For Future Reference

Because I like to have a clean (online) desktop, I just have three folders, and everything goes in them. Similarly, I like that I can do all of my blog reading from one little column on my sidebar. I don't use that "Favorites" feature too often for saving links -- it's too hard to keep it clean.

So, for my own future reference, I'm going to stash the link to the geeky math directions for knitting a moebius strip right here on the blog. I spent half an hour trying to find it again tonight, and I think this will be a safe place for storage.

Thanks for the many compliments on mom's and my projects. The jacket is still sitting on my table. I need to call the mommy and ask for her address so that I can send it and I keep forgetting. And somehow going to the post office seems to be an out-of-the-way errand. There's not a post office at every other square in Boulder -- oh wait, we don't have squares. I also don't know where the mailbox nearest to my house is, and I'm disappointed that it's more than two blocks away. There's a slot next to our mailboxes for the apartment, but somehow I don't quite trust it.

Clearly I'm rambling and it's time to see whether I can manage a provisional cast-on at this time of night...

Whole lotta FOs!

(But not all of them are mine!)

It's a year for babies, it seems. I've finally finished the seed stitch jacket for my friend Kelly's baby, and I've started a sweater for another friend's baby. My mom has been knitting for numerous babies and several kids, and Christmas is still months away. I want to knit for myself again! Maybe in another few weeks...

Seed Stitch Baby Jacket

Front

Back

Collar Embroidery

"Embroidered Seed Stitch Jacket" from Fiona McTague's Knits for Babies and Toddlers. I knit it in Bebe Lang superwash on 0's ('cause I like that sort of pain). The embroidery was done with sock leftovers from my mom's stash. Buttons are mother-of-pearl-like. A row of decreases (K1, P3tog) makes the little gather half-way up the jacket. It's really darling, and I'm glad I can send it on it's way now.

Accordian

I'm doing Leigh's Accordian for another friend's baby. The shower is in three weeks, and I think that I should be able to pull it off, even with my limited knitting time. I think I'll be working on it on the bus ride to and from school, and I should be able to make good progress. In fact, I cast on Thursday or Friday and have just about finished the back! My only worry is doing the zipper (since I haven't done one before), but hopefully that won't be too difficult. Besides, after November 2 (or maybe 6, if I take a cume that day), I'm relatively free 'til the end of the semester, so I should be able to find a little more time.

Mom's Projects

Mom made this poncho for the same baby that will be getting Accordian. I don't have the specs on all the yarn, but it has ribbon, fluffy stuff, sparkly eyelash-type stuff, and more. (You can see more yarn detail if you click for the pop-up.) It got fabulous reviews at knitting group this morning and the Boulder Knit Out today, and I hear that someone is planning to make a larger size for her daughter.

Next, Mom's been working on these snowman sweaters for a friend's triplet girls (also cuter when you look at the pop-up). She's made three sweaters, each with a different colored scarf (in the girl's favorite color, of course!). She modified the original (Reynolds?) pattern by putting texture in the tree and sky, changing the scarf that hangs off the front, omitting the pom-pom snowflakes and replacing them with cute snowflake buttons (thank you, Joann's Fabrics!), and using a rolled neck instead of a neck with a twisted edge like the bottom of the sweater. The sweaters are just adorable with their I-cord stick arms and black button eyes, mouth, and buttons down the front. I can't wait to see how they like them at their tea party in a couple weeks!

So finally, a good entry! I'm sorry there's been such a dearth of content for a couple months, but school's been a ton of work (though that was expected). The next crunch should pass soon, and then it should be light until the end of the term. I have a month off between finals and school starting again, and I hope to do a lot of knitting and baking during that time. As much as I want to knit a lot of stuff for me, I know I'll be working on St. Brigid for mom and more baby things might come along. Maybe we should start handing out contraceptives instead of cute little knit things!!

(Many, many thanks to one hijacker who spent a lot of time to make the photos beautiful and the layout spiffy!!)

(An Aside)

(You can't live in Boston for 10 years an not feel some emotion for the Red Sox and their seemingly eternal curse. Last year during the pennant series I happened to be in NYC and watched game 7 at a bar with a friend who moved to the City from Boston a couple years ago.

It was devistating to watch the game progress. The pitcher (I'm sure he has a name -- I don't know what it is) was done; we could all see it. Barstool coaches, every one of us. Most people in the bar had a little sympathy for us in the end -- the few, the pathetic, the ever-hopeful Sox fans.

But this year... I'm not in Boston, so I don't feel the fever. Have more people been wearing Sox regalia around campus, or do I just notice more since I know Boston is still playing? My best friend at school is a Giants fan who wants someone to beat the Yankees, so I get my little game updates from him.

They won the series! I didn't see any of it; I was asleep (go ahead, do the math). I'm amazed, and really impressed. I have to say, I was rooting for them as the underdog and I didn't think they'd pull it off. It is quite the achievement! But "it ain't over 'til it's over!" (Yogi Bera left last night during the seventh inning, by the way!) The real test of the curse is whether they can actually win the series.

Not only am I not there to experience the pain and pleasure of the Sox in the city, but I also don't have to ride the T with everyone wearing their "lucky" socks.)

(So why was I asleep during the game? The previous night I'd been up until 4am grading lab reports that I needed to return to my students yesterday. I had an exam today that I hadn't studied for yet. I got home at 5:30, ate some dinner, and sat down to work, but I was soooo tired. So I went to bed. At 7:30. I don't think I've ever done that in my entire life. 7:30am, sure, but 7:30 pm, no way. I got up at 4 this morning (8 hours of sleep!) and sat down to work, getting about 4 hours in before showering and heading to school.

It was a tough exam, but the studying, while mostly not directly helpful, did get me back into the mindset of what I needed to do. I think I did well on most of the things that I answered, but there was one short problem I couldn't do and one longer problem I couldn't totally figure out. But overall I'm sure I did at least ok. Hopefully we'll find out soon; this professor gave back all the homework since August on Tuesday, so we don't have hopes for quick results.

In the next week: opera on Sunday (watching, not singing!), giving a talk Monday, giving a talk Thursday, grading two sets of lab reports. Next exam in the other class comes the following Tuesday. No rest for the weary! But a little knitting when I can squeeze it in!)

If I just wait another day...

I'll be able to post a picture of the finished baby jacket, right? I keep hoping, but it hasn't happened yet. And the days roll on the blog gets blanker.

I'm this close to done. I just have to finish the stem stitch on the collar and sew on the buttons. And grade labs tonight, teach Tuesday and Wednesday, and take a mid-term on Thursday for a class in which we haven't gotten any homework back yet. No problem! If I don't get to it really soon, I should be able to finish at Borders on Saturday and then I can send it next week.

I did get to show it to the recipient today. She wasn't too impressed, but I didn't expect a lot of response from a two-month old who's starting to teethe. Her mom and grandmother were very excited, so I'm looking forward to sending it off.

(In fact, the grandmother (she and my mom go way back) considered making it and then decided she'd never get it done. So instead she made a Cinderella doll that has Cinderella-at-the-Ball when you turn her over (I can't find a picture right now, but I'll post one if I come across the right thing). So it has two heads, two bodies, and two skirts. She could have made this jacket three times in what it took her to make that doll! But she doesn't want to do sweaters anymore, and more power to her for doing all that shaping!)

So what next? More baby stuff. I should finish off those overalls, but there's a baby shower in three weeks for which I'd like to make Leigh's Accordian. I'm going to make the 1-year size and it should go pretty quickly. And then I'll have to tackle a zipper. Mom's done one, so hopefully she'll lend a hand. I think it's an adorable jacket and the mom will like it's hips style more than a fair isle or such.

So I have a question. What do you think about the Very Important Things Pocket? I suspect that whether I make it will really depend on how much time I have at the end. It is detachable, so I guess if the mom didn't think it was cute, it could go... We'll see how much progress I make before the shower.

That's my news. I'm not dead yet and I haven't studied myself to death. Just workin' hard and wishing I had more time to knit. :)

She knits!

Yes she does! Even at the occasional odd hour. I thought I'd snap some shots showing what she does best. Click on each image for a larger pop-up:

One row, two rows...	Honestly, I'm not bored!
Better not miss a loop now.	My goofy face.

-- squiggle

Why yes, I have been knitting

As you may have guessed from the previous surprise guest entry, I have managed to do some knitting this week. Thursday and Friday were "fall break" from school, so after my exam on Tuesday, I've basically had the week off (yay!).

I've been working on the moss stitch jacket for my friend's baby and have made pretty good progress. Here are the body pieces (back and two fronts), but it's hard to photograph white moss stitch! It would be nice to finish the jacket in the next two weeks since my mom and I might see them that weekend. We'll see whether I can pull it off; maybe I can knit enough tonight and tomorrow to be able to finish.

Sundae isn't too interested in the sleeve. There's a small stockinette band near the cuff that will have embroidered flowers; the same detail goes around the collar. Can I finish that in two weeks? We'll see...

(I didn't pass the cume, but I did ok. Most importantly, I got a flavor for what these tests will be like, so I know a little more about how I need to prepare for them in the future. I didn't take the one offered today, but maybe I'll find one for next month. I should be able to pass all of them between December and June, so I should still be able to get 5 of 6 out of the way this year.)