thesis is done!
I *just* handed out my thesis. Phew.
My external committee member's lab is in the Cornell/Weill hospital, and of course I got lost in there. Why are hospitals so confusing?! After that nerve racking experience, I got an email from the Dean's office telling me to fax them an "advisor-signed form approving the distribution of (my) thesis to committee members". Oops! (Also, I find it amusing that my advisor, who happens to be the Dean, did not tell me about this form. Anyway, our lab manager has a stamp with his signature, so all is well).
Since my advisor was reading my thesis this weekend, I had plenty of time to knit without worries. I finished the DNA scarf (for my advisor) and one Vinternatt mitten! A little note about Fair Isle: I tried to weave in the color that's not being used. I really tried. It looked terrible. So I ripped back and re-knit, this time using the stranding method. Much better! The recipient of the mitten will just have to be careful not to trap her fingers in the strands... I also progressed on Mermaid. (No pics. Imagine the same Mermaid as last time I showed you, except 2" longer).
Patten specs: DNA scarf, by Dr. June Oshiro
She designed this scarf as a friendly "bribe" for a thesis committee member.
Edited to add: Here is June's explanation of why she designed this scarf. This is copy/pasted directly from the scarf pattern.
"This scarf pattern was commissioned by Dr. Thomas Montville, a professor at Rutgers University. Dr. Montville kindly agreed to serve on my doctoral thesis committee IN RETURN".
I have to admit that I've given many similar "bribes" to my committee members, mostly in the form of baked goods from a french bakery... One likes pistachio/marzipan tarts, another the lemon tart. And I also have to get them the cappuccino tart and the berry tart. I have a friend who always had to get her committee a cheese platter. Anyway, I thought it was a riot that I was not alone in "bribing" my committee! However, June emailed me that she was very offended by this. Which confused me, because she started the joke. Anyway, I'll say it again: sorry June!
I'm making mine as a "bribe" to my advisor, who has been patient with me for 6 long years. Shh! It's a surprise! I'll give it to him at the party after my defense, Dec 8th.
Yarn: 4 balls of Knit Picks' Andean Silk (55% Super Fine Alpaca, 23% Silk, 22% Merino Wool), in cream
Notes on the design: The edges of the scarf do not curl, thanks to 6 st of moss st on either edge, plus 8 rows at the top and bottom. The pattern is basically a chart, which is easy to read once you've figured out the 4 types of cables you're doing. I did 11 repeats, and the scarf is 62" long. (Oops, didn't measure the width. It's "normal" scarf width).
Wearability factor (out of 10): 10. Come on, it's knitted DNA! I kinda wish I could keep it for myself...
