A Menagerie of Stitches, a shop dedicated to crocheted amigurumi, is owned and designed by Lauren Espy. Her passion for amigurumi (and yarn!) began when her grandmother gave her a set of crochet hooks and an amigurumi book for Christmas. Lauren began designing her own patterns after teaching herself to crochet in 2008, and she has now developed a distinct aesthetic. She ultimately started her Etsy business in 2015, selling both finished products and crochet patterns. Lauren, her husband Carl, and their two puppies, Thunder and Storm, live in Tennessee.