First, the facts:
Title: Super-Scary Mochimochi: 20+ Cute & Creepy Creatures to Knit
Author: Anna Hrachovec
Published by: Potter Craft, 2012
Pages: 144
Type: Patterns
Chapters:
1. Old-School Ghouls
2. Backyard Beasties
3. Creepy New Species
4. Mix-and-Match Monsters
The In-Depth Look:
Don’t freak out.
I know, this sounds scary (with a title like this, of course it does), but I don’t want you to be afraid.
It’s just too darn adorable.
Like her earlier books, Ann Hrachovec has created something wonderful here.
She starts by saying, “I’ve come to accept that I’m a very unintimidating knitter of toys, but the fibrous monsters, beasts, and ghoulies that lurk in these pages are under the impression that they’re all really scary. Like, SUPER-SCARY. In reality, they couldn’t even scare my cat, and he gets spooked if you sneeze. I like to think the creatures that inhabit this book are more cute than scary, though I would never say that to their faces. You see, under all that ego, the mochis have a sensitive side, so do me a favor and indulge them just a little. Give them your best horror-movie scream when you turn the page, would you?”
And then the fun begins. (Well, actually, the fun began on the table of contents page.) You get a review of weapons and gory details (i.e., equipment and techniques) and then dive into the four chapters. Old-School Ghouls (These guys never get old–mainly because they’re already dead), which includes mochimochi versions of things live vampires and werewolves. Backyard Beasties–locally harvested creepy crawlies like fluorescent eels and killer bees. Then, Creepy New Species (These extra-weird creatures are so new, they’re still waiting to be found–like the toaster ghost) and then the Mix-and-Match chapter where, well, anything can happen.
No matter how hard they try, these little toys are way too cute to be frightening (even for me). And the pictures? Oh god, the pictures are perfection. Funny. Clever. Colorful. Perfect.
I confess that I may never make a single thing from this book–knitted toys aren’t really my thing–but I don’t care. I love it anyway. It’s wonderful and fun and creative.
And really, not all that scary.
Just don’t tell the toys.
And when I brought this in to work to show a Halloween-obsessed co-worker? She almost took up knitting on the spot, just so she could make the werewolf for herself. (I don’t blame her. He’s adorable, too.
You will definitely want to take a look at this book! It’s too cute not to.
Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.
This review copy was kindly donated by Potter Craft. Thank you!
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