Because everyone likes a contest...

Yet another contest guys...go on and check it out!!

Hello. My name is Moriah...

...and I am a yarnoholic. Seriously. I went to Windsor Button today with my friend from school because she wants to start knitting socks...and I walked out $41 and change poorer. But it's all pretty!!! And now I can't think of any yarn that I want to buy so hopefully I can be content with working through my stash for...well a couple years until I have an income again. My haul:Some Malabrigo, because it's delicious; some Comfort Sock because it's sooooo soft; some Sockotta because I loved the colors. I almost bought some more Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, but I realized that it was handwash...which is completely impractical for socks (for me anyway)...and at $23 a hank I'd kill my mom if she felted them.

I've been progressing on the embroidering on the Doctor's Bag...and I have some pictures for you. It's by no means finished but I figured I could show you some of what I did. First, I would like to show you my dad's somewhat ancient sewing machine...it's from when he was in the Air Force in the 70s and weighs approximately 4000 tons. I had way too much fun with the sewing machine...quilting may be in my future...but not for a long while. I put a little ring in the corner so that I could attach my keys to something and not lose them. And I sewed some elastic onto one of the short sides to hold my tuning forks and my reflex hammer. Here's a shot from when I finished getting all the pieces seamed at the bottom. And here's a pic of what it looks like right now...not terribly impressive since it's all floppy but I'm happy with it.

I've been working on my sock to...I even have pictures of it!! I'm using Yarn Harlot's generic sock pattern from Knitting Rules. I'm using the Cascade Fixation that I won from Miss Me...I'm loving it! It's very cushy and I think I'm going to love these socks when it comes to my Surgery clerkship and I'm standing all day every day for three months. I just started the heel flap and I'm vastly entertained by the difference it the way my stockinette stitch looks in the round versus flat.
Things are getting very interesting at the moment as far as scheduling for next year is concerned. For those who are lucky enough to not be fully immersed in this: Medical school is four years in the US, two are all classroom all the time like college on crack, and the second two are in the hospitals on what are called "clerkships." I'm just about to finish up my second year, so we're doing all of the scheduling for next year. Tufts does a series of complex lotteries to first determine your schedule order, and then determine your hospitals. We got the results for our order back just before spring break. I'll be doing Surgery (12 weeks), Pediatrics (6 weeks), Psychiatry (6 weeks), Medicine (12 weeks), an Elective (4 weeks w/ 2 weeks off!), and OB/Gyn (6 weeks). My top choice for hospitals as of this moment is Surgery and Medicne at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Pediatrics and Psych at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, and OB/Gyn and MetroWest in Framingham. I haven't decided exactly what I'm doing for elective yet so I don't know where I want to go for that. For those of you who are wondering why I'm not going to more well-known hospitals like Brigham and Mass General; I don't go to Harvard...Harvard has all the famous hospitals...Tufts and BU get to split everything else in the city. I'll keep you all posted as I find out more/want to procrastinate. Happy knitting...and think spring!!

More Contests!

Anne is having a contest...you should enter.

My Doctor's Bag is coming along slowly. I did not achieve my goal of getting it assembled over break...but it shouldn't take too much longer now. The biggest hurdle is getting to the hardware store to get all of the random notions (plastic for the bottom, little feet so it doesn't get dirty, dowels). I ran out of yarn...like I ended up crocheting the seams (which was actually kinda fun but you didn't hear me say that) with a single strand of yarn (the whole project is double stranded) and have about a yard and a half left over. So...I thought for a bit...and discussed/thought out loud with my dad...and I determined that since my lining was black, and the handles were black, and the button was black, I could use black yarn to attach my handles and make the loop of the button. Upon further thought I realized that I could also use said black yarn to reinforce my seams from the outside with a back stitch (thank you embroidery) and tie it all together a bit more. I'm liking the looks of it so far. Pictures will follow soon once I get off my but and load them onto my computer. Happy knitting!!!

More Contests

There's another Malabrigo contest over at Happy Handwork. Don't forget to tell her I sent you!

And just for fun...and also because I like to have more than two sentences in a post...I give you my favorite flower: the iris.I love the bluey-purple with the bright yellow peeking through. My sense of smell isn't too good since my allergies at ALWAYS acting up, but they don't bother my nose at all which makes them even more awesome. What are your favorite flowers?

Spring Break!

Time to take a break from studying for class and...study for the boards. Med school is kinda awesome like that. But I am having some fun this break though, I promise. Friday I traveled to Porter Square and visited Mind's Eye Yarns and picked up some Kureyon and some Amity. Logic here: I got my tax returns back and therefore have some money (for now), I had two GI finals that morning, and well...because Noro is pretty and I didn't own any black yarn (those of you who actually know me will understand how fundamentally wrong that is).

I also finished up my Cashmere Charlie Mitts and Tudora. I really love the buttons I found.I picked up some other buttons that I thought I would use for my Doctor's Bag...until I realized that the straps have some gold-tone metal on them and I'm way to OCD to put pewter buttons anywhere near that. Speaking of my Doctor's Bag, I finished knitting it (again). I had a little problem where the long sides were a good 3 inches longer than the bottom of the bag. So I ripped and re-knitted and ripped and re-knitted some more and now it's all done...DONE!!! Now I just have to go buy some black canvas and a button...and some dowels, a little bit of Plexiglas, some feet (like on the bottom on a suitcase), some cap-nuts...I think I'm gonna take my dad with me to the hardware store. I also need to convince my dad to show me how to use his sewing machine again...or at least get the bobbin threaded since I'll be all set once that's done. As much as the final assembly seems like it's going to be more work than knitting the bag (a couple times :P) I'm really looking forward to the finished product. Now I just need to figure out how to crochet all the pieces together since that much three-needle bind-off seems like it will make me homicidal.

In other news, my buddy Dennis (we go way back...like elementary school way back) is trying to raise some money for the Bike and Build project that he's doing this summer. So if you have a few bucks lying around, click on over to his blog and find out how to donate.

And contests...what would life be without contests. Alicia's having one...you should go enter...don't forget to say I sent you!!

Lecture time...

Today was a long day class-wise. I had lecture starting at 8AM and classes of various sorts running until 4PM with a 45 minute lunch break. I was very productive today seeing as this is what I accomplished in the 5 hours of lecture I had today:
It's another pair of Subway Mittens (Ravelry link) using the Cashmere blend that Alicia gave me for Christmas. Thus far they seem as though they will be an impenetrable shield of cashmere and acrylic against the Boston wind...I'm very pleased. I plan on making some kind of neck warmer to match...perhaps Tudora.

As promised I give you the people that make my day...in no particular order
Alicia
Dorothy
Yarn Harlot
Wendy
Soule Mama
David

I won't be holding anyone accountable for passing it on since I took well over a month to get around to it. Med school is eating my life. Which reminds me...I have some studying to get back to...happy knitting!