Eccentric Headband

I finished something today. (No, not The Collar's sweater, but it is closer to finished!)

I decided I wanted a headband. On Wednesday, I started one from IK, but it wasn't working for me with the yarn I was using and it was just kind of flimsy. On Thursday, I decided I would try something else. I had leftover navy yarn from my Lutea Lace Shell, so why not?

I started looking at lace patterns, but nothing really leaped out. I looked at cables, but didn't want it to be too big. I finally chose a 10 stitch pattern called Eccentric Cable. The twists are at random places in the cable, you can make it twist either right or left, and so I just kind of winged it. I used i-cord for ties. There are eyelets on the edge and there's a two stitch garter stitch border. The overall shape of the headband. I'm proud of making the eyelets go all the way around the edge!
I should have made it narrower. I have such a small head! But it works, and I'm wearing it right now. A close up of the end. The ends are triangular.
I knit it on size 6 (US) needles, both straight and dpns. I did not use a cable needle, because they always disappear.
This shot shows some of the opposite twist on the cable.

This week I learned

--that I still can't convince the janitors that I am the instructor for the classes that I teach.

--that I am a very kinetic lecturer, even when I've just ridden 5.5 miles to class.

--how to change a bicycle inner tube (hey, I've put how many miles on the bikes before that happened today?).

--that making eccentric cables are fun (I'll just put a twist here! I'll make it go the other way!).

--drivers in Lex are more respectful/zen/aware of bicycles now.

--preparing for dental work for an immune compromised child is just a big PITA.

--that smart kids get to do more fun things at school now then they did when I was a smart kid at school.
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Exercise for this week (to keep me honest):
Cycling: 36.71 miles, 2 hours, 46 minutes (4.32 min/mile) <--this includes 3 trips from bike shop to school and back, and 1 cut short ride because I flatted, and walking while pushing said bike with flat tire.
Elliptical trainer/treadmill: 1 hour, 50 minutes, 8.7 miles

Hmm, I must have a job

You can always tell when I'm working, because I tend to post less. I'm teaching 3 classes at the moment, and am prepping a 4th. I am spending lots of time on the computer. Soccer and choir are in full swing, too, which makes it very busy. I've also learned that janitors don't always believe me when I tell them that I am the instructor and PLEASE unlock my classroom!

We had only 2 soccer games this weekend. Game Boy played well, but his team lost by a few goals (they were much better than they were the week before), and The Wiz's team was also very good--they actually won, if we kept score. (Technically, we don't, but the kids do!) The Wiz scored a goal, and he played defense very well. I was quite proud.

I have finished a pair of socks for The Wiz. They look so huge:but they fit him quite well.Specs: Yarn: Instant Gratification Sock Yarn by Hill Country Yarns in "Cowboy" (a gift from LC my Knitty SP 8)
Needles: Brysprun dpns in size 2.5
Basic sock pattern for the Wiz --he likes stockinette socks best.

I started these on Friday evening, finished this afternoon. Not too shabby.

Game Boy really likes this yarn, too. I think I need to find more brown/navy/cream sock yarn for him. Both of the boys have outgrown many of their hand knit socks this summer, and both are unhappy about it. I have work to do!

Speed is

satisfying.

I've been riding my bicycle a bit again. Last Wednesday to celebrate Freedom Day (aka the first day of school AND thank goodness my thumb doesn't hurt as much), I rode my Dolce. I only did a "short" ride of 12.5 miles, and I was pretty fast, for my hilly route and the first time since March. (4 minute 11 second miles, thank you very much.) My top speed was downhill at 35 mph or 56 kph was lovely, and fun. I rode in to work part way yesterday, and got up to 26 mph, which also isn't too shabby. (I have managed 23 miles since last week, which is pretty good, considering we've hit 100+ F and we had two days of thunderstorms.)

Little fast projects are also satisfying. I knit up two baby hats (one might be a bit small for most babies) and a pair of thumbless mittens. (A picture was posted on yesterday's blog entry.) Today I finished a Dream Swatch from the leftover Bearfoot Moutain Colors in Lupine. I used up the rest of the ball. Previously I had made two pairs of Fetching from this and thought it was about time I finished it. Why I bought a yarn that was mostly purple, I'll never know, since I don't really like purple!It wound up about 46" in length and is 3" wide. I used size 6 needles, and started it Monday when my fingers were cramping from the size 1 needles and 1X1 ribbing. A pretty fast knit. I can wear it tied around my hair, since I used a pretty thin yarn. I steam blocked it, which helped open up the stitches and flatten it out (mine was pretty curly).

Once it cools off, I can see wearing it pretty often. It does keep my hair out of my face.
Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of your own head?

It's Still Too Darn Hot!

But I'm getting outside and riding the Dew anyway. The nice thing about my new schedule is that I am able to ride my bicycle from the Bike Shop on MWF. I wind up back at my car by 11:00 am, so it's not too horrible even riding back. I did not, however, ride in on Monday, and I didn't get to ride on the Dolce on Tuesday, because we had nasty thunderstorms both mornings. Yay rain! But why does it always happen when I'm trying to get back on the bike?

I've taught at least once for all of my classes (well, except for the Fall II class--that starts on 17 October and is online). I think it will be a good semester. Two classes are face to face and two are online.

The boys are surviving school. Yesterday we all had dental appointments. Two of us are cavity-free and two have a cavity. Of course, one is The Wiz, so now I need to find out the protocol for dental work. Game Boy's teeth still are coming in straight, so here's to hoping he won't need orthodontia!

I have finished a baby hat and thumbless mittens set for the SDS tea. Currently, they are in the washing machine (I love superwash wool) and will go through the dryer before I take pictures. They are knit in KnitPicks Simple Stripes in Snapdragon. My own pattern, with some help from Ann Budd's Handy Book of Knitting Patterns. I think I keep knitting girly things for SDS because I knit lots of masculine things all of the time.
The hat has a picot hem and I added corkscrews to the top--knit on size 3 dpns. The mittens are your basic mittens, but no thumb gusset, knit on size 1 dpns. I think that I like it.