Dear knitting, I miss you. I promise we will spending some time finishing projects together next week.
Dear pleasure reading, it was fantastic to stay up all night with you. We haven't done that for awhile. Unfortunately, now I am exhausted. I think you are interfering with my non-pleasure reading. I don't think we can see each other for awhile.
Dear gym, you are the only thing that I enjoy that I will be doing this week. I hope you realize how much I've changed.
Dear cats, thank you for sitting on my lap and making me feel loved.
Dear phone, I am putting you on silent this week. I hope you understand.
Dear apartment, I'm afraid you are going to get quite messy. Don't worry, when I really want to procrastinate, we will have a date with the vacuum.
Dear Ravelry, I will miss our morning coffee chats. I hope you can wait until summer to resume them.
Dear friends, you're still my friends, right? How about that dinner we've been trying to plan for a month now two weeks from today?
Dear blog readers, if you haven't guessed, it's finals time. I'll see you in a week or two.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Good Book, Bad Book
Today I have a good book and a bad book to share with you. Bad book first? Good idea.
My "bad" book today is How to be Good by Nick Hornby. It is very sad that I have to give this book such a bad review, because it started out with such promise. The first few chapters were hilarious. I loved Hornby's wit and clever way of saying things. I had such high hopes, and then.... it just got stupid. The thing I do not like about "smart" books is that authors often confuse depressing with deep. That is what happened here. By the middle of the book, I just wanted to smack all of the characters across the face and tell them to stop being (pardon my colloquialism) tools. I ended that no matter what you do, life is going to suck, the same feeling I had when I watched the terrible The Family Man. Unless you like hopelessness, I do not recommend this book.
Do not worry, I am not going to leave you with bad news. I absolutely LOVED my second book, The Professor and the Madman, by Simon Winchester. It is the story of one of the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary and one of its major contributors, who just happens to be locked up in a "lunatic asylum". Besides the compelling stories, one of the things that I liked most was how the story of words and the English language were woven into the book. I love words and language. One of my friends jokes that the best way that a guy could hit on me would be to show off his extensive vocabulary. That's exactly what Winchester does. The book is so well written that I forgot that I do not like non-fiction books. If you are a language buff or someone who likes to know the history of items that are deeply entrenched in our culture, I highly recommend The Professor and the Madman.
Images from Amazon, here and here.
My "bad" book today is How to be Good by Nick Hornby. It is very sad that I have to give this book such a bad review, because it started out with such promise. The first few chapters were hilarious. I loved Hornby's wit and clever way of saying things. I had such high hopes, and then.... it just got stupid. The thing I do not like about "smart" books is that authors often confuse depressing with deep. That is what happened here. By the middle of the book, I just wanted to smack all of the characters across the face and tell them to stop being (pardon my colloquialism) tools. I ended that no matter what you do, life is going to suck, the same feeling I had when I watched the terrible The Family Man. Unless you like hopelessness, I do not recommend this book.
Do not worry, I am not going to leave you with bad news. I absolutely LOVED my second book, The Professor and the Madman, by Simon Winchester. It is the story of one of the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary and one of its major contributors, who just happens to be locked up in a "lunatic asylum". Besides the compelling stories, one of the things that I liked most was how the story of words and the English language were woven into the book. I love words and language. One of my friends jokes that the best way that a guy could hit on me would be to show off his extensive vocabulary. That's exactly what Winchester does. The book is so well written that I forgot that I do not like non-fiction books. If you are a language buff or someone who likes to know the history of items that are deeply entrenched in our culture, I highly recommend The Professor and the Madman.
Images from Amazon, here and here.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Lisel, Take 2
I am totally in love with this sweater! It is the perfect length, and warm without being too warm.
Pattern: Liesl by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Hengyuanxiang
Needle: size 11 circular
Date Started: September 30, 2009
Date Finished: April 8, 2010
Comments: My stepmother brought me this yarn from China. I wanted to make something special out of it, but I did not think I had enough for a full sweater. I saw Liesl and knew it would be perfect. I only had a few yards of yarn left over when I finished. This sweater was a long time coming. I got burnt out from the pattern for awhile when I was also making my other Liesl. Then I knit the sleeve inside out when I was distracted during finals. I put it aside again for awhile until I finally decided (on a 80 degree day) that it was time to finish it. I had the perfect buttons in my mind, but apparently I made them up because they were not in my stash. I think these are an ok substitute. I backed them with another button for stability, a trick I learned from the High Fiber Diet podcast. I only made minor modifications to the pattern, adding a few rows of garter stitch to the bottom of the sleeves and body. The unintentional modification is that I messed up the pattern around the waist. I like to think of it as a belt. Not sure if I'll be frogging and fixing it or not.
Pattern: Liesl by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Hengyuanxiang
Needle: size 11 circular
Date Started: September 30, 2009
Date Finished: April 8, 2010
Comments: My stepmother brought me this yarn from China. I wanted to make something special out of it, but I did not think I had enough for a full sweater. I saw Liesl and knew it would be perfect. I only had a few yards of yarn left over when I finished. This sweater was a long time coming. I got burnt out from the pattern for awhile when I was also making my other Liesl. Then I knit the sleeve inside out when I was distracted during finals. I put it aside again for awhile until I finally decided (on a 80 degree day) that it was time to finish it. I had the perfect buttons in my mind, but apparently I made them up because they were not in my stash. I think these are an ok substitute. I backed them with another button for stability, a trick I learned from the High Fiber Diet podcast. I only made minor modifications to the pattern, adding a few rows of garter stitch to the bottom of the sleeves and body. The unintentional modification is that I messed up the pattern around the waist. I like to think of it as a belt. Not sure if I'll be frogging and fixing it or not.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Abrazo
I do not usually cast on patterns as soon as they are released, but when I saw the new Twist Collective, I knew I had to make Abrazo. I had the perfect yarn too, a special skein of Wollmeise I managed to score in a Loopy Ewe sneak up.
Pattern: Abrazo by Susanna ICYarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle 80/20 Twin
Needle: size 8 circular
Date Started: April 2, 2010
Date Finished: April 7, 2010
Comments: I loved the unique construction of this shawl. It starts with the lace and then creates the semi-circular shape with short rows. I agree with the designer that this shape stays on your shoulders a million different ways without a shawl pin. The pattern was easy to follow, although I had a difficult time "seeing" the lace. I cannot wait to wear it this summer with cute sundresses. Working with the Wollmeise was nice, but I have to admit that I do not see what all the hype is about. I agree that the color is fantastic (the pictures do not do it justice), but it's not the softest sock yarn, nor is it very forgiving in terms of slight changes in tension. I'm glad I tried it, and if I happened upon some I would buy more, but I will not be sitting around F5ing The Loopy Ewe for it. How about a detail shot?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
What I've Been Reading
No, I have not given up on reading or the author project. I have just been reading books from authors with letters I already have or that I already know and love. I will share two today and two more later this week. I finished the first book last week and I think it will be the last one for awhile. I have a ton of papers, exams, and presentations to finish up the semester, so my reading (and knitting) will be slowing down until May.
The first book is Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. I heard about this author from Kelley Petkun on the Knit Picks Podcast. Kelley has raved about this series featuring the delightful Amelia Peabody so many times that I decided it was time to give it a try. I was not disappointed. Amelia is a sassy, independent woman with a great sense of adventure and a desire to solve everyone's problems. She reminds me of Mrs. Pollifax (created by Dorothy Gilman). This is the first book in the series, and one of my goals this summer is to read as many of these books I can, in chronological order.
The second book I want to share today is The Testament by John Grisham. This is classic Grisham, but with a little more back story and a little less legal intrigue. If you like Grisham, I think you will like this book. What I found interesting were the religious undertones. I happened to read this book after I had a similar conversation with a family member, and it gave me a lot to think about. I do not know if it is possible to have a favorite Grisham book, but this is one of mine. At least until I read the next one.
Photos are from Amazon, here and here.
The first book is Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. I heard about this author from Kelley Petkun on the Knit Picks Podcast. Kelley has raved about this series featuring the delightful Amelia Peabody so many times that I decided it was time to give it a try. I was not disappointed. Amelia is a sassy, independent woman with a great sense of adventure and a desire to solve everyone's problems. She reminds me of Mrs. Pollifax (created by Dorothy Gilman). This is the first book in the series, and one of my goals this summer is to read as many of these books I can, in chronological order.
The second book I want to share today is The Testament by John Grisham. This is classic Grisham, but with a little more back story and a little less legal intrigue. If you like Grisham, I think you will like this book. What I found interesting were the religious undertones. I happened to read this book after I had a similar conversation with a family member, and it gave me a lot to think about. I do not know if it is possible to have a favorite Grisham book, but this is one of mine. At least until I read the next one.
Photos are from Amazon, here and here.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Sneak Peak
Abrazo is still blocking, but I thought you might like a sneak peak of its Wollmeise goodness.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Finishing Kick
I've finished two projects in the last two days, yay! Yesterday it was Abrazo, the scarf from the new Twist Collective. Tonight I finally finished my second Liesl that I started back in September. The Abrazo needs a good blocking and the Liesl needs buttons, but after that, I'll have some fun projects to show you.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Seraphim Shawl
It's done and I'm in love.
I attempted to make a smaller size, but while it is smaller than the pattern called for, at 31" x 61" it is no shawlette. Still I think it will be nice and warm in the winter or perfect to dress up a black dress for a more formal occasion. This was the first time I got to use the blocking wires my father gave me for Christmas. I think I need more practice, but I love how much more even the edges are than when I blocked just with pins.
Pattern: Seraphim Shawl by Miriam L. Felton
Yarn: Lotus Yarns Chakra in Rita
Needle: size 6 circular
Date Started: January 20, 2010
Date Finished: March 8, 2010
Comments: Maybe you remember that in the middle of this project I ran out of yarn. The dyer was really helpful and sent me another skein. I think I have enough left over for some fingerless mitts. The base is my favorite blend- merino, cashmere, nylon- it's so soft. I love how the colors do not overpower the lace too much and the way that the lace pattern blends into the stockinette.
I attempted to make a smaller size, but while it is smaller than the pattern called for, at 31" x 61" it is no shawlette. Still I think it will be nice and warm in the winter or perfect to dress up a black dress for a more formal occasion. This was the first time I got to use the blocking wires my father gave me for Christmas. I think I need more practice, but I love how much more even the edges are than when I blocked just with pins.
Pattern: Seraphim Shawl by Miriam L. Felton
Yarn: Lotus Yarns Chakra in Rita
Needle: size 6 circular
Date Started: January 20, 2010
Date Finished: March 8, 2010
Comments: Maybe you remember that in the middle of this project I ran out of yarn. The dyer was really helpful and sent me another skein. I think I have enough left over for some fingerless mitts. The base is my favorite blend- merino, cashmere, nylon- it's so soft. I love how the colors do not overpower the lace too much and the way that the lace pattern blends into the stockinette.
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