It took a while to make Nimakim because I made nearly every bit of him twice. When I’m making my own design for a monster, if something doesn’t quite turn out how I pictured it, I’ll often go with it and see where it takes me. (I can always have another go at my original idea next time.) When I’m working to someone else’s design, I’m much more concerned about proportions and getting it “right”.
It didn’t help that I felt I lost all my crochet mojo halfway through, and the ability to stitch anything on straight*. I took some breaks to work onothermonsters so I could keep crocheting.
It all began with Pia’s original drawing of Nimakim, protector of the forest.
Head 1 – done all in one piece of continous spiral crochet.
Head 2 – made in two separate pieces. This one seemed like a closer match to the drawing.
Oops! Forgot to put the eyes on so I had to unpick the head a bit. Next choice big eyes…
… or small eyes? I polled on instagram, and we all decided on small eyes. Big eyes are cute, but small eyes are closer to the drawing.
First attempt at Nimakim’s body. Had a feeling it was wrong. This monster is made out of Nimakim’s discarded bits. I chose to interpret the gold and grey in Pia’s drawing as not just shading, but colours. I thought as a forest guardian he’d have some camouflage in dappled light.
Pia described Nimakim’s body as being “like a round mossy boulder”. It took a lot more attempts to make it as round as I wanted. My normal increase pattern just didn’t work. In the end, I partly shaped it over a bowl (at my partner’s suggestion).
I had artistic license for Nimakim’s feet as they’re not in the original drawing. I knew I wanted them to be big and furry.
I tried making separate toes, but they made the feet too big. So I ended up stitching and embroidering them
These are the toes I made but didn’t use. Yes, toes.
Amazingly, his hands went right first time. I start off with a chain which I crochet around to make the hands flatter than the arm. The fingers are embroidered.
Thumb made separately by crocheting a chain of cream and then swapping to grey fur and stitching together.
I used artistic license for Nimakim’s face. I assumed Pia’s drawing was a straight-on portrait.
I gave him a bit of a bear/hedgehog snout. I redid his black lips twice, and had to unstitch and restitch his lower jaw.
Did his ears 2 or 3 times to get them just tufty enough.
I used a tweedy wool for the antlers to look more like bark. The antlers are straight crochet rolled and stitched to make a spiral. Had to redo them and the little branches a few times to get them right.
I felt like he needed a tail, so I gave him one with a tuft on the end (like his ears). It’s a bit overstuffed.
The whole Nimakim.
And from the back.
Hanging out near trees makes Nimakim relaxed.
Nimakim still turned out a little wonky, but that’s ok. I feel like I captured the spirit of him, and did the best I could do right now. He just needs his label, and he’s ready to go.
*I think the ME/CFS was hitting me hard at that point.
Travelling Monsters 
So now you have a little bag of leftover toes?
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It’s funny you should say that. Watch out for the next post…
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