Last year, I took two and a half months off work to focus on a special project. I’ve kept mum all this while but now it’s finally time to spill the beans: I’ve been working on my first book and it’ll finally be out in September!
Yes, it’s an amigurumi book alright…but it’s also an official Hello Kitty amigurumi book!
It’s called Hello Kitty Crochet and here’s a sneak peek of the cover:
It’s been an honour being chosen to work on this supercute project and just in time for our favourite feline, Hello Kitty’s 40th anniversary too!
When Quirk Books first e-mailed me about the project early last year, I practically woke everyone up in the neighbourhood because I was jumping up and down and making whooping noises at 12 midnight (there’s a 12-hour time difference between Malaysia and Philadelphia, where Quirk Books is based). I’ve always had a soft spot for Hello Kitty growing up so I said yes almost right away and the journey has been a dream come true!
Some of you may have already noticed the title at Amazon — thank you so much for sending me e-mails and messages to check if the Mei Li Lee listed as the author of the book is really me (yes, it is!).
Now I’m sure you’d want to hear more about the book; you can read more at this page here (written by the wonderful team over at Quirk Books), but what I can tell you is this: there are 25 Sanrio characters for you to fawn over and most of them even come with their very own crochet accessories! If your childhood was peppered by Hello Kitty and Sanrio merchandise (like mine was), you’d be delighted to have a copy of this book, whether you’re an amigurumi beginner or just plain in love with crafts.
Save the date: September 16 2014 is when Hello Kitty Crochet will be officially made available to the public.
Before then, you can make pre-orders here:
Working with Quirk Books and Sanrio has been amazing and super-fun, I really can’t wait for the book to be out — Hello Kitty is a wonderful character to crochet, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges (getting the facial features just right, or the unique shape of the head) and my book, Hello Kitty Crochet, hopes to address all these tiny grievances for the first time ever, and in the English language.
I still can’t get over how I got the chance to collaborate with Sanrio on designing Hello Kitty and her friends’ amigurumi patterns. It was difficult playing favourites but I must say that I’ve fallen in love (all over again) with each and every one of the kawaii characters that I’ve had the pleasure of spending the past year with in my craft room. Can you guess which character patterns made it into the book? (hint: picture below)
I’ll be sharing more fun stuff in the next few months so don’t forget to check back in to hear more about Hello Kitty Crochet!
P/S I’m now an official Hello Kitty addict so if you don’t hear from me very often, you know I’m off on one of my tirades making more of them cute faces…
amiguruMEI 
Congratulations! The creations look adorable. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy! 😉 Keep up the great work.
Thank you dear!!
Congratulations on your new book! The creations look adorable and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Keep up the great work! 😉
congrats..proud of you ^^ is the book will be available in Malaysia?
Thank you! Yes it will be! 🙂
Felicidades por este logro from México.
Congrats! Can’t wait to get the book!
SOOOO CUTE! I can’t wait for this book! Congrats on getting it published soon!!
Thank you 🙂
The hello kitty is just to cute!!! 😀
Thank you!!
Congratulations, Mei! I have already pre-ordered my copy, I just can’t miss it!
Congratulations, Mei!!! This is just Wow and Miaooo!!!
I have already preordered my copy, I can’t miss it.
Thank you so much!
Wow! That is so exciting. I love Hello Kitty and will be buying your book
Thank you Emma!
if I’m going to come to your workshop next Saturday, may I know what should I bring along?
Hi Syaz!
Thanks for the message! My workshop next week will be on how to sew a felt doll (not amigurumi), and all materials will be provided 🙂 If you have a preference for your own sewing tools, you can definitely bring along your own needles/thread and scissors. Can’t wait to meet you! 🙂
BIG CONGRATS!!!!
SUPER-AWSOME NEWS!!!!
I cannot wait for the book…
I’ve already done some of your super-cute amigurumis (Sayo-chan, Tuxedo Sam, Little Red and the wolf and Kodama!)
It will be so hard to wait for the book… 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
ThAnk you Ana!
Congratulations! I was browsing through The Star Online and read about you. I am a die-hard Hello Kitty fans but too bad I don’t know how to do crochet. I wish you all the best and keep up the good work! 🙂
Congratulations on the book. Where would it be available in Malaysia?
I love to get a copy too.. I love melody!!
Where can I purchase in sg?
Congratz with your first book!
It looks really awesome and cute and i want to buy it:)
Im from the netherlands do you also send to the netherlands? If yes from wich webpage should i purchase?
Thank you!!
Thank you! You can click on the book cover on the too right sidebar on my blog 🙂 that should link you to Amazon 🙂
Hi.. may i know how to order this book?
Cos im addict to hello kitty very much..
Please let me know further. ..
Thank you..
Hey Christina! You can definitely order the book by clicking on the top right sidebar on my blog, which says ‘Order my Book’, via Amazon.com. If you’re from KL, you can get the book at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC 🙂