This book is not available in English yet.
If you’d be interested in an English edition, please let me know here.

Credits: Photography & styling: Fabrice Besse & Sonia Roy

When Mango got back to me

I had been contacting publishing houses for quite some time, hoping to see my self-published books find a place beyond my website.

One day, Mango replied.
They explained that they wanted to launch a book focused on chenille yarn, a material they had not yet explored in their catalogue.

They offered me the opportunity to be part of this adventure.

I said yes.

I was happy that my work appealed to a publisher, and above all to have the opportunity to reach a wider audience.

Author’s note

“Being contacted by a publisher after a long search
is a mix of joy, relief, and disbelief.
At that moment, what I felt most was deep gratitude.”

A different project… at just the right time

When Mango told me about this chenille yarn project, I wasn’t yet where I am today with this material.

At that time, I was mainly working with cotton and creating mostly collectible dolls.
I did have a few chenille yarn models, but it wasn’t the core of my work.

The project proposed by Mango was therefore very different:
soft toys for young children, made with a thick, plush and comforting yarn.

And at that moment in my life, I had just welcomed my second baby.
Soft toys, cocooning creations, and designs made for little ones all resonated deeply with my personal life as well.

I saw it as a real creative challenge.
This book allowed me to explore chenille yarn further, to expand my range, and to guide my work in a new direction.

Working with a publishing house

Working with a publishing house like Mango is a very different experience from self-publishing.

I benefited from regular guidance, with constructive exchanges and a reassuring framework.
But to be honest, the pace is demanding, and the final stage of the project is… intense.

Deadlines are tight, and you no longer work alone.
You have to coordinate with photographers’ schedules, editing rounds, and last-minute adjustments.
Everything speeds up toward the end, and it can be quite a challenge.

You also depend on other partners, such as suppliers.
For this book, I had a partnership with the yarn brand DMC, which sometimes means waiting for certain materials or adapting designs to the available colors and supplies.

Fortunately, my testers were there.
Their help was invaluable in meeting deadlines and keeping up the pace until the very end.

I’m someone who values freedom in my way of working, and this framework can sometimes feel destabilizing.
It isn’t always easy… but it’s absolutely worth it.

The final result is very professional: the layout, the physical book itself, the print quality, and the communication around the project.

The book is truly beautiful, and it’s a great source of pride.

Author’s note

“Working with a publisher means accepting that you’re no longer alone.
The framework can be demanding, the pace intense,
but an outside perspective can also help you go further.”

What this adventure taught me

This adventure also taught me a lot about myself.

My self-confidence sometimes faltered.
I remained quite anxious until the book was released, despite the professional support and structure.

On the other hand, I felt recognized, perhaps for the first time, in my work.
Being published instantly brings a sense of legitimacy within the field.

My vision of my work hasn’t changed.

However, I do feel that the way clients perceive my work has evolved.

What’s next?

Despite the pace, the pressure, and the doubts, I wanted to do it all over again.

A new book is already in progress with the same publisher, scheduled for release in 2026.

I must be a little masochistic… 😄

But I truly loved working with Mango Éditions.

It’s a very professional publishing house, respectful of creators’ work, which is unfortunately not always the case elsewhere.

Acknowledgements

This adventure would obviously not have been possible without the people who supported me along the way.

A huge thank you to Barbara, my editor, for her trust and guidance.
Thank you as well to Assia at DMC, to the entire editorial team and the photographers, for their professionalism and dedication.

And above all, thank you to my testers, Anaïs and Géjé.

Without them, this book would simply never have been published.

Thank you all. 💛

Author’s note

“This adventure reminded me that doubt is part of the journey.
But it also showed me that daring to share your work
can open unexpected doors.”

Anaëlle T.

If this adventure makes you curious to discover the book, it is available for purchase now.

Inside, you’ll find chenille yarn soft toy patterns, designed for little ones—soft, accessible, and enjoyable to crochet.

Discover the book