I found Purple Monkey Fabric!!!!

I realize that this isn't what floats most people's boats. And I realize that, as I was out looking for purple monkey fabric, it is not altogether surprising that I found purple monkey fabric. But even in my wildest burst of optimism, I never dreamed that I would have two purple monkey fabrics from which to choose!

But why (I hear you cry) do you need purple monkey fabric in the first place? Ah, isn't the internet a wonderful thing? It made it possible for me to find this. This thing was MADE for my friend Belle, and thus I was chosen by destiny to make it for her. Besides, her birthday is coming.

Using the links in the article, I ordered the cocktail monkeys and the cordage online, but balked at doing so with the boa. I mean, after all, I live in LA, just a hop, skip, and a jump from the garment district, who's highways and byways I have trodden many a time. (I guess I shouldn't blog at night, particularly not when I'm hungry. It seems to make me loquatious, not to mention purple.) So, having a little time tonight after running a few errands, I sallied off to the Monster Jo-Ann's.

Since Belle likes purple, and since I am constitutionally incapable of following a pattern w/o adding my own inimitable tweaks, I decided that, even though there were probably no purple cocktail monkeys (haven't gotten them yet, but they said they came in 4 colors; I'm betting blue, red, orange, and green, but they might surprise me) I would trim the bag in purple boas and line it in something purple, as well. I was lucky enough to find kids dress-up boas in lavender and white for a buck a pop at Big Lots (formerly Pic 'N Save) so I picked up two, but was still hoping to find a darker purple. It being Christmas time, I haven't had time to go Downtown, but thought I might as well check out MJA, as I only needed about a quarter of a yard of fabric, (so their outrageous prices wouldn't hurt that much) and they might have the boa, as well.

Well, they had a dark purple ostrich boa, but it was $9, and I couldn't really justify that when I already had two that would work that I only paid $2 total for. Then, I got the bright idea that a purple maribou boa wrapped around the lavender and white ostrich one would do the trick. Tried it on one they had in the store and like the way it looked, and the maribou was only $4. Cool!

Now, I'm feeling kind of cocky, so I set off to look at the "novelty" fabrics, looking for lining fabric for the bag, with a faint hope of finding purple monkeys. Found a couple of nice quilting fabrics that would work, even one pre-cut in a fat quarter that would be quite nice. But, I thought I might as well do the thing right, so I cruised the isles, even the flannel, when what to my wondering eyes should appear but PURPLE MONKEY FABRIC! I was stunned; I really didn't expect to find it, thought I'd have to go Downtown to have any chance of doing so. The monkeys are lavender, though, so I keep looking (what could it hurt?) and there was the SECOND piece of purple monkey fabric! Dark purple monkeys with a space motif in the background. Do you believe it?!!? I almost didn't, so here is my documentation:

(The colors didn't reproduce well, but I promise you, they're purple.) Can you say stoked? Bought all they had left (2.75 yards) as the rest of it has to be made into something for Belle at some point, oh, and it was 40% off. Just need to wash it and decide if I'm going to give the remaining fabric to Belle or figure out something to be made out of it.

NOW I just have to find the time to knit the thing!