Monkey Business

On one hand, I love getting a picture sent to me, and being asked "Can you make this?".  On the other hand, it usually ends up being a lot of work.

It takes away most of the design process, which is good and bad.  I know exactly what my client wants, though I usually ask a few more questions ("this bright?" "textured?", etc).  But actually trying to find the yarn, and figure out the techniques....not always enjoyable!!

Take this monkey set:

Jennifer had done a maternity shoot with a woman that loved monkeys.  So she sent me this picture to see if I could make it.  I was almost certain the yarn was LionBrand Homespun.  I didn't have that colour, but was able to get it easily.

Got started on the hat.  Didn't like my first couple attempts at sizing, but the third (or 4th...) was good, so when I was at the forehead (starting from the top), I took a look at the picture again, and realized I had forgotten the cream and red stripe at the top!  Rip rip!  I didn't have cream in Homespun, but used two strands of a thinner yarn.  Using two strands allowed it to have more texture.  I did have a deep red in Homespun.  Got the hat finished.  Moved on to the diaper cover.

I had used a pattern before for a Homespun diaper cover, but there was no gauge, or sizing given in the pattern.  Why post a pattern to the internet without this info?!  Anyway, got it done, but struggled making the tail stand up.  If I had more time (which, since the momma ended up being late, I actually did!), I would have tried working the tail tighter.  In the end, I used a pipe cleaner, which we're not all that impressed with.

I think I did a very good job copying the original picture.  This was my sneak peek:

 

Things always look much better with a baby in them.  Plus this was taken with my cell phone so I could post easily to Facebook.

I don't have the "real" photos yet, but they are posted on Facebook.  Go take a look!  The baby was awake for the whole shoot, so Jennifer couldn't get the positioning she wanted, but that's okay.  There'll be more babies later :)

There's also another hat I did custom for Jennifer in that album--the Frosty hat!
I can't find my note with the weight of this set, and my scale is acting funny (it says the ball of red Homespun weighs 176gr...yet the new ball is only 170grm and I used some of it...).  I'm going to give it an educated guess at 90gr.  If I find my notes later, I'll adjust everything :)

Yarn In:  12 507gr
Yarn Out:  90gr + 10 341gr = 10 431gr
Balance:  2 076gr more brought IN than out
Costs:  $249.29/303 days = $0.82/day

Of course, I have MORE yarn in to show later... but also, more yarn out!