Make Your Own Om Nom

My daughter started playing “Cut the Rope” game a while back and she immediately fell in love with that cute Om Nom character. Of course she also wished for a “real one” and came to me with request to make her a knitted companion.

She said: “I KNOW you can do it.” so matter-of-factly and with a wide genuine smile that I could not refuse this request even if I weren’t enjoying the challenges she puts before me.

This toy is a small knitted plushie, filled with polyester fiber (pillow filling) and with details made from felt cloth, cotton thread and buttons. Mine is about 12cm in diameter, size of a larger apple. It is worked on a small set of dpns 2mm or smaller. Choose needle size to produce firm fabric with your chosen yarn. As it is often said to “take time to save time” try your hand/needles/yarn on a small swatch so that toy making doesn’t end in tears when you will be trying to fill too loose package.

So, to make one of your own prepare:

-          One skein of yarn (Om Nom is green in the game but it could be beautiful in any other color also. Depending on a yarn you chose you could have plenty left over as it only takes about 20 g to make one)

-          Set of 5 double pointed needless appropriate for your chosen yarn (mine were 2 mm for yarn Jelka - fingering 4ply, 200 m in 50 g)

-          2-3 handfuls of polyester pillow filling

-          2 small black shank buttons for pupils of the eyes

-          White and black felt cloth (I ran out of white so we used light blue)

          Darning needle

-          Small sewing needle

-          Cotton thread in felt cloth colors

 BODY

Shaping of the ball that makes the body is like shaping the top of top-down hat like beret/tam that has 8 “slices” at sides of which you do all of your increasing and decreasing.

Using method of disappearing loop cast on 9 stitches (as the method does not allow for even number of stitches).

Preparatory row: divide stitches to 4 needles (2+2+2+3), mark beginning of round if you want (yarn tail will be hanging out of disappearing loop so maybe you can orient by this alone). You will now be working in the round, always with right side work facing you. Try to pull the tail to make sure it can be tightened.

1^st row:  knit 2+knit 2+ knit2 and knit 3

2^nd row: kfb all but the last 2 stitches, just knit them (there should be 4 stitches on each of 4 dpns)

3^rd row: knit

4^th row: kfb all stitches (doubling the stitches, there should be 8 stitches on each needle which equals 2 “slices” of 4 stitches each - from this point onward if you think in terms of “slices” it will be easier for you to visualize where to increase and decrease)

5^th row: knit

6^th row: *kfb, knit 2, kfb* two times per needle (2 slices of 6 stitches each or 12 stitches total per needle)

7^th  row: knit

8^th row: knit

9^th row: *kfb, knit 4, kfb* two times per needle (2 slices of 8 stitches each or 16 stitches total per needle)

10^th row: knit

11^th row: knit

12^th row: widening for “chest” and “back” of the toy will make Om Nom more balanced when sewing on feet so counting from the beginning of the round on 1^st and 3^rd needle kfb seventh and ninth stitch (total 18 stitches), knit all stitches on 2^nd and 4^th needle (stays 16 stitches)

13^th row: knit

14^th row: counting from the beginning of the round on 1^st and 3^rd needle kfb seventh and eleventh stitch (total 20 stitches), knit all stitches on 2^nd and 4^th needle (stays 16 stitches)

17^th to 34^th row: knit

35^th row: counting from the beginning of the round on 1^st and 3^rd needle decrease ssk 7^th and 8^th stitch and k2tog stitch 12 and 13 (total 18 stitches), knit all stitches on 2^nd and 4^th needle (stays 16 stitches)

36^th row: knit

37^th row: knit

38^th row: counting from the beginning of the round on 1^st and 3^rd needle decrease ssk  7^th and 8^th stitch and k2tog stitch 10 and 11 (total 16 stitches), knit all stitches on 2^nd and 4^th needle (stays 16 stitches)

39^th row: knit

40^th row: knit

41^st row: decrease at the ends of “slices” so *ssk, knit 4, k2tog* 2 times per needle (slices of 6 stitches or total 12 per needle)

42th row: knit

43th row: *ssk, knit 2, k2tog* 2 times per needle (slices of 4 stitches or total of 8 per needle)

44^th row: knit - here is when you fill the body with pillow filling. Fill quite packed as you will work few more rows afterward to close out the body so there will be enough filling for whole body.

45^th row: *ssk, k2tog* 2 times per needle (total 4 stitches per needle)

46^th row: *ssk, k2tog* once per needle (as there are no more stitches left and with this decrease it leaves 2 stitches on each of four needles)

47^th row: k2tog each needle stitches, collecting them to one needle only (4 stitches total)

48^th to 52^nd row: knit 5 rows of i-cord with remaining 4 stitches

53^rd row: kfb all stitches, dividing them to 4 needles (2 stitches on each needle)

54^th row: knit

55^th row: kfb all stitches (4 stitches on each needle)

56^th to 60^th row: knit

61^st row: *ssk, k2tog* all around (2 stitches on each needle)

62^nd row: knit

Fill the small tentacle on Om Nom’s head and cut approx. 20 cm tail of yarn. Darn needle with the end of yarn and pull it through all remaining stitches, closing it like the disappearing ring in the beginning (cast on). Weave the end firmly and invisibly into the tentacle.

LEGS (make 4)

Cast on 8 stitches using Judy’s Magic Cast On - 4 stitches on each needle, like you are casting on for a sock.

Knit one row.

In second row increase kfb on beginning and end of each needle (6 stitches per needle, 12 total)

Knit one row.

Increase kfb on beginning and end of each needle (8 stitches per needle, 16 total).

Knit around dividing stitches on 4 needles, 4 stitches each, mark beginning of round if needed.

Knit 4 more rounds.

Cast off not too loosely, cut approx. 20 cm tail. 

FELT PARTS

Cut out eye whites and 4 teeth from light felt.

Cut out thin line for the mouth from black felt.

So, now you have all your parts for making Om Nom...

... and when you arrange them like this you can almost see how he will look like.

FINAL ASSEMBLY

Make sure to position body correctly in regards with supposed “chest” and “back” (increases and decreases on 1^st and 3^rd needle) before you begin attaching feet. Using the tail from cast off attach feet to the body, filling it with polyester fiber when you come to last 3-4 stitches and close all holes and weave in ends neatly.  

Using black cotton thread sew shank buttons to the light felt making the pupils for the eyes.

Using light cotton thread sew eyes to the body.

With black thread sew mouth to make Om Nom smile.

With light thread sew teeth below the black line of mouth spacing them evenly apart so he looks cute and hungry.

Weave any remaining ends and go fetch him some candy. All done. 

You can even take him to work with you to show off :)