Do you remember this book?
Somehow, it’s been TEN YEARS since Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi was published!
My second book of knitting patterns captured my new obsession with knitting tiny little creatures. That obsession had started out as a mere short-term project to see if I could design and knit a new “tiny thing” every day for a month, and when that month passed, I just kept going…
…until it seemed that I might as well make a book out of all these little creatures! It wasn’t quite so simple as that, but I had a lot of support from my then-editor at Potter Craft, Joy Aquilino. She helped me select around 20 of the best from this project, along with some new additions, to turn into patterns for a new book.
My tiny designs have evolved quite a bit since, but I consider the projects in Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi to be Mochimochi Land classics, and they’re a great starting place for knitters who are new to small projects on DPNs.
Brandi Simons, who did the photography for my first book, Knitting Mochimochi, did a terrific job again with this book. The best part of the process was the way we worked together to figure out the simple props and backgrounds, and I assisted her with all the shoots too. Here’s Brandi getting the Tiny Computer ready for his close up.
The Tiny Gnome had some help from toothpicks and fishing line to make him and his mushrooms look just perfect.
(Seriously, I learned so many of my photography tricks from Brandi during these shoots!)
This tiny trash can is a project that didn’t make it into the book…
…but if you want to knit it you can find it in Tiny Mochis Collection 3.
Here I am adjusting the strings of these Tiny Ghosts. (This might have been the last time I was photographed with zero gray hairs!)
…and later, of course, I made one of these ghosties into one of my favorite GIFs.
A lot more work went into this book besides the photography, namely, testing by some very talented and sharp-eyed knitters, many of whom are still test knitting my patterns! Oh boy how the time has flown.
I still see people’s projects that they make from this book all the time, and they make me just as happy as when the book first came out. If you’re able to use Ravelry, check out all the favorited projects that knitters have linked to the book—all 165 pages of them!
You can still get a copy of Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi from a bunch of booksellers, both online and in person, plus hopefully your local library has it too! An ebook version is also available.
Since Teeny-Tiny, I’ve probably designed enough tiny things to fill at least three more books. And I do think it would be fun to write another book of patterns sometime! For now, I’m working on something that’s technically in the fiction category, and having great fun with it. More on that…eventually!
congratulations, anna! thank you for sharing your wonderful teeny tiny mochimochi land creations. your animations, the community, and the tinies themselves have brought me and those i’ve knit them for countless smiles. xo ~ annri
Thank you Annri! I love thinking about all the tiny projects out there amusing people. And it’s been such a pleasure to connect with knitters like you via cute small things!
Wow–a decade has flown by! I enjoy every unique pattern you produce, and have all 3 of your books. Hoping to see you (once more) at the next LIVE Vogue knitting show in NYC!
I’ve been with you right from the start. Making teeny-tiny mochis is like eating peanuts. I can’t stop at just one. My favorites are the Sugar Plum Fairy and the tiny Ghostie. You keep designing them, and I’ll keep knitting them.