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Mochimochi Elves Are Here!

Posted on by Anna

While we’re stuffing our turkeys and tofurkeys this week, I bet many of us are trying to come up with the ultimate holiday gift. Well, some assistants have just been added to the Mochimochi Shop…

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These holiday helpers think they have come up with the ultimate gift: little knitted elves!

Techniques for this simple pattern include knitting in the round on double-pointed needles and mattress stitch.

You can buy the pattern as a PDF download for just $5 here.

Plus, visit the shop by the end of the year and you can download a free sheet of funny Mochimochi Elves gift tags!

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Click here for the download page. Then download, print, cut, and tag!

Update: Thank you to Craft for posting the Mochimochi Elves on their blog!

Luv-able and Hug-able at gallery hanahou

Posted on by Anna

Luv-able and Hug-able, our holiday plush show coming up at gallery hanahou in NYC, is just around the corner, opening December 4th! If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll join us, or stop by sometime while the show is up through January 7th. (Full show info is at the bottom of the post.)

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As promised, here are some photos of the amazing plush toys artists have created for the show.

Sardines by Nicole Gastonguay
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We love fashion! by Kup Kup Land
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Tweed Bear by Yuko Hara
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Beheadable Anne Boleyn by Katie Park
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Large Rag Doll by Christina Gordon
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Beast by Blythe Church (I bought one by her last year and I love it!)
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Luv-able and Hug-able
December 4 – January 7
Opening party: December 4, 6-9 pm RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com
gallery hanahou
611 Broadway, Suite 730, NYC
[7th floor of the Cable Building, NW corner of Broadway + Houston]
Hours: Mon-Sat 12-6 pm

Also don’t forget about Jenny Harada’s workshop on the 13th!

Make an Elf Chum with Jenny Harada!

Posted on by Anna

Plush queen Jenny Harada will be teaching a workshop at gallery hanahou in NYC on Saturday, December 13th, at 1-3 pm. She’ll show the group how to use hand-sewing techniques to make an adorable ornament-size Elf Chum, like these!

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or these!

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(I am very taken with the furry brown ones, myself.)

The workshop is just $20, which includes all the supplies you need. Space is very limited, so email info@galleryhanahou.com now to sign up!

amineko no iru seikatsu

Posted on by Anna

I don’t buy so many craft books but I picked this one up earlier this year and it’s become a new favorite.

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Not sure if it’s been discussed much among Western crafters, but amineko no iru seikatsu (Life with Amugurumi Cat, I believe) deserves some love. The book contains only one amigurumi pattern, plus a few sewing patterns for small accessories for your amineko, but the highlight of the book are the wonderful photos of amigurumi cats doing various activities like eating, reading, and sleeping in various objects. In almost wordless, comic-strip-style vignettes, we see the simple crocheted cats come to life with distinct personalities and moods.

I got my copy at Kinokuniya, but you can also find it on Amazon Japan.

Giant Things Attacking Cities

Posted on by Anna

Luv-able and Hug-able, an encore of last year’s plush show, will open at gallery hanahou here in NYC in a little over two weeks! The show will feature strange and adorable creations by 30-plus artists and crafters, including a bunch of new recommendations from the Plush You and a selection of Japanese artists.

My own contribution includes these knitted scenes of giant things attacking cities.

Squirrels, Arggghh!

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Snails, oh no!

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And Mushrooms, run for your lives!

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The opening party for Luv-able and Hug-able will be held on December 4th, 6-9 pm, so please save the date if you’re in the NY area! There will also be a special plush-making workshop lead by the amazing Jenny Harada on December 13. (Space is very limited, so email info@galleryhanahou.com if you’re interested.)

I’ll be posting more information and photos of the plushes in the show in the coming weeks.

Update: Thank you to Kristen for posting on the Plush You! blog !

Mattress Monday

Posted on by Anna

I spotted this mattress out by the service elevator of my apartment building the other day, seemingly waiting to be moved into someone’s apartment. It struck me as beautiful, in a kind of horrendous way.

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If this were my mattress, I would be out looking for matching sheets right now.

Watermelons!!!

Posted on by Anna

watermelonsA lot of various strange smells have come and gone in the hallway of our apartment building (burnt dog food smell is a common occurrence, for some reason), but the strangest yet may be this morning’s extreme fake watermelon scent that reached me all the way into the far corner of our bedroom.

I just poked my head out the door, and it’s overwhelming. It’s like someone shampooed the carpet all the way down the hall with kids’ watermelon shampoo, or else Bubbleyum is holding a convention in the apartment next door. It’s insanely sweet and sickening and fake-watermelon-y. WHAT COULD BE CAUSING IT. This question will haunt me for the next few hours, or until the smell goes away.