Mbé, the Leatherback Sea Turtle on KnitPicks!

I'm very thrilled about this, especially as the beautiful creature this pattern represents, is endangered.

http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Mb%C3%A9_the_Leatherback_Sea_Turtle_Crochet_Toy__D10188220.html

The Sea and Me:2 Lula, Eja and Starfish

I envisioned attendants for 'Maya. first, a squid, because I saw a PBs show on how smart they are, smarter than the scientists deemed necessary for their short lives and place on the food chain. Then i heard a story about how a curious squid damaged some aquarium, swimming somewhere they didn't think it could and gumming up some works.
So I create Lula (I)




and then looked at and read some more about gigantic squid and colossal squid and revamped her pattern. Lula is Portugese for squid.




Of course there needs to be a fish. I considered a dolphin, but in whatever level of fantasy/reality I was going to assume, a dolphin would be the same size as her, unless I was saying the goddess is a giant.... so Eja also had two design iterations.





The Starfish and o how they come in so many flower-like configurations remained more or less the same.




Early results from pattern testing seems that what I wrote is what they got and are, so I am pleased.

Kokeshi Dolls and Pattern Testing

The Kokeshi Doll swap on Ravelry opened a door.

I found the form(http://www.etsy.com/shop/temple7e http://www.amazon.com/Kimmidoll-Japanese-Kokeshi-Doll-Tomomi/dp/B002M0AIXA) and history very interesting



and loved some of the nontraditional interpretations,
like these sold on Etsy:
http://ny-image3.etsy.com//il_fullxfull.113008635.jpg


I spent my time in rehab/hell/exile making dolls and trying to make dolls sculptural
and after seeing some "lady" Kokeshi dolls, I knew I wanted to interpret her as well
as inscribe my approach to this form.

The other patterns I saw were more girl-forms and girlie, a bit too sweet for me:
Crochet:

http://www.suncatchereyes.net/Kokeshi%20Dolls.html
http://www.felt.co.nz/browse/listing/12714/Crochetbury-Kokeshi-Dolls

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/yuuii---amigurumi-kokeshi-doll
Stuffie:
http://www.fionamarie.com/freepatterns/kokeshistuffie.pdf
Knitted
http://flutterbypatch.typepad.co.uk/flutterby_patch/2009/02/japanese-garden.html
(but non traditional as doll is not supposed to have limbs)
Embroidered
http://www.sublimestitching.com/node/3199

then I saw Krokeshi Art Toys
http://janmstore.com/250102.html

and was affirmed. And so Crocheted Lady Kokeshi doll pattern is now being tested by five intrepid volunteers!

And like teaching, pattern writing is a learning experience... it is so hard to say what one did, and for me even to commit to an approach. But I have, for this and it seems the good resulats are replicable. Ahhh replicants.







Hopefully we'll have a sunny day so I can get a decent picture with my aging digital--
the shots here were all taken with my cell phone.