Monkey see, monkey do

My next project is to be a pair of Monkey socks - it seems like ages since I've made socks and it is also my knitting group's first KAL of 2011. Which yarn to use can be a tough decision - solid colours can look dull on plain socks and a variagated sock yarn that is very pretty on the skein can be surprisingly tricksy to match up to a pattern. Have a look at my Bayerische socks and you'll know how I know this.

So to help me decide, I had a browse of the Monkeys posted on Ravelry - and there are over 13,000 of them. I am SO late to this party that I should be carrying a bin bag and a pair of Marigolds for the morning after tidy up. As well as looking at the favourited projects to see which ones came out really nicely, I think it is equally worthwhile taking a look at the frogged pond to see what turned out, erm, less than satisfactory. For a start, there aren't nearly as many.

I decided that a lightly varigated yarn suits this pattern and started with some Jawoll Magic in greens.

Blending in quite well here on the blog

I got the Jawoll on Tuesday on a birthday trip into Manchester (birthdays are for spending time with friends and buying yarn, not being at work) and also picked up some gorgeous Malabrigo sock yarn, with which I am planning to make a Gail (Nightsongs) shawl.

Lily of the Valley

Pattern: Lily of the Valley Scarf by Nancy Bush, Knitted Lace of Estonia
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Lace - alpaca, silk, cashmere
Colour: 6977
Used: 1x 50g skein
Needles: 3.75mm Addi Lace circular needle
Mods: Did 10 repeats of central lace pattern

Pinning it out for blocking took a while, and a hell a of lot of pins - I think I need to invest in some blocking wires. This photo was taken first thing in the morning and came out very blue indeed, the second picture of the finished scarf is how the colour really is.

And finished with over a month to spare before my aunt's birthday - not like me at all. The Manos lace yarn is a joy and the is pattern fun and quick, I loved having so few stitches on the needle. Yes, there are nupps, but the Addi lace needles make them pretty easy.

And very pretty they are, too.