We are delighted to celebrate our collaboration with Sachiyo Ishii, an internationally recognised designer whose imaginative approach to miniature knitting has captured the hearts of makers around the world. With her distinctive style, playful subject matter and remarkable attention to detail, Sachiyo has become a much-loved author on the Search Press list.
Sachiyo Ishii was born and raised in Japan. She was a money broker on Wall Street and in London before discovering the joy of handicraft after her second son was born. She learned dressmaking and Waldorf doll making and has been designing and creating dolls and toys ever since. She teaches knitting, doll making, wet and dry felting, sewing, crochet and spinning, among other crafts (yes, she pretty much knows them all!). She has authored a number of best-selling titles for Search Press, with her overall book sales total in excess of 200k copies, and her work regularly appears in knitting magazines.
Sachiyo’s work is instantly recognisable. Her designs are charming and characterful, she transforms small-scale knitted forms into expressive, joyful creations. Across every project, Sachiyo balances technical precision with storytelling, encouraging knitters to explore colour, texture and personality through yarn. Her books consistently appeal not only to experienced knitters but also to those drawn to the satisfaction and delight of creating miniature worlds by hand.
Her publishing journey with Search Press spans many years and a wide variety of formats. Early titles such as 20 to Knit Tiny Christmas Toys, 20 to Knit Pocket Pets, Pocket Pompoms, and 20 Tiny Toys to Crochet established her reputation for producing accessible, engaging projects suitable for gifting and display. These books showcased Sachiyo’s talent for distilling ideas into small, achievable projects without sacrificing creativity or charm.
One of Sachiyo’s most enduring contributions to the Search Press list is the Knit a Mini series, which has sold over 35,000 copies and began in 2019 with Mini Knitted Cosmos. The series has since expanded into a much-loved collection that continues to grow year on year, including Knit a Mini Safari, Ocean, Woodland, Farmyard, Toys, and most recently Knit a Mini Universe, published in January 2026. Each title invites knitters to explore a themed miniature world, combining imaginative concepts with clear instructions that encourage experimentation and collectability.
Alongside her independent designs, in 2024 Sachiyo collaborated with Aardman Animations, on the Shaun the Sheep inspired Baa-rilliant Knits!, a highly distinctive title that brought her knitted style into conversation with an iconic British brand. The project highlighted her ability to translate familiar characters into knitted form while retaining their humour and personality.
