by Kat | Oct 21, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Dear Unravelers,
Do you ever feel like you are in a “making” rut? I am in a huge making rut and it really sucks! I have things to knit that I want to finish, but boy… there is just no joy in the making right now. (FYI, the following links are to projects on Ravelry) I should be knitting sleeves… but they are languishing in a basket next to the living room sofa. Or perhaps I should be knitting the body of this, but that is languishing in a knitting bag next to my bed.
Instead, I am knitting a heel (on a pair of socks that are screaming AUTUMN to me!) and pondering why I am so disinterested in things that should be bringing me joy. In an attempt to really break things up, I am going to pull out the sewing machine this week to see if that gets me back on the path of happy making! Thanks to Carolyn, a new-to-me Lotta Jansdotter book arrived at my house this week and I think a bag test run is the perfect thing before attempting this beauty from the latest Making! (Because, I am just enamored with this bag!)
On Monday, several people asked about the Acorn Pattern… you will find Hunter Hammersen’s Hoard here on Ravelry.
I did manage to finish two books this week! (and I have started Summer and so far, so very good!)
All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Armand and friends in Paris, what’s not to love? An interesting city, a curious mystery, and familiar characters make for a can’t-put-it-down novel. I love how Penny keeps revealing more and more depth to her characters, and in doing so – makes them more lovable! I highly recommend!
The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
At first I struggled to find a rhythm with this book, and perhaps reading just a page or two at night made that even more difficult. And once I found myself immersed in the stories of the women of Brewster Place, the ending left me struggling to find closure and I went back and re-read it several times to see if I was missing something. I don’t think I missed anything, and this book just did not seem to work for me.
And that is all I have for today. If you wrote a post to share (and I sincerely hope you did!!) please leave your link below!
by Kat | Oct 19, 2020 | General, In This Moment
Weeks that feel unending makes for a fly-by weekend…or at least that is how it seemed here. The weekend was over before it began.
But maybe not… because I got so much done! My planner set up is working wonderfully and it feels good to have everything together. (sorry, I had planned on getting a photo this morning but it is dark and dreary and pouring down rain…sigh)
Yes, I am much farther along than this currently, but the light is not conducive to photography this morning!
In a scrolling of Twitter last week, I noticed that Kate Atherley was doing an impromptu sock KAL. I found some yarn and cast on Thursday night while we caught up on Big Brother and I managed to find time over the weekend to almost complete the leg of the first sock! Good thing because the heel is out sometime today!
But the most fun was beginning the process of knitting acorn caps, which I did while watching The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix. It was so good (and perfect for cranking out several little caps!)
Finally, I want to share my meditation for the week. I saw this late last week on Facebook and have used this meditation many times over the weekend…it is just exactly what I needed so I thought I’d share it with you. I hope you find it a help for your week ahead!
Happy Monday, everyone! See you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | Oct 16, 2020 | General, In This Moment
Overnight, the weather has changed…dramatically. Yesterday it was windy and mild… today grey, rainy, and much cooler. It seems that this prediction is spot on, lol… I am shocked because that rarely happens! Oh, and it seems that there is some *snow* in the forecast as well. Sigh.
There are bits of color popping up all around me and I maximized the Fall Feeling by baking Apple Slab Pie this week. My freezer is now stocked with a bunch of “bites” of a little something sweet.
Earlier this week Steve told me there are just six Friday’s left in the year. Wait…wut?!? Ummm, no Steve… including today, there are 10 errr, 11(thanks Karen, lol). Not much better but, my panic level receded a bit! lol
Isabell Kraemer has a new sweater pattern out… oh my it is lovely! I have color work on the brain right now!
Finally, this interview from last Friday really hit home with me. I am on the very short waitlist at my library for Maggie Smith’s new book and I can’t wait!
I hope you all have a great weekend! See you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Oct 14, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
This week, knitting for Olivia has consumed me! I working on the sweetest little layette set that I hope to have winging its way to her in CA soon! The evolution of my knitting has astounded me though… especially in this iteration of the timeless BSJ. I must have been channeling EZ because I thought about how the applied I-cord would flow into the other areas (even thought they are all knit separately!) So I had little clusters of 3 stitches on pins waiting to be joined. And I have to say… I LOVE how this one turned out! And that perfection was just calling for a pair of Saartje’s Booties and an Easy Peasy Newborn Hat! (and I hope have leftover yarn to make an acorn or two!) I just have some fiddly bits on the second bootie to finish up and sew on some buttons… oh and finish the hat! But I think the hat should be done today as I don’t have lots on my plate!
It almost looks like one continuous applied i-cord!
Those little fiddly button holes… but they really make the booties!
The reading has absolutely slowed down a bit… not sure what’s up with that, but I only have one finish this week.
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What an interesting way to tell a story! Do memories have a taste? Do they smell? It was something I thought about as this story unfolded…and are those memories the door to pain and heartache? I loved the little “intermezzo” chapters where you got to know Leila’s friends more closely. And the ending… yes! It was exactly what I did not know I was hoping for. The only thing from keeping this book from a 5-star rating… at times the chapters dragged on a bit. However, I do highly recommend this beautiful story!
And, what about you? What is occupying your making and reading hours this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share, please leave you link below and thank you!
by Kat | Oct 12, 2020 | General, In This Moment
Last week ended on a stressful note… and then some. Oy.
Friday I had a doctors appointment…a stressful thing in itself…and after making it through the “COVID Screening” to get to my doctors office, I thought it would be smooth sailing from there, HA! Sadly, all my fears intensified when I walked into a very packed waiting room – like WAY too many people in a VERY small waiting room. I had arrived about 15 minutes early for my appointment and still had to wait about 45 minutes… gah! I have COVID fears right now… bad. But, the funniest thing happened in the exam room! My doctor is very soft spoken and wearing a mask does not inspire him to speak louder. I was feeling my age when I kept having to ask what he said over and over and over… yes, in hindsight, it was comical. At the time tho…oy.
From there, it was Flu Shot time! (Slightly shorter wait and, thankfully, way less people)
And if all that was not enough, somehow I thought hitting the grocery store would be a genius idea. HA! Grocery shopping at lunch time on a Friday… not so smart. But at least there is some food in the house now!
Our mail delivery has been sketchy at best, most days we get no mail. No bills, no junk mail, no mail period. I have long been signed up for “informed delivery” and you would think the PO would get sick of me telling them things were not delivered, but nope… it does not matter… I think we have Newman “delivering” our mail. Ha!
So mailing our ballots back to the county was not something I was willing to risk. Saturday morning we headed off to drop off our ballots. Yes, there were long lines! But it was like a well oiled machine! Want to vote? Enter Here! Want to drop off your ballot? Enter Here! So we excitedly, HAPPILY!! cast our ballots on Saturday! And let me tell you how amazing it felt to be voting with lots and lots of Biden Voters!! Hope springs eternal in the voting line!! (but again, LOTS OF PEOPLE!!)
After all that excitement, I was happy to return home and stay there for the remainder of the weekend!
I spent a good bit of time Sunday setting up my new calendar insert…and I am so excited to start this week with it! I have set up through the start of next year and it feels good! Now that laundry is underway I am going to spend some time organizing my inserts! Then I will feel ready to attack the week! I hope to share with you all next week how the new calendar set up is working!
Oh, and I have clean and fill some pens with autumn-y inks on my list today too!
How about you? How was your weekend?
