Unraveled, Week 51/2025

This is my last Wednesday working this year(!), and I'm joining in with Kat and the Unravelers with a brief update because everything has been busy as I prepare to be on vacation for a couple of weeks.

Last week got so busy at work that I didn't finish all the knitting I'd hoped, but I do have one FO this week:

Pattern: Gnome News Is Good News by Sarah Schira
Yarn: Fibernymph Dye Works Beguiled (75% superwash merino, 20% nylon, 5% Stellina) in Love Notes, Fibernymph Dye Works Bona Fide (100% superwash merino) in Light Silver Green, and two mystery white yarns
Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) and US 4 (3.5 mm)
Started/Completed: December 5/December 13
Mods: sized up

This gnome is a gift for my youngest nephew, and because he's only 2 1/2, I decided not to attach one of his hands to the end of his hat because I thought it was likely to get ripped apart. Other than that, my only real modification was to knit him in DK-weight yarn rather than the called-for fingering so that he would be a more playable size. The self-striping yarn I used for the body was technically a Valentine's Day colorway, but with the sparkle I thought it looked like a festive candy cane. And there's still a fair amount of it left, which brings to me my WIP:

This is the current state of my niece's Cat Stack. I decided to use the leftovers of the sparkly striped yarn for her largest cat, even if it's not quite cat colored. I'm nearly done with it and can also finish up the medium-sized cat soon (the stitch holder is keeping live stitches for the tail). I still have to find a third batch of yarn for the smallest cat, though I suppose if I'm making one that's pink and gray striped, it doesn't necessarily need to be a realistic cat color. Some digging in the stash will be required.

The aforementioned busy-ness at work has meant very little reading and I've only managed to finish one book. Never fear -- the two weeks when I read more than any other time in the year are coming!

I have a number of books in a "to read" list on Libby for when I want to start something but don't have time to look through long lists of available books, and that's how I ended up borrowing the audio of You Are Here. This is a quiet book where not a lot happens, but I like those sorts of books. It focuses on Michael, a geology teacher in the process of getting divorced from his wife following their struggles with infertility who has decided to walk across England, and Marnie, a divorced book editor from London who has been convinced to come on a hiking trip by a mutual friend. The two end up being the last of the party to continue the walk and find themselves with long days to fill with conversation, and as they traverse the varied terrain, they're able to reflect on some of their heartaches and life mistakes -- and perhaps imagine what might come in the future. The audiobook had two narrators, which make for an enjoyable listen. I gave it 3.5 stars, rounded up.

I've now got two days of work left, haven't started packing, and still want to finish the cats so they and the other handmade gifts can be delivered before we leave. Stay tuned to see if I can manage it!