Category: Mochimochi Land News

Make Room for Jumbo Mushrooms

Posted on by Anna

Maybe you have already figured out who Jumbo Gnome’s big new friends are…

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Jumbo Mushrooms!

Now Jumbo Gnome finally has someone to play hide-and-seek with and maybe win.

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As much as I love knitting teeny-tiny things, sometimes you just have to go big! Like with Jumbo Gnome, I knitted these guys using Knit Picks Biggo yarn, which is lovely and fluffy and oh-so huggable. Bulky yarn also means that they knit up quickly, and you can make them way smaller (if you are so inclined) just by using fingering-weight yarn and size 1 needles.

The three mushrooms are made separately, so that means there are endless ways to combine them as you like. And the pattern also includes instructions for spots!

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Even Mochimochi Land’s tiniest inhabitants can enjoy these big plushy mushrooms.

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I can’t wait to see your versions on Ravelry! The pattern is now available as a download for $6 there and also here in the Mochimochi Shop.

New Studio

Posted on by Anna

I cleaned up the new basement studio just enough for a lovely photo!

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This is the only angle you get, because all other views reveal unsightly cardboard boxes brimming with craft materials, props, stuffed animals, yarn, you name it.

It’s relatively bright for being in the basement, and now I get a nice view of people walking down the street. The cats love it because it’s carpeted, and they’ve never had carpet to scratch up before! (Fortunately it’s really durable carpet.)

New Kits: Tiny Robot, Tiny Ninja, and Tiny Walrus!

Posted on by Anna

Update: We had a silly glitch in our shipping calculation for the robot and walrus kits, so if you’ve had trouble purchasing earlier, please try again now. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Finally, last year’s mystery kits are now revealed and available in the shop!

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What do robots, ninjas, and walruses have in common? I suppose they’re all creatures that are not to be trifled with. I know I wouldn’t want to get in a fight with any of them!

But really, these guys are just designs that I’d had in mind to make for a while—I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten a request for a tiny ninja pattern. I’m pretty charmed with how it turned out!

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And yes, there is a tiny robot pattern in Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi, but it was time for an upgrade. So this one is technically Tiny Robot 2.0. These resemble the evil robots that you may remember from Gnomes vs Snowmen, the show I did at gallery hanahou in 2011.

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As for tiny walruses, they’re just CUTE, don’t you think?

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It’s also thanks to Eat Sleep Knit that the tiny walrus design exists—they originally commissioned it as part of their 2015 Yarnathon giveaway patterns.

Each kit comes with a pattern, fingering-weight yarn (Cascade Heritage), and stuffing to make two robots or walruses or three ninjas in multiple colors. You’ll need to provide a set of US size 1 double-pointed needles and a small tapestry needle.

These three designs are only available as kits right now (sorry!), but YES, the digital patterns will be coming eventually.

Hello 2016 Sale

Posted on by Anna

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Happy New Year! You know who’s excited about 2016? It’s Zaru, who has been waiting ages for the year of the monkey to arrive.

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To celebrate the new year, Zaru is giving you 20% off everything in the Mochimochi Shop through January 31st. So it’s the perfect opportunity to nab his pattern, or any other patterns, books, or kits that you’ve had your eye on.

Our new year has been very baby-centric so far—we hope yours is off to a happy, crafty start!

Psst! Check back here tomorrow for photo contest voting…

2015 Mochimochi Land Favorites

Posted on by Anna

A lot happened in Mochimochi Land in 2015. Here are some highlights!

Free pattern: Tiny Rose!

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Funky Fleece

Tiny Alpaca tongue twisters

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Looong Gnome!

Giant Gnomes

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Adventures in Mochimochi Land

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Project Gnome Diplomacy and The Gnome Genome Project

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Back Page Photo Contest

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Tiny Terrors!

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Tiny Turkey vs Tiny Tofurkey

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Wrap Party starring the Generosi-trees

And finally, Baby Leo!

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All in all, I’d say it was a pretty great year. Thank you for being a part of it!

Also, due to this last item, I plan to update the blog less frequently in 2016, but I hope you’ll keep up with Mochimochi Land activities via Facebook or Instagram. See you next year with photo contest results!

Generosi-trees Pattern FREE with $5 purchase!

Posted on by Anna

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Our 2015 holiday pattern is here! Generosi-trees are the cheeriest, most adorably hospitable mochi friends ever. Knit them up quickly for charming holiday decor or the perfect gift for anyone who loves giving or receiving.

The pattern automatically comes FREE with any purchase of $5 or more from the Mochimochi Shop through January 1st! A link to download the pattern will be emailed to you within 24 hours of your purchase. (You don’t have to add it to your cart.)

This nearly seamless project can be knitted in a day or so, including presents. I recommend using worsted-weight yarn and size 5 DPNs for a squeezable 5″ tall tree, plus if you’ve got a couple colors of fingering-weight yarn…

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You can make your tree a flirty skirt with bonus instructions included in the pattern!

But maybe the best thing about this pattern is the name—my dad, Mark Hrachovec, gets full credit.

Happy holiday knitting, everyone!

P.S. This offer only applies to purchases made through this website, but if you’d like your patterns on Ravelry, just email me at info at mochimochiland dot com with your Paypal email and your Ravelry name.

P.P.S. Tomorrow (Tuesday, December 1st) is the LAST DAY to enter the 2015 Mochimochi Photo + Video Contest. Don’t forget!

New Tiny Terrors Patterns are Here!

Posted on by Anna

Just in time for Halloween, some creepy new creatures have crept into Mochimochi Land…

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Tiny Terrors are an itty-bitty vampire, werewolf, mad scientist, and two-headed dude who are out to make you scream! (Or at least squee!)

Like all of my tiny patterns, these guys can be knit up with very little yarn and with plenty of time left over for you to finish your Halloween costume. Perfect for a spooky diorama, a ghoulish garland, or surprises for your favorite trick-or-treaters.

Techniques include knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, I-cord, and a little stranded colorwork. Fingering-weight yarn and size 1 DPNs are recommended, but you can use any weight of yarn and appropriately sized needles. (Scrap yarn works great!)

The downloadable pattern collection is available for $6 from the Mochimochi Shop OR from the Mochimochi Land Ravelry store.

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As you can see, I got to buy lots of my favorite Halloween candies for the photo shoots for these guys. Here’s a behind-the-scenes shot of the main image.

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(Yes, I have since eaten each and every one of those pumpkins and the candy corn above.)

As often happens during the testing stage of my patterns, I got to see some fun color variations that I hadn’t thought of. Amanda’s bunch included a mad scientist with some shockingly bright hair…

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Which led me to make some of my own variations, including a tiny vampiress and a three-headed dude.

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Instructions for tiny three heads are now included in the pattern, by the way.

Thanks to Amanda, and also Shama, Yvonne, and Marilyn!

I can’t wait to see what these designs become in the hands of the rest of you…