Hmmmm...

Monkey Blanket

I've been jonesin' to make a Monkey Blanket for quite a while now. It incorporates stranded knitting at a large gauge, cool colors, and steeking. What's not to like?

So when we found out our friends were having a baby, I showed the pattern to David and he liked it. So he bought the yarn and I knit it up.

It was quite a project, involving not just numerous balls of yarn but also a team-effort of machine-sewing the steeks to reinforce them, since I used superwash yarn. (I couldn't really give a new mother something she'd have to handwash.) The border, knit on each side and then grafted together, was its own project. You basically knit two blankets, which the pattern conveniently neglects to point out.

Anyway, here it is.
Monkey side:

Doughnut side:

Some of the monkeys. (I changed the pattern to give each monkey his own expression.)

More monkeys:

And finally, baby Olivia! Not sure yet how much of a monkey she might turn out to be. . .

Why?

Why would anyone dig through a great big pile of antique buttons, match up 18 of them and then color in the centers black with a Sharpie? What is going on? Stay tuned...

Cute, or What?

Here's some booties that Simma knit up with leftover sock yarn. They are about 2 inches long. So cute! The pattern is the famous Saartje's Booties and you can find it here.

Penguins

Here's an interesting post on how knitters came to aid of penguins in Tasmania. They knit sweaters for them to wear while recovering from the effects of an oil spill. Thank you Rachel for bring this to my attention!

Vintage sweater

Hi Everyone - I'm in Germany spending some time with my Great Uncle. I asked him pull out pictures of my aunt - so that I could scan them. This one was also in there. This is my mom she's maybe 2? And isn't this the most adorable sweater?
I'm guessing this sweater was made for her by her godmother, Tante Hilde. Tante Hilde was my grandmother's best friend. They both taught at a fashion institute in Berlin. My grandmother taught dressmaking and weaving, and Tante Hilde taught knitting and crocheting. She also designed patterns for magazines. I'm guessing this is one of her designs.

Stretchy

BEFORE (about 36 x 20)

Most everyone knows how much I love to block my knitting. I especially love to block lace. Here's some snapshots of Rock Island. It is totally transformed! And I stretched the crap out of it.



I placed the pins at every point of the zigzags. There is a very convenient little triangle that you can see just above and to the right of my thumb where you can place the pins.

AFTER (about 68 x 31)

So cool!