Five years ago, most Indians hadn’t heard the word amigurumi. Today, it’s being searched on Google, gifted at baby showers in Chennai, displayed on study tables in Pune, and ordered in bulk as return gifts for birthday parties in Delhi. So what changed? A few things happened at once. The pandemic years gave many Indian women the space to explore crochet and knitting as crafts, creating a wave of homegrown makers and small businesses.