Comments

  3. Randy says

    Holy Dr. Zoidberg Batman!!!

    Yeah… I would wear that too. I wonder if it comes in any other colors?

  5. Lily says

    it’s glorious! i have a friend who likes to knit, i should try to convince her to make me one. i think mine would have to be purple, though.

  8. Michelle R says

    Typical! Too lazy to make himself one so he whines about ones of a kind!

    Get some wares and knit it! Come on, where’s your spirit? :P

  11. says

    Do want! I’m in Canada, I not only desire the Cthulu mask but it may be a matter of life and freezing to death.

    Anybody buy that? Great white north?

    GIMME!

  13. Carlie says

    Looks like Davey Jones. The one damned by betraying Calypso, not the one who sang Sleepy Jean.

  14. Reera the Red says

    From his later blog entries, it sounds like the wearer and his girlfriend (who made the mask) are being inundated with requests for the pattern and/or a line of masks for sale. It may be a one-off now, but odds are it won’t stay that way, so you may be able to get one before next winter.

  16. mprime says

    Okay, only thing that could drag me from my committed lurkerhood. That is crocheted not knitted. C’mon, learn the difference. ;-)

    Otherwise, I would wear that too.

  17. Rob in Memphis says

    My first good laugh of the day–that thing is all kinds of awesome.

  18. Laura says

    I think I can make one. I just need what colors and materials you would prefer, and the size of your head.

  20. speedwell says

    Seconding the crochet, and I crochet, and that doesn’t look terribly difficult… a little tricky as to the eyebrows, but not hopeless. Laura sounds like she knows what she’s doing. :)

  21. says

    It looks like it may be based on military helmet liners. This one is crocheted — from what sort of yarn I am afraid to guess. I’ve seen that violent green only in Red Heart which has a rather harsh feel.

    It would not be hard to adapt a knitted helmet liner pattern. The stuff known as I-cord would make good tentacles and arms. There may even be a way to add the fins.

    Time to find yarn and needles…

  22. speedwell says

    Zimmerman’s “idiot-cord” is good for ropes and trims, but the technique where you dc3 into each st of a ch to make a long, floppy, twisty tentacle would be so much better, don’t you think?

  23. says

    Speedwell you are right. I usually do not mix knit with crochet so that tentacle idea didn’t occur to me. It would allow them to more much more freely.

    I am imagining this in a glowing green hand spun blend of silk and merino. A heathered yarn might better capture the nature of the critter.

  25. says

    That looks like a lot of work, and for the same reason I couldn’t do it myself, I wouldn’t ask someone else to do it for me. I’m content to admire and pine.

  28. says

    You know PZ, I know someone with the skills to make that Cthulhu mask in to time at all. In fact, this person does all kinds of creative knitting for the sheer hell of it…

    Are you sure you just want to admire it from afar?

  29. says

    You know PZ, I know someone with the skills to make that Cthulhu mask in no time at all. In fact, this person does all kinds of creative knitting for the sheer hell of it…

    Are you sure you just want to admire it from afar?

  30. says

    Actually, PZ, it s not that much work if you’re using store-bough yarn (as opposed to hand spun). And spinning yarn is almost as good as drugs for an addicted spinner.

    Starting from yarn and assuming no huge errors requiring massive frogging I think 8 – 10 hours would be enough to knit one of these.

    Then there’s the definition of work. Many knitters do not consider knitting to be work at all.

  32. says

    Yes, Patricia, the one shown is crocheted. Knitting and crochet are quite different in construction and have different uses. For clothing most people prefer the added “give” of knitting.

  34. Janine, OMnivore says

    Posted by: Carlie | May 7, 2009

    Looks like Davey Jones. The one damned by betraying Calypso, not the one who sang Sleepy Jean.

    That would be Daydream Believer. How completely sad of me, insisting on using the correct title of Monkees songs. Carlie, you have every right to tease me.

  35. Patricia, OM says

    Anneliese – That was my attempt to convey the sneering condescension of a tatter/knitter towards crochet. (Didn’t work though.Dang!)Which is considered a sport at my local yarn shop.

    I’m making a pair of socks & a shrug this week, so I know a little about knitting. The pattern link above to the knitted Cthulhuclava looks beyond my skills to make.

  36. JBlilie says

    Hey Seattlite:

    I just looked at your noobie blog; but I can’t comment there (re: cheese):

    Go to Pacific Food Importers south of Chinatown. Yum, yum.

    I don’t know where you’re from; but Seattle is one of the best places to eat in the US (and I have traveled the US and the world extensively.) You can hardly swing a cat in SEA without hitting a good, small restaurant.

    If Tillamook is a revelation to you, you are just beginning your cheesy journey. Ones that must be tried: Delice de Bourgogne, Morbier, Societe Roqueforte, Manchego (I prefer medio), a wonderful soft sheep cheese just named “Pico” — ask for it, Petit Basque … I could go on and on. And on and on.

    I wouldn’t want to live in a world without the cheeses from France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and now: world class cheese being made in MN, WI, IA, WA, OR, CA, NY, which, along with the good beer and wine being made in this country (not to mention the 2006 and 2008 elections!) gives me hope for our future.

    I miss Seattle … (the smell of the sea with a view of glaciers — and good food and drink) Some of the best hiking and climbing in the US, WW rivers, tidal rapids, seafood!, skiing, hippies, rain to keep the riff raff away …

  39. says

    Patricia, I am thick as two planks today! I’ve seen the sneering at crocheters — and I try to laugh at it. I’ve been known to haul some really intricate Irish crochet out of my knitting bag when a crocheter gets dissed. (I’ve been working on that one since somewhere between hydrogen and dirt.)

    What sort of shrug are you knitting?

    The Cthulhuclava looks do-able but I’m not sure it’s quite what I’d want to do.

    (tongue in cheek) Do you think you might be able to *tat* one? (/ tongue in cheek) I’m in awe of tatting — tried it, and it drove me batsh*t crazy.

  40. Die Anyway says

    Damn that’s ugly. Y’all Yankees up in the great-white-north are welcome to it. Down here in Paradise it’s never cold enough to even want something so stiffling much less so uuuggglleeee.

  44. daniel m says

    oh my word, that is spectactular!

    crikey it’s a cthulhu! get in the fhtagn!

  45. AmyD says

    Patricia and Anneliese-
    I do both and I think there is good reason to make this in crochet. Knit wear does feel softer and have more give, but crochet works better for sculptural work. It has more ability to stay in shape (stiffness) and it is easier to make corners and change directions, add and subtract stitches, 3-D stuff.
    Now tat one, hmmmm…
    (btw hi Anneleise! I’m the same Amy from Sac L-5)
    Amy

  47. Mike says

    I’d only get worried if you were to ask your Trophy Wife to wear it at night.

  48. Sili says

    If you where that in bed the Trophy WifeTM is patienter than humanly reasonable.

    But it’s a good colour for not getting run over in Winter (I take it that in Minnesota Winter consitutes all days other than August 7, 11-13.30).

    Anyway: SUPERIOR.

  49. Patricia, OM says

    Sorry, I got distracted…I’m having the weirdest day. Ray from over at Knitterman, my favorite yarn dyer guy, found me a pattern for Indian Cross stitch and I’ve been driving myself half insane trying to make it. Then I heard this odd sound, and I’ll be damned if it wasn’t my husband trying to put out a fire in his beard! That’ll teach him to smoke. (Yes, he’s fine.)

    The shrug is #286 at http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com

    Tatting is OK, if you don’t mind spending years to make one tablecloth. I tatted a sea horse once, it was kind of fun.

  51. SASnSA says

    Ronaldo,

    Sorry, that ood head isn’t meant to be used as a mask (as noted on the left side of the page: This is a display replica and is not designed to be worn).

    and at £400 – £500 each, I won’t be rushing to buy one.

    And back to the knit Cthulhu stalking cap, anyone else notice the odd number of tentacles on it?

  52. says

    Hi AmyD!

    I think there might be room for a person to have 2 of these things. You are right that crochet is better for sculptural stuff but would you want to wear that every day? The crocheted one looks way cool for Halloween parties. With careful yarn and gauge selection you could have a very wearable knitted version for when warmth and softness are more needed.

    Hi Patricia! I really like that little shrug. Are you using the yarn they recommend?

  53. AmyD says

    Every day?!! Where I live you would only wear a ski mask to rob a bank.

  54. Patricia, OM says

    I’m using Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed, color 292105 some dark purplish stuff. I’ve never used her brand before…it feels like tree bark. *snort* Maybe it’s supposed to feel that way? It’s from Kilcar, Ireland.

  55. says

    AmyD I understand your winters and I agree; I’d melt in a ski mask. But PZ is in Minnesota where winters are ;-) just a little colder than in Northern California.

    Patricia I’ve never been a fan of the Debbie Bliss yarns; if they have any kind of soft hand they pill horribly in my experience. The harsh ones do seem to wear well.

    Patons Classic Merino is what I’ve been using for helmet liners for our deployed troops. So far no complaints about it being too scratchy. I’ve also used Brown Sheep’s Nature Spun worsted and Cascade 200 and had no complaints. (Yes, they will complain if their liners are not warm enough or are irritating.)

    Would adding beads to the yarn make this thing more Cthulhu-like?

  56. Patricia, OM says

    I’ve finally gotten that dang stitch figured out. Sheesh! My local yarn shop owner is making the bolero from the cover of Vogue knitting spring/summer. I’ve never seen such a beautiful piece of knitting. *drool* It probably wouldn’t look good on PZ.

    By now somebody has that hat half finished.

  61. Paul A. says

    I think it looks like the Martians from HG Wells book War of the Worlds. It should be holding a heat ray staff and vaporizing everyone in the room.

  63. 'Tis Himself says

    Misti #60

    I don’t shave my butthairs.

    Pardon me, madam, but you must have mistaken me for someone who gives a damn.

  68. Jenna says

    Ladies and gentlemen of the peanut gallery, that is NOT a knitted creation. It is crocheted. I bet I can make one, too. Crocheting is more versatile and easier than knitting and we can make all sorts of weird doo-hickeys and thing-a-ma-bobs.

  70. Pam says

    Interesting! Reminds me of that character from one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies!

  71. says

    I designed something a bit more wearable – for a skiing hat for my son. Called it a dreadlock hat – successful enough that I got another commission – but took a good 10 hours knitting, 3 balls of (various) yarns and fleece for the liner to make it windproof.