This is Japanese Halloween

Have a Happy Halloween!

Baby Monkey

Paton's has a new booklet out called Monkey Business. I had to get it and make this adorable baby monkey. I just love how out-of-proportion he is. I made this one for a friend and he will be delivered with his own knitted baby receiving blankie.

Other patterns I am considering making from this booklet are a reggae monkey and a punk rock monkey.

Rigid Heddle Towel

Just checking in here at the blog with pictures of a towel project I did recently on the 20 inch rigid heddle loom. This was the first time I used a pick up stick to create a pattern other than just a plain weave on this loom. Using the pick up stick allows you to pick up additional warp threads. The warp on these towels is a varigated pastel cotton. The weft is beige cotton flake, light enough to let the colors of the warp show, creating a slight striping effect.

Rats!

Ah, the latest victim! The large crop of figs we had this year also brought some unwanted visitors to our yard--rats! Some have even made their way into our garage. For the last couple of months we have been on the warpath, but these creatures are pretty crafty. Several times the bait has been stolen off our traps and the varmints have escaped unharmed. We even had one that we thought was trapped and dead somehow get away. We can just imagine his little rat friends all getting together, some standing on one end of the trap, the others pulling together on the spring end, releasing him with a chorus of little rat voices cheering as he limped away. He might have even needed a little rat CPR. One of the traps in the garage was sprung one day with a little trail of blood going back under the door. He must have gone back and gotten splinted and bandaged up at the rat clinic before resuming his nightly fig quests.

We are making some progress, though. We killed two big ones recently and in the last couple of weeks 3 smaller "teenager size" rats. The one pictured above is one of them. Maybe they have lost their leader and the guidance to avoid our snares. We can only hope. I hate rats! Nasty, dirty, creepy creatures they are.

The Creep's "Personal Hell"

My husband and I went out to Burbank on Saturday night for the opening reception for our son-in-law's solo art show. This show is inspired by the Chick Publications religious tracts, those little booklets that resemble comic books, but which are filled with the creator's twisted religious propaganda.

"My 'Personal Hell' show is inspired by these tracts and their holier than thou creator, Jack T. Chick. Influenced by Chick's artistic and evangelistic approach, I have attempted to combine his cute, seemingly innocuous illustrative style with my own beliefs concerning a contradictory world of smiling faces and hidden evil. Come sin with me. - Creep"

The Creep, a talented artist with a keen sense of humor, is showing at the Hyaena Gallery, 1928 W. Olive Avenue in Burbank, October 1-October 15. If you are in the Burbank/LA area, stop by Hyaena Gallery and see his work, along with the strange and twisted work of many other local artists. If you can't make it out there, check out his work on Hyaena's website, www.hyaenagallery.com/thecreep.html.

Blue Totoro & Fox Faces

I've been busy working on several projects simultaneously. The latest finished projects include these socks, Fox Faces, a design by Nancy Bush for an October sock knit-along on Ravelry. The challenge also required that they be knit in yellow. I searched the stash and found this Nature Spun Sport which seemed to work well. The only negative about this yarn choice is that it is not superwash so I will need to remember to hand wash them. I liked the pattern, except for the toe. I chose to knit my standard toe instead. The pattern is no longer available on Ravelry, but will be available on Nancy Bush's website soon.

Also completed, is the Blue Totoro, another anime character made for my daughter's sister-in-law. This was made from free pattern available here. I used Red Heart yarn, a yarn I would not ordinarily use because it is just too stiff and plasticky for my liking. For this project, though, it was fine. The stiffness of this yarn was actually good for making a nice, firm body. I didn't realize how big it would be when I started crocheting it. Finished, it stands about 14 inches tall.

Frieda

This is Frieda. Why Fieda? Who knows. My husband named her.

I started her last year and then other projects took priority. Since my goal this year is to finish all started projects, I set to completing this little monkey. I bought the kit for the Funky Monkey from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. This is not the yarn from the kit. This is Knit Picks sock yarn. The kits cost $32.00 and include two skeins of their heavyweight sock yarn. I decided to do a trial monkey with a less expensive yarn first to see if I really liked it or not. (I could always use the original included yarn for some other project.)

I do like the way it turned out and it was not difficult to knit, although a bit awkward to knit the legs and arms because you stuff as you go. I might use the yarn and make two smaller monkeys from it. The kit includes patterns for both large and small monkeys.

Before I had finished this one, I had come across the kit from Knit Picks for their knitted sock monkey. Well, I had to get that one--it included little outfits. Now they have another kit for a girl monkey and her wardrobe. I haven't ordered it. Really! Just how many monkeys do I need? Don't answer that!

I'm anxious to start knitting that monkey to compare patterns, but I'm being good and holding off. I do have other projects to complete (understatement). I can't promise anything, though. I'm really bad about casting on new stuff! Hey, if you are a knitter, you know how it is!