• What’s Going On? Marvin Gaye
• I Can’t Stand the Rain – Ann Peebles
• Loving You – Minnie Ripperton
• Cleanup Woman – Betty Wright
• If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot
• Superstition – Stevie Wonder
• Last Train to Clarksville – The Monkees
• Vincent – Don McClean
• Ben – Michael Jackson

I hope it’s a beautiful day where you are, with no ice. Please take care.

Of course we’ve also had 4 red flag/high fire danger warnings since then, but why quibble with the facts?

Anyway. We’re all feeling a little better here. No snow in the foreseeable future. So I’m working on what’s gonna be a super warm hat.

This is the first 10 rounds of the body/business end of a York Slouch hat by Wooly Wormhead (see yesterday’s post for more info). It’s going ok, just focusing on alternating between purl and knit rounds, to keep the garter stitch going.

I started to panic this morning about “how am I gonna close that brim up when I’m done?”. This is before I read the pattern yet again and figured out that no, it’s meant to be split that way. Feeling a little better now, and I still am so happy about the very clear directions for said hat. I’ll definitely be making more hats designed by them in the future.

Still working on the Crimson Vow shawl and my spinning, which both look much the same as when I took pictures last. Hoping to get at least 1 bobbin done by the end of this weekend, but we’ll see. Fine spinning is a huge slog, but the end result will be worth it. Probably.

Today I learned that there is more than one way to skin a crocheted provisional cast on. Somehow, it never occurred to me that I could crochet a chain directly onto a knitting needle. But it works! And a damn side better and faster than making a chain and forcing the needle into the stitches.

This is what the hat looks like now, roughly halfway up the brim:

It’s pretty fun, to the point where I made myself stop and take a break.

The yarn is Monster Minis from Jem’s Luxe Fibers in the colors Minotaur and Labyrinth, from bottom to top. It’s bulky superwash Merino, and very squishy. Good time so far.

I also am still plugging away at the Theodora’s Pearls braid I’ve been working on.

Please stay safe.

But, it is a new year, and a new start. I guess. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

So far, I have started to recover from losing our fluffiest, most incredible family member last month, finished one crocheted object and started another (no new knits so far, but I start another quickie this weekend), had our Giftmas Visit with BabyGoth’s first grandmother, gotten a hellacious cold (not the flu or Covid, the test bears that out), and am idly considering leaving my country of origin. Given my age and political leanings, that would be permanent. Whew.

Anyway.

I finished a cute headband for my sister (see below) and will ship it out as soon as I can breathe without crying. Here it is.

Right after I finished it yesterday, I was thinking about what else to make. From KnotBadBritt, I am working on the Crimson Vow shawl. Here are the 1st 7 rows:

Something for next time. I would have written more today, but my body has informed me it’s not gonna happen. See you soon.

I’ve not been doing a lot today. Mostly just getting things put away and getting ready for our trip at the end of the month, and finishing some things up. For example:

I have worn it a couple times. Not something I would wear unless I was filled with confidence, but there we are. It’s nice and light, which is what I wanted.

Also, the shawl is done…

I’m hoping that blocking gives me a few inches of growth on this, but I don’t know. We’ll see. It was fun once I got going, and I may make another. It’ll be nice for summer evenings, as it can get a little chilly.

I’m still working on the Emotional Support Chicken for either DadGoth’s birthday or Fathers Day, whenever I can get it done. I’m also taking a deep breath and pulling out the Hekataion Wrap again and finishing the middle intarsia section. How hard can it be? I guess I’m going to find out soon.