Not much progress on my UFOlympic challenge last night. I picked up the stitches for the second sleeve and worked a few rows.

Instead, I'm showing off past works.......this is Cozy, my first lace project. I did this in the winter of 2005, using the silk yarn called for in the pattern - Reynolds Mandalay.

Has anyone else used this yarn? I love how it came out except for one thing - the smell. Does silk yarn usually have an unusual smell? I've used silk blends and haven't noticed anything. It isn't necessarily unpleasant, just there. My husband will tell you that my sense of smell is lousy (I blame it on years of allergies). If I can smell it, it must be fairly strong. I've washed it twice - love my blocking wires, btw. But the smell is still there. Think I'll douse it with Febreze and see if that helps.

Last night was violin lesson - yes, there is life besides knitting and working. My instructor is great; I've been going to him for (gasp!) 7 years. He no longer has high expectations of me actually practicing (he knows me too well now). My practice is the one hour a week we sit down and play duets.

I first learned to play in 4th grade and played until high school. They didn't have enough people to have an orchestra in our high school, so I changed to flute and joined the band. Didn't touch the violin again until 7 years ago, when I got the itch to make music. It's very satisfying to be able to pick up a musical instrument and make it sing.