No hole Monkey or No Yarn Over Monkey

I love the Los Monos Locos version of the classic and much loved Monkey pattern by Cookie A. I have done one pair in a beautiful 'Odd Ball' (limited edition) variegated yarn called Martinborough Vines by New Zealand dyer Needle Food. I did a twisted rib cuff for only a few rounds and should probably do more next time as they fall done a bit.

I would love to try the pattern without yarn overs, to make a moving rib but not lacey sock. The options I've seen are:

Cayenne's MonkeyToes

She removed holes by replacing YOs with M1L/M1R (as appropriate) increases in the following round, for similar reasons

MyYarn's Toe Up Monkey Mods

She eliminated the lacy holes by knitting the yarn overs through the back loop

Jauping's Sedate Monkeys

She used a “lifted increase”…for each pattern repeat, using a right lifted increase (knitting the right leg of the stitch, then the stitch) in place of the first yarn over and a left lifted increase in place of the second yarn over (knitting the stitch, then the left leg of that original stitch). [Thanks to Jauping for messaging me this detail]

I know that M1L and M1R would drive me crazy, I'm using M1 for Vinnland and I don't love it. I quite like the idea of knitting through the back loops of yarn overs and using the right and left lifted increases. From the description it sounds like Jauping used LLinc LRinc which I use for toe increases, I think I'll try both out.

Sweater Idea

Extra Easy, Extra Fabulous Sweater from Lion Brand Yarn Free Pattern Database

You know I really think I could make this, the pattern makes sense, I know how to do Stockinette stitch, when doing the monkey I had to cast off some stitches, hold working stitches on a spare needle and work on others so I think I have all the skills. I would lengthen the sleeves, 3/4s drive me nuts and I'm not so sure about the buttons but they could look cool. I think that color looks cool but would probably go for a black or brown as I am always terrified about staining white and off-white clothes and it would be soo depressing to stain my first sweater. I like how it looks and I'm sure it would be warm so I think I would be prepared to put in the heaps of time required.

The pattern is by Lion Brand Yarn and I'm not sure if they sell it in New Zealand but I'll see. The yarn used in this pattern is Wool-Ease Thick & Quick which is a super bulky roving yarn. From listening to Cast-On I have heard of various types of yarn - fingering, roving, aran but I had no idea what they meant till I found this:

STANDARDS & GUIDELINES FOR CROCHET AND KNITTING

Standard Yarn Weight System

Categories of yarn, gauge ranges,
and recommended needle and hook sizes

Yarn Weight Symbol & Category Names
Type of Yarns in Category	Fingering 10-count crochet thread	Sock, Fingering, Baby	Sport, Baby	DK, Light Worsted	Worsted, Afghan, Aran	Chunky, Craft, Rug	Bulky, Roving
Knit Gauge Range* in Stockinette Stitch to 4 inches	33–40** sts	27–32 sts	23–26 sts	21–24 st	16–20 sts	12–15 sts	6–11 sts
Recommended Needle in Metric Size Range	1.5–2.25 mm	2.25— 3.25 mm	3.25— 3.75 mm	3.75— 4.5 mm	4.5— 5.5 mm	5.5— 8 mm	8 mm and larger
Recommended Needle U.S. Size Range	000–1	1 to 3	3 to 5	5 to 7	7 to 9	9 to 11	11 and larger

And Yarn Forward - Tension and Wool Works FAQ which explained that roving has no ply (that's how yarn is categorised in NZ & Australia). The yarn used in this pattern is equivalent to 14 ply so now I will know what to look for to substitute for the Lion Brand when I visit a yarn shop to buy yarn for my first sweater.

At the moment however I have given in to making a new monkey in stockinette using my Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran 330014 Royal Purple and I love it because the yarn is so soft and the colour is gorgeous. The yarn falls so much easier off my Art Vivas and I'm knitting a lot faster than last time.

So like, where next?

So I finished the monkey and he's awesome and cute. He looks a lot better than the one on the box, I think the way I embroidered the face worked really well. I did the hat and one pompom but they are both horrid. The hat makes him look really strange so although I tried to knit stripes, I don't think I carried the yarn properly.

But now I don't know what to do next. I can't do socks or a hat yet as I don't know how to knit-in-the-round, I definitly couldn't do a sweater yet, they are huge and complicated and argh, scary. So what do I do? I feel lost without the needles in my hand on the bus, cross stitch is really tricky on the bus. I need a sort of second knitting project, I really can't be bothered doing a scarf, they take forever and they are difficult to make look nice enought to wear unless you can make fancy ones like clapotis. So I'm not sure what to do, I might make another monkey in a different yarn using stockinette instead of garter stitch but I'm not sure. Easy Stockinette Wash Cloths would help me practice my stockinette stitch and learn the seed stitch but I have a dishwasher and use a sponge to wipe the bench but I suppose they could be used to pot holders. Hmmm. But I'm not rushing out to make them, maybe I should find a pattern for a new easy toy.

So I decided to buy a knitting book and after reading about it on Craftzine and watching the video I decided to get this one:

Knit Aid: A Learn It, Fix It, Finish It Guid for Knitters on the Go for NZD $13.17

& the deal was to get free shipping when you spend NZD $20 so I also got:

Ondori Full Colour Illustrated Basic Knit for NZD $10.20

The Knit Aid book would probably be more helpful over time in that its designed to be toted around in your knitting bag to pull out if you have a problem, or need to look up a term. I also think the knitting needle size and gauge ruler will be really useful like my:

Cross Stitcher Magazine 4-in-1 Tape measure which has a fabric and needle gauge along with an inch and centimetre measruing tape which is really useful as NZ is a metric country so all my rulers and things are centimetres.


It will be interesting to compare it to the Ondori book which is a 80's Japanese book and according to review I've read has knitting symbols chart which are often not in normal knitting book.

Knitting a mental looking monkey

I've been away from home so I haven't posted in a while, but I'm back now. While at the mall on holiday I found this kit for half price NZD $20. The pictured monkey looked like a pretty weird toy but since its for children, it will be easy, so I thought it would be fun to try as my first complete knitted project. The picture shows him sitting on a chair you can make out of the packaging.

This is what is included in the kit, the yarn I think is wool and the needles are horrible. Can you imagine knitting with thick skewers, you know the ones which shead splinters, they are just dreadful and when combined with a wool that easily fuzzes off they are definitly not usable. However I am happy to use the cheap wool for my first project but it definitly doesn't compare to my Debbie Bliss. I feel a bit sad to make a toy, that will hopefully be cuddled against a child's face one day out of scratchy wool but I think I may make another one, one day.

I'm halfway through knitting the body, learning how to do increases and decreases. The decrease made a hole, I'm not sure if it was supposed to, but that's what I got when I did the knit two together decrease they recommended. I'm sure it won't show.

This is the cutest looking picture of the monkey and I think what makes the difference is stitching the eyes in black, I think I'll do that when I get to them.