BISIO Update: November

Doula certification: I didn't take any on-call shifts in October.  There was just too much travel and getting together with friends this month.  Buuuuuut, I picked up new responsibilities at the birth center, helping to coordinate the volunteer on-call doula program.  More work.   A lot more work.  But a really good introduction to the administration of a doula program/birth center.  Good public health experience for sure.

Sheep to Sweater: Still no idea where to find a sheep to shear.  Buuuuuut, I am working on a couple of interesting projects that I think will help broaden the spectrum of sweater patterns I could choose from.

This is going to be Limelight Stirrup Socks from Lionbrand Knit in KnitPicks wool in four colors I had laying around.

These are my first attempt at Fair Isle knitting, meaning that I am knitting with multiple colors stranded across the back of the work.  Wikipedia sums it up, "Traditional Fair Isle patterns have a limited palette of five or so colors, use only two colors per row, are worked in the round, and limit the length of a run of any particular color."

Not only am I learning the Fair Isle, I am also using the "magic loop" technique.  Johanna has already claimed these, so eat your heart out.

Magic loop uses just one long circular needle (instead of four double point needles) to knit a small tube for something like a sock.  In this sock, there is no heel to turn...I might be using thicker yarn than will be comfortable in a shoe, but we shall see.

I am also finishing the blue gauntlets.  Here is my progress.

One mitten down.  The left one is about half way done.

Grad School Applications:  Still suck.  Yup, still sucking...Buuuuut I will give you a mini update anyway.  The schools I am applying to are Minnesota, Michigan, Emory, Columbia, Yale, Stanford, UCLA, and Georgetown.  I am continuing to improve the personal statement.  And now I am wrestling with the dreaded Yale 250...I wrote an essay that I thought would work (they don't give you a topic or anything, just a word count)...my professor gently suggested that I scrap it and try again...oops.  Do-over.