Crocheting is a tradition in Manci’s family, she is the little girl who learned how to crochet before learning how to read. Her mom made Manci’s clothes when she was a toddler and now that she became a mom too she wanted to carry on the tradition. Her son’s custom toys and clothes quickly became popular so she thought big and created her first own brand the Besties.

Let me introduce you Manci who is a graduated historian from ELTE and now works at the Nagy Imre Foundation as a secretary, besides she founded her own company this summer the Besties Budapest.

Let us start at the beginning. How did the idea of crocheting baby toys come from?
I’ve always loved to knit, sew, crochet. My mom found the amigurumi technique when my son was born, she made the first toy. I liked it very much and there’s no stopping since…

How do you choose fabric and colors?
I make baby toys so it’s very important that the fabric is baby-friendly. Fortunately, there are many kinds nowadays. Mercerised cotton, cotton, bamboo. All are natural materials so the children can play with them freely. Colors are also important so they attract the child’s attention and it has to be visually nice for the parents too because at the end of the day they are buying it. Keeping these in mind I try to make products with harmonic colors. Quality and customer satisfaction are both very important to me that’s why I make every product like I’d do it for my own son.

How long does it take usually to finish a Besties Budapest product?
Depends. A pacifier ring or rattle takes a couple of hours. A bigger bear or bunny can take up a day.

What is your favorite product you made so far?
I made a bunny mobile. Grey-white bunnies, yellow spheres and star. It’s very nice. But usually, the favorite is what I’m actually working on. 

You make not only toys but purchasable and rentable other accessories, right? If someone wants to rent or buy something customly designed how long in advance should they contact you?
Yes, I’ve already made some accessories for newborn photography. They can be rented and also can be bought. I’ve also made cardigans, blankets, hats and vests. Time depends on many things, a cardigan could take 4-5 days while a blanket could be a week to finish. It’s hard to say when should they contact, the more time I have the more customized product I can make.

For someone who is interested in your work, where can you be found?
You can find me on Meska. Also, on my Facebook page, you can see many of my works. Some are not for sale at the moment but they can be ordered.