by Kat | Apr 1, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
I am making small bits of progress in the making department. On Saturday, I jumped on the bandwagon to try making a sourdough starter. Starter Success Achieved! I loved having a tiny reminder to go and take care of it every day. And yesterday I had enough “discard” starter to make a batch of Blueberry Sourdough Muffins, which were so good. They are not too sweet, and that delicious tang of sourdough made for the perfect “second cup of coffee” companion!
I picked up a big bunch of banana’s at Trader Joe’s on Friday and they are slated to become a loaf or two of Sourdough Banana Bread!
My knitting this week has been mainly focused on those mystery socks. The charted stitches are just what I needed…a simple pattern complete with some soothing repeats.
March reading saw a significant slow down…focusing on anything has been a challenge. I only read seven books this month, one of which was an audiobook. The best book of the month was Apeirogon, with 5-stars.
Felon: Poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Challenging poems that speak volumes, but the redacted poems… wow. Brilliant.
The Blackhouse by Peter May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A mystery within a mystery! The stories unfold slowly, intertwined together until the end when they are solved. I enjoyed the story tremendously and will be reading more in this series!
And that is all I have for today! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Mar 25, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!!
I have finished my Nightshift and I am so smitten!! My ending was a bit sketchy but, I like how it turned out and I used up so much of my handspun yarn! You can read my pattern notes here where I explain my “recipe” for knitting. My goal was to have this completed before I start any of the “mystery” knits coming up (Yes, I am going to knit both Romi’s Mystery Shawl and the Lunar Phases Mystery! It’s Corona-Mystery-Knitting time because I **also** started a mystery sock on Sunday as well!)
The reading has been a challenge in this topsy turvy world. Focusing has been rather tricky, but at least I had 2 finishes this week!
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I do not typically read YA novels but this was the next selection in the Read With Us book club. I grew up in a city that had a very large Hispanic population and growing up I had neighbors/friends that I spent time with. I found Julia’s home to be very typical but her friends…not so much. I found that to be curious and it did not quite ring true (at least to me).
I also did not find it believable that Julia’s parents kept so many secrets about their lives “before they crossed the border.” But, it made me think about how tragic it is to be an undocumented worker, never feeling safe and never being able to travel to see family.
There are some significant gaps in the story line with little explanation of what happened. All in all, I do not recommend this book.
What Never Happens by Anne Holt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I started this book thinking there must be a book missing between the first book and this one but I could not find one! So suddenly Johanne and Adam are married and have a new baby. How they got there from book one is an unanswered mystery!
Gruesome murders are taking place and you are nicely drawn into the work to solve the crimes. Overall it is fairly fast-paced, although some parts parts drag a bit. BUT!! the ending is brilliant! No spoilers here, but it was genius and I did not see it coming!
That’s all I have this week! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Mar 18, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
A couple of things are filling my mind today: how can it be Wednesday already in a week that feels like it should be Friday and How are you?
No, really… How are you?
I have a project that is darned near impossible to put down that is filling my day…as well as my lap now! I am entirely smitten with Night Shift – I am following the “recipe” and am changing the background yarn and the “dot yarn” in different sequences – and I am happy with how that is working out! The pattern says I have 4 more repeats to do, but I think I might need to do a couple extra repeats to get a “wear-able size.”
Despite the turmoil of life right now, I am falling asleep soundly moments after getting in bed, and I have finished no books this week!
However, I want to take a minute to talk about a bit of “stash enhancement” of a different sort this week! Necessary Stash Enhancement!! All over the Knitiverse events are being cancelled – events that equate to income for many in our fiber community. Pattern designers, teachers, Yarn dyers, etc. are all feeling the pinch of this downturn in our economy (and by our economy – I mean the economy of our Knitting Community) It’s time for all of us to buy something – a couple of patterns, a skein of yarn, perhaps even an online class!
I read this blog post by Jennifer of Burke House Crafts earlier this week and she has put her patterns on sale for free until the 29th. (you could elect to pay for the pattern rather than taking it for free!)
Then I saw these Tweets from Shannon Okey:
I also found some GREAT ideas on Amy Singer’s twitter feed…and a new Knitty dropped last week! Amy has conveniently gathered cancelled/postponed events with vendor lists here!
And, I never, ever knew that Twitch.tv has a Makers & Crafting category!
Finally, Patty Lyon’s How to Support Our Fiber Community has some excellent ideas!
One thing I am fairly certain of is that you are not going to see the news talking about our community…so we need to be focused on it!
That’s all I have for today, as always – if you wrote a post to share, please add your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Mar 11, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Dear Unravelers!
Sockitis has struck with a vengeance in my house! I raced through Miss Lime and will have happy, dancing, green feet on St. Paddy’s Day! I especially love the angled lace on each foot! These socks will be perfect with my Birks!
I then immediately cast on more socks! A tried and true and well fitting pattern: Sarah Jordan’s I’ve Got Sunshine socks! I am using a skein I have been hoarding in my stash… HHF Sock in Fool’s Gold. My “Walking on Sunshine” socks are moving right along as you can see!
I have also made some headway on my son’s socks… I have a new deadline now, so the knitting will ramp up a bit. We **hope** to leave for Michigan soon, that is as long as the country is not on lock down… I am not a worrier, but boy… this all has me very worried.
But at least the reading this week was so good!
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A new series is always a tentative read for me, but Ann.Cleeves. people! In this book we meet Matthew Venn – and we get a glimpse into his life and work in North Devon. Matthew is not your average detective…by a long shot! I can’t wait for this series to expand and grow!
Wideawake Field: Poems by Eliza Griswold
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am not sure how I managed to select this poetry book, but it flowed so perfectly following my reading of Apeirogon! This work of poems was written by a journalist and it is a fascinating (but at times harsh) look at life in war zones… in refugee camps…in places of danger.
Some of the poems that spoke to me: Epithalamion, Pure, Leisurama, Occupation, and Beyond the solace of a Devastated Landscape.
By itself, I am not sure how I would feel about these poems… but coupled with the reading of Apeirogon, they are timely and so perfect.
Apeirogon by Colum McCann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you divide death by life, you will find a circle.
The story of Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan, and the deaths of their daughters: Abir Aramin and Smadar Elhanan. This book was a challenge to read, the writing style was like nothing I have ever read before and I struggled through much of it. It was hard to keep track of story lines – and there are many within this story. Yet, despite my struggles, this is a book that I won’t soon forget. It has had a powerful impact on me.
Apeirogon: a shape with a countably infinite number of sides.
Exactly what this book is!
Smadar was born in Hadassah hospital. Where Abir died. One story becoming another.
The story of Bassam and Rami moved me deeply. Their friendship is incredible, and inspiring, and hopeful, and their example should be the goal of every human on earth. I highly recommend this book, but be ready for a challenging read!
That is all I have for this week! What about you? What moved you this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Mar 4, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
February Making was surprising… I finished 2 pairs of socks (First pair here)! What? I know, I shocked myself as well! February was the month of Sarah Jordan Sock Knitting and I have happy feet as a result! I also spy a few more socks on her page that I think need in my sock drawer!
I also have a very good start on my March socks for St. Paddy’s day!
I also finished my final flannel Esme Tunic and it has been getting lots of wear! I have plans to do some more sewing this month as well!
But, let’s talk a bit about I’ve Got Sunshine Socks! I thought the cabling on the leg would be fussy to do with small yarn and small needles, but it was just the opposite – it felt like it made the sock knitting go faster (think self striping yarn fast!!) I did two repeats of the pattern on each leg before I started the heel. And, this sock also has a different heel technique and it makes for a very nice fitting heel. I think I might just need a second pair of these socks in a bright sunny yellow! (Especially since I have the cabling pattern memorized!)
February was a very good month for reading! I read 12 books, but the incredible part was that of those books I deemed 4 of them to be 5-star, must reads!
Dream Work by Mary Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“I love Orion, his fiery body, his ten stars, his flaring points of reference, his shining dogs.”
I stood in my backyard tonight looking at Orion and these words sang in my head. I read this book through twice. It has so much depth in such simplicity. I had originally given this book 4-stars, but I just could not stop thinking about these poems and they deserve a 5-star rating. I highly recommend this book!
The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have been on a bit of an Allende kick recently, and while I did not think this book was quite as good as A Long Petal, it is a beautiful story with incredible characters. This book had surprises, sorrows, and so much love…I highly recommend this book.
What about you? What was your favorite make or read last month?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Feb 26, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers and Happy End of February!!
March brings so many good things, but best of all is Mason Dixon’s March Mayhem! I will be seriously contemplating all the “sock” entries! I know that yesterday I talked about planned making and socks are absolutely on that list! I am here this week with just over 1.5 pairs of newly knit socks!
Things to note… on the completed pair of socks: Yarn is Knitterly Things Vesper Sock yarn in colorway Happy Accident. There was a bit of time between sock one and sock two. I think I did a change to the stitch count in the heel in sock one, but I did not note that in the pattern, of course… So, one heel has a couple more rows than the other. However, I love this pattern for striping yarns because the heel! I think next time I make this I will use a contrasting color for the bottom of the heel so that the stripes can remain contiguous on the foot.
On the In Process Sock: Oh boy. Where do I begin with knitter errors (as in mine not Sarah’s!) First, I thought I was knitting with a size one needle, nope – I had a zero and my fabric was not at all even close to the gauge. I had to unravel it and reknit on size ones (and there was some serious unraveling because I finished the heel flap!) Once I was using the correct needle the sock does move right along! Then came the start of sock two… when I did not listen to the inner knitter shouting, “Hey… that is not matching up at all with the cuff!” I tried to explain to myself that flowing ribbing did not matter – but once I got the first “twist patterning” done I had to agree with my inner knitter and so I ripped back and adjusted to have the ribbing and the patterning line up correctly. I am positive this was a counting error on my part and as you can see sock two is now farther along than it was on Monday and part of it was reknit!
The reading had highs and lows this week…I know many of you loved Tell Me More, but oh boy. I did not like it at all as you can see below. However, I am suffering from some significant book hang over so perhaps that might be part of my issue.
The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book! What beautiful writing, what beautiful characters, what an incredible story. But Simonopio and his beloved bees stole my heart! The writing paints a vivid picture of life in Mexico with the sights and the sounds and the life described wonderfully! I did not want this book to end and the ending was emotional, including lots of tears. I highly recommend this book!
Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Things you should never write about: kids not flushing the toilet and the dog eating it. This was an absolutely unnecessary bit of information which gave nothing to the book, only detracted! I wanted to like it, but it all seemed so very fake to me. Or perhaps the author telling me that her reality is better than mine was the biggest put off. Read at your own risk.
What is Mine by Anne Holt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Scandinavian Noir at its finest! The first book in the Vik/Stubo series and it was a wild ride. I originally rated the book 3-stars, because I found an incident in the story felt, well… not right towards the books end. While this “thing” (no spoilers here!) did not make sense and still not make sense now in recounting it, it is just a small blip in the book which was excellent! A great plot that had me wondering all along who did it, and how it all came together as the mystery is solved is brilliant.
That is all I have for this week, but what about you? What are you making this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
