Paperback Dolls is a great website that I have discovered for Book reviews and give aways. This holiday season they are donating books to Toys for Tots for every entry they get to their give away for a Kindle Fire. Please go to Paperback Dolls to enter.

I am keeping to the schedule of knitting every weekend on this project. Saturday 5 November I finished the sleeve cuffs after having casted on for the sleeves the night before. This felt like a good start to the first day of weekend knitting for the month.
Saturday, 12 November 2011, I finished the decreases and increases of the sleeves at 10” of length. I now have to knit 5” even before binding off for the underarms and joining the sleeves to the body. The sleeves seemed to be stuck at 12".
Saturday, 19 November 2011, I finished the sleeves of the sweater. Tomorrow, I join them to the body and start the yoke. I probably won’t do too much more this month. I know I have to do the yoke in December, but I have to finish this project by the 15th when we are going away for the holidays.
Currently Reading: The Night Circus.

It is time for another Nerd Wars Dissertation update. I did some major work on the project on the 20th and 21st of October because I didn’t want to work on the baby sweater that needed sleeves and I-cords. I am making an alteration to the lattice work pattern. On row 2 I’m doing a 2-stitch cable with yarn in front but slipping both knit stitches to keep in pattern and on row 12 I’m doing a 2-stitch cable with yarn in the back but slipping both knit stitches to keep in pattern. I need more cables in my life (I’m minorly addicted to them.) I then finished the goal for October the night of the 21st. I finished the body (on round 36 of the lattice pattern) of the sweater to the underarms. In November, I start the sleeves.

I casted on for the sleeves of the sweater tonight doing two at a time magic loop. This is a first for me. I often do my sleeves Magic Loop but never two at a time casting on 70 stitches.
Currently Reading: Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander, Snuff by Terry Pratchet, and Dracula in Love author slips my mind

I am not sure I mentioned this but there is a time limit on the Nerd Wars Dissertation. The project has to take 3 months to complete. I work on this as my weekend project as well as the out and about town waiting in line project to slow me down.
10/10/11: I am now at 6 of 12 inches of body before the pattern after knitting this Saturday, Sunday, and two hours Monday knit at a concert.
10/15/11: It is Saturday and that means dissertation knitting. I managed to get to 8 of 12 inches of body before pattern today. I think I may try to get to finish the body up to the sleeve joining this month.
10/18/11: I kept knitting through today to get to the 12” before increasing and starting the pattern. It wasn’t as much knitting time as it sounds as I had a job interview yesterday as well as the Nido anniversary sale and Weekend Handmade demo/signing. I knit 93 rows of stockinette before increasing the 12 stitches. I am increasing after every 17 stitches. I divided 105 by 6 to get 17.5 as my area for even increases.
I may have to take this weekend off of dissertation knitting to finish a baby shower gift. I'm making the cutest little nerd gift. It is the Baby Yoda Sweater that has to be done by November 5th.
Currently Reading: Wishes and Stitches by Rachel Hurron

This is going to be my Nerd Wars Dissertation project. It reminds me a lot of the sweaters Buffy wore and that Dawn would borrow an example being in the sweater that Buffy wore in the episode Conversations With Dead People. I love the cowl neckline and it can help give some protection against those pesky vampires…

It also helps that I have a major design crush on Gudrun Johnston. Her designs are amazing. Slipped Hours Sweater
10/1/11: I swatched last night and found I was getting about a half an inch larger than I should with US size 4 Addi Turbos, so I went down to a US size 3 Addi Turbo. I was able to cast on once all of the smoke detectors stopped their infernal beeping. I am currently doing the 3” of purling before the turned hem. This yarn rolls quite a bit so the turned hem will add structure as well as a finished look.

10/2/11: I knit on this all day yesterday for about 12 hours stopping for meal break. Tt was cold and rainy and I had left a window open the night before; no one is happy at 43 Degrees Fahrenheit. I had a relaxing day of bad Netflix and knitting. I only got 2” or 20 rows of 27 done on the bottom edge. It is in the round though. I think the time justification won’t be a problem at all.

I was able to get to 3” at 23 rows. It took me 2.5 hours to unpick the temporary cast on edge so I can do the tuck hem for the bottom of the sweater. I’m reminding myself these details are worth it during every k2together.
To make sure it takes me 3 months I am only working on the sweater on the weekends. I want to be on the sleeves by the end of November. I currently have knit the bottom edge plus turn and 3" out of 12" on the body before the bodice design starts.
Currently Reading: Dracula My Love

My friend Carmen got engaged today and asked if I would be her Matron of Honor (it is so weird typing/saying that). I said yes with the conditions the wedding not be when we might be moving late this coming summer,( what else can you say really if it is an old friend asking you), and I am beyond honored. I will be seeing her next week when I am home to talk to her about what she wants. I'm hoping for a nice bridesmaid dress in chocolate brown from Watters and Watters. The girls dresses we had by them ended up being perfect.
Currently on TV: Babes in Toyland

So I know it has been forever since I have blogged. I am now working part time at our local Pier 1. It is saving me money on car insurance and sanity for not having to drive in the snow. We have had some serious snow this winter season. Being from Florida and having spent some serious time in California, I am unused to the cold and snow. I am very slowly adjusting to single digit days. It was in the negatives for most of today. We are being told it will get up into the 30s by this weekend.
On the thesis front it is going slowly and has been a very negative experience on a whole. I need to add some details to it on my next day off of work as well as finish an entirely new chapter and hope it helps get me to the magic number of 50 pages.
The reason I am updating my blog is that I found a really neat Etsy store that I think would be good for people looking for unique holiday gift ideas Luca Chocolate. The owners of the store make the Bacon Box which is various chocolates with bacon as the main ingredient. It seems like a neat idea.
Currently on TV: How the Grinch Stole Christmas