Hey Hey We're the Monkees

Am I the only person who watched the reruns of The Monkees back in the 80s? For me it was like a brand new show, since I was not actually alive in the 60s. I loved this show, the crazy hijinks, the music, and most especially Davy Jones. :) That guy was cute no matter what generation you belonged to.

(OK, you got me, I liked watching The Partridge Family too. And yes, David Cassidy was way cute too.)

Speaking of monkeys, I currently have some hanging around the house right now!

You know how monkeys always seem to be scratching? Perhaps they are allergic to alpaca. Like me.

Last night I wore the almost-knee-high Beaded Rib Socks out to dinner with my roommate at Mill, the most excellent Korean restaurant I know of in the city. (Actually it is the only Korean restaurant I know of in upper Manhattan, and, though I don't live there now, I used to live on the Upper West Side practically around the block from the reataurant.) The were very warm... and very itchy. I had even work stockings (tights) on underneath them to try to quell the sensation, to no avail. But here's the kicker - when I got home I was sitting on the couch playing with Mary when I leaned down towards the floor, and it felt like my throat was going to close up. And I instantly (within 3 minutes) had a pounding headache. Yeah. I don't remember it being this bad when I was knitting them. Regardless, I can't keep them. Whatever they are made of I am massively allergic to. (The alpaca claim is unsubstantiated but for the fact that I have had a similar reaction to KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud; however, I also have a similar reaction to mohair...) It was so unspeakably unpleasant. Merry Christmas roomie! Luckily she wears almost the same size shoes as me.

Let's try this again. Speaking of monkeys...

Once upon a time there was a little innocuous ball of yarn. The ball was sad because it wasn't a sock. (A pair of socks, actually, but the ball of yarn was not very bright, as it was yarn and could not count or reason or do anything of the sort.)


The little ball of yarn sighed and sighed and soon the knitter took pity and cast on for a sock...


And suddenly, as though Emeril had wandered into the neighborhood, BAM! There was a sock!


And it was good.


The inspiration to try out Monkey was due to Opal - thanks Opal! Her Monkeys are looking pretty gorgeous (and I covet the Black Purl. Covet it.) I actually have finished the first and am on the first pattern repeat past the cuff on the second. Did somebody say this pattern was addictive? I'll agree. And that is only doing a few rows here and a few rows there. Since last Wednesday! It is pretty easy to memorize after a few repeats, and I can knit it with merely a glance at the stitch pattern before each row to remind myself where I am. The bias stitch pattern does a great job of breaking up the stripes that I dislike so much.

Oh yes, there is one more monkey:


It's true.

posted by Carrie @ 9:11 AM