Yarn Along - June 8

Joining Ginny this week with a newer project! This is meant to be a summer scarf. You know how it is - you love to knit, but what can you wear in the summertime to show off your knitting skills? I have splurged a little on some new clothes, and actually put together some outfits instead of just buying odds and ends and hoping they work out. This scarf is meant to be an accent to one of the new outfits, although if it turns out as pretty as I think it will, I'll probably wear it often.

The yarn is Malabrigo Lace, a gift from my friend Donna. The pattern is Leaf Lace Scarf by Cayli Malone. I did fewer stitch repeats because I wanted a narrower scarf, and I know it will end up even bigger after blocking. Not really too concerned with the length - will most likely just knit until I run out. I'm using the yarn doubled, because it looked too open and sloppy with just one strand.

My book right now is Dawn O'Hara, which is Edna Ferber's first novel, from 1911. In case you aren't aware, Edna wrote many novels, some of which were later made into famous plays and films, including Show Boat, So Big, and Cimmaron. Although born in Michigan, and later a member of the Algonquin Round Table, she grew up and got her start in Wisconsin, so I've always been interested in her writing as a "local" author. One of her more well known quotes that comes from this novel: "Being an old maid is like death by drowning, a really delightful sensation after you cease to struggle." I'm enjoying this book so - so far it's a good summer read.

Yarn Along - March 19, 2014

This is one reason why it’s taking me so long to finish those brown socks I showed last week – I keep starting new projects!

I made this little soap sack over the weekend. It’s a little pattern I made up, and the yarn, or crochet thread really, is Katia Jaipur. I picked up an oddball at the yarn store, thinking I would use it in some catnip toys, and I have, but it works very well for this purpose too. I’m such a sucker for rainbow colors!

And although I don’t like to do this, I’m reading two books now instead of just one. I had reserved “How to Be a Woman” by Caitlin Moran through the library, so once it arrived, I had to get going on it. I’m alternating evenings with “These Rich Years” and let me tell you – two books could not be more diametrically opposed!

These Rich Years was written in the 1960s, and is a very accurate reflection of the time period and of the age of the authors writing it. How to Be a Woman is current day non-fiction, so it reflects current day morals and also the age of the author writing it. There are descriptions in both books which make me cringe a little, and that makes me wonder – if I’m not satisfied with the feminine role of 40 years ago, or the ultra-feminist role of the present, where then, do I want to be? I’m not sure I have an answer, and I probably would not even think about it had I read each of these books at different times.

In the end I just go back to my knitting, and hug a cat and try not to think about it too much. And start another project…and yarn along with Ginny...