Decisions

So, I've been trying to go back to full time at the non-art related company I work for for some time. I was told that they just didn't think there was enough work for me to do, and they didn't want me to get bored. Two days ago another department posted a position and I told my boss I was going to apply for it. Suddenly, I can come back plus get a nice raise. Funny how that worked. Now I just need to decide which department I would rather work for - my current one where I love my co-workers and am comfortable, but will have some down time, or the new department where the people are much older and stuffier, but where I will be kept constantly busy with absolutely no down time. It's more of a data entry type position then what I currently have. Both positions will pay the same, so I just need to decide if I want to learn something new. I have until tomorrow to let them know. I hate being bored, so the no down time sounds nice, but my current position will give me more of an opportunity to move up. AAARRRGGGG

Motivation

I am supposed to be working on my thesis. I have a meeting with my advisor this week, and of course I have procrastinated up to the last minute. So now I am going to have to go in with 1/2 of what I was supposed to have written, and it won't be nearly as polished as it should be. I do believe that I am going to have to either meet with her more then once a month, or work out a deadline that I have to e-mail her my progress weekly, even if it's just a rough outline or notes. She won't need to necessarily read what I send, as long as I have the deadline in place.

I finally finished Chevrolace!

They are a little loose around the top of the leg, but I like them enough that I will deal with it. I have also started working on a new project. It's the Carie Cropped Flare-Sleeve Cardigan from Fitted Knits (both ravelry links). I am knitting it with Cascade Jewel, because the required yarn is WAY too thick for someone not built like a waif.

This is my first attempt at knitting math, so wish me luck! I know the picture stinks, but I'm hoping that if I make myself give updates I'll actually finish the project in a respectable amount of time. I'm all about the motivation.

One down....

One to go. I have finished the first Chevrolace sock from the winter 07 Knitty (by the way, the surprises are up. Go look. Tell me what you think). The first time I saw this pattern, I wasn't nuts about it. In fact, I think I looked at it for all of a second before deciding it just wasn't for me. After unsuccessfully starting the traveler's sock from Knitting on the Road I gave Chevrolace a second look.
I LOVE this sock. I am completely enchanted with the yarn (Trekking Pro Natura in Woodland - color 1603). It looks like shades of coffee mixed with cream when it is knit up, and since I love anything that has to do with coffee, this is a very, very good thing. Also, I like the content - 75% wool, 25% bamboo.

The pattern was written to be toe up. I have previously discussed my dismal attempts at toe up, I reversed the chart to make it a top down pattern.

It was difficult enough that I needed to keep the lace chart with me when working the pattern, but easy enough that I just needed to glance at the chart to remember the instructions. I've already cast on for the second sock!

Sunday's

Sunday is thesis day. I'm not really in the writing stage yet, so I spend Sunday's reading books that will help get me to the writing stage and journaling ideas. This method has been working well for the last several weeks - I have a better idea of what I need to do and have actually been able to think about the thesis, which is a whole heck of a lot more then I have been doing in the past couple of weeks. Today, however, my thesis books are putting me to sleep. Plus, there's football to watch. While I am currently at work and can't actually "watch" the game, I am able to keep the Fox Sports page up. Since this page constantly refreshes itself, I can keep up with the score. This does not make me want to focus on reading Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day

Instead, here are the yarn pictures I promised last week.

Lorna's Lace in Safari. I love this color way, which surprises me. Typically I like more subdued color ways and the semi solids. But this just called to me. The fact that it was on sale didn't hurt, either.

This is the Buckingham Yarn. (Again, sorry. I can't find a better link). It will be used for the Juno Regina scarf, if I can ever figure out how to read a chart without getting frustrated and confused after the first repeat.

Also, I chopped off about 10 inches of hair.

I'm the one in the middle.

Ok, I'm going to try and finish the chapter on getting from the zero draft to the first draft. I know you're jealous!

Happy 2008!

I have a lot of stash yarn. One dresser and and two plastic storage towers full. A lot of it is really nice stuff - I have a friend who spins but doesn't knit, so I get a lot of her stuff. For 2008 my goal is to actually use some of this stuff! I'm not going to call it a diet, because then I will just want to buy everything I see. But right now it feels like my hobby is buying yarn, not knitting. This year I want to be able to call myself a knitter again. I want to organize my stash a bit better. Right now my organization relies more on just remembering that I purchased yarn at some part and having a vague remembrance of which bin it got put into. I think organizing the stash will help me rediscover some of the yarn I have.
I am finally finished with all of my Christmas knitting. My poor father was the only one who had to unwrap a ball of yarn on Christmas day! I finished the red scarf from last year, finally, along with a matching hat for my mom. I didn't get any pictures. Christmas at my parents tends to be complete chaos with all of my brothers kids, so I didn't bring my camera home. My dad got to unwrap one sock and the cuff of the second. The finished one fit, which was nice. I thought I had the second one finished on Wednesday, but after sewing in all the ends I realized the second one was a good inch shorter then the first, so I had to rip it back to the toe decreases and add that inch. Everyone loved their gifts. When I visited my brothers house later that day my SIL was wearing her socks. She absolutely loved them!
I am currently working on Juno Regina from the Fall 2007 Knitty issue. This issue had so many fabulous patterns. I attempted to make it with Cashwool, but that felt like knitting with floss. I had trouble working with the yarn because it is soooo thin. I'm not good with lace weight to begin with, and I think this is a little thinner then other lace, so I had to take it out. I am using Bristol Yarn Company's Buckingham (sorry, only link I could find!), which is an alpaca silk blend. It's a sport weight, so the scarf will end up being more of a wrap, which is perfect. It's a pale blue shade that is absolutely gorgeous. If the light and camera cooperate today I will try to get pictures.

Wish me luck

I had an interview today. Part of me thinks I am jinxing things by mentioning it here, but internet love and well wishes has worked wonders for others in the past.

Status Report

My sister-in-laws socks are done. The fact that it only took me a week to knit the second sock makes the fact that it took me 6 months all that much more pathetic.

I have turned the hill on the first sock for my dad, hopefully I will finish it this week so I can get the second one done in time for Christmas.

I am watching the most depressing hockey game I have ever seen. The Blues are loosing 9-4 to the Avalanche. It an attempt to cheer myself up, here's a picture of Purl in her reindeer antlers. She kept them on for about 1 second before she decided they were evil.

I think she's stinkin cute in them.