She’s Hooked!: Llamagurumi has got the stuff

Liz Sauco, a local artist who individually produces small, three-dimensional critters with her own hands, has crocheted her way through RI Comic Con for six years now, and will be looping and twisting her way through this year’s as well. “The first year I shared a booth with my friend Shawn Manchester, who had a collection of Power Rangers merchandise and cosplayers. They [her creations] were pretty popular, so I kept coming back. I went on to crochet my way through 20 seasons of Power Rangers, which is how I reached my 10,000 hours and really learned how to do this.” 

Sauco expanded her slate of crocheted Rangers into other animals — especially sea creatures. She’s also entered the Pokeverse and paid homage to other more comic-friendly fare, which can be found at art and craft fairs like East Providence’s Looff and PVDFest. “At Comic Con, a lot more people are drawn to the nerdier stuff, though,” she explains. Her company name isn’t short on nerdiness itself. It’s called Llamagurumi, and Sauco explains the origins. “My nickname has been llama since I was 10, and the art style is amigurumi, a Japanese word for crocheted or knitted stuffed dolls.” So she’ll be bringing baby dragons, chibi unicorns and everything in between to the con this year. “I also have bats. I made them a few years back, and am returning them this year.” We can’t wait ‘til Batman finds out!