The making this week… so very good! I have a finished sweater! Woo hoo! And I love it. The fit, the details, the yarn, the marl-y-ness! It is just the Perfect Sweater! This is the pattern. This is the yarn (my colors are Escoria and Nightshade) I apologize for Porch Pictures… but it rained all day yesterday so there was no chance of getting any photos of me wearing the sweater… but I promise you that I have barely taken it off since finishing it!
I told myself that when I finished Calamus, I would pick up – in earnest – my Pheasant Pullover and I have. I have made some serious headway on the body and have about an inch to go… then I will try it on and see how the length is. If it is okay, a couple of inches of ribbing and then I will set off for Sleeve Island! Or maybe I will put the body on pause and knit the sleeves and then use the remainder of the yarn to knit a tunic-y sweater. Really, I am seriously considering it! But either way with just a bit of focused knitting and this will be a finished sweater with plenty of time for lots of fall wearing!
I also did a bit of sweater swatching….for a warm fall days sweater and a warmer sweater for cooler days…yes two sweaters from the same pattern! I started the warm fall days version… and yes, it is the remainder of my cone of Tides in the Escoria color way, but no marling this time! The warmer sweater will be knit from HolstGarn Supersoft which will create the loveliest warm layer! I love the puzzle-y start to this sweater… and soon I will be picking up and knitting the front shoulders! I think the lace panel makes it so pretty and breaks up the miles of stockinette knitting a bit!
The reading this week… so stinking good! Any week with More Lucy Barton is a good week! If you have sworn off Pandemic Books or if you have said I won’t read any Pandemic Books… you might want to reconsider and settle in with Lucy by the Sea!
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had sworn off any more Pandemic Novels… but perhaps this is the ONLY Pandemic Novel one should read. Honestly, skip all the others and settle in with Lucy as together, you begin to make sense of what we have/are living through.
We are all in lockdown, all the time. We just don’t know it, that’s all. But we do the best we can. Most of us are just trying to get through.
This story begins at the very beginning of the pandemic when William whisks Lucy away from NYC to settle into a home on the coast of Maine. I found myself at times in agreement with William and at other times in sync with Lucy. But really, what this story all boils down to is how people deal with isolation, loneliness, the uncertainty of an illness that has killed far too many people… and in those trying circumstances… how can we maintain our humanity? It is also about relationships… especially how the bonds of friendship are exactly what we need to get through challenging days/weeks/months/years.
To say I loved this book is an understatement… I highly recommend!
I would like to thank Netgalley and the Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of this e-book.
There you have my making and reading for the week. What is filling your days?
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All the sweaters and they all look great! And more good news that you spent time with Lucy Barton and it rained all day yesterday. It only rained here for about an hour but I’ll take it.
Oh my! Your sweater (Calamus) is gorgeous Kat. And, I had forgotten all about the Pheasant sweater (love that pattern so much). The new one from Isabel Kraemer looks like a lot of fun too. I know I am in the minority, but I cannot get into Elizabeth Strout’s books. I want to, but I can’t seem to be able to. I did read Olive Kitteridge but haven’t gotten into anything else I tried. Perhaps I will try giving one a listen and see if that makes a difference.
That is a GORGEOUS sweater, Kat. Perfection. It reminds me (a little) of the Weekender, but with a nicer neckline. (Did you do 3/4 sleeves? Or did you lengthen them? I just . . . don’t care for 3/4 length for me.) And I’m eager to read Lucy By the Sea. I’m always up for some Elizabeth Strout. 🙂
The sweater looks fantastic — even though you’re not modeling it, I can easily picture you in it, and I predict it will be getting lots of regular wear this fall and winter!
I just got approved for Lucy by the Sea for NetGalley last night, so with any luck, I’ll be starting it today!
stunning finish! The thing I like most of the wools/patterns you choose is that it is a timeless garment and it can get years of wear!! Lovely 🙂
That sweater is fabulous! I hope we can get a photo of you wearing it once the opportunity presents itself. I adored Lucy By the Sea, leave it to Elizabeth Strout to write a novel about the pandemic that made me feel understood.
Love that jumper with the centre pattern. We need a photo of you wearing it. Too warm for jumpers just yet here, but think we’ll all be in winter woollies this year. The book sounds great.
Lucky you, with your ARC!!! I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a library copy. (Trying to get used to the new hold system here. It’s strange–you can’t place a hold on a book that’s on order. Have to wait til it’s received and processed. Ugh! Not used to that. Too much babysitting of the card catalog. Sigh.)
Anyway–that sweater! It’s exactly what I need more of in my wardrobe. I’ll bet it looks fantastic on you. And I love how you’ve styled it here with that nice tee under it. (Looks so soft.) I have two requests for kids’ sweaters ahead, though. (First up is a cardigan for Elsa, after she spotted a terribly poorly made one in a big box store yesterday.)
Your Calamus sweater turned out beautiful! I like the lacy one you linked to too.
I often knit the sleeves of a sweater first when I have a decent length and than see how far my yarn will get me. It’s fun and it gets the most out of the yarn. My last sweater got to dress length that way (it was thrifted yarn and I had no clue if it was enough for a sweater when I started).
Your finished sweater looks great – and I love the colorwork happening in your Pheasant. also love all the rave reviews for the new Lucy – I’m all in for a 5-star read (even with the pandemic setting)!
Your sweater is beautiful! After reading your review, I am really looking forward to reading the new Lucy book!
The Calamus sweater looks great. I love the marled yarns and the pattern. I’m glad some places are getting rain. It’s scary dry here. I look forward to the new Strout book.