Stay cool out there this summer! ;)
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Happy Pride
UPDATE! Just over $200 raised for Brave Space Alliance in June. Thank you, knitters!
The fight for equality continues, but it’s a good time to be who you are and love whom you love.❤️🏳️🌈✨
And it’s a good time for hugs!
And for the month of June, 100% of proceeds from sales of the Bitty Bathroom pattern collection, along with their bigger friends Tubby and Flushie, will go to Brave Space Alliance, a black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ organization doing great work in underserved communities.
Mystery Preview Kits are back!
Do you love mysteries, free stuff, and knitting cute things? Now through June 14th, for every two kits that you purchase from the Mochimochi Shop, you’ll receive an exciting Mystery Preview Kit: a new, never-before-seen kit that will allow you to knit something cute and small! (The kit will AUTOMATICALLY come with your order—no need to add it to your cart.)
There are three different mysteries, so if you buy four kits, you get TWO mystery kits; buy six, and get ALL THREE new mystery kits for free! You can also purchase the three mystery kits on their own as a collection.
WHAT COULD THEY BE??? 👀
Each Mystery Preview Kit includes a pattern and enough yarn (including beautiful hand-dyed yarn from Hand Dyed Diva!) and stuffing to knit one or two cute new creatures. You’ll need to supply a set of size 1 US (2.25mm) double-pointed needles and a small tapestry needle.
Techniques in the new kits include knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, I-cord, mattress stitch, picking up stitches, and other fun stuff!
Mysteries from previous years include Tiny Narwhal, Ice Cream Doggie, Tiny Hedgehog, and Cat in a Box. You can find these kits and many more (including new designs!) in the Mochimochi Shop.
As for this year’s mysteries, they’re inspired by cuddly and crawly creatures, but not quite found in nature… 🌱
(We’d love your help keeping the mystery going all this month! Please keep photos to yourself until mid-June. Thank you!)
New Virtual Knitting LIVE classes in June
I’m teaching two ✨ALL NEW✨ classes with Virtual Knitting LIVE in June! Sign up now!
June 10th at 2pm Eastern: Tiny Toy Knitting Basics: Unicorns and Rainbows
In this class, we’ll knit a tiny unicorn together, covering all the techniques from start to finish: knitting on double-pointed needles, I-cord legs and horn, and embroidering a magical mane and tail. We’ll also go over how to use mattress stitch to shape knitted tubes into a little rainbow, so your unicorn can have a friend!
June 11th at 2pm Eastern: Short Rows in Toy Knitting: Tiny Alpaca
Learn to tackle more advanced knitted toys with wrap & turn short rows! We’ll discuss this technique as it applies to toys and get started on knitting a tiny alpaca that incorporates it. In addition to short rows, we’ll cover picking up stitches, I-cord limbs, and face embroidery. By the end of the class you’ll be on your way to making a herd of alpaca!
Get more details and sign up at the Vogue Knitting Live website. Hope to see you there!
Picking up Stitches Tutorial
Add ears and wings and other flappy things to your knitted toy friends by picking up and knitting stitches!
Watch out for this account impersonating me on Facebook
It was brought to my attention over the weekend that someone’s set up an account on Facebook that’s impersonating me, sending out friend requests and even asking for personal information. This is more than annoying—I’m so upset thinking that someone could have their money or identity stolen through this scam.
Mochimochi Land is a Facebook page, not a personal account, so you would never receive a friend request from me on Facebook using that name. The Mochimochi Land page is administered by me using my real name, Anna Hrachovec. (I don’t encourage people to friend me on FB, just because I rarely post anything on my personal account.)
I’m so sorry to anyone who is getting spammed by this scammer. It would be a favor to me if you would report them—apparently the more people who do so, the more attention it my get from FB admins and hopefully that will help get it taken down sooner. But I’m reluctant to link to the scam page from here—I don’t want them to target my website next. So please just beware if you come across it and watch out for these kinds of scams in general!
Knit gnomes and dinosaurs with me in May!
A year into our Zoom-ified culture, I’ve gotten fully on board with virtual classes—they’re so fun! Sure, connecting via screens isn’t a complete substitute for in-person learning, but it has some real advantages. Participants can join from all over! You get a first-person perspective of what my hands are doing! I can show animations while everyone’s knitting stockinette rows!
So I’m excited to teach my Tiny Gnome class with Virtual Knitting LIVE again in May, and also in May I’ll be teaching my Tina the Tiny T-rex class once more with Knitrino!
May 15: Knit a Tiny Gnome
In this two-hour class, we’ll cover intermediate techniques used in my tiny gnome pattern: joining I-cord legs, knitting with 2, 3, and 4 double-pointed needles, switching colors, attaching I-cord arms, and embroidery tips. Your gnome can be clothed or gnaked—your choice!
Visit the Vogue Knitting LIVE website to register. Soupy the cat has agreed to consider making a special guest appearance.
May 22: Tina the Tiny T-Rex
This is a one-hour class covering the basic techniques that go into this fun, intermediate-level pattern, which is available in the Knitrino app. Techniques include a special seamless cast on, short rows (wrap & turn), and attaching tiny arms and legs! You can sign up within the Knitrino app—click on this link on your phone to get the app and sign up.
There’s also an option to get the class along with a kit, which includes lovely yarn from Hand Dyed Diva!
Earth Day 2021
If we can create amazing vaccines against COVID-19 in one year, we can get to work on the climate crisis—for real—next.
Earth Day every day!