I passed. Can I knit now?

It's been a while, hasn't it?

For those interested, there is a direct and negative correlation between dissertation writing and knitting production.



I valiantly tried to knit through the entire month leading up to my defense (which included a trip to a conference in California with a baby). It was not successful. My project of choice? The mystery shawl. Who was it who said complicated lace and dissertations don't mix? That would be me.

So to recap the knitting:
1. Mystery shawl. I got to the third chart and abandoned it. It wasn't for the mistakes (though there had been several). It wasn't for the complicated nature of the beast. Really, it was because it was a beast, a swan to be specific. When the theme was revealed, I lost all interest. It's sitting quietly in a bag, awaiting the frog pond and greener pastures.

2. Black socks for Eric. Good grief. I lost interest in these months ago.

3. Shedir hat. I cast on for this and frogged it the same night. Love the pattern. Love the yarn. Don't love them together.

4. Various other projects were cast on and I don't remember them now.

5. Sunrise circle jacket. It's on, baby. Love the yarn (Brooks Farm Solana). It's like knitting with cherry juice (and I said so on Ravelry user name: Jeneric). I ripped the back once, to tidy up my darts. I'm now chugging along at a slow but respectable speed. Fingers crossed that this jacket is both wearable and a pleasure to wear.

6. Just last night, the yarn arrived for Absorba, the great bathmat. Those folks at Elmore Pigsah sure are quietly efficient. I ordered three cones of the Peaches and Cream Double Worsted Sunday evening and heard not a peep until Wednesday afternoon when a little e-mail alert notified me that it had arrived on my doorstep. I cast on PDQ (pretty darn quickly) and immediately noticed two things: (1) cotton is not wool nor does it pretend to be; (2) knitting with US 13 needles is gawd awful. I feel like I've lost the use of my thumbs or been stuck in a hoggy faze. Nevertheless, I love the resulting fabric and I will stick with this project until I have a bathmat. Or lose all feeling in my wrists, whichever comes first.

Knitter's Nightmare

I woke last night in terror. I couldn't remember the date and I thought surely I had missed the Sockapalooza4 Mail date. My brain whirred. It was Monday, tomorrow was Tuesday. When was August 2nd? Let's work backwards. What was today? Today was, ah, well, Monday, yes I know, but the date? I couldn't remember. Think, McFly, think! Eventually I remembered that Monday was July 30th and July has 31 days which puts August 2nd on Thursday. Fantastic! Plenty of time to box up the socks that I finished a month ago. And didn't blog about.

Sigh. It's been busy around here. I'd show you what I've been working on, but it probably won't upload well and it's interesting only to Ecology geeks, like me. Yes, the thesis is written (150 or so pages. It's tought to keep track) and will be sent to the committee today or tomorrow. My attention is now on writing a presentation for ESA and my defense.

Cross your fingers and toes and if all goes well, I'll have some FO and WIP pictures soon.