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Make Boo with me in Tulsa!

Hey Tulsa area knitters! I’ll be teaching a Boo class at Loops yarn store on Tuesday, September 29th.

If you haven’t been to Loops, it’s a beautiful store with a super-friendly staff.

Take the class and you’ll learn to knit in the round using double-pointed needles, how to pick up and knit stitches, and how to seam using mattress stitch. The project is so quick, you’ll have time to make a bevy of bats by Halloween!

The class is being offered for the special low price of $29, so sign up asap by emailing shelley@loopsknitting.com. Hope to see you there!

boothebat2

What: Boo class

Where: Loops, Tulsa, OK

When: Tuesday, September 29th, 6-8 pm

Cost: $29 plus materials (stuffing and eyes are included in the cost)

Email: shelley@loopsknitting.com

Oh, as an added bonus for signing up for this class, you’ll also get a sneak preview of my new fall pattern for this year. It’s one of the cutest ever!

Hardly-Hirsute Hamish

I was lucky to have some super-creative testers try out the Baldees pattern before it went in the shop. Their Baldees are so cool that I couldn’t wait to show them here.

First up is Kate’s Hardly-Hirsute Hamish!

baldees_discosmurf

From Kate (aka discosmurf on Ravelry):

H. H. Hamish is lovingly cultivating a small fuzz of facial hair (or is it chest hair?) to draw attention away from his lack lustre locks. He likes sunsets and movies (with Fantales), but dislikes windy days.

Aw, sounds like Hamish is putting out an ad to attract that special someone who will love him for his winning personality.

Kate was also sweet enough to send me a package of the Fantales that she mentioned, straight from Australia. They are like Rollos, except better because they come with movie trivia printed on the wrappers!

fantales

I’m trying to ration them, but it’s true that they’re especially tempting when watching a movie.

Thank you, Kate, for the test and the treats!

Baldees Pattern Now Available!

Are you or is someone you love experiencing a refreshing breeze up top? Forget the Rogaine – grab a set of needles and celebrate the beauty of balding with Baldees, the newest pattern in the Mochimochi Shop!

baldees_schmancy

These gorgeous little guys are super-quick knits with no seaming! The pattern comes with personality profiles for each balding type and instructions for how to achieve the fascinating forms thinning hair comes in.

Techniques include knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, picking up and knitting stitches, and I-cord. You’ll also need a crochet hook for the hair.

Buy the patterns as a download for $5 here!

You can also still buy a ready-made Baldee knitted by Anna herself online through Schmancy.

APAK in Seattle and Tina Berning in NYC

How cute is this painting by APAK!

apak_schmancy

They’re opening a new show called “Tiny Adventures” at Schmancy in Seattle this Friday, so if you’re in the area, check it out! (Every other post on my blog lately seems to involve Schmancy, I know… They’re just always up to something interesting!)

apak_schmancy2

Gosh they are the cutest.

Also, tomorrow (9/10) gallery hanahou in NYC (where I work when I’m not knitting) reopens with a solo show of works by Tina Berning. Tina’s paintings and drawings are simply amazing (I have a piece by her hanging on the wall next to me right now, in fact) and must be seen in person. Join us for the opening reception of “The Passengers” tomorrow, 6-9 pm, or come hear the artist talk about her work on Saturday (9/12) at 2 pm. (RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com for either event.)

thepassengers

Tina Berning: THE PASSENGERS III, 32 x 23.5 cm, Ink and Gouache on paper, 2009

Plush You Preview

I sent off my one-of-a-kind toys last month for this year’s Plush You show in Seattle. I’m especially excited about what I made this year!

Here’s a little preview—it’s a quick photo I took back over the July 4th weekend as I was working on the first of three toys for the show at my in-laws’.

pypreview

Any guesses what kind of creature this is? If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you might have an idea.

I’ll show the finished toys soon. Plush You 2009 opens at Schmancy in Seattle on October 9th!

2009 Photo Contest Update

Are you ready for the 2009 Mochimochi Photo Contest? It’s coming soon!

The official announcement with full details and dates will come next month, but you can start entering right now by uploading your photos of Mochimochi Land toys to the Mochimochi Friends group on Flickr. All photos uploaded since August 1st of 2008 will be considered for this year’s contest.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the photos that are already entered!

flickr9.09

Like the past two years, first prize will be a big boxful of cute and crafty goodies straight from Japan! John will procure them later this month, so I’ll post sneak peeks at what’s in store for the winner next month.

If you missed the Mochimochi Photo Contests in 2007 and 2008, check out the contest details from last year (this year’s details will probably differ a little) and the amazing winners from last year.