Well, I recorded the podcast yesterday, but it didn’t record any sound. I don’t think I have time to rerecord today, so I’m going to post this as a blog post. Sorry folks! I’ll try to get up some screen shots from the episode so you can see my projects. I will record again next week.
Today’s segments include: drafting, fully drafted, lit review, five favorite things, and noteworthy.
Drafting:
Fish Lips Kiss Heel in Friday Studios colorway Vampire Bill on size 1/2.25mm hiya hiya sharps.
Quaker yarn stretcher boomerang by Susan Ashcroft in Fibernymph dyeworks sunshine colorway Kaleidescope on size 6/4.0mm signature circular.
Into the Whirled BFL/silk blend colorway Sansa.
Fully Drafted:
Fish Lips Kiss Heel socks in Into the Whirled Pakkoku sock colorway Bigger on the Inside on size 1/2.25mm Hiya Hiya sharps.
Leila, Lydia & Lucas the Mamma and Baby Monsters by Rebecca Danger in Another Crafty Girl Merino Worsted colorway Swedish Chef on size 5/3.75mm Kollage square circular and size 4/3.5mm signature dpns.
Lit Review: I’m just going to focus on the 3 books I listened to while moving. I have a few other books I’ve read recently, and I’ll review them in a future episode.
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
This is a really interesting and beautifully written story. I loved the characters. The Golem is a Jewish monster created through mysticism, but by making the Golem a woman who was created to become a wife, there is an instant tension over whether or not she’s the real monster. Her friendship with the Jinni is complicated, and all of the other characters in the book are tied into their lives in interesting and surprising ways. The novel takes place in New York before the turn of the century, which is one of my favorite historical periods as it is slightly before my family immigrated to the U.S. I like to think about the parallels to my great grandparents when I read stories like this. A wonderful book of magical realism, definitely worth a read. And of course, the Chava the Golem works in a bakery that is patronized by women in handknit shawls. Every book is still about knitting.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
I enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the very beginning, and I never balked at the length of this book. It was a great motivation to keep fixing up my house so I could move into it. I listened to the audio, and it helped me get through that process.
Most of Theo’s life is pretty mundane–he is a passive, depressed, kind of flat guy. But then there are the extraordinary things that happen to him, and there are the odd and fantastic people in his life. I couldn’t help but root for him. He always hurt himself more than anyone else.
This is a book I enjoyed beginning to end. It doesn’t happen that often. I’m glad I found the time to listen to it. As for knitting references, I can’t remember offhand, but I know that Theo’s friend’s mother Mrs. Barbour, who Theo lives with after his mom dies, does some embroidery towards the end of the book.
Gulp by Mary Roach
This book has made me excited to read more Mary Roach. She has a humorous approach to bodily functions, and though I felt I was learning a lot, it was fun in the process. She talked about a lot of cultural taboos, which was awesome. I am going to think about how a book like this could be included in my medical writing course.
I may have more to say about this book when we talk about it at book club later this month.
Five Favorite Things:
1. Into the Whirled, I’m in the classic fiber club now! The first shipment came late July.
2. Desert Vista Dyeworks Zombody loves the knitgirllls. I wasn’t able to make it to SSK this year, so it was nice to pick up this colorway.
3. Craftsy–I just bought a bunch of new classes, including the Foundations of Spinning class with Amy King. I watched the first 2 parts of the class last night, and it is awesome. She talked about parts of wheels and fiber, things that I sort of already knew, but the tips and things she says about wheels and fiber really helped me understand spinning a little better. In lesson 3, she sits at the wheel for the first time, and it’s interesting that she starts by talking about wheels and fiber rather than taking us to the wheel off the bat. I am looking forward to finishing the class.
4. The public library–I didn’t really think about borrowing Kindle books from the library until recently. I borrowed my first kindle book this week, World War Z. First of all, I love the book so far. Second of all, it was free, and it looks exactly the same as any other kindle book I’d read. Awesome. They have audiobooks too, so I’ll have to start considering that.
5. Sockdown in Sock Knitter’s Anonymous–so it was recently announced that this is the last tournament of Nerd Wars. I am pretty bummed about it, since I really enjoy participating, but there was a post in the group about other knitalongs you could participate in. There is a new Nerdopolis group that I will participate in, but the last suggestion they had was Sock Knitter’s Anonymous. It’s been a couple years since I did sockdown, but I always loved it, so my personal yarn club this year is going to be to knit a pair of Cookie A socks that fulfill the sockdown challenge each month. I queued and tagged all my choices yesterday if you want to take a look. I’m going to pick the yarns one month at a time.
Noteworthy:
I’ve been way behind in getting prizes out. My hope is to get them out by the end of this week.
July drawing
August yarn
Events: Huntingdon FiberArts Fest, Knitter’s Day Out, Rhinebeck.