Calinoumi is me
My name is Manuela, I am 31 years old,
originally from Normandy 🐮,
and I now live in Provence 🪻.
I am quite a homebody, and I could spend hours crocheting.
It is a gesture that soothes me, lets me create, and helps me clear my mind.
I deeply love animals — and you will feel it very quickly when discovering my crochet universe.
Creating with care, for animals.
Why Calinoumi exists today
Today, I create finished plushies and crochet patterns inspired by animals.
Each creation is designed to go beyond the object itself:
it invites people to look at animals differently, to grow attached to them, and to pay them more attention.
I am not trying to make anyone feel guilty or alarmed.
I truly believe that emotional connection is a first doorway toward respect for living beings.
Each animal tells a story and
invites a more attentive look at living beings.
How it all began
It all started with my mother, who wanted to learn how to make small baby clothes with crochet.
To encourage her, I bought her a lovely pattern book… for knitting 🙈
Out of curiosity, I then went to see what could be created with crochet.
That is when I discovered amigurumis: small animals crocheted by hand. I was amazed ✨
Very quickly, I wanted to try it myself.
My first plushie
Understanding the instructions, mastering the different stitches,
and above all taming the famous magic ring
— let’s just say it was no small challenge 😂.
But after several attempts, I finished my very first plushie.
From creation to intention
At first, I mostly created for pleasure and aesthetics.
I wanted to crochet, to learn, and to try new things.
Over time, my perspective changed.
I felt the need to give my creations a clearer direction, to no longer make things just because they were “pretty”, but to give meaning to what I do.
That is also what led me to offer patterns:
to pass on the gesture, but also the attention given to animals through creation.
Creating animals
also means learning to look at them differently.
The birth of Calinoumi
After giving many plushies to people around me, I found myself with a few creations in stock.
That is when the idea of creating my business took root, and I began taking part in my first markets.
To share my creations with more people, I then opened my online shop.
Today, Calinoumi is evolving toward a more mindful and committed approach:
offering plushies and patterns that make people want to grow attached to animals, respect them, and perhaps protect them better.
What the name Calinoumi means
The name Calinoumi is very personal to me.
It is inspired by my four cats, always by my side.
They embody what I want to convey through my creations:
presence, tenderness, and that quiet but strong bond between humans and animals.
At Calinoumi, each creation is conceived as a small gesture, a starting point for creating a connection with the living world.