GOOD READ
Photographed by Jason Jenkins
Rachel created her Donut Buddies to be engaging sensory toys
TOY story Rachel Zain of Oodles of Crochet shares the story behind her love of amigurumi playthings, which has led her to create her very own range of child-friendly ‘buddies’ rochet’s not just for grown-ups! That’s certainly the message behind Rachel Zain’s engaging range of amigurumi characters, from her plush Buddies collection to her popular Donut Buddy designs. There’s nothing more satisfying to Rachel than seeing her kids play with her creations, which are designed with children in mind. This goes double for her Donut Buddies, which are the creative result of her mission to capture the imagination of her son, who is non-verbal and autistic. “I’ve always loved amigurumi, ever since my grandmother used to make them for me as a child,” she explains. “When I then had my own children, I wanted to carry on that tradition and I loved seeing them play with my creations. There is something about handmade toys that I find just magical.”
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SENSORY PLAY With this in mind, Rachel had researched toys for her non-verbal autistic son and, having found that many of the most suitable toys were sensory, she designed crocheted animal donuts – Donut Buddies – for him to play with. Children with autism often enjoy sensory toys, or toys that stimulate the senses through a variety of textures, interesting lighting displays, certain attractive sounds and other elements. “It started off with me designing two or three characters, but I was so excited to see him play with them that I now have over 60 Donut Buddies in the collection with many more to come!” Rachel says. “When designing the Donut Buddies for my son, I knew I wanted something to keep him occupied but also to stimulate his brain, so I used crinkle paper in certain parts of the
toys, and added bells and squeakers to bring a fun element to them. The donut shape is great for small hands as they are easy to grip onto, and babies love the circular shape, I find. I also layer the ‘icing’ on top of the donut to give it a textured feel. My son loves the bright-coloured Donut Buddies the most. He enjoys anything colourful and inviting.” The Donut Buddies were not just a hit with Rachel’s family – so many others have now made them for their families and friends. “My Donut Buddies have been so popular! I believe it’s because of their fun character designs, and they are easy to grip hold of and stack,” says Rachel. They were such a resounding success that Rachel has collaborated with David & Charles to publish a book, Crochet Donut Buddies. “We worked really hard for over a year creating
