My Marsa Alam is moving right along! I have passed the sleeve divide and now it is just “mindless knitting” which makes it the perfect companion for all the meetings I have this week! This is the first pattern I have every done that utilizes seamless set in sleeves and I am truly wowed by the ingenuity of the design! I was worried about how it would all come together, but I followed the pattern and voilà at the end of the increases you have this genius sweater start! I am not doing the body shaping (and no stripes, obviously!!) so I expect this now “mindless” knit to move right along!
I have exactly zero sweaters in my wardrobe this color and I think it will be a welcome addition and look how nicely it will go with my new Willow Top! I am in love with this pattern and I have completed a Willow Dress as well, which I hope to share photos of later this week! If you are a brand new sewist or have been sewing a long time – this pattern is wonderful! It is easy but has really lovely details and the fit is fabulous!
Now, how about some reading? Which, honestly, has not been all that great this week.
I finished three books:
The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. Oh boy. I wish I had some good things to say about this book, but sadly I think the entire premise did not work for me. This is not anywhere near the caliber of The Goldfinch or The Secret History – both of which I really loved. This story does not work for me in a number of ways. It seemed rather convoluted and, for me, fell into the “not believable” realm. And, it was a LONG listen – it just seemed to be never-ending! And, when I got to the end – it felt rather rushed (which is odd after more than 20 hours of listening!) I originally gave this book 3-stars but have since downgraded my review to 2-stars and I sadly do not recommend.
Look Alive Out There by Sloane Crosley. I do not remember where I saw this book, but wow – I wish I hadn’t! This really fell flat for me and the thing I kept thinking about while listening was she is no David Sedaris. At.All! I don’t know whether I am too old to get her humor, or she is just really not funny at all – in fact for me she just screamed “I am the epitome of white privilege and I know it!” and in all the bad ways. She makes doing mundane housework feel like the drudgery it is – fortunately the torture was short. 1-star and I do not recommend.
I also finished reading Robert Bryndza’s third Detective Erika Foster novel – Dark Water. This was a quick read with quirky Erika Foster. There is more character development in this story, and it is a page turner! Bryndza leads you down some twists and turns before you figure out “who did it” and I changed my mind numerous times throughout the novel before he unrolls the ending in a dramatic way! 4-stars and I can’t wait for the next book to be available – I am on a not too long waitlist for it with the library!
That is all I have for this week, and as always:
Thank you for your participation!
Your Willow top fabric is just beautiful and so is your matching Marsa Alam! I’m looking forward to seeing your Willow dress. Sorry your reading wasn’t better this week, but next week can only get better!
Your sweater and Willow Top are PERFECT together!! Can’t wait to see the dress too. Sorry it was a bad week for reading (I’m surprised you finished the first two!!).
Love how your sweater is progressing! I too am a fan of seamless set-in sleeves. It’s kind of magical how they come together!
I love the color of your new sweater! It looks great, Kat. (As does the Willow top. I’ve sewn a few of those, and it is a great design.) Sometimes books just don’t work for us. . . reading ebbs and flows. XO
(I didn’t like The Little Friend, either. But then, I wasn’t a huge fan of either The Goldfinch or Secret History either.) (Although I liked them better than Little Friend.) (I’ve decided Donna Tartt is just . . . not my author.)
The sweater is looking great and it will be a perfect color for spring, especially with your Willow Top. I remember loving The Little Friend but I don’t remember why or what it was about, even! They can’t all be winners, I guess.
I agree, the sweater color and the Willow top are great together. Knitting along with mindless action is ok, to daydream and make lists in your head, or just watch nature – do you knit outside?
Books have just not clicked for me lately, . . you know how it goes. Feast or famine.
Very cute top and lovely beginning of your sweater!!!
Oh, man, that sweater — and the color — are great! I can see that going with so many things. I’m finally listening to a book again! 🙂
Thank you for introducing me to the Marsa Alam pattern! It solves a problem I have been pondering for — literally! — years. Your MA is lovely. That color is a favorite of mine.
Also, the InLinkz thingy is not working. There are four linked blogs over there, including mine, but none are appearing here. Not sure what you can do about that, but I thought you should know.
Ooh! Love the shoulder/sleeve cap. Can’t wait to try out the method. Thanks for the introduction! And your sweater is gorgeous. LOVE the color!
I’m loving the one piece, no-seam, inset shoulder construction. Discovering more modern designers using this method. Would like to try the contiguous method, which apparently goes back to Barbara Walker. Who knew?!
As always, I appreciate your book reviews.
I did not like The Little Friend either. And I think I know not to even start The Goldfinch…just wayyyy too big for me to potentially not like! I did just finish TransAtlantic though (you brought it back to my mind…) and I liked it enough but not as much as you did! 🙂 Your sweater will be great!
I am in love with your Marsa Alam sans stripes – can’t wait to make one for myself! and woot! for the Willow Top (love that fabric). I have another Willow Dress in my near future … it’s a great pattern. sorry about the lackluster books … hope you’re enjoying some great podcasts now!
Ditto all the accolades for the sweater + top – they do go so well together. Mindless knitting is great knitting practice (for me)…intrigued by both your and Mary’s Marsa Alam. Good that you decided to abandon a book or two…the world’s filled with books that are very good reads – no sense in wasting one’s time on a bomb!
Cheers~
I agree – the top and the sweater are made for each other and well made! Sometimes books just need to be left behind. Life is too short. On to the next and I hope it is more to your liking.
It’s possible you saw Sloane’s book on my blog. I read and enjoyed the first essay (noisy neighbors and city living) back around Christmas, but I haven’t circled back to any of the other stories to be able to weigh in. Sorry it fell so flat for you.
beautiful sweater and I adore the shoulder shaping!! (makes me want to cast on another sweater but I’m resisting or I will never get my own sweater finished…)