Vietnamese man blends creativity and yarn into unique pompom designs
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 13:02 GMT+7
After graduating from the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, Le Lam Nhat Huy pursued further studies in graphic design in Canada where he discovered pompom art.
Upon returning to Vietnam, Huy decided to pursue this craft as a career and has been doing it full-time for eight years.
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| Le Lam Nhat Huy poses with the pompom animals he makes in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
The 32-year-old explained that this art form is not really well known in Vietnam, so he faced many challenges at first.
He had to teach himself by learning online and practicing a lot with yarn.
Huy’s designs primarily feature animals, pets, cartoon characters, and home decor items.
“To create an animal figure, I need acrylic yarn, molds, scissors, needles, and the process involves conceptualizing the design, wrapping the yarn around the frame, trimming, and attaching parts like the eyes, ears, and mouth,” Huy elaborated.
“The trimming stage is crucial in bringing the animal figure to life.”
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| Le Lam Nhat Huy wraps yarn around a mold to shape the pompom. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
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| Le Lam Nhat Huy trims the pompom to form the animal shape, which is the most important step to make the figure look lifelike. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
According to Huy, simple designs take 15-20 minutes to finish, while more complicated ones can take hours or even days.
“I find this work meaningful because it lets me create lifelike pet replicas that capture each animal's character and soul,” he said.
“People feel happy and comforted when they have a commemorative piece or a memorial of their beloved pet that they can display at home.”
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| A close-up of the pompom animals. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
Currently, Huy’s pompom products fetch from tens of thousands to over one million dong. (VND1 million = US$39)
Huy also published pompom crafting books including 'Pom Pom Pom -- Over 50 Mini Pompoms to Make' and 'Pom Pom Pom Animal,' both written in English, including step-by-step images, and available on Amazon.
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| Steps to make a pompom fox is introduced in one of Le Lam Nhat Huy’s books. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
In addition, Huy offers pompom crafting classes at the Women’s Cultural Center in District 3 and produces instructional videos on social media platforms including his YouTube channel @HenryLeArt.
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