By Anni (Miniature Crochet World)
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What materials do you use to make your crochet miniature animals?
For my micro creations, I mostly use fine embroidery threads and also sometimes cotton threads and yarn for the bigger ones.
How has your work with miniatures and micro crochet minis evolved?
I’ve been making crochet miniatures since 2012. I first started making micro ones (about 0.4 inches) and would list them on eBay. A year later in 2013, I opened my Etsy shop.
I love making Disney characters, these are my most favorite. I’ve always been inspired by Walt Disney since I was little. I’ve spent whole days watching those magical Disney productions such as Beauty and The Beast, Cinderella… and drawing his beautiful characters with colored pencils and paint.
And now I’m happy to turn them into another kind of art: miniatures. They are always a great pleasure and challenge for me.
Favorite miniature you own?
My collection of miniatures by other artists is relatively new and has just a few miniatures. But my most favorite one is a little book shop I bought from Petit Connoisseurs not long ago. It was made by the South African artisan Roz Crouch. This is a half scale dollhouse, very well furnished and everything is so small and perfect. I really love it because this is my first dollhouse, and it means so much to me. The house has its own spirit, memories, and is so very realistic that it’s simply unbelievable that it’s a dollhouse. I am very impressed and admire Roz Crouch’s beautiful work. I hope soon I’ll have more of her great work in my collection.
Why miniatures? What appeals to you most about what you do?
A few years ago I read a blog article about miniatures featuring an incredible video that was revealing the magical world of miniatures. Before that I didn’t even know such world existed, but at the moment I saw the enchantment of building a whole new mini world, a copy of the real one, but even better, I fell in love with this art and decided to try. And it worked.
Why crochet?
After I had started to master the art of crocheting, it was a challenge and it was fun to apply it to miniatures. What I really love about my work is that I don’t feel it’s work. It’s magic, it’s a challenge to recreate what you see on a picture for example in the same crochet shape. And when you get people’s approval and positive feedback, when you find people who love your creatures the same way as you do… that’s the greatest recognition of all.
Advice for beginner artists?
Make your art with heart and soul, so that it can be unique. Make an individual distinguished style. Place your love on everything you do.
Other activities you enjoy?
In addition to my miniature crochet creations, I’m also a dog clothes designer. I have a Yorkie named Carey. First I started making clothes for her then I opened an Etsy shop. After 3 years of hard work now I have also a dog fashion website.
My other hobbies are painting and drawing, though I don’t have much time for either lately. I love spending time in nature. Nature inspires me the most. It makes me feel relaxed and at the same time, it charges me with so much positive energy. I adore magical walks in the beautiful forests and to see all wonders of nature, all colors of life. The greatest art gallery of all.
What’s to come from By Anni?
Here in Bulgaria where I live, making miniatures is not very common or popular. But I sincerely hope things are about to change in the future and that we also start attending big miniature exhibitions. 
My dream is to visit some of the world’s greatest miniature exhibitions. Meeting other miniaturists in person and seeing their work live would be a great experience for me. Currently, I’ve been working on my blog and I hope it’ll be ready to go online very soon. Miniature lovers will find there more information about what I’m working on at the moment, what’s coming up next, lots of pictures of my miniature creations and more “behind the scenes.” This will also be a space for fun, contests, sweepstakes and all that can make people enjoy my work even more.
I’m also planning to make a pet collection in the near future and offer crochet miniatures made after real life pet models from pictures provided by customers. 
The pet collection will include different breeds of dogs, cats, and other animals.
What do you want miniature fans to know about you?
All of my miniatures are made without any patterns. Sometimes I use only a picture (for my crochet characters) but mostly I use my imagination and make everything with plenty of LOVE.
Anna Stoykova is from Bulgaria. Her crochet miniatures can be purchased online through her brand, By Anni (Miniature Crochet World). Shop on Etsy, or follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or her Miniature Crochet World blog.
