by Kat | Dec 4, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
I hope this week does not find you frantically knitting objects that you cannot share on your blog. Sadly, for me… that is my life in knitting right now so you get a bit the fluffy goodness that is my languishing Evening Dew Cardigan.
Those pesky socks are finished and have had their soak and are laying carefully to dry.
However, I mentioned on Monday that my dear son mentioned something over the weekend and then Kym was kind enough to save me from spending a couple of hours searching on Ravelry for the perfect item. She wins the award this week of the most helpful link…ever! This morning I am tossing the stash to find something I can use to knit those slippers! I think 2 strands of worsted weight yarn equal bulky…correct? If that is true, then I will be settling in this afternoon to see how far I can get on a pair of those babies!
Now on to reading:
First finish is The Echo Maker by Richard Powers (of The Overstory fame). This book was suggested to me via Overdrive as he is the December speaker for Pittsburgh’s Ten Evenings event. I loved The Overstory and gladly downloaded the audio book. This is a fascinating story in a similar multi-pronged way, yet very different from The Overstory – it is a longer book (20 hours of listening time) but the story keeps you engaged. Without giving anything away, it tells a story about traumatic brain injury from a variety of perspectives. 4-stars and if you liked The Overstory for its depth and details – you will enjoy The Echo Maker. (Also, it happens in Nebraska – so if you live there, you will find it very familiar!)
Second finish was a book I won on a Goodreads give away! In the Shadow of Power, book 7 in the Sandhamn Mystery series. I enjoyed it – yet another murder on Sandhamn. A very fun read! 3-stars.
Now, in case you are looking for some things to fill up your reading queue – the book lists have stared! NPR’s Book Concierge list has so many good things and has some things I have added to my list! I love that it is searchable by category and with 350+ books, it will have something for everyone!
I also stumbled across this gem on NPR’s Facebook page. It is a worthy listen!
Finally – Bonny, Carole, and Kym announced the new Read With Us book yesterday! Think about joining us to discuss in February next year!
As always, if you wrote a post to share with us today, please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Nov 27, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers! I hope that for a few minutes at least, you can step out of the kitchen and spend a moment or two sharing your dreams of what you could be knitting or reading this week! Once this is posted, it is Pumpkin Pie City for me! Of course, my Pie City is amateur level compared to Carole! However, this year I did make the crust as well as the filling! Small steps, right?
In the realm of making – I never seem to have stagnant times. (However, don’t look too closely at any flat surfaces in my house, dusting almost never wins over making!) This week I finished my second Tsé biníi doo headband. This one with some mystery yarn and some wonderfully fluffy hand spun. The beige yarn is tightly spun, and I am hoping it will bloom *and soften* some in its bath. However, I carried the yarns in such a way that the inside is mostly my hand spun, which is so soft and light. I am going to try and full the inside a bit. I have taken the red headband out for a test walk on Monday and, Unravelers… we have a winner! It is cozy and warm exactly where it needs to be!
Today (when that pie is in the oven) I am going to work on those socks in hopes that I will have soon have a HO** and can start on its mate!
My Evening Dew Cardigan is calling me though… I have roughly 11 inches of the body to go, which if it sounds like a lot of knitting – it is. But if I can get those darned socks done, I can spend some guilt-free time knitting it!
Also, Made by Rae’s Luna pants have been resized (and while I don’t think elastic ankle joggers would even remotely be attractive on me, this hack would!) Anyways, the pattern is on sale and I have added them to my pattern library!
Also… sock knitters, a heads up for you! Did you see Renovare by Jennifer Burke? I know, I am not a sock knitter, but these are gorgeous! (And knit with sport weight yarn, so even more to love!) I got the pattern and plan on these being my “post-holiday” splurge and I’d love it if you’d join me!
Now for the good and the bad of reading this week:
I finished The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates and I loved it. The story is masterfully told as it weaves around the life of Hiram Walker.
I finished Benediction, the final book in the Plainsong Trilogy and loved it also – for very different reasons. The entire trilogy has just been a joy to read, purely for the joy of reading. The writing is straight forward and honest (as in, how most people talk every day). Yet it makes you think. There is good and bad – just how life is. And, yet despite that – life continues. I highly recommend this series!
Finally, I finished The Downstairs Girl which I found to be a bit of a disappointment. It had potential, but never really took off for me.
In the “I could not finish” category: Celine. I could not get into this story at all and gave up about a third of the way in.
And, that is what I have for today – now it is PIE time! I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
** Half an Object
by Kat | Nov 20, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Late November unraveling feels a bit frantic; do you agree?
I have a pair of socks I’d like to finish for a Christmas gift… this from the person who might just be the slowest sock knitter in the Northern Hemisphere. I don’t even have a HO (and that damned clock is ticking!) And these socks are knit on a bigger than usual needle and it is still slow going!
However, the Gnome has been started and I think the fiddliest bits are done (that three-pointed cap was a bitch, just sayin’) I am almost to the body decreases so the speed of knitting has picked up dramatically!
(And, my poor Evening Dew Cardigan has not seen much knitting time at all this week!)
But I do have a finished object!! Yes… it took a long time (I really can’t even remember when I started this hat – but it was a while ago) It has been languishing and fell into the out of sight, out of mind black hole. However, a bit of cleaning on Saturday and it resurfaced – and some attention on Saturday night, and a wee bit on Sunday and by Monday morning I was doing the decreases and now I have a blocked finished Sockhead Slouch Hat to keep Steve’s head warm!
His exuberance is overwhelming, no?
Books this week included Ann Cleeve’s sixth book in her Shetland series; Thin Air. I struggled to get into this series, but perseverance has paid off because this was my favorite one yet! 4-stars and I truly recommend this series!
I also finished Eventide, the second in Kent Haruf’s Plaintide trilogy. I loved it more than the first. I especially love how he has woven the stories of the people from Holt, CO together. If you are looking for a series that is the perfect thing for a “holiday read” look no further! I highly recommend (and Eventide got 5-stars!)
That is all I have for this week and if you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below!
by Kat | Nov 13, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers and Happy Wednesday!
I finished my Baby Velvet knitting binge with a bang – one final pint-sized cowl so Vivi can match her mom! (I think it might be a little big, but it will absolutely work!) Details for my modifications are here.
I got to the next part of the Evening Dew Cardigan! Yes, I have picked out the provisional cast on (which can I just say is not for the faint of heart when using mohair/silk laceweight yarn!) and have begun the front shoulder portion of the sweater! Woooo! Yes, it is minute progress… but progress!
I also am tossing the stash to cast on an Oh Gnome, You Didn’t and I am hoping I have some orange yarn somewhere…
Now, how about a wee reading update:
Finish Number One… Plainsong by Kent Haruf. Oh my, this is a lovely book. The writing is wonderful and the stories of the people living in Holt, Colorado draw you in. I listened to the audio version and I so enjoyed it. The narrator was very good, and I loved this book almost as much as Our Souls at Night. I recommend this 4-star book!
Next, I finished How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Another audio book, this one read by Kendi, was the perfect follow up to Just Mercy. Kendi invites you gently in and helps you unpack your thoughts, beliefs, and ideas – gently, directly – beautifully! He does not condemn the listener, he inspires you to be better, to change in positive ways, and to be a more active antiracist. 5-stars for this must-read book!
That is all I have for this week. What about you? Have you had any making successes this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share, please leave you link below and thank you!
by Kat | Nov 6, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
My “regularly scheduled knitting” has been preempted by some fast and furious gift knitting. That’s right, I have been doing some very “not me” knitting for my girls who love to get knitted gifts, yet often complain about woolen scratchiness. Nothing scratchy about these cowls – no sir! They are soft and cozy (although I am not sure how warm they will be….) Anyways, this is one super-fast knit! One done, and the second well underway! I had hoped to get more done yesterday, but we were pleasantly busy at the polls! My plans for today include an afternoon curled up on the sofa knitting! And, I expect to be back to the Morning Dew Cardigan later this week!
My reading was supercharged this week:
I finished Inland and while this was slow going to start, it finished wonderfully! The characters are well developed, the story full of just the right amount of whimsy, and the ending… oh my. It was really wonderful. 4-stars – this is a “western” that does not feel entirely like a western.
I also finished I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a White Made for Whiteness – this was a short but powerful novel. “This is partly what makes the fragility of whiteness so damned dangerous. It ignores the personhood of people of color, and instead makes the feelings of whiteness the most important thing.” In a year of trying to read books that open my eyes, change my viewpoint, and disassemble my white fragility – this book was like a Psalm – well-written, powerful, and so thought-provoking. 4-stars and I highly recommend.
Finally, I finished Book 6 in the Sandhamn Murders – In Harm’s Way. These are truly the most enjoyable little mysteries – and Sten leaves the door open for some new interesting character lines. 4-stars.
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
