Tag: books

Yarnalong: Lotta, Traigh, and The Sheep Stell

2018-08-01 13.51.52.jpg

Knitting: What am I not knitting might be the more operative question!  My knitting time has been very scattered among many projects recently, but here are two: my Lotta, which I have only been working on at knit night or in other social situations (chatting’s a great distraction from endless stockinette!) but is nevertheless growing, and Traigh, a lovely new shawl from Kate Davies.  I haven’t worked on it in nearly a week (sniff) and can’t wait to get back to it as I am really enjoying the yarn and pattern.

Reading: The Sheep Stell by Janet White (Not Jenny Deski as previously stated — she who wrote a blurb on the cover — sorry about that!) I think I might have already posted about this book … I started it right before I left for the States, but then put it down to read Kate Atkinson’s Behind the Scenes at the Museum which I absolutely adored (on many of your recommendations, I’ve now also procured Case Studies) I’m not far enough in to say much other than I love Diski’s straightforward prose — I think I’m really going to enjoy this memoir.  The cover art also makes me unreasonably happy.

Check out what everyone is up to at the original Yarnalong post!

I’ll be back tomorrow with a teeny bit of sock talk and then later this week with some plans for August … but for now, my dissertation is calling and I better answer! Only a few weeks to go til submission!

xo K

Yarnalong: Lotta + Behind the Scenes at the Museum

2018-07-04 12.03.10

Hi there! Just a quick post today as I’m still traveling, but I’m so excited about the book I’m reading that I didn’t want to miss this month’s Yarnalong!

Knitting: My Lotta Dress from the most recent issue of Laine is coming along … I’ve been working on it as and when while I’ve been traveling, and have just divided for the sleeves.  As soon as I finish this clever horizontal detailing on the body, it’s just miles of stockinette …. perfect for working on while catching up with friends the rest of this week and for my flight back to the UK next Monday!  I’m loving knitting with the toothy and tactile Tukuwool sock — I see more projects with it in my future. But I’m missing knitting along on it with my lovely mom since I left last Friday.

Reading: Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson.  I’ve been in such a reading funk lately … I have had such a hard time picking up a book and staying with it.  I started BTSATM on my trip, though, as I’m reading it for a book club, and I adore it.   The first person narrative grabbed me right away, it’s chronology jumps around in a way that’s fun and not gimmick-y or confusing, and I love the richly textured picture it paints of a family’s life in post WW2 Yorkshire.  I’m not all that far in, but so far, so good!

Head on over to the original Yarnalong post to see what knitters and readers all around the world are up to! What are you reading and knitting this week?

Yarnalong: Galentine’s Edition

Hi friends, and happy Wednesday!

Did you know Yarn Along is back?  That’s right, in January, Ginny announced the return of Yarnalong, in a monthly format — she posts the first Wednesday of every month.  Obviously, today is not the first Wednesday of February (apparently, this month I’ll be doing everything one week late) but in the spirit of getting back to normal blogging, I figured better late than never.

2018-02-13 13.56.45.jpg

Knitting: For me, it’s been all sweater knitting, all the time of late. My EYF Stasis is so close to being done, I can almost taste it.  I also started a Carbeth sweater last week, and that’s been flying off the needles in bulky yarn.  In fact, I thought I’d have both of these jumpers finished Monday or Tuesday, but a case of the flu has slowed me down a bit (hence those cough drops).  I’m happy to report that, in the end, it seems I’ll have plenty of yarn to finish my Stasis (I had been a bit worried at the beginning).  Carbeth, on the other hand, is another story … I’m just shy of the neckline and have run out of yarn! I think my lovely mom is going to come to the rescue though, and send me a ball or two as she has some in stash (thanks Mom!)

Reading: Completely by chance, my books this week seem particularly apt given it’s Galentine’s Day.

I’ve just finished up Mary Beard’s Women and Power.  It was a very quick (like read in two sittings) and cogent read.  It’s based on lectures Beard gave, and I like that the book has maintained the conversational tone of a talk given by someone at the top of their game.  There are issues surrounding women, power, race, and class that I think could have been given a bit more space, but on the whole, Beard gives us a good reminder to think about how authority remains gendered in the modern world.  Who do we think sounds authoritative? Who do we think looks authoritative and why?  For me, there was nothing particularly revelatory, but it was good food for thought, and Beard does of course an excellent job of tracing back some of women’s disempowerment in the public sphere to the classical era.  I do recommend giving it a read!

I’m also slowly making my way through Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear.  I learned a bit about Potter’s life in and love of the Lakes District (not far from where I now live) when I read James Rebanks’s A Shepherd’s Life.  Ever since we moved here, I wanted to learn more about her life. I’m still not too far into the book (Beatrix is just reaching adulthood), but so far I’m really enjoying reading about Potter and her love of art and nature.  It’s also got me thinking a lot about how historians write successful biographies.  So far, so good!

What are you reading and knitting this week?  Head over to the original Yarnalong to see what people around the world are up to this month.

Unraveled: Baby Poncho and Love of Country

After the short novel I wrote yesterday, I promise this is just a quick pop in to join up with Unraveled, which I’d like to be back in the habit of doing each week!

This week is all about clearing the deck — both in terms of knitting and the house, to get ready to start some big (knitting) projects and settling into a more normal routine in a mostly put together new place.  My Wood Warbler is happily finished and got some wear this weekend — hopefully I’ll get some pictures of it soon! My Bousta Beanie’s drying on the window sill as we speak.  I’m on the home stretch of a baby poncho, pictured below, knit in some vintage stash Madelinetosh DK yarn, which is destined for a dear friend in Montreal whose due to have a little one arriving this October. I thought the colorway was perfect for a little pumpkin baby!

2017-09-27 13.03.51.jpg

Once this is done, I’ll feel full license to start some new projects this weekend — my hands are itching for some new things to knit.  I may have already started swatching for one project, which I’m really excited to tell you about soon!

I’ve also really been enjoying Madeline Bunting’s Love of Country.  It’s a wonderful mix of travel writing and history, and it’s definitely whetting my appetite for a visit to the Outer Hebrides!

What WIPs are you working on this week?  Trying to finish any projects by the end of September??