works in progress

I feel like my whole life is turning into a series of WIPs! Of course, the dissertation is the biggest, but I may have finally found enough participants, and may even reach my upper limit of 12! It's exciting that it's moving forward, as glacial as it may be.

I don't even want to think about the job/postdoc search at this point, but I will have to soon. Internet and APPIC database searches for postdocs with kids in any location have been disheartening. So I'll let that one hibernate for another week or so.

Wedding things are coming along for my friend. The alterations to my dress are complete and the bridal shower is this weekend!

I'm attending to all those important grown-up things, like making doctors' appointments. I also started yoga classes again and some time later this week, my bike should be ready at the shop!

As far as knitting WIPs, I finished the prayer shawl. It came out beautifully, with nice drape. The color is so pretty too!

I stopped by Big Lots because I heard they had yarn on sale, and I ended up buying 6 skeins of an unlabeled yarn that was clearly Lion Brand Homespun....for $12 total! They came in packs of 3 assorted colors, but I managed to find two packs that had the same colors. So I have four skeins of Quartz and two of Windsor. As I was working on the prayer shawl, despite my usual disdain for acrylic, I found myself really enjoying the colors and the way the fabric felt. So when I came upon the discounted Homespun, I decided to make a throw blanket for myself out of it. I've started a throw out of the Quartz, a lovely multicolored yarn, with a light brown/tan base and reds, blues and lavenders blended in. The colors are actually coming out in almost stripe-like fashion, and I was reminded (especially by the red and blue) of our visit to the Canyonlands. Thus I am calling it the Canyonlands Throw. It's a nice loopy, open pattern that still shows the pretty colors well.

And I just got the yarn in for the sweater I want to make! My first sweater! (On a side note, will my knitting fairy godmother please bring me all of Kim Hargreaves books? *love!*) It's done on super bulky yarn - I've bought Cascade Lana Grande in navy. I figured that between the size of the yarn and the openwork, it will go quickly enough to keep me engaged. As much as I would love a delicate fingering or sport weight cashmere cardi, I don't have the attention span for it right now (or the dollars).

I suppose this means in addition to all my other WIPs, my needles will be busy too. (Perhaps I should mention that I bought some more discounted yarn at Ocean State - Lion Brand Wool - for a few felting projects I have in mind: a nice big yellow felted purse, possibly something from Noni Designs, like the Cinch bag or Nomad bag; and the half-felted bag from Boutique Knits, in grey.) I'm moving into an extended selfish knitting phase for the next few projects, though I have been plotting a long sleeveless cardi with my mother. She saw one in a magazine, but it was an icky blend of acrylic or poly, so we looked up some patterns and potential yarns.

Unfortunately it is now time for me to work on the Big WIP. I do plan to have my first (and hopefully mostly final) draft done before the holidays, so the end is in sight. But it's feeling like I have rows and rows of nothing but stockinette stitch ahead of me, no YOs or K2Tog to keep things interesting.

busy busy!

Though I have had a lot of down time, it has been a busy month - hence, the no-writing. I have been writing; it's just been more dissertation-related instead.

I have managed to do a lot of knitting. The baby blanket is finished! It is ready to go....if DB ever gives me the mailing address. I am quite happy with how it came out. The drape is nice and the cotton seems to be holding its shape well, which was my one concern. I think it will be a nice practical - machine-washable- baby blanket though.

I started working on a prayer/comfort/healing shawl in a pretty dark blue yarn - it has little bits of emerald and gold in it. It's very pretty and coming along nicely so far. I think I'm almost done with the first ball of yarn, of three.

I'm just about settled in here, except for the part of me that wants to be in Missoula. Let's say maybe it's about 75% for Missoula. As much as I love being near friends and family, I love my life with DB and our little home and just how things are with him.

Aside from knitting, I've been reading a lot. I got a Barnes & Noble nook for my birthday (and a gorgeous brown and red leather cover), so I've been enjoying that. I love the free books, and they have just about replaced all the classics I gave away. I earned some gift cards through survey-taking, so I used those to catch up with other favorites that weren't free.

I am really happy with it, and am looking forward to toting a lighter load for the next move. I pared down my book collection to about two small shelves, mostly favorite collections like Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie and those by my favorite authors: Isabel Allende and Madeleine L'Engle. I still have quite a few Gabriel Garcia Marquez books, but I think my taste is changing a bit and I don't like him quite so much. I also kept a few odd ones I just love, like Palace of Tears and House of Leaves. I have a cozy reading nook (!) by my bedroom windows - my favorite yellow chair, comfy pillows and the fleece blanket I got in Florence. I added a small ottoman (perfect also for storing knitting projects!), a plant and my plush sheepskin rug. Perfect! It gets sun in the morning and afternoon, and in the evenings I can hear the frogs, crickets and wind rustling in the trees. The yard behind is relatively wooded, so it makes for a pleasant and relaxing view as well.

I went to a wonderful wedding for two friends DB went to college with, and then lived with in SF. He couldn't come, but I roomed with his two former roommates which is always fun. The setting was gorgeous, with a lovely ceremony....the dinner was tasty and quite a nice change from the usual wedding fare. I had a great time dancing, and then hanging out at the bar afterward. All in all, it was a great weekend. I just loved the favors - temporary tattoos with the bride and groom's names.

Well, I think it is getting to be time for me to curl up with my nook. I love this perfect autumn weather for snuggling up with a blanket and good book.