Niece the Elder has seriously gotten into the Cut the Rope game of late, and so asked for an Om Nom doll for Easter/spring equinox. Plushie versions can be had, but she wanted a handmade one so that it would fit her specifications: 10-15cm in diameter so he was big enough to cuddle, with a mouth that opened. He also had to have a candy to eat and a box to live in, just like in the game. In the game he doesn't have a blanket, but she thought he should have one so that he wouldn't get cold.
With a brief that specific, it wasn't difficult to get down to work. I checked Pinterest for Om Nom amigurumi and found a few examples, even some patterns for sale, but although one was close, none were exactly right. I'd checked out the game to get ideas — it's a great game, good use of physics and highly addictive if you can get past the ads — and I just didn't like the proportions on the dolls I saw, especially the eyes to head ratio.
So I sat down, came up with some math, found a crocheted sphere pattern calculator, and ordered Sugar 'n' Cream dishcloth cotton in the right colours. The blanket is one square of a nineteenth-century counterpane pattern and was made with some stash dishcloth cotton, so I got some stash-busting in too. The only things I didn't make were the boxes — those were bought at IKEA.
All of the stuffed pieces were stuffed with polyester batting, so everything is machine washable.
The whole three weeks I was putting together the two sets of Om Noms (two nieces means two dolls and two sets of accessories), Niece the Elder was writing letters to Om Nom and drawing picture books about him. Here's the construction/correspondence gallery:
![Niece the Elder made Om Nom a "Welcome Home" card while I was waiting for the yarn order to show up.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158743222-6UQG57NQGKBAME3XPAHL/welcome+card.jpeg)
![I started with the eyes, then used them as a scale measure. The eyes take up about one-third of the head's circumference.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158735434-N4STEJ5UU4SOXSOF5UGC/top+of+head.jpg)
![The teeth came next. They were hard to position and didn't always come out the right shape. It took 6-8 teeth to get 4 good ones.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158736288-NGYYAORJ307P2YHWHM7F/top+of+head+with+teeth.jpg)
![The bottom of the head is the same as the top, sans antenna. I stretched the green yarn usage by making the inside of the mouth black except for the last two rounds.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158704186-G83635PWJZA7M1VGO8KH/bottom+of+head+almost+done.jpg)
!["Dear Om-Nom, I've been waiting for you, once you get delivered for me. p.s. love, J---" Niece the Elder got sent regular photo update reports so I could be sure she was getting what she wanted!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158724147-LIXAZ8LIA0HDACFZT6YY/once+you+get+delivered.jpeg)
![Tongue crocheted and stitched to the bottom half of the head. I left the front third loose so it could move around.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158716424-35UMPILO7OVQ44LKTVHQ/head+only.jpg)
![Once Om Nom #1 was done, I took some action photos of him. Here he is at the bus stop...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158700578-YIMQSYWYGKME1SBVCMD5/bus+stop.jpg)
![...on the bus...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158744082-MEQFGB05OMAL1L3FYYHX/ttc.jpg)
![...at my chiropractor's...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158705526-FAMH4GHFGRZ5II7DB7YI/chiropractors.jpg)
![...at the hairdresser's...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158712799-B614BVQCM3PR6A9X27JQ/hairdresser.jpg)
![...and on the windowsill where I work.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158716627-1HPY641Q6AOMUZDC4IVY/office+window.jpg)
![The only photo I have of both Om Noms together. The one on the right is still missing its back legs.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158740503-VQNZNXB9H5ACE5PEHD46/two+om+noms.jpg)
!["Dear Om-Nom, I'm happy that you are done."](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158708542-YS7BYOC5UDZVT9XYJFW6/happy+you+are+done.jpeg)
![The "FEED CANDY" slogan comes from the game.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158706043-BE9ZC7BTTKNUXVH9HG36/feed+candy.jpg)
![I attached the candies to yarn, just like in the game, and made little pom-pom spiders with twist tie legs for decorations. The wire in the legs was too sharp for them to be played with.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158728006-RAJ8CZPMXV53S840LW3U/spiders+and+candies.jpg)
![One of two picture books Niece the Elder made about Om Nom. She learned how to bind the books from a video on YouTube.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158720643-T2RT6FP082N4LQ6LRTTX/om+nom+book.jpg)
![Om Nom with blanket and candy in his box.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158730476-9GXB30RPY5YILQ2BPWUT/Om+Nom+in+box.jpg)
![Balloons with the candy and spiders attached, and the boxes wrapped up in furoshiki for gift-giving!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53658af9e4b05b7433d34946/1427158747206-JYAXNMQPAU0JZVFZK61E/wrapped+up+with+balloons.jpg)