Plarchie the giant knitted squid is a lifesize replica of Archie the giant squid which dwells in London’s Natural History Museum.

The Museum folks let me into the Spirit Collection rooms to meet and measure the real life squid.

Plarchie is made from 162 Sainsbury’s carrier bags and took approximately 80 hours from start to ten tentacled finish.

The last I saw of him Plarchie was headed for Heathrow Airport, his tentacles wrapped firmly around the panic-striken driver of a black taxi cab. Heaven knows what will happen as another of my uncontrolled knits is released upon the world. What calamari catastrophes will he bring about?

He can be seen on the front cover of Knit the City’s first ever graffiti knitting book.

Quick note: Just in case anyone is confused I knit Plarchie all on my own.

Plarchie was tweeted by Neil freakin’ Gaiman on Feb 19th. I imploded with joy.