Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Yarn Along :: Leftie ::




Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?  -Yarning along with Ginny

The Leftie has finally crawled off my needles. If anyone remembers, last week I was talking about playing chicken with what was left of my itty bitty ball of yarn. 
Well, I lost at that game.
There wasn't enough to do a final repeat, so I ended up having to rip back to the last red leaf and binding off there. And the real kicker was that only had a eeensy weensy bit of red left to do it with. But alas, it was done, with about 8 inches to spare. Horray!

I haven't started any large projects since completing this, but I'm finishing up a few little Lotte sweaters for the fall. Nothing fancy, just plain Jane cozy. I'm still itching to find the perfect "larger" project. I think I may have fallen in love with fingering weight, something that I never thought would happen.

I'm sad to report that my reading hasn't been up to snuff this week. I've dug my way through some more of "the Beauty of Humanity Movement" and I've really enjoyed it so far.
And-each time I've picked it up, it's left me craving
phở (traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup, which is pronounced feu-like fire is pronounced in french), so I might have to make some this week.

What have you been knitting? Or making? Or reading?
xo

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Yarning Along...Out Back


~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now?


I'm blogging from the back yard today, as it's gorgeous outside and this temperature shouldn't be missed.  We've had beautiful weather these last few days.
Not too hot, but warm enough that the tomatoes are happy and thriving. (Which is really all that matters...right?)

Things feel a little bit southern out here-Zeke is practicing the slide guitar, glasses are filled with iced tea, and a plate of piping hot fried zucchini is sitting in the middle our picnic blanket, cooling just enough that we can devour them comfortably.

I'm working on my Leftie, and I'm at that point where I get to play a little bit of *chicken* with whats left of my yarn. Is it enough to finish another repeat? Do i knit on, and risk running out and having to rip back? Or do i just rip back now to the end of the last repeat and kind off? I love this kind of dilemma, and it might be sad to admit, but it makes me as pleased as pie.

I just finished reading 'The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow', and i think i can sincerely say that its one of the best books that I've ever read. It reads like a real, heartfelt, deep and fascinating tale.

It was a book that didn't have me on the edge of my seat, but i still couldn't put it down.
Set in the Fifties, in New Orleans, the scenery alone was enough to keep me captivated. The actual story line was absolutely beautiful though, and the characters were believably human, peppered with flaw, love, and haunting remorse.


Its going to be difficult to find another book to follow in its footsteps, but the first few chapters of "The Beauty of Humanity Movement" by Camilla Gibb have shown a lot of promise! It's set in Vietnam, and loaded with sweet historic and cultural tidbits, which is right up my alley.

The Zucchini is cooled off now, off to get some before I miss out!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Yarn Along...Downton Cowl

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?



I've put aside my sock for a few days to work on the "Downton Cowl"-something that I signed up for as a Downton Abbey knit along over at Luvin The Mommyhood.
I messed up the lace pattern in the second row and had to rip back a few rows and start over. I'm terrible at counting while the kids are trying to talk to me, or if there are any shenanigans going on around our house. (It's safe to say that there usually are.)
Once I got it ripped back and got the first set of pattern work done, I found it much easier to figure out where I was in the pattern if I was interrupted. And not near as much counting now because I can just see where I am, what I've just done and what needs done next without looking at the pattern chart.

This is my first project using Madelinetosh wool. I'm not sure that there's any going back after this, knitting with Madelinetosh is pure luxury!
I'm a bit confused because the woman who owns the yarn store where I bought this wool told me that i'm knitting wrong and that my stitches are going to come out twisted. (Because I knit continental, she said I should be knitting through the back loops?)
It bothered me a bit-and it took a bit of motivation to start again. I didn't want to continue if I was doing it *wrong*...but at the same time what i'm doing feels right, and ends up looking the way it's supposed to. 

I've watched quite a few knitting videos on youtube and I don't think doing anything different than what they're doing. And my stitches aren't twisted either, so I'm not really sure what she was trying to say.
Once I got over that hump, I'm  back to loving knitting. There were a few days though where I just left it in it's bowl afraid I was somehow going to mess things up.

I've been reading "The Mermaid's Chair"...it's been sitting in my "to read" pile for a while now and decided it was time. To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of the story line (from what I know by reading the jacket anyway). Stories about unfaithful spouses-or stories that excuse that behavior, rather, tend to bother me.
I do like Sue Monk Kidd already though, so I decided to give the book a chance.

Also, re-reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. It's been a while since I've read it and found it floating in a stack of my Dad's books.
It might take me a little while to get two books read with the little reading time I've got...but at least I wont' be short on reading material!

P.S...Don't forget! The Lexicon project starts tomorrow!! Check back here or over at House Full of Jays for the project word of the week!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

{Yarn Along}

Dad's poor scarf has been frogged, again. Let me explain...

First I was doing it in a garter stitch border and the rest in stockinette, but even with that gartered border, it was still curling horribly. It was also taking FOREVER.

did I mention that I'm a bit impatient?

So then I ripped it out, and began doing the entire thing in garter stitch, but it felt too mindless.
So I ripped it out one, self promised last time, doubled up the wool, and began a basket weave, which is working out fantastically. Not too boring, but not too tricky, and going much faster this time.

Lotte's little candy floss hat, finished up last week and it looks darling. I had to flip the edge up for it to fit her right now, but I figured I would. I made it large enough to fit a one year old because I wanted it to last a while.



Also, I think I've finally got the hang of double pointed needles, it's too early to say though if I prefer them to circular. It might just depend on which project I'm doing.
I've started on
this, just as a little side project to keep working on with yarn scraps over time.
This is my first "hexipuff"-yup, I've got a loooong way to go.


I'm still not completely finished "Portrait of Van Gogh", but I'm near done.
I can't believe how much this poor artist went through to become what he did. He's often remembered as the artist who was "crazy" and the artist who "cut off his ear"...there's really so much more to his story than this.

He was eccentric, indeed.-However, he would tend to the homeless, weak, and the sick, giving them the clothes off of his own back, and it was more often than not, acts like these that earned him the reputation of being crazy.

Van Gogh was such a kind and generous person, living a chosen humble life, and looking out for his fellow man, which his paintings actually reflect.

Unlike other painters of his time who were painting the wealthy social scenes, Van Gogh was creating paintings like "the potato eaters" and scenes from low class pubs.


In the book are quotes from letters that he wrote to his brother, Theo, and this is one of my absolute favorites:

 "There may be a great fire in our soul, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke coming through the chimney."

                                                                                                                    -Letter to Theo, 1880




For more weekly yarn along stories, visit Ginny at Small Things!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Yarn Along



Joining Ginny today in the weekly Yarn Along...

I've finally finished the little grey picot sweater for my niece.
I actually finished this up a couple of weeks ago, but didn't add the buttons until last night. I had to add something pink to it, so that she'll actually wear it! (She's rather choosy about her outfits, you see...) I also made a little hat to go with it. She won't be getting this until Christmas, but I'll be sure to take a picture of her in it when she finally gets it.



I've gotten a little further on the baby blanket-I love that this has such a simple pattern, so I can take it anywhere and pick it up where I left off without looking at the instructions-until I get to the border that is.

 I've been taking this blanket along with me everywhere to keep my hands busy.


To the midwife's office, the hospital when I visit my sweet itty bitty niece and nephew (who are doing fabulous, by the way, and are no longer so itty-bitty) and even to church.
I've mixed the pattern up a little, and I'm using two different shades of pink, just for kicks.

I finally found a book of my own to read.

Aside from the boys' homeschooling books that is. As fun as they are, I need a break from Daniel Boone, William Tell, and every other macho historical hero!

I'm a good chunk into "the Help" and have fallen in love with it. I adore the way that it's written from the different perspectives of each character, and that it's written in the way that they would actually speak.

Unfortunately though, having always struggled to fight my already "southern" accent, I find that after reading a chapter or two my accent starts to come back.
The boys pointed it out this afternoon, I hadn't really noticed. Zeke asked if I had been speaking with relatives back home on the phone. It comes out after those long phone calls sometimes, I just can't help it.

I'm loving the book so much that I'm afraid I'll now be disappointed with the movie!