Wool & Words

I've been:

• grading papers
• working on my dissertation
• knitting (just finished a scarf)

Back soon...

Posted by KnitNut at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Even a simple grey vest.

It's all finished now--every end woven in, all trims on. Sigh. Really done.

Specs:

Pattern: Concocted from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns

Yarn: Plymouth Galway Highland Heather, #751

Needles: Denise-O-Rama, Sizes 6 & 7

Thoughts: The neck is Oh So Manly (although it looks cute on me). The next vest will have a deeper V and a bit of side shaping to make it better fit the girly bits.

Posted by KnitNut at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I just finished reading Charles Murray's three-part discussion of education in the Wall Street Journal's Opinion section. You can find the columns here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Murray wrote a book several years ago called The Bell Curve. Many people were offended by it. I always thought he had some interesting things to say. These columns made me think a little more, as did some of the comments from readers.

I don't know whether I agree with Murray or not, but I do know that the conversation he's trying to start is one that we need to have, in some fashion, if we're ever going to make headway.

Posted by KnitNut at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Such great plans I had for today, assuming the weather would cooperate, providing just enough ice to close down the town, but not so much as to shut off my power and heat. No such luck, I'm afraid. A thin sheet of ice on my windshield necessitated the use of my scraper for the first time this season, but the roads were shiny only with rainwater.

I spent some time on the Grey Vest last night. I sewed the shoulders, put in the neckband (I think it looks pretty spiffy) and started seaming the sides. I'll spare you photos until it's completely finished; it's grey, it's wool, it's vest-shaped in appearance. A visitor might think I was knitting for a busty banker.

Wherever you are, stay warm and ice-free!

Posted by KnitNut at 08:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I want to knit:

Cordelia (I gifted myself the kit for my birthday back in September)

A Multidirectional Scarf in Patons SWS (color 70013)

I have to knit:

A beading sample

The Entrelac Scarf (it grows and grows)

Why are the garter stitch projects so attractive? Little knit vixens. Stop winking at me and let me finish the other stuff!

Posted by KnitNut at 08:01 PM | Permalink

I wrote a post that consisted of a bit of whining about my current headache. The computer ate the post. I figure it was a sign.

Since we had the day off yesterday and Steve had to work, I spent my day doing laundry, watching the BBC Pride and Prejudice (mmmm....Darcy...) and knitting the first half of the entrelac scarf.

Between that knitting, the vest blocking, and the laundry (lots of handknit socks in there), I've been smelling lots of yummy wet wool. Mmmm.....wet wool.

Posted by KnitNut at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Some ass on the couch time means I've finished the main bits of that endless grey vest. Evidence:

Next up: exciting seaming! Edgings!

I've cast on for an entrelac scarf in Noro Kureyon. Will make for better photos and quicker finishing...I hope.

Posted by KnitNut at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm helping with inventory over at the shop. Everyone is enjoying delicious pizza. I'm blogging because I have a tummy ache.

Pity me.

Posted by KnitNut at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As we head into the holiday weekend (good), I thought I'd share with you (also good) a couple of (good) podcasts I enjoy:

Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

and

Mr. Manner's Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Polite Life

Be excellent to one another and to words.

Posted by KnitNut at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One more day and then another and a day to sleep. Then I get to do it all again. But we've got MLK day coming, which makes me feel a touch more calm.

 The first week of classes is always tough. The whole drop/add cycle exhausts me. I like to start right away, get right into the material. Otherwise, you just waste a week of perfectly good class time. I also like to set the tone and pace early. Ususally there's a bit of turnover as folks "fine tune" their schedules, but I plan things so that we're warming up, really, before we get to the brass tacks. Tomorrow is the first full class day and I'm curious about what I'll get.

I'm teaching two classes, back to back. One starts at 9, the other at 10. At this point, I've got about 1/2 the original enrollment in the 9 a.m. class, but almost 100% of the original enrollment in the 10. Is there something magical that happens between 9 and 10 that makes a 10 a.m. class more attractive? Who knows? I'll just be glad when the roster stops fluctuating.

Four more inches of grey stockinette before I can start on the highly anticipated "V". 

Posted by KnitNut at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The sun was out today and it was gorgeous and cool and clear; not quite January, but a far sight better than the late fall Louisiana rain we've been getting lately in our Georgia winter. So much sunshine and beauty. All snuffed out by the interminable grey of the sweater I'm knitting.

Don't get me wrong: I love grey. I wear black, charcoal, brown, tan, cream/ecru, and white all the time. These are my base colors, punctuated by blues, reds (the deep, bluesy kinds), the occasional green and rare purple. No yellow and only one orange item (the t-neck I only wear on Halloween). And Uli would find little to inspire in the way of prints were she perusing my wardrobe. I dream of a new wardrobe that would be a much more expensive version of the one I already own: neutral based, solid focused, splashes of color and controlled pattern.

So it's a bit amusing to me that I'm whining about this very practical garment. It is perfect for my wardrobe. I can already imagine wearing this basic charcoal v-neck vest with a white blouse and jeans. This would be the go-to top on days when I want to look like a casual professional who has it together, but doesn't have the energy to try--we all have those days, right? Just the thought of the finished garment makes my little '80s preppy heart smile. I want to go out and buy a pair of black penny loafers and fill the penny spot with a shiny new dime to welcome the sweater when it arrives. Makes me feel all sunny inside.

If only I didn't have to knit it. Sigh.

Posted by KnitNut at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Haven't knit a stitch today and don't think I'll get to. I've got to prep for my class tomorrow and do laundry and clean the kitchen and make the bed and, most important, cut my nails. I hate having my fingers actually clicking as they hit the keys. I type faster with short nails.

The grey vest patiently waits. I decided to forgo any fancy moves on the front: keep it simple. It'll have a V-neck or crewneck option; I think that's plenty of excitement, don't you?

Posted by KnitNut at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After my classes today, I headed over to the library to work for a bit. I have a study carrel, but I hate using it because it's isolated and I always fall asleep when I'm in there. Instead, I usually hang out in this open area on the first floor that's bustly, but not too bustly or noisy. There's a little food area there as well, which can be mighty convenient.

Of course, all of this is nice, but when you're working on your computer, you kinda get setup and comfy, which makes packing everything up again to go to the bathroom an unappealing prospect. Of course, your kidneys will kick your ass later if you put it off. Whatever is a girl to do?

My solution? I need to find a writing partner so that I can go to the bathroom. It's hard to write a dissertation.

Posted by KnitNut at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Unless you count the walks to my car, the bed, up the stairs to my office, the shower, the refrigerator. I admit, I'm intrigued by the 100 Miles thing, but I think I'll have a better chance of sticking to the belly dance regimen. I need finger cymbals. I think when I was a kid they were called castanets.

The lure of the couch is seductive. Coffee or tea within an arm's reach. Chunky, funky suede ottoman boxes to rest my weary feet. Knitting nearby*. Laptop on lap. Jane Austen adaptations on the small screen. This is the life!

*Endless miles of grey wool and stockinette. At least I'm on to the vest front now!

Posted by KnitNut at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

All this weird weather going on has called to mind one of my favorite passages from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In Act II, Scene 1, Titania and Oberon meet in the woods and quarrel over, among other things, their various infidelities. The following speech is often cut from productions, I assume because it doesn't clearly and directly advance the plot, although I think it's critical to underscoring their shared power.

Titania tells Oberon that their arguments are causing some strange weather:

 These are the forgeries of iealousie,
And neuer since the middle Summers spring
Met we on hil, in dale, forrest, or mead,
By paued fountaine, or by rushie brooke,
Or in the beached margent of the sea,
To dance our ringlets to the whistling Winde,
But with thy braules thou hast disturb'd our sport.
Therefore the Windes, piping to vs in vaine,
As in reuenge, haue suck'd vp from the sea
Contagious fogges: Which falling in the Land,
Hath euerie petty Riuer made so proud,
That they haue ouer-borne their Continents.
The Oxe hath therefore stretch'd his yoake in vaine,
The Ploughman lost his sweat, and the greene Corne
Hath rotted, ere his youth attain'd a beard:
The fold stands empty in the drowned field,
And Crowes are fatted with the murrion flocke,
The nine mens Morris is fild vp with mud,
And the queint Mazes in the wanton greene,
For lacke of tread are vndistinguishable.
The humane mortals want their winter heere,
No night is now with hymne or caroll blest;
Therefore the Moone (the gouernesse of floods)
Pale in her anger, washes all the aire;
That Rheumaticke diseases doe abound.
And through this distemperature, we see
The seasons alter; hoared headed Frosts
Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson Rose,
And on old Hyems chinne and Icie crowne,
An odorous Chaplet of sweet Sommer buds
Is as in mockry set. The Spring, the Sommer,
The childing Autumne, angry Winter change
Their wonted Liueries, and the mazed world,
By their increase, now knowes not which is which;
And this same progeny of euills,
Comes from our debate, from our dissention,
We are their parents and originall

Read it aloud a couple of times; the language is beautiful, the imagery gorgeous, and the end statement always makes me wonder whether I am putting out too much negativity into the world.

My favorite line right now: "The human mortals want their winter here." C'mon guys! My handknits are languishing!

Text from Project Gutenberg

Posted by KnitNut at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All of the windy stormy weather has taken its toll. Here's what my office mate and I saw on the walk back to Park Hall today after lunch:

Here's a shot from the building porch:

Definitely a sad day. This was the last tree standing after the Great Tree Removal several years ago. No shortage of trees on this campus, but now Park Hall is Very Large Tree-Less.

A fond farewell to our tall leafed friend, who shaded many a lounging, reading student.

Posted by KnitNut at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Crazy Aunt Purl sure does know the stuff. Her Libra horoscope for 2007:

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 23)
One of the interesting things about Libra is how well they seem to play with others. Libras really get a feel for people, and they can see an almost eerily clear picture of another's personality in record time. Your To-Do this year is a side-effect of all that philosophizing and summarizing you do: Turn your crystal-clear human perception skills on YOURSELF. Spend some time figuring out your own whys and hows, what you want for the future, get a very clear picture in your head of who you are and who you want to be. By the way, this is like asking a Libra to cut off a leg. So easy! To Don't: Don't keep a list in your head of all the wrongdoing or misdeeds or he-said she-said so-and-so. It's a natural and normal part of your people skills, you see people for who they are, and sometimes you don't like a lot of it. But we're all just human, including you, which is why this year it would be a good idea to stop making lists of all the ways others are broken (or need fixing, depending on whether or not you are a glass half-full sort of Libra) and focus on your own personal list.

So many ways that this is so very perfect for me. I need to see myself clearly and not worry about others--that whole "yank the log out of your own eye" thing. Deciding who I am and who I want to be? So hard! I live in indeteminancy, which can be useful; makes quick changes easier, you know? I'm comfortable on the edge of possibility, looking out over the different versions of Me that I can be, and jumping into those roles as I see fit.

But this isn't the most productive, forward-moving way to live. I've often thought that I just kind of drift through life, blowing around like that freaky feather in Forrest Gump. Accidental-like, on a breeze. Loose, free.

The irony, of course, is that I'm anything BUT loose and free. I'm a creature of rooting habits. I hate moving. I can easily get so acclimated to seeing noone that it can be hard for me to come out of myself enough to be social with anyone. Once in an established routine, I feel discombobulated when I can't follow it for whatever reason. I rely on solitude for comfort and recharging. I'm not Holly Golightly.

Good things to think about, finding who I am and who I want to be. I'll just go chew on that for a while.

Posted by KnitNut at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ah, those WIPs that carry over into the new year! Here they are, in their glory:

Mason-Dixon Knitting Moderne Log Cabin: I'm stalled on the last two big blocks. It hasn't really been cold enough in the Southland yet for me to get the lead out and finish it.

Braided Scarf from Vogue Knitting: So little done on this, but I'm still quite interested in the project.

Mary Ella from Knitty: I started this as a gift, but I think the recipient was happy with what they received instead. I'm enjoying this one (after I got the beads strung) and have materials for at least 4 more.

Baby Bolero in Zara Plus: This hot pink number is intended for a toddler gift. Since the recipient is only 3 months old, I have time to finish. I'm almost done--just the seaming and ribbing to go!

Simple Grey Vest: I'm knitting this one in preparation for a class I'm offering for advanced beginning knitters. The back is moving along, but dull as dishwater. There will be either a cable or a little coin pocket on the front to make it a bit more interesting.

Posted by KnitNut at 05:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It wasn't knit by me, but for me. Steve decided to make a shawl for me. I guess it was an excuse to learn how to knit lace. I provided a very un-manly Victorian Pink fingering weight (Nature Spun, to be exact). Steve decided on the Faroese Flower Shawl pattern from Lucy Neatby.

I want to wait a moment to continue. I want to impress upon you the complexity of this undertaking, the sheer magnitude of this project. For a first lace project:

A lace shawl.

In the Faroese style.

With intricate patterning.

Many charts with which to cope.

In fingering weight yarn.

The mind reels. Anywho, on New Year's Eve, I found this beauty neatly wrapped in nice gold packaging.

Sufficient to say, I sashayed into the New Year wearing this little lightweight bonbon. A true labor of love, knit for me by the man I love. Life is very good indeed.

Posted by KnitNut at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

We had a great time last night celebrating the new year and two special birthdays: Steve's and his brother-in-law, Wally's. Good food, great margaritas, excellent conversation, spectacular fireworks.

Today there is football. I'm off to the shop for a bit of football free knitting.

Posted by KnitNut at 01:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)