I just got an email from someone who wanted some clarification on how to join the feet in the Mochimochi Reindeer pattern. It’s a very simple method, but not so simple to explain in words. Since I also use the same basic method for the Ninjabun and the Woodins patterns, it occurred to me that others might like a quick visual guide. Here goes!

I’m starting at the point at which you have two finished feet, and you’re ready to join them together. I find it easiest to first divide the stitches of each foot onto two needles.

Next, work across the first half of stitches in the foot that has the yarn attached to it. Once you’ve worked these stitches, cast on additional stitches, if the pattern calls for any, using backward loop method.

Now pick up the other foot, and begin knitting across it, starting with what would be the first stitch in the round if the yarn were still attached to that foot.

Below is a top view, showing the working strand of yarn on the right and the cut yarn (held up) attached to the last stitch on the foot.

Continue to knit all the way around the foot, ending with the stitch with the cut yarn. You can twist the cut yarn around your working yarn or weave it into the stitches later.

Now you’re on the “back” side of the feet. Cast on additional stitches, if required, in the same way as on the front side.

Finally, continue to work across the remaining stitches—the second half of the stitches from the foot you started with.

You’re now ready to continue working the stitches in one big round. You will end up with a gap between the feet, which you can stitch up at the finishing stage of the toy.

I hope this mini-tutorial is helpful to some people. I just wrote this up quickly, so if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments!

Just 15 more days to enter the Mochimochi Photo Contest! That’s more than enough time for you to knit up a Mochimochi Land toy and get creative with your camera.

For inspiration, let’s take a peek at some of the fabulous (and completely randomly selected) entries in the Mochimochi Friends group on Flickr:

A gorgeously striped snake and mouse just uploaded by katecarlyle.

This albino grass from cspooks tries being a tooth!

This little carrot rules over the fridge! from flowers.leaves.

Bob as roadkill? from lizzie j b.

Sweet little multicolored Woodins from staveitoff.

Check out the full contest info to find out how to enter!

My husband is currently working on a project that involves pinball machines, and last night he let me tag along on one of his research trips to an East Village bar. Yes, it’s a charmed life.

We lucked out, because not only did this bar have pinball, it had Family Guy pinball! (It also had Spider Man pinball, but we quickly got over the thrill of that predictable movie tie-in.)

Family Guy has been my favorite “viewer discretion” show for a while now—I think I might be a bigger fan than John at this point, though I still feel compelled to sigh disapprovingly at a vulgar joke every once in a while.

The pinball version of the show is simply charming, though, with little vinyl characters and even a tiny “Stewie mini-pinball” built into the top right section of the playfield.

John was a master at the game. Me, not so much. We switched off on the balls, his turns taking upwards of ten minutes and mine usually lasting less than one. Still, a good time was had by all.

There’s something about the 3-dimensionality and and physicality of pinball that makes it so engrossing, especially now that we’re all used to video games. It’s like there’s a little flickering world inside the machine, full of unexpected obstacles, lights, and noises. And there’s something called “fart multiball” in the Family Guy game, which is as much old-school fun as its name indicates.

John tells me that in his research, he found that pinball was banned from New York for a good number of years because it was seen as a gateway activity to booze and gambling. Now it’s not easy to find anywhere, but for different reasons. But the shining beacon of novelty that is Family Guy pinball gives us hope.

Plecky the pleco made a rare appearance today on top of his rock.

He usually prefers to adhere himself to the aquarium glass, or, on some occasions, wedge himself upside-down under his rock. But today he was on top of the rock, staring at us with his little beady eyes, probably thinking sarcastic thoughts. Too cute!