This is Captain Jack Gibbon, master of the Black Banana. That’s as far as I got with his bio before passing that job over to the junior team because my role on this production is that of knitter, not writer. He is sporting a tricorn hat in aran bfl from the leftover pile, slightly fulled as it came out too big, with trim from the bag of sock leftovers. His jacket is handspun Hebridean (all the best sailors are wearing it this season), the naturally black fleece had sunbaked tips and I dyed the yarn green just to see what happened.  I had imagined that I’d weave with it but as it turned out when held double it was just the job for a seafarer’s jacket and also an eye patch. He has a hint of a lace cuffed shirt under the jacket, I was also going to make a lace cravat but he didn’t need it and I’d had enough by then. I did originally imagine him with a cutlass but when it came down to it I couldn’t think of a way to make it work in wool so I ditched that too.

Why am I messing around with sock monkeys? It was an idea for a fund raiser for the charity that my son’s school is supporting, normal sock monkeys are fine at the pocket money level but dressed ones potentially raise more money. I started with the intention of knitting a hat and a scarf but for some reason I decided to make a three cornered hat and then one thing led to another. It remains to be seen whether Captain Jack will sell, I hope he does because I have ideas for Robin Hood, an athlete, Ludwig Van Beetgibbon and a ballet dancer. According to his bio he is not a pirate at all but a merchant sailor so he probably didn’t need the cutlass anyway. His favourite colour is blood red purple and his hobbies are looting and pillaging stamp collecting and embroidery. I knew it was a good idea getting the junior team to do the bio (which also happens to have the care instructions and composition on the back). The senior team (aka my mother) is in charge of stuffing and assembly so I just get the fun bit of knitting.

My more serious knitting was another sample of the brown and orange combo that’s plaguing me at the moment. I drew another little picture and as that didn’t get it out of my system I cast on for a miniature version. I still can’t say whether I’m cured or smitten, only time and sleeves will tell. I’ve got a pair of socks somewhere but they’ve been thrown aside in my pursuit of the brown and orange. The hem may be coming off, I should have started with a provisional cast on because I couldn’t decide what it was I really wanted. At least now I have a clearer idea of what I don’t want.

I was certainly smitten with these, especially after I’d worked out how much wool went happily in a box. The first set I made was somewhat of a box-buster, after that one I got the hang of portion control.  It was the week when the handle on the carder went round and round, all day long (yes, just like the wheels on the bus).