Monkey Stitch Marker

In ages past I have hosted several Monkey Sock Swaps that have been tons of fun. We knit and exchange Cookie A.'s Monkey Sock and throw a few monkey items in the package for kicks. I love receiving gifts and generally could never wait to get home to open the package properly with camera in hand. Instead, I ripped into the package then and there.


This past week the husband and I drove down to Texas to visit my family for Thanksgiving. We almost always fly because it is such a long, boring drive but on this occasion we drove. I spent two days packing up several knitting projects, six to be exact. I always spend more time packing the "fun" things and sometimes end up unprepared in the area of clothing when the climate changes wherever I'm visiting. But, when faced with three long days in the car six projects sounded reasonable.



As I was lifting up the seatbelt to get back into the car on one of our rest stops, my eye caught the eye of a teensy monkey face staring back up at me from under the car seat. What the heck? To my surprise it was an adorable monkey stitch marker that could have only come from a monkey sock package. One of my six monkey pals must have given it to me and in my avarice of tearing into wrapping paper it must have fallen out! Imagine my delight in finding him!

Now I really must find out WHO gave this to me! Does it look familiar to anyone? Isn't it just the cutest little stitch marker? Please let me know so I can thank you properly!

Monkey Sock Swap

At last, at last the Monkey socks are finished for my Monkey Pal. The three "monkey gifties" have been procurred and wrapped in monkey wrapping paper, the stickers affixed, the box labeled and waiting by the door to go to the post office.

A pair of socks for my Monkey Pal....................

And, a pair of socks for me from MY Monkey Pal, Ronnie..............

They match my favorite corduroy dress PERFECTLY! Here are more details on what Ronnie sent me all the way from England, a country I so long to visit! Maybe someday Ronnie and I will share a cup of tea together and chat about knitting and Jane Austen.

This was a fun swap. Sign-ups are being taken for Monkey Sock Swap TWO so email me if you are interested.

A Dog, More Milage and Jane Austen

The Runagogo is keeping me motivated to walk down and get the mail every day. There have been several times I thought about not doing so and then I thought about hitting that 100 miles by July! I have thus far logged 7.5 miles and only have 92.5 to go! The dog? He cannot log that same mileage in his log because I've ended up carrying him at least half the time. The other half of the time he is busy marking trees, rocks, pebbles, snow piles..........male dogs, never again!

My mini-ipod is my favorite companions on these walks. I usually listen to at least four unabridged books a month. Before you think all that time is 'walking' time, I must clarify that much of it is 'knitting' time. Earlier this month I listened to The Sorceror's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets to help me gear up for the Hogwarts Sock Swap. This week I am listening to Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, one of the only remaining Austen books I have not yet read.

Speaking of Jane Austen, I received my Monkey Sock package from my British pal in the Monkey Sock Swap. Royal Mail....cool.....of course I had to open it then and there and carry the contents back home in my backpack. My next post will be all about the incredible contents. And, as one of the characters repeatedly says in Sense and Sensibility, "I am all astonishment!"

Monkey Sock Swap

Anyone up for some fun this spring? Let's swap Monkey Socks!

I have had so much fun knitting these socks and thought it would be great fun to see this sock in all the different yarns everyone is using. And, I thought it would be even more fun to have a Monkey Sock Swap!

Here are the rules:

1. Knit a pair of Monkey Swaps for your Monkey Pal.

2. Include THREE 'monkey' items in your package. Go crazy and have fun with this one! .

3. Include one knitting gadget.

4. Mail your package by April 30th.

Want to be a Monkey Pal? Sign-ups will be open until March 15th. Send me an email to sign up.

Here is the MONKEY SWAP blogsite and here are the buttons:

Button #1:

Button #2

Button #3