UPDATE: Congratulations to our winners!
It’s semifinalist time in the 2013 Mochimochi Photo Contest!
Today we present to you the first batch of ten semifinalist photos. It’s always really difficult to narrow the entries down, but John and I selected photos of mochis that were unexpected, that told stories, and that showed lots of originality. And cuteness, of course! We also decided not to have more than one photo by the same person in the semifinals this year.
And we need your input to help narrow the semifinals down to the ten finalists! So take a close look at these awesome photos and ROOT FOR YOUR FAVORITES in the comments to this post. Just leave a comment saying which photo or photos you would really like to see make it to the big final vote. Your feedback will really help us out!
Here they are, in no particular order, your first batch of semifinalist photos…
Stormtroopers Knit Droids by Taylor
We love how seriously these little guys take knitting!
Giant Squid Love by Jill
Just wow! Some amazing engineering going on here.
Sty Guys by Elly
Who knew there were so many varieties of Pigs with Wigs? Each really seems to have its own personality!
Poseidon by Shanna
Tortoise and Hare: The Deleted Scene by Ilana
All those tiny shoes! (And that tiny foot measurer!) Awesome.
Snowman Friends by Emily F.
This one is so charming in its simplicity!
Herding Chicks by Emily
We didn’t know that tiny armadillos were good herders, but now it just seems obvious!
Polar Bear Plunge by juleenbean
Such a cute wintry scene! We love the set and the tiny mug!
It Looks Like a Purple People Eater to Me by wooly brain
Watch out, little guy! We love the composition and colors in this dramatic scene.
Best Beard Contest by The Happy Cupcake
It’s about time that someone featured one of the big gnome events of the year!
Aren’t these photos just super? Congrats to these clever knitters!
Now we need your help to narrow these down to the finalists. Don’t be shy—let us know which of these especially tickles you in the comments! And be sure to check back on Monday for the next batch of semifinalist photos!
GIANT SQUID!!!
I like the Snowman Friends and the Sty Guys! They are all amazing! :)
Love the snowman friends
Purple People Eater, Giant Squid Love, and Best Beard Contest. But they are all great!!
The giant squid is possibly the best thing I’ve ever seen
Beard contest and Poseidon are my favorites! Oh, and herding chicks. :)
Giant Squid is just so impressive. I’d love to come home to a giant squid outside.
I enjoyed the well executed pigs in their various attire.
I do feel that the simple snowman friend is really sweet and nice to have a paired down entry.
So hard to narrow down, they are all so awesome!
If I had to do a top three it would be the Stormtroopers, Giant Squid and the Beard contest. With the Tortoise and Hare being a total Wow on the detail.
Got to be Giant Squid and Snowman Friends for me!
All are great and it is difficult to chose. best iI however liked the herding chicks and the tortoise and hare: deleted scene with the shoefitting. aaargh all of em are great really!
I’ve gotta say my Beard Contest, but everyone did a great job!
This is so hard! I can’t pick just one … Snowman Friends and Giant Squid Love for sure! Third choice would be the Tortoise and the Hare only because of the tiny foot measuring device!
Definitely a hard choice! Can’t I vote for two? OK, Giant Squid then Beard Contest. I mean, they’re knitting their OWN BEARDS!
Sty Guys, Snowman Friends, and Herding Chicks! Tortoise and the Hare, too…
I have to vote for my own Tortoise and Hare, but I love all of these. Here’s a little bit of “Jeopardy!”/”wow-the-salesman-the-next-time-you-buy-shoes” trivia: The shoe measuring thing is actually called a “Brannock Device,” named after it’s inventor. :)
I’m excited to see my Stormtrooper-friends on the list :) I also love the giant squid and the beard contest!
I have to vote for the Stormtroopers and the Gnomes at the beard contest.
These are all great! But my favorites are in no particular order:
Giant Squid
Tortoise and Hair
Snowman Friends
It Looks like a purple people eater to me
Best Beard Contest
Sty guys are super awesome!!!! Oink!!
Those Stormtroopers get my vote!
LOVE the Stormtrooper/droids.
I’m happy the herding chicks got included! Also love the beard-knitting gnomes!
I vote for Giant Squid Love and Tortoise & Hare.
Bravo to all the submitters who did a really great job ! So much fun like every year !
Sty Guys by Elly is best :)
Herding Chicks!
Giant squid and Sty Guys get my vote!
Sty guys are brilliant!!!
Pigs Sty guys are no 1
Yay! I’m thrilled to see my Polar Bear Plunge included in the semifinals among so many adorable entries.
Giant Squid and the Stormtroopers get my vote.
LOVE the giant squid
Snowman Friends is pretty cute :)
giant squid
Giant squid, and beard contest. I love that one of the gnomes is adding to his beard by knitting – I wonder if that’s acceptable or if he’ll be disqualified?
Snowman Friends!
Snowman Friends! I LOVE snowmen!
The giant squid is blowing my mind!
And snowman friends is ADORABLE.
Snowman friends!
Giant Squid and Snowman Friends! So cute!
All are adorable, but my favorites are:
Poseidon (I love reading Greek mythology!)
Purple People Eater (love the angle of the shot)
Stormtroopers knit droids (such a creative scene)
Giant Squid Love! It’s amazing how much knitting that is
Love the Sty Guys, they are fab!
I love the Sty Guys by Elly!
Sty guys are so cute!
So much talent! I like the Beard Contest and Herding Chicks. :)
Squid love is just amazing! The beard contest with a gnome knitting on his beard is a close second.
Pigs sty guys are rock!!!!!!
Sty guys are so cute!
I like the Giant Squid the best, then the Sty Guys.
Giant squid love is amazing!
Tortoise and hare is pretty good too.
Squid Love!
I love the snowman friends! Too Cute!
Wow, so many cute entries, but Giant Squid and Snowman Friends are my favorites.
Giant squid, best beard and the simple snowman.
I love, in no particular order:
Stormtroopers Knit Droids
Giant Squid Love
Poseidon
Best Beard Contest
Honestly, when I saw the beard contest in the mochimochi flickr group, I giggled for a good 2 or 3 minutes, so that might be my favorite. :D
They are all so amazing, the snowmen friends is perfect, but the squid love is outta the park!
Snowman Friends
That giant squid is exquisite!! Also love The Tortoise and the Hare and The Polar Bear Plunge!
Sty Guys by Elly to win !
Giant Squid please!!
Giant squid!!
The beard contest is so adorable, and clever!
The pigs are just too cool for school
Love the squid!
Um…hmm… Hard choice…a very hard choice…
I have to say the Knit Your Own Beard Contest and the Tortoise and the Hair! :D
Got to be the Sty Guys – what a fab collection! Go guys!!!
Giant Squid Love
Sty Guys
Tortoise and Hare
Herding Chicks
GIANT SQUID!
Glad it’s not up to me!
GIANT SQUID LOVE got to win!!!!!
Best Beard Contest
Poisiden
Snowman Friends
I love the Giant Squid
Stormtroopers all the way!!
I love the squid! Ingenious!
I don’t think it’s possible to choose! Another incredible set.
The Giant Squid love is amazing especially if you consider the amount of work.
I also really like the Tortois and the Hare.
that giant squid is amazing!
Giant squid!
The giant squid! It’s amazing, fun and unique. I want one on my tree!!
All are amazing and make me smile!
Favorites:
Beard contest
Herding chicks
Tortoise and hare
Sty guys
Love Taylor’s Knit Droids!
I heart Squid love!
Definitely the giant Squid love!!!!!!
The stormtroopers knitting is my personal favorites. Go Taylor GO!
Stormtroopers Knit Droid is very clever and fun.
I can’t believe my snowmen made it! :) I like Best Beard Contest, Stormtroopers Knit Droids, and Giant Squid Love is pretty cool too.
Snowman Friends :)
Giant squid love!
Polar Bear Plunge and Snowman Friends
Love the Herding Chicks! Don’t you know we all ride armadillos while driving the herd through Texas!
Herding chicks!!!!!!!!!!!!
The pigs were knitted for charity, which makes them even more special…go pig grylls and co, you get my vote!
Love the Storm troopers and the beards
Brilliant. Just gotta be the best.
Pigs are brilliant. Solo coooool.
Pigs are brilliant. Soo coooooool.
Sty Guys ftw
The pigs!!!! They are awesome love the jester and Elvis
Giant squid!
The giant squid.
Giant Squid
Sty guys! very cool :)
Love the snowmen! Sty Guys was the photo taken when Pig Grylls left home. Now he has begun his world travels I can’t wait to see what other photos people take with him. http://Www.piggrylls.co.UK is where he can be found if you would like to follow him. Thank you for putting the Guys in the semifinals, it’s an honour. We love Mochimochi Land, the website explains why.
Sty guys are amazing!!!
Sty Guys, raising money for charity, wonderful story, travelling around the world to create money and awareness. Amazing!
I like the sty guys, amazing
I love the herding chicks and the squid in love! So cute!
I like the giant squid love and snowman friends!
giant squid and snowmen friends and wow how amazing congrats to everyone
Squid or bears.
Herding chicks — I was present at the shoot and those chicklets were giving the boss a fit!
Who’s your knitted father now, Darth?
Love those storm troopers!
SQUID TREE BY JILL WATT!
I LOOOOOOOOOVE THE SQUID TREE!!!!!!! And the best beard contest!!!! (^___^)
I love the squid tree!!!! That it is insane!
The squid tree and the polar bear plunge are my favorite. I
Polar Bear Plunge is my favorite hard to decide though they are all sooooo cute!!!!
Sty Guys, love them xxx
Giant Squid!!!!
I’m feeling Squid Love
The storm troopers are so silly and fun! That is where my vote goes.
Gotta be the Sty Guys. Cutest pigs on three continents!
Definately the sty guys. Amazing variety. So cute
Great projects :)
The giant squid has to be my fav though!
Really hard to decide but Poseidan takes the cake( or the fish cake)
I love the little gnomes- especially the one knitting his beard in the middle of the contest!
The Best Beard Contest cracks me up! The beard knitting gnome is so clever.
Best Beard Contest!!
I love the herding chicks. The rooster atop the armadillo is very imaginative!
They all show amazing talent! My favorite is Best Beard Contest. I don’t normally care for beards or gnomes, but, these little guys are just adorable.
I LOVED the best beards contest :-}
Giant squid love, of course!!
I’m lovin’ the gnomish Beard Contest. There’s something sweetly ironic about this contest within a contest where a contestant is still knitting.
Herding chicks made me laugh the hardest!
My favorite has to be the Best Beards Contest. The one in the green hat has the best beard, in my opinion.
Loving the pack of piggies
The beard contest is amazing! So much detail!!
I love the guys in the sty!
Sty Guys!
Sty Guys get my vote – they look as if they’re taking orders from their leader – who knows what they’ll get up to!
Thanks so much for including my photo, I wish everyone luck in contest : ) I would like to vote for Poseidon, Best Beard Contest, Tortoise and Hare and Giant Squid.
All so great! 1) Poseidon; 2) Tortoise and Hare; 3) Giant Squid
I love the best beard contest!
I vote for the Sty Guys!!!
I vote for the sty guys
I vote for the sty guys
I vote for the sty guys
Giant squid for engineering
Snowmen because it is their season (and they would make a wonderful Christmas card)
Giant squid for size color choice and personality
We like the Best Beard Contest for sure! Who else can knit their own beard!! <3
Love Taylor’s Stormtroopers!
Purple People Eater has my vote!
Love the Best Beard Contest. It has our votes!
The sty guys get my vote!
My favorites are:
Giant Squid Love
Tortoise and Hare
Polar Bear Plunge
Squidy Squidy Squidy!
I like the purple people eater, the lil guy on the ground has great expression
The standard is very high but the Sty Guys by Ellie does it 4 me.
They are all great! My favorite is the beard contest.
Beard contest by Happy Cupcake
Best Beard Contest
Tortoise and Hare
Man, these are so sweet. How can anyone choose?
The tree squid is wow!
The snowman friends warm my heart.
gnome beard or the giant squid!
Sty guys – cute little characters each of them :-)
Snowman friends and herding chicks
Giant Squid Love
Snowman Friends
Best Beard Contest
Lots of hard work gone onto them all, but The Sty Guys are our favourite.
Well done to all xx
I really love the sty guys
Poseidon, definitely!
Giant Squid Love!!! The amount of effort required for a project that scale boggles my mind!
Polar Dip is awesome too!
Giant Squid!
The tree squid photo is fantastic, more photos here http://creoflick.net/creo/Yarn-Bombed-Tree-Squid-2015.
But my vote goes to the Sty Guys.
The Giant Squid is incredible – definitely gets my vote!
Sty guys are definitely my fave. Who knew there were so many shades of pink and what cute little faces they have.
Herding Chicks
Tortoise and hare!
Purple people eater! Love the quirkiness.
Love those talented storm troopers