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Yarnover classes in Minneapolis September 20-22

Posted on by Anna

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Who needs a tiny knitted kitty to massage?

I’m looking forward to bringing more of these tiny cats into the world this September at Yarnover! This is a weekend of classes, a marketplace, and more brought to us by The Minnesota Knitters’ Guild. 🧶

I’ll be teaching a tiny cat knitting class AND a toy design class too! Sign up for both, and you can knit a cat with me, then get ready to knit whatever kind of toy you can dream up. Registration for non guild members is now open ✨

🐈 What: Yarnover 2024 classes
🐈 When: September 20-22, 2024
🐈 Where: Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West

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Moe information and registration on the Yarnover website!

A visit to Eylul in Osaka

Posted on by Anna

We just returned from the absolute best family vacation in Japan!

You can see a little recap with lots of my photos in this Instagram reel. But I must make a special post about my visit to the lovely yarn store Eylul in Osaka, and its lovely owner, Yuri Kojima!

I met Yuri years back when she visited Vogue Knitting Live in NYC and stopped by my booth there. Since then she’s been carrying my kits in her Osaka store—my only retailer in Japan! It’s an honor to be featured in a yarn shop in the country where the art of amigurumi was born. 🥹

Yuri has been influential in my design work as well, encouraging me to keep up my series of new year animals and advising me on them, too! (It’s thanks to her suggestion that the Year of the Dragon kit comes with pompoms for the dragons to protect.)

Yuri and her colleague Koyuki welcomed me and my sister-in-law, Jenna, for an evening of tea with gourmet jellies, dinner at an okonomiyaki restaurant, and dessert at Mister Donut, home of the original Japanese donut. It was wonderful to get to know Yuri better and learn the story of how the idea for Eylul started when she asked herself, “would I be satisfied with my life if it were to end now?”

Of course before leaving we had to purchase some lovely Japanese yarn, including paper yarn and unique yarn that’s created from factory oddments.

This was such a fun and meaningful part of my trip to Japan. Thank you, Yuri!

Behind the scenes of Catside Up, Catside Down in Modern Daily Knitting

Posted on by Anna

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The Catside kitties are on Modern Daily Knitting today! I was thrilled when MDK invited me to write something about the making of Catside Up, Catside Down, and I loved the opportunity to revisit the process that went into the writing and the knitting that went into my book.

I’ve been a fan of MDK since way back, so it’s a special thrill to appear on their site after so many years 🤩

Thank you to Kay and Andrienne!

Mochimochi Land at H+H Americas

Posted on by Anna

Mochimochi Land is headed to H+H Americas next week! This is an industry show for those involved in the business of handicrafts. I’ve attended in previous years, since it’s held in Chicago, but this is my first time as an exhibitor. I’m so excited!

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If you’ll be there, be sure to pay a visit to Mochimochi Land at booth 1505 (all the way to the right once you walk into the exhibit hall). I’m bringing a world of knitted toys, plus a display of the cats from Catside Up, Catside Down. 😺
If you’re a local yarn store owner, you can learn about stocking Mochimochi Land kits and books 😀
I’ll also be on a panel about craft book publishing on Friday 5/3 at 12:15 on the main stage. 🤓
See you there, yarn industry friends!

Don’t make wars—make dinosaurs!

Posted on by Anna

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Just in time for dinosaur hatching season, the adorable Amy Apatosaurus is now available as a PDF pattern!

This Jurassic classic will melt your heart and stretch your knitting skills at the same time. You’ll curve her neck up with a little mattress stitch trick, then bend her head forward with a few wrap & turn short rows. Links to how-to videos are included to help you along the way.

Use any yarn you like (hand-dyed and variegated varieties are fun options) and corresponding needles for a pocket-sized dinosaur that knits up in an afternoon and will live forever in your heart. Samples shown are knit with fingering-weight WoolTribe Homegrown Sock yarn and size 1 double-pointed needles.

🦕 Now available from the Mochimochi Shop and Ravelry! Check out my bio for the links 🦕

The Amy pattern was originally released through the Knitrino app, which is a great place for tiny knitted dinos to be born. (Stay tuned for another new hatching there as well…😆)

You can see some adorable Amys already living their best lives over on Instagram—and tag your own Amy photos with #amyapato to join in! 🦕💕

Thank you to Marilyn Passmore for her tech editing help with this pattern!

Nickelodeon spots from 2013

Posted on by Anna

Ten years ago I got to work with an incredible team of creative people at Nickelodeon to make a collection of network IDs for the holidays. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and an experience I’ll cherish forever.

Together we came up with the concepts and I worked like crazy to knit up a ton of characters and props, including some Nick stars that I got to render in yarn. 🤩 Then we did an intense 2-day shoot in Times Square to make the stop-motion magic happen.

I remember feeling bittersweet when it was over, because this unique educational and affirming experience was coming to an end, and also because it coincided with my move from NYC to Chicago. It was quite a way to say goodbye to the city!

Then, incredibly, I DID get to work with them again the following year, although the next time I stayed in Chicago and shipped my knits out to the team, who then animated them in NYC.

So much gratitude to Matthew Dunteman, who made the whole thing happen. And to Steph Shank, who was the brilliant mind behind much of it, including those adorable 2-D clips!

Dovetail Holiday Market TOMORROW (12/2)

Posted on by Anna

Chicago friends, I’ll be vending at Dovetail Brewery’s holiday market this Saturday, 12/2—come on out for some chill holiday shopping!

This will be my first holiday market in…13 years!? 😳😬 I’m pretty excited. I’ll have copies of my new picture book, a bunch of cat kits, a few lil knitted friends, and more.

There will be good food and cool vendors and of course great beer.

Hope to see you there, 1-7 on Saturday 12/2 at 1800 W Belle Plaine!