Yarnimus Splotch, the Arts & Crafts Wizard Cat!
This very special friend is inspired by Ghibli cats, childlike creativity, The Cat Friend pattern (that I love very much), and the fun yarn I used to make his body, which reminds me of paint-flecked sinks, the smell of paint and clay, and the happiness I feel when making any kind of art.

I learned several new techniques using this pattern, like shadow wraps, shaping, and lifted increases, and I feel it has helped me better understand (and visualize!) knitting and structuring knit amigurumi. I had trouble with the lifted increases, and am grateful to Sofie (the wonderful pattern creator) for taking the time to help me understand what I was doing wrong. They say third time’s a charm, it’s true!