Stormy here today.

That's all right, we need some rain and it will save me having to set up sprinklers.

I've designated today a research-work day. I have one paper I could perhaps finish up (or at least get a decent draft of finished) if I work diligently today. (I've already begun work on it; I'm just taking a break now).

I've been working away on various things in my free time. I have the heel of the first Undulating Ribs sock turned and am working on the gussets. And I've added a few more rows to the Bird's Nest shawl, but as it's knit the long way, it takes quite a bit of time to complete even one row.

And I'm working on the Knitting at Knoon elephant. This is a very clever pattern and I'm happy with how it's turning out. I've said before that I think knitting toys in the round generally makes the most sense (unless you're doing something you want to be flat and pillowlike, and then knitting the front and back and seaming them probably makes the most sense). This elephant is knit in the round, with a few added appendages (the trunk is knit as a separate piece and sewn on). The head in particular is cleverly done; you basically turn a flapped heel to form the back of the elephant's head. I like patterns that are architectural in that way; there are maybe "simpler" ways the head could have been shaped but there is something satisfying about doing it like a heel turn; there is a certain elegance to the shaping that (for example) knitting a vague oval and then gathering it up to sew onto the body would lack.

As I've said before, "I hate sloppiness" so I'm always cheered when a pattern maybe uses a slightly more complicated technique where appropriate rather than going for the "so simple and easy that no one will be intimidated by it."

I'm also doing a bit of test-knitting but I won't talk more about that (unless the person for whom I am test knitting - and yes, I know she reads, at least occasionally - tells me it's OK.) I know some people like to swear their test-knitters to secrecy because they're concerned about being "scooped" or about some form of industrial espionage.

Heh. Being a clandestine test knitter. I kind of like that. I can imagine a whole underground network of clandestine test-knitters, getting their knitting instructions over secret shortwave frequencies, like the old numbers stations. And of course, they'd have to all be sworn to secrecy, and have knitting needles that would convert to something else - pencils, maybe - if they were discovered. And they'd have to have secret clandestine-knitter names.

I don't know if they'd go so far as to carry cyanide pills in a Chibi needle case, but maybe the whole clandestine test-knitter network is why some airlines still don't allow needles on board...to much possibility of mayhem if, say, someone test-knitting for Vogue knits encounters one of their (apparently) sworn enemies: someone test-knitting a pattern that will be issued for free online.