Aii yai yai!

Wow. This might be the worst photo I've ever put on this blog. I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm still around! I have actually knit some other fine things recently, but for want of sunlight have not photographed them. That, and a couple of items were gifted knits that I neglected to photograph. So, if my biggest sis reads this anytime in the new future - maybe you could take a picture of your shawl sometime? Against a backdrop of snowy Chicago perhaps?

As for the other item, I did finally photograph it - with someone else's camera. So once I have that pic I will definitely post it as I'm quite pleased with it. Nothing major, just a hat, but it's pretty and the recipient was really happy with it.

As for the barely distinguishable knitting in the photo above...this is a gift knit as well. I can blog about it because A) the recipient knows she is getting it. She has even seen the yarn and its progress thus far, and B) I'm not sure she looks at this blog anyway. She is a graduate school colleague, so we see each other all the time. She probably knows better what is going on in my day to day life than the rest of my family. Sorry family! I love you all, but I love Austin too! What is a girl to do? Anyway, I have a twisted scarf that I wear constantly that I knit out of Classic Elite Blithe, a baby camel sportweight yarn. In fact, I knit the scarf once, lost it one Christmas, and missed it so much I knit it again. This time with three full skeins instead of two. I love this scarf, and it has gained the attention of two grad colleague's thus far. These people are my friends as well. Since I love to knit, and I love to give the knits away, I informed my friends and family at some point in time in the past that they could make requests. Mainly because if I am going to go to the time and effort to make something for someone, I want it to be something they will love and use.

So I bought this pink Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed about a year or so ago and have taken it out of the stash from time to time to ponder it. It is a heavier gauge of yarn than the Blithe, so I didn't think the pattern I had used would have the right sort of drape. Eventually I just had to accept that this yarn would yield a different kind of scarf, so I adjusted my approach. I have decided to do a reversible stitch pattern so that I can knit it flat, twisting it only once and grafting the ends together to make a mobius. I am also making it as a single tube. Mine is very long, wrapping two times around my neck. With this yarn I think that would be to bulky, especially in this climate.

The stitch pattern I'm using is very simple. It is essentially six rows of garter stitch alternated with five rows of *yo, K2tog. The first stitch of every row is slipped, and the last stitch of every row is purled. I'm using a 24"US 4 Addi Turbo Lace Circular needle. Knowing my history of posting since graduate school began the next time you'll see this is likely to be when it's finished! Since I'm with my friend nearly every day at least you are more likely to get a photo of it.

On a non-knitting note, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both brought their campaigns to Texas in anticipation of the Texas primary actually counting for something in the Democratic nominations. In an extra bit of excitement, they are holding a debate this Thursday on the University of Texas at Austin campus a mere few blocks from the building that I spend most of my time in. It is an invited audience, but there are a block of tickets reserved for a drawing amongst the UT students. Naturally, I've entered. Even if I don't get to go we are hoping someone from our department gets to go so we can get a firsthand account. Otherwise, it will be broadcast live on CNN. Exciting!

Anyway, sorry I've been MIA. I came down with what we on campus have coined the "viral crud" and missed a FULL WEEK of school/work. I can't tell you how strange this was. I haven't been sick like that in years. Fever, chills, coughing, terrible hot wet sinuses. I spent so much time in bed totally out of it that when I returned the following Monday I had a strange moment. My friends were working and talking about their projects and the classes from the week before (it was Monday) and it hit me that I had missed a FULL WEEK. One friend noticed my blank stare and looked me in the eye. This prompted me to mutter, "I was gone last week, wasn't I?" To which she replied, eyebrows raised, very frank, "Yea. It was weird. We missed you." Awwwww. That was two weeks ago, and I'm just now feeling like I'm caught up!

I'm pretty sure that my staying away the entire week prevented me from being the cause of other people's infection. I suppose next year I will have to seriously consider getting the flu shot. Just for the last year of grad school though. In general, I don't like to put to many meds in my body. At least not now when I'm still young and pretty healthy.

Tschuss!