Pink Cheeks

It's finally done! My project that started at Stitches West last year has finally come to a finish. I purchased this roving from Miss Babs' booth last year with big plans for it.

100% BFL in Pink Cheeks


This was partially spun on a drop spindle but when I got Gretchen (yup, that's what I named my wheel) I transferred the singles to her bobbin and finished the spinning on her.


The it was on to plying. I had planned on plying this with pearls strung on cobweb merino but the merino proved to be too weak so that go scrapped. The I tried with crochet cotton but the amount of time it was taking vs. the results just weren't proving beneficial. So I spun up 100 yards of beaded yarn that will turn into some sort of airy scarf probably and the rest turned into this:

About 390yds of fingering weight yarn that is getting sent off to GnaS (from Ravelry) to be made into a Clapotis like scarf.

Ruby Red Socks

Fresh off the needles and not even blocked yet... though I'm not sure if I'm going to or not... are a pair of socks made for a swap over on the Hyena Cart forum. They totally remind me of ruby red slippers!

All in all I really enjoyed this pattern. But on a funny side note... once I got to where I would normally start toe decreases on my own foot, my brain decided it wanted to stop making the socks and went on shut down for a while. I had to pick-up another project for a bit before I was able to jump back in and finish these. I have a small amount of yarn left so I'm really happy I didn't push the leg to 2 full repeats.

The stats: made from fingering weight yarn dyed by EcoWrapz in the color Ruby Red. The pattern is Belle Vitini (rav link) by Kristi Geraci. Knit two at a time and I had to use two 29" Susan Bates Quicksilvers because apparently Addi doesn't make size 2.25mm needles. Made in size medium to fit a size US women's 9.5 foot. The leg was made with 1.5 repeats of the pattern and the heel flap was knit changing the ws to k instead of p like the chart suggests.

Sock Monkeying Around

So my latest craft endeavor has been to get some presents whipped up for the up-coming babies that are entering the world here soon.

A friend had a little treasure tucked away in her fabric bins that I ganked from her:



Yup, those are totally what you think they are! Three pairs of original Nelson Rockford red heeled socks... aka sock monkey socks.

Now, I've never attempted to make a sock monkey and I think that if I hadn't run into this specific item, I probably would never have tried. But I had to with these (that or sell them on ebay :lol:)

So after a little more research (the instructions are a bit on the vague side as far as limb placement -- the tail goes above the white butt, not in the middle), I got to sewing and stuffing and stitching and accessorizing and after a late night (love you Michelle!) and a couple more hours tacked on to that I now have three finished sock monkeys ready to go to three soon to be born boys! (accessory patterns are below)



Patterns for Accessories:

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch
dc = double crochet
fphdc = front post half double crochet
bphdc = back post half double crochet

Hat: made with worsted weight scrap yarn and an H hook.

rnd 1: ch3. first two ch count as first dc. 9 dc in the third ch from hook and join to first dc (10 dc total)
rnd 2: ch2. dc in same st. 2dc in each st. join (20 dc total)
rnd 3: ch2. dc in same st. dc in next st. *2dc in next st. dc in next st.* repeat from *to* till end. join (30 dc total)
rnd 4: ch2. dc in every st. join (30 dc total)
rnd 5: ch2. fphdc around next st. *bphdc. fphdc* repeat from *to* to end. join. cut and weave in ends.

note: this also makes for a cute monkey beret if you let the ribbing tuck under instead of pull it around the monkey's head. Also, pom-poms would be a great touch but I decided against it for these because of the fact they are for newborns.

Scarf: made with worsted weight scrap yarn and an H hook.

ch 52. dc in back loop of 3rd ch from hook and each ch after. cut and weave in ends.

note: the green scarf is actually done in hdc because I didn't have enough yarn to make the full dc scarf. Also, a little fringe would be cute here if you like!