The path to getting there.

It is all in the path you take to get there.  Seriously.

By mid morning, I had finished the body I started yesterday.  So I picked up another set of legs and did as I planned.  I changed to work the first few rounds of the body on two circular needles.  It changed everything.  

By noon, another body was very nearly complete.  

Once I was up the body about a quarter of an inch, I changed to my time tested dpns.  For the tight knitting near the join, the circs were fine, but no way can I knit faster with those needles than I can on dpns. 

By the time my hands gave out just about supper time, there was carnage everywhere.

Two complete body and leg sets and a third with only an inch to go.  There are only two sets of legs after that.  Tomorrow ought to take care of that nicely.  Changing the start of the work made a huge difference.

So the plan is to get out the stuffing and knit the top of the monkey heads as I stuff each body, then arms.  I will sew and stuff tails too.  Once everything already knit is stuffed and attached I will sit down and knit the snouts of my monkeys.  The snout as from the pattern looks a bit off at this scale,  too large I think, so I may have to change it up a bit.  The ears were too big but I have that figured out and they take no time to knit at all.  I feel like I am in a really good place here with all the monkeys.

My shopping is done.  My monkeys are looking good.  I just need wrapping paper, the tree set up and then it will be time to sort out the cooking and the cookies.  Still a lot to do before Christmas and yet, I feel pretty good.