Monkeys n' Bobbles.

As recently as last week I was wallowing in a knitting rut of unspeakable proportions. Here's the couple of projects that helped me claw my way out of limbo.

First up, my Staggering Monkeys:

Nothing, and I mean nothing can mimic the healing qualities of a couple of skeins of Koigu. This stuff should come with a warning label. Every time I use up my last couple of skeins I somehow manage to convince myself that it's not that great...I tell myself that there are loads and loads of other sock yarns out there and that I can definitely live without it...until more Koigu drops into my hands and the cycle begins anew.

If these Monkeys don't look quite like the average Monkey, there's a reason for that. First off, when I knit my Monkeys (and these are pair no. 3,) I always eliminate the purling and the YOs, replacing them with plain knit stitches and M1L and M1Rs, respectively. This produces a denser fabric and just looks more pleasing to my eye, really. I've also always wondered what would happen if one were to stagger the pattern on every other repeat. The result is twisty, twining paths that form a sort of pattern of diamonds and x's from cuff to toe. I charted out what I did, so if anyone would like to get their hands on it, let me know either in the comments below or on Ravelry.

Next, my Non-fingerless Regina Mitts:

I realize that fingerless mitts have their place, but I have to say I'm more of a finger-fan, myself. After slogging through (at the time of writing) 1700-odd mitten patterns on Ravelry and still not find that a nice, textured, sport-weight mitten that I'd actually want to make, the Regina Mitts caught my eye. The bobbles looked like fun, and I had never worked with them before, so I figures, why not? A little extra knitting around the thumb and fingertips, and I'll have a fancy new pair of mitts in no time flat. That's one day's worth of mitten knittin' in the picture.

The yarn I'm using is Québécoise. Not the softest yarn, by any stretch of the imagination, but it makes a fine pair of rustic mittens. As much as I love fancy yarns, I have a soft spot for the hardworking, simple yarns that allow my stitches to really stand out.

Now, what's actually scaring me is how much I love those bobbles. I never took myself for a Bobble Girl...who knew?