Physics Love

I was browsing Nature's (journal of general science - very prestigious to be published there) website and came across this article.

I'm not sure how long the link will stay up - the journal is weekly and the website changes accordingly. I guess it's less about physics love and more about academia love. It definitely sounds tough to have a two academic career family. It's funny, when I met my husband that first week or so of graduate school, that was the trajectory both of our lives were taking. Now, he's aiming to enter finance and I'm trying to get a job in energy policy - so we're both straying from physics academia and hopefully into jobs with many opportunities in many cities.

One of the least appealing aspects of academia for me has always been the lack of great universities in great cities. Now, I know there are the Harvards in Boston, the Stanfords in the bay area, etc, etc, but if you fail to get one of the coveted and desperately few spots at one of those institutions, you're often stuck in the middle of nowhere at a middling place doing good work. I guess I just don't love the field enough to sacrifice quality of life. It's sad when the passions of childhood give way to the realities of adulthood, isn't it?

Rowan bag

Finally I have some actual knitting content I can post. I've been working on this bag from the Rowan Silk Wool book for a few months as a sample for Knitting Etc in Ithaca. I'm almost done and I can't wait to sew it up. Just the gusset strip left to go before I can block and assemble. I love how rich the bag handles look with the inlaid braided cables. I'm not usually a fan of knitted bags - felted or otherwise, but this particular specimen is very drool worthy.

Long time no post

It's been a while since I've posted, mainly because I've been working on things that can't be blogged about in their entirety. However, I believe I can speak about some of these things as long as I omit details and photos.

I just finished knitting two pieces for a book Yahaira is editing, tentatively titled Sensual Knits, and due to come out in the fall. Writing the pattern was hard - there were set in sleeves involved, and charts, and the math made my head spin. Yes, I have a doctorate in physics, but sometimes I have trouble calculating the tip on a check (maybe I shouldn't be admitting this!). But I'm very proud of the projects for this book and I can't wait for it to come out. I'm letting the pattern sit for a day or two before diving back in to proofread it. Right now, I feel too close to it and the tunnel vision is making it impossible for me to spot any errors. I have to see it with fresh eyes.

Then, fairly soon, I need to get started on a project for Knitter's Magazine that's due in a month. I'll be using some luscious yarn that's pretty much an identical twin to one of my favorite yarns put out by Rowan.

Finally, two of my designs were accepted by a small, independent yarn company. I just mailed my contract for the first of the two projects back to them, so I'll hold off on revealing who they are at the moment. But, I'm very excited about working for them and joining their list of designers, many of whom whose work I've already admired before learning of the yarn company's existence.

This designing thing has been great fun so far. I'm learning a lot and much to my husband's dismay, have found something new to obsess about - although he is very happy that designing is slowing my stash enhancement rate. The hardest thing about designing so far is keeping mum on projects. My natural tendency is to share and it's really hard to not post pictures and talk about what I'm working on.

That's it for now, but to avoid making this a pictureless post, here's a photo of the Zelda Grand I just bought from Offhand Designs, a small company from the bay area (yay, bay area!) that makes unique knitting (and diaper and work) totes from vintage fabrics. Look at that wonderful green velvet on the handles and how the bag stays open on its own. The bag was a bit of an indulgence, but now I won't have to carry around my knitting in a brown paper bag (right, Hickory? ;) ).

New Magknits is Up

The new Magknits is up; and my first published pattern is in it! :)

I made this vest while visiting my in-laws in Italy. The gracious model is my sister-in-law and the setting is the small garden outside of my husband's family's home.

My Italian extended in-law family were fascinated by my humble little vest. They were amazed that one small 25 gram ball of Kidsilk Haze costs $14 a skein! Particularly absorbed by my progress were my little nephew, Simone (the model's son), my husband's grandmother and his cousin's grandmother. Here is a picture of his grandmother and his cousin's grandmother consulting me on the kidsilk haze panels in the v-neck region.


And I just heard from my mother-in-law that Simone (he's 9) just requested some circular knitting needles and wants to learn how to knit! Just spreading the joy :)