The Finished Totoro - and More Sewing Assistant Nonsense

My son's girlfriend and I finally finished her gift to my son a few weeks ago, and I almost forgot - I hadn't posted a photo of the finished product!  By the time she was about halfway through the figure, her crocheting had relaxed and was a lot more even.  If you looked at it, you could figure out where she started and where she finished, based on the difference in tensions - but you have to remember, he ain't gonna care.  He was thrilled to death that she made him something like this herself!

The finished Totoro

Totoro close-up! 

For someone with very limited crocheting experience, I think she did a bang-up job!  Her mother crocheted the white stomach part - LOL - look at the grey body vs the white part - same size hook, same size yarn.  TOTALLY different tensions!

If you haven't seen My Neighbor Totoro, you can NetFlix it (maybe even instant view, I'm not sure).  It's a typically Japanese animated movie by Hayao Miyazaki.  I believe he's been determined a national treasure by the Japanese, but you could look that up.  If you can, get the Japanese version with English subtitles - it's way better than either of the English dubbed versions.  Here's a quick look at some of the characters:

One of the little girls - Satsuki - her friend Totoro behind her, and behind both of them - Neko Basu (Cat Bus)!

What's that?  You recognize that name from somewhere?  Of course you do.  That's where The Chunk  Neko (The Sewing Assistant) got his name!  Which he literally grew into - pun intended!

Speaking of the "little" dickens, he quite handily kept me from working on my purse yesterday.  

His thought balloon would read:  "You were gonna do some sewing?  HEE, HEE, HEE, HEE, HEE, HEE, HEE!  NOT!!!!"

Pattern and Fabric Inspector, at your service!  (Now, doesn't he resemble the Kitty Bus in this shot?  Look at that Wide Body!)

Look, Ma!  I'm a pattern weight!  Or a Cat Bus! Or both!

My best Gargoyle impersonation!

Only pretending to sleep...

You didn't need this pattern piece, did ya?  Nom, nom, nom, nom.....

Oh, "OOOPS!"  (Heh, heh, heh!)

WHEEEEE!  Come back here, you!  FWIP!

Now watch my sleight of hand PAW! (Shred, shred, shred, shred, shred....)
Darned if he doesn't look like he's shuffling a deck of cards, casino-style. 

Rrrrrrrip!  Chomp!  PTOOOEEEYYY!  (Thought balloon:  "Just doin' my job, just doin' my job!")

Sigh.  The aftermath.  Excuse me while I go look for the Scotch Tape.  And yes, that is cat spit.

The drum covers (the huge pile of black fabric behind Neko in the first couple of shots) are thankfully on hold for the time being - the blue drums didn't clash as much as we thought they would against their new uniforms.  Of course, that doesn't mean the instructors might not change their minds.  At the last minute.  Right before we go to Nationals in Dayton, Ohio.  << hides >>

The purse?  Well, I guess it will keep for another day or two.