ST. GEORGE —From magnificent mushrooms to dolls with interchangeable clothing, this artist is crocheting her way into homes around Washington County.
Melissa Daams said she and her husband moved to the Netherlands in 2005. During the ten years they lived there, the couple had 4 children, with Daams as a homemaker who crocheted nearly every day. She enjoyed creating blankets, hats, bags and more.
“I crocheted a lot over there because, you know, what can you do in a country where it rains a lot,” Daams said.
In her youth, she was taught the Granny Stitch but never learned how to read or use a pattern. As she made more afghans and quilts, she became interested in trying Amigurumi for the first time – which she said is a Japanese word for “small crochet cuties,” but was apprehensive about trying something that was complicated and outside her skillset. She bought her first Amigurumi book in the Netherlands, which was written completely in Dutch.
“It took me a while to figure out what I was doing because I had to translate it first into English and also learn how to read patterns at the same time,” Daams said.
Along with the book, she found many step-by-step guides through online blogs and began to learn how to read and use patterns. Her first doll was made with regular acrylic yarn and she continued to learn with each item she made.
“Once I learned patterns and saw what I could create, I had the confidence to do this,” Daams said. “I felt Iike I could actually do it.”
In love with crochet art and also a painter at the time, Daams said she decided to ditch the amigurumi designs. In 2015, she and her family moved to Southern Utah and the main focus was to grow as an artist and become a full-time painter.
“I decided I was going to try and make it as a paint artist and I went all in,” Daams said. “I said I was going to be in the galleries and even joined the Southern Utah Art Guild.”
Coinciding with her artistic career, Daam decided to try out Amigurumi again and bought a pattern for a bunny rabbit. She made the rabbit and shared the finished product on her Facebook page. Shocked at the number of people that reached out wanting to place orders, she started to create more items and her knitted art quickly turned into a business.
Daam’s unique business name – Whimsy Winkle – reflects her whimsy designs, while the word “Winkel” means business or shop in Dutch.
“A lot of the stuff I make, especially the mushrooms, they’re so whimsical. I also loved the alliteration of Whimsy Winkel together. It also reflects my time in the Netherlands, where my husband is originally from,” Daams said.
As she sold her Amigurumi via word-of-mouth, Daams said she connected with Kat Puzey, owner of MoFACo and the St. George Downtown Farmers Market, who encouraged her to sell her items in the downtown artisan co-op.
“She said, ‘You should sell your stuff here, it’s so cute and nobody else here is making these.’ She is the one that helped me get out of my shell and comfort zone and helped me gain the confidence I didn’t have before,” Daams said.
With a focus on selling locally, Whimsy Winkel art can now be seen at MoFACo, Gaia’s Garden Cafe and Red Canyon Company in Hurricane.
“If you want to feed your making addition you have to break out and go other places,” Daams said.
With a mixture of pattern work and her own designs, Daams said a small mushroom, for example, takes her about an hour to create, while the larger dolls take about a day and a half. She has loved the creative process and continues to learn as her business grows.
For more information on Whimsy Winkel, visit their website. Send Daams a message on Instagram or Facebook for custom orders.
Photo Gallery
A painting by Melissa Daams hangs on the wall, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, George News
A variety of crochet designs by Whimsy Winkel are shown, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, George News
Hand-crocheted mushrooms made by Melissa Daams are shown, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A variety of Whimsy Winkel dolls are laid out on a shelf, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A Whimsy Winkel doll lays on a table, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A variety of Whimsy Winkel designs are shown, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Hand-crocheted blankets made by Melissa Daams are shown, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A variety of Whimsy Winkel creations are shown, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A merman by Whimsy Winkel is shown, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Melissa Daams, St. George News
A Whimsy Winkel doll lays on a table, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A variety of Whimsy Winkel designs are shown, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A crochet design by Whimsy Winkel is shown, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Melissa Daams, St. George News
Crochet designs by Whimsy Winkel are shown, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Melissa Daams, St. George News
An "old man doll" by Whimsy Winkel is shown with interchangeable clothing, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Melissa Daams, St. George News
Melissa Daams, owner of Whimsy Winkel, stands with her crochet dolls, St. George, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Melissa Daams poses with her husband and four kids, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Melissa Daams, St. George News
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