In September 2022, while I was putting the finishing touches on my master’s dissertation in Economics and Finance at King’s College London, I found myself craving a creative outlet. I didn’t know it then, but picking up a crochet hook would offer more than just a bit of stress relief, it would eventually spark the beginnings of my handmade brand.
What started as a therapeutic hobby slowly evolved into something more. Today, I design and create sustainable bags and accessories under my own name – Kar Yee Lee – blending creativity with craftsmanship to tell personal stories through very piece.
A Quiet Start to a Creative Spark
I’ve always been a creative person at heart. When I was little, back in the single digit years, I used to curl strips of paper into spirals and turn them into shapes, flowers, animals, you name it. Before you applaud my imagination, I should confess, it came from a craft kit with step-by-step instructions. Still, I loved it.
In secondary school, I remember a school play needing pom poms for costumes. They offered one school credit per pom pom made – a dream deal for little Karyee, who went wild and made 100. Slightly excessive? Maybe. But I got my 100 credits!
Looking back, maybe it wasn’t just creativity I loved - it was the repetitive, meditative process of making something with my hands. Oddly enough, I never paid much attention to crochet growing up, even though my mum was always crocheting delicate lace tablecloths. As a child, I saw it as “granny-ish” and never really appreciated how intricate and beautiful her work was.
Instead, I was more drawn to things like modular origami, where you fold thousands of tiny paper pieces and slot them together to build sculptures. I made everything from the golden snitches to mushrooms (very random I know), but my favourite was swans. I lost count how many I made. Even then, it was that rhythm of repetition and the satisfaction of making something meaningful that drew me in.
Following the Expected Path
I took art at school and especially loved drawing and painting during GCSEs. But like many from Asian households may relate to, creativity wasn’t exactly encouraged as a career path. I was expected to become a lawyer or a banker. I tried law at GCSE and quickly realised it wasn’t for me. But in classic Chinese fashion, I was good at maths, so the finance route seemed like the natural choice.
That led to A-levels in Maths, Economics, Politics (and Physics... but we don’t talk about that), followed by an undergrad in Economics with Econometrics and a master’s in economics and finance. I genuinely enjoyed learning about numbers and problem-solving, but over time, my creative side quietly faded into the background.
When Crochet Found Me
That all changed in summer 2022. I had finished writing my dissertation early and was making final tweaks while enjoying the break. Around then, my sister showed my mum a designer crochet tote bag from Prada that cost over £1,000. Naturally, we were all stunned.
My mum, always resourceful, decided to try making her own version. The result? A gorgeous, sturdy crochet bag. My sisters and I were obsessed. We each wanted them in every colour. Then our friends wanted them too. The waitlist for my mum’s bags got so long she couldn’t keep up!
That’s when Beth, one of my best friends (and my partner’s sister) received one as a gift and decided to learn to crochet herself. One day, while I was proofreading my dissertation, I watched her crocheting beside me and thought, “Okay, I want to learn too.”
The First Stitches
Beth taught the basics me, and we quickly became hooked (pun intended). I remember my sister randomly getting last-minute tickets to see Lewis Capaldi that same evening, but I was so deep in learning crochet that I actually said no. Do I regret it? Yes. I love Lewis. Have I seen him since? Still, no. But that’s how into crochet I was.
At first, I really struggled. My stitches were uneven, my shapes were wobbly, and nothing looked the way it should. I wish I’d taken a photo of that first attempt, though honestly, it was so bad I probably hid it somewhere at my parents’ house, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my mum quietly threw it away.
While browsing for inspiration, I discovered Hope Macaulay, a chunky knitwear designer who redefined what handcrafted fashion could look like. Beth and I found a YouTube tutorial for a cardigan inspired by her work but made in crochet. It became my first “big” project.
That’s also when I realised how expensive materials could be. The yarn alone for the cardigan cost over £100, not to mention the hours of work it took to finish. It really opened my eyes to the true value of handmade fashion and the honest pricing behind small business products.
Slowly, Something Took Shape
After that, I returned to making crochet bags – this time, determined to improve. Little by little, I did. I made bags for my friends, and they still use them today. My sisters requested bags in thicker, more vibrant yarns – which my mum found trickier to work with, but I loved. With every project (and a lot of frogging – aka unravelling and restarting), my stiches became consistent, my bags had structure, and I started to feel genuinely proud of what I was making.
One chilly day in November, my sisters and I were out, each carrying a bag I’d crocheted. To our surprise, strangers came up to us to ask where they were from. Some even suggested I should start selling them. I wasn’t sure at first, but my sister Karkay gave me the nudge I needed – she created an email and Instagram account for me and said “Just try. You never know what could happen.”
From MUI to Kar Yee Lee
That’s how it all began. I started posting under the name KSistersStudio, and rediscovering my creative side after years of academic study felt like coming home. I explored content creation, experimented with photography and branding, and slowly found a small but encouraging online community. I was even featured in Looch Magazine a few months in – an amazing milestone for someone just starting out.
Later I rebranded to MUI, inspired by the Cantonese word for “little sister.” It was a tribute to my heritage, my sisters and the love that shaped this journey.
But as I grew, I realised I wanted to build something more personal – something that could evolve alongside me. So, I’ve rebranded again, this time under my own name: Kar Yee Lee. It’s both a brand and a creative portfolio – a reflection of everything I make and the stories behind them.
What Comes Next
Recently, I took a short pause to upskill and reflect. I completed the Google Digital and E-commerce course, learning everything from SEO to social strategy. I’m so excited to apply that knowledge to grow this small handmade business in a thoughtful, sustainable way – sharing behind the scenes content, writing more blogs, and connecting with people who value slow fashion, creativity, and purpose.
Shifting from finance to fashion wasn’t something I planned. But it feels like the most natural move I’ve ever made. What I do now is more than just making crochet accessories. It’s about rediscovering my voice, appreciating the small joys that come from creating with love.
Thanks for reading my story. I can’t wait to share what’s next – whether it’s a new bag, a blog post, or simply a moment of quiet creativity.