, as well as everyday objects in small or medium physical dimensions, depending on the maker. Another positive aspect of amigurumis is their sustainable character, since no artificial products or other polluting agents are used in any production chain.
In addition to being timeless, preserving them for future generations without being forced to discard them because they “suffered the ravages of time”, leaving them with an unpleasant appearance.
“Amigurumis“is a compound word from the Japanese language, divided into “Ami” which means Weave or Knit and “Gurumi” which translates as Stuffed Toy.
If we adapt it to the semantics of Spanish, we could say that it would be “Muñeco Tejido” (Woven Doll). However, we would be making a grammatical approximation of this because of the wide variations that exist in the Japanese language in terms of pronunciation and writing with the Kanji system.
To talk about the origins and history of amigurumis is to go back to Japan in 1950, when the Second World War had just ended and this Asian country was devastated in general terms. Not only was there a climate of despair due to the situation during that time, but also due to the large number of civilian casualties, which according to official records ranged between 350,000-500,000.
While unofficial investigations speak of more than 1,500,000 deaths as a result of this war. The Japanese were looking for a reason to brighten their gray days, leading to the emergence of the Kawaii culture. This artistic movement is based on the creation of tender objects and images in all areas of Japanese society.
This brought with it internationally renowned characters such as Hello Kitty, giving meaning to the lives of millions of people who had lost loved ones or were forcibly displaced by the nuclear attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
A homemade amigurumi was a reflection of a new way of life, where all the women in a family were provided with a means of entertainment to make their time at home more pleasant. What would be a temporary custom, ended up becoming a tradition with deep socio-cultural roots that are still present today. The culture of weaving is even much older, dating back to the time of the Samurai, who had to weave their own clothes to go out to fight.
The original amigurumis did not have mouths so that they would not be linked to any emotion and could connect and identify with the feelings of their owner. This is why many of the amigurumis that we designed in the beginning at Crochetts did not have mouths.
Beyond being a toy, the purpose of these cotton stuffed animals is to protect and nurture the spirit and imagination of the child in all of us, to awaken the tenderness of love. Each amigurumi has a “soul” that makes it the lifelong companion and confidant of its owner, providing protection and comfort in times of fear, stress or sadness.
Our amigurumis are objects of attachment linked to simple concepts such as complicity, friendship and companionship.
So an amigurumi will help:
Do you realize that? Never judge or belittle anyone by their appearance. And we say this, because amigurumis are almost always considered as “simple toys” instead of having a more holistic conception of everything that lies behind them.
Buy amigurumis buy amigurumis and teach your children that nothing in life is so terrible not to let them win. If you liked this post, share it on your social networks.