FOs - Monkey socks and Vogue skirt

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Needles: 2.5mm
Yarn: Blissful in Ring a Ring o Roses by Skein Queen



Pattern: V8560
Fabric: Sun spots by Amy Butler
Size: 14

What do these two have in common? It turns out that just one isn't enough. According to Ravelry I've now completed my 11th pair of Monkeys and I've just started my second skirt in this pattern - this time a slightly shorter version in a gorgeous grey cotton I bought at Darnit and Stitch.



It's almost a shame that the zipper is such a perfect colour match as the method for inserting the zip is so neat that you can hardly see it.



I love the pleats - they're very satisying to do and give the skirt a lovely full shape.



These photos btw were taken with the aid of our new mirror. We got it at the same time as the rest of the furniture but it's been standing in a box in the hall until this week. Now it's standing on the floor in the living room until we work up the nerve to hang it. I want to hang it over the dining table or the sofa but it's very heavy and I'm rather paranoid about it falling off the wall and killing us whilst we eat dinner.

A pocketful of posies

So of course I gave in and bought a skein of the delicious* handpainted yarn being sold by Debbie of Skein Queen in Reading last week.

The Mongolian cashmere and alpaca/silk blends were off limit due to "the Rules"** but fortunately Debbie's "Blissful" sock yarn uses a bfl base from UK sheep so I was in the clear.

And it's so pretty!



The colourway is Ring a Ring o' Roses (love the name) and it's the colour of tea roses and fresh green leaves.

Now I just need to search out a suitably dainty lace sock pattern to match the yarn.

* and talking of delicious it turns out that Debbie was also responsible for the amazing coconut and lime cake that I had a slice of.

** For the last year I've only bought yarn and fibre that has been produced in the UK from British sheep breeds.