Detroit vs. Chicago on Saturday (Red Wings won in overtime), a marathon of Downton Abbey Sunday night, and Monday off all led to rapid headway on my new work in progress.

It’s Alata from Knitty.com.  The color’s a little off as it’s a flash photo after dark, but it’s a heather green.  It’s in KnitPick’s Stroll worsted weight, which is soft and yummy.

In the realm of items I’d finished earlier and never blogged, there’s a scarf for my 2nd grade friend Ali.

I should have had her model it, it matches her brown and pink coat and her beautiful smile!

For other friends, there’s legwarmers,

hats (plain and boring, as guys like them),

and handwarmers, oh my!

And for me, it’s wondering where does the time go as tomorrow is Wednesday already!

It was added to very nicely over the holidays.  Not only did I get some beautiful Lantern Moon needles and a KnitPicks gift certificate from my parents . . .

but my sister got me some really nice fingering weight alpaca when she was in Oregon on vacation earlier this year.

There’s also a  new yarn shop in Salt Lake, which I had to visit, of course.

I like to purchase local yarns as a souvenir when I travel if I can, and I found this.

Then there was some gorgeous Malabrigo Sock in the Stonechat colorway.  And of course I didn’t have any sock needles, so I gave myself a Christmas present of some Lantern Moon 2.5 mm DPNs.

It all added up to something of what Stephanie calls a “yarn accident.”  I immediately cast on a simple garter rib sock and would have had the heel turned by the time I arrived in Indy if the flight hadn’t been so bumpy.

Next up, what I’ve knitted lately in the non-bumpy interludes.

Jenny’s dog Liz continues her quest for the perfect nap.

We saw the ice sculptures at the entrance to the hospital where my sister works.  They’ve been carving them for almost 30 years.

We had a great meal at a cool restaurant as a gift from my brother and his family.

There were mountains everywhere.  You can see them from my sister’s kitchen window, waiting at the airport, and driving up the canyons.

Oh yeah, there was yarn, of course.  But that’s a story for next time.