Not quite a knitted Old One...

Knitted squid: Proof positive with enough imagination and enough yarn you can knit anything. And he multitasks magnificently too. The original version was intended as a hat.

I found a English review of the shogi manga Shion no Ou that actually explains it better for me. Still not licensed alas and apparently the fourth volume is coming out in Japan. After the trouble I had special ordering the first volume from Sasuga, I'd have either delve through Amazon.jp or some other site.