The lake is covered with ice fishermen today. They’ve been out since six this morning. Not where I want to be but I hope they’re having a blast. I’ve been up in my atelier happily working away on “stuff” I need to get done: a newsletter for the store, blocking my Ranunculus, cleaning up the messes I left when I was hurrying through the week and watching the men’s short program ice skating at the winter Olympics. I used to love ice skating and one day I’ll pull out my skates and something to support me so I don’t fall down until I get my feet under me.

I have my Ranunculus off the needles and it’s blocked and drying. I found one spot where I forgot to weave in the ends but I can get that done when it’s dry. I’m hoping that it’s long enough for this “old gal”. The pattern is rather cropped and I knitted it longer than it called for by about an inch but I hope it’s long enough for me. I have a little bit of the yarn left, probably enough to knit less than an inch of fabric. Once it’s dry and I can do a real try-on, I’ll decide what I want to do. The fabric is 100% silk but it’s a linen-y feeling silk, rustic and tweedy. It’s a little bit greener than is showing up in the photograph above but it’s a pale color and I think it’ll be great to wear with white jeans this spring/summer or over a sundress. AND there’s an entire bag of stashed yarn out of my yarn cabinet.

Another FO, too! My 3-year-old granddaughter needed a new scarf. Her baby-sized Sophie Scarf is too small to keep her neck warm. When asked what color she wanted, the answer wasn’t an easy one: pink, purple and blue. So, to my stash I went … and I found a bag of leftover bits of Malabrigo Rios in various colors. BUT all of the colors she wanted were there and some of them were very similar or the same as the colors that are in her Octopus hat. I’ve blocked it, wrapped it up and sent it off to New York City yesterday on the way to work. It should arrive on Monday. I based this scarf on the Sophie Scarf, too. I just increased until it was about half as long as I wanted it to be (about 3 feet) and then started decreasing. I also increased and decreased on the sixth row. I wanted the middle to be a little bit thicker than it would have been had I followed the pattern. It was fun, quick and the yarn will feel good against her neck and keep her warm.

I’m still working along on the Good Trouble Le Bandana and my Paper socks. My daughter has asked me to make her a sweater and I’m exploring yarns for her. I’m also making a second red Melt the Ice hat in a mystery yarn given to me at my LYS. It had a Rios label but I’m pretty sure it’s a washted (it’s heavier and a little more rustic than Rios). I’m knitting this second had on a US8 needle and I hope the size will be better for my head.

There are miles of 1×1 ribbing in this pattern and I am likely to make it a little bit longer than is in the pattern because I know I have a big head. I’ve also been working on a pair of socks but it’s fallen to the bottom of my WIPs pile. I may pick them up today and get the heel flap, heel turn and gusset done. I’ve chosen to do a little bit different heel on these and I have to pay attention to the 4-row repeat so it comes out looking nice. LOL.

I’ve got several ideas for next projects to cast on. I’m waiting for my daughter to let me know what she wants her sweater to be. I’m also waiting for yarn to come back into stock for a sweater for my college roommate. So, two sweaters for others coming up this year. I like the idea of knitting for others but only when they really want it! These two are very knit worthy and it’ll be a pleasure to knit for them.

Gone knitting.