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!
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!)
Assembly videos for the Lil Flushie pattern (part of the Bitty Bathroom collection)
This was a nice surprise: GIPHY has included my OK! GIF at number 6 in their list of “Top GIFs of 2020”!
I guess many of us have been working toward various forms of OK-ness this year.
I’m so grateful to have this weird little medium in which my characters can help express ideas and feelings.
Btw, this is the SECOND time one of my GIFs has made it into GIPHY’s year-end top ten 🤯 In 2017 my heart-knitting gnome was number 1!
The day has come! Our Special Guest Judges have thoughtfully reviewed your submissions for the 2020 Mochimochi Photo + Video Contest, and we have winners to announce!
But first, let me say again just how grateful we are for all the creativity, humor, and artistry that you have shared with us this summer. It really helped us make it through these hard months! We hope that making little movies and photo series were a welcome distraction for you all as well.
Here we go: Our winners of the 2020 Mochimochi Photo + Video Contest: Escape to Mochimochi Land….
In the PHOTO SERIES category: The Story of the Mochimochickens by Kat B!
The more you look at this story, the more wonderful details appear! Great storytelling.
Judge’s comment: I laughed out loud at this. Which is difficult considering I had my funny bone removed after a bike accident. What a wonderful little story. When the lizard (dinosaur?) arrived, I was sold. The world they built was so fun and worthy of multiple viewings.
Congratulations, Kat!
Kat will receive a $100 gift card to Gather Here, the local yarn store in Cambridge, MA, a $50 gift card to Mochimochi Land, a copy of SpillyJane’s ebook SpillyJane Knits Mittens, a copy of Bites of Terror by Cuddles and Rage, and a goodie box with fun stuff from Knitty City and Mochimochi Land!
In the SHORT VIDEO category: The Kentucky Demolition Derby by Karen G!
The story is dramatic and funny, and the audio and editing is brilliant!
Judge’s comment: This video is amazing. It’s part Loony Tunes, part Seabiscuit, all perfection. My only problem with it is I put all my money on Sandman and lost everything. My secret favorite part is Uncle Sam in the stands.
Congratulations, Karen!
Karen will receive a $100 gift card to Yarnify!, the local yarn store in Chicago, a $50 gift card to Mochimochi Land, a copy of SpillyJane’s ebook SpillyJane Knits Mittens, a copy of Bites of Terror by Cuddles and Rage, and a goodie box with fun stuff from Knitty City and Mochimochi Land!
In the SUPER SHORT VIDEO category: A Shocking Escape by Juleen A!
The handmade effects are simply genius. I could watch it on a loop all day long!
Judge’s comment: I mean…are you kidding me? They packed an entire action movie into 20 seconds. Oh, you THINK this is a story about a gnome and a cloud. But you’d be wrong. This is about a kite earning freedom. The kite’s face when it flies away is…(chef’s kiss).
Congratulations, Juleen!
Juleen will receive a $100 gift card to Knitty City, the local yarn store in NYC, a $50 gift card to Mochimochi Land, a copy of SpillyJane’s ebook SpillyJane Knits Mittens, a copy of Bites of Terror by Cuddles and Rage, and a goodie box with fun stuff from Knitty City and Mochimochi Land!
These three truly had some stiff competition among all the entries. I’ll be sharing some bonus awards next week for more submissions that were especially delightful.
It’s my pleasure to introduce our Special Guest Judges for the 2020 Mochimochi Photo + Video Contest!
First we have Angela Tong, a talented designer and teacher of knitwear and woven projects, as well as a gifted ceramicist, baker, and all-around impressive person. Angela and I go way back to the early 2000s, when we both knitted in NYC. She is constantly knocking my socks off with her Instagram-perfect life.
Next is Rick Hamann, an Executive Creative Director at Leo Burnett. Basically a Don Draper for our time (in the professional sense, that is—he is quite the family man), Rick knows all about what makes an impression.
And finally is Bonney Teti, co-host of of the Pop Mom podcast and curator of the undisputed World’s Biggest Yarn Stash. She’s also my mother-in-law! Without Bonney, I can confidently say, there would be no Mochimochi Land.
Determining winners is always hard, but I think we’ll have some very judicious results with the help of these three. Thank you, Special Guest Judges!
And A big thank you, again, to everyone who participated in the #mochiphotocontest20 this summer! We received 50 entries, and each of them was a delight to experience. We really needed to be transported to Mochimochi Land, and you all certainly did that.
I will be consulting with the judges this week, and we’ll have some winners to announce soon. Stay tuned!
Staying in for a while? Get cozy and knit up some new furnishings! Sophie & Chanel will add style and comfort to your same-old surroundings. Plus, they play well with tiny gnomes and other tiny mochis!
Techniques include knitting in the round (double-pointed needles are recommended), mattress stitch, picking up stitches, and I-cord. For the tiny versions, you’ll need a bit of fingering-weight yarn (less than half a skein of 5 colors—Knit Picks Palette is a great choice) and size 1 (2.25mm) needles.
The pattern is now available as a PDF download in the Mochimochi Shop and also on Ravelry.
Thank you to Rebecca, Brian, Dorien, and Danielle for testing, and thank you to Marilyn Passmore for tech editing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
