We Interrupt This Program For Protective Goggles

Class starts next week, but my chemistry class doesn't actually begin until the beginning of February. That's OK, I'm still ready to do science!

I just need to loose the necklace and tie up my hair.

Speaking of science, I landed a job as an Instructional Materials Center Assistant at my local college.  I'll prepare materials for lab experiments and procedures for various science labs.  I'll also keep inventory and clean lots of test tubes.  

I told the husband it's a perfect job for me; I'll get to handle lab materials and interact with various faculty in the science departments.  Tomorrow I'll learn how to use the autoclave!

In the meantime, work on the licorice stick socks continue.  They've been getting a lot of love on Ravelry and it motivates me to keep working on them.

MAGFest and Licorice Sticks

I have recently returned from MAGFest and had a fantastic time as always.  This year I sold CDs for my husband and his band, so I didn't wander around the convention too much.  I still had a great time with friends.  Next year I'm going to better organize some kind of knitting circle.  There was talk of one but since no time was set, it never really materialized.  

First, the knitting.

I started the Licorice Sticks socks on January 1st while I was selling CDs at the merchant area at MAGFest. The yarn is pretty, but hard to see when I need to tink back.  Yeah I've had to back up already.  So far I'm about two out of six inches down the leg.  I'm hoping to finish these by the end of February.  My goal is two months instead of two years like my Jaywalkers.

Wish me luck!

Now, for the MAGFest photos.

Here I am with Rail, one of the cutest and most intelligent gamers of the female persuasion I know.  Yep, that's St Brenden's; a knock-off of my beloved Baileys.  It's the object of a dirty joke that I won't even get into here...  It was great to see and chat with her.

Weird...isn't it?  These are my buddies George and Brian.  Ever since Brian (on the right) grew a goatee of his own, people keep getting the two confused.  I should also mention that Brian has an awesome shirt of a scientist riding an amoeba like a cowboy.  I want...badly.

My favorite Mexican, Alex.  He put himself in the trunk of Matt's car when we went out for Korean BBQ.  He put on an amazing solo performance during one of the MAGFest concerts.

My colorful husband, giving his chiptune performance at around 3AM Saturday morning.  I knit that hat for him.  It's bumpy because he put his hair into tiny little pigtails.

This man walked up to me and said, 'Body Massage...GO!'  That's when I fell in love with him and demanded my photo with him.  It turned out he's friends with my husband and a fellow video game audio guy.

The husband and I.  We don't see each other much during MAGFest, but I try to get at least one photo of us.

Tomorrow I have an interview at the Instructional Materials Center in the Life Science wing of the college I attend.  I'd like to work as an assistant.  I'm hoping I get it; any lab experience is a plus for me no matter how mundane.

Idle Knitting

I'm in Maryland spending a few days with my parents.  My extended family got together for dinner here and a good time was had by all.  The highlight of this by far was playing with my niece and nephew.  They have a knack of making you forget about all stress going through your head.

Today is much quieter; my mother went in for a heart catheterization procedure this morning.  She has a minor blockage in her artery that will be treated with medication and she'll be back home this afternoon.  I've been knitting this to pass the time.

This is the Prismatic Scarf, knit with Sheep Shop #3 yarn.  My husband picked out the yarn and he recently expressed interest in how great it would be to have an everyday scarf to wear in the cold weather.  He already has a scarf in blindingly bright rainbow colors, but he only seems to wear that during live shows.

I don't want to waste a perfectly good scarf, so sometimes I wear it out myself.

This scarf doesn't curl and the slip stitches keep it interesting.  I don't expect to finish this in time for him to use it for this season.  Once January 1st hits, I want to focus my knitting energy on socks for the January sockdown.  This is good to have around for mindless knitting to pass the time.

A Rogue and a Jaywalker Walk Into A Bar

While I am in stasis between work and school, I started on a project I've been coveting since I started knitting.

The Rogue Hooded Pullover from The Girl From Auntie.  After consulting with the owner at Needleworks and my wallet, I decided to knit this using Ella Rae Classic in the Toast colorway.  It feels fantastic.

I threaded in a lifeline through the stitches that are picked up to start the pocket.  That way I was sure the pocket was straight and that the stitches were evenly spaced apart.  I'm sure that not putting in the lifeline would have given me a headache.

The cabling detail on both sides of the pullover makes the knitting interesting enough considering that everything else for the body is stockinette.  I added an extra cable repeat to give it length after reading posts on the Rogue Knitalong group on Ravelry.  I'm now wondering if I should have used a cable repeat that doesn't give Rogue any shaping.  I like to eat a lot of apple pie.

I hope it fits; the ladies at the knit shop measured me so I could be sure of the numbers at least.

I also finished a very old work in progress.  Two years old is my estimation.

Sexual Chocolate Jaywalkers.  These are knit on size 1 dpns in a Lorna's Laces in a colorway only available at Purl Soho in Manhattan.  You can purchase all of their exclusive colorways here.  This one is called Chocolate Stripe.

I initially knit the first sock one size too small and had to frog it.  Then I got tired of looking at them and threw them in the closet.  When I had more free time, I fished them out and finished them up.  The grafting on one of the toes came out and I fixed it the best I could, which means it looks a little sloppy.  I am totally OK with this at this point.  They are done, they are mine, and I rather like them.