Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Yarn-along

Is it Wednesday?  It's so hard to keep track of the days when you're snowed and iced in!  Schools are closed for the 3rd day in a row.

I think I have sufficient Cabin Fever to actually do some work today, like finally putting away the Jesse tree, nativities, and Santas.  

We've been enjoying these days, spending time together, eating and playing.  Dh & I have had a couple of long, extremely tiring, walks through the snow and ice.
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Last Thursday, in what was evidently a very timely maneuver, I got 4 books from the library.


The Rite, the making of an exorcist.  I've read a couple of chapters.  Bound to be fascinating.

I read most of Crafting a Business, it's full of interesting stories of women who have turned their passion into a business.  I left off at the end when it got into the nitty-gritty business details because I'm no where near that point.

I saw Green Darkness suggested somewhere, but haven't been able to get past the first page, yet.  I'm sure I'll try again, but not yet.

Elizabeth is a coffee-table biography of the late Queen Mother (current Queen Elizabeth's mother).  I stumbled across it at the library and picked it up because Don and I had just seen The King's Speech the weekend before.  When we went to see the movie, I didn't realize who it was about.  Awesome movie, but I'm really enjoying the book, too.  Admittedly, I never gave her much thought as the mother of the Queen, especially since I'm not British, but it seems that she was a rather sparkling personality.  The character in the movie was well portrayed, I think.

You know the best part about this book?  It's a big, hardback that lies flat when you open it---and that means I can read and knit at the same time!


In these pics, you can see the Pretty Thing I've been working on. finished. It's a crumpled mess, and you can see the chart the goes with it.  Following the chart isn't the hard part, though it looks that way.  After starting over 4 times, I finally figured out that I needed: 

~~~stitch markers to separate each 17 stitch repeat (you work the chart 7 times around each row), 
~~~and a sticky note to keep track of the proper row, so I didn't accidentally switch rows midstream.
~~~Counting the 17 stitches before and after each segment would have been a good idea, too, in retrospect.
~~~Absolute silence--this is not a project where I could do anything besides knit and concentrate!  

I finished it.  Finally.  I gave up on anything approaching perfection and figured out which mistakes could stay and which couldn't.  

I blocked it, and it's beautiful.  

I wore it, and it's scratchy and floppy.  

I kind of hate it.  No doubt because of all the trouble and tears it caused me.

So, now I'm working on this nice, peaceful project, Lacy Baktus.  It's such a change from that last nightmare.  Most of the rows are nothing but knitting and I can do that while I read!  I'll probably spend a good chunk of today curled up with Elizabeth and Baktus in my lap!

That, to me, is what this Yarn-Along is all about:  reading and knitting at. the. same. time.  Because frankly, I don't think the two things go together very often.  If I have a fascinating book to read, I'll choose that over knitting.  Conversely, if I have a great project going and no good books, I'll knit every chance I get.

How about you?  Do you read and knit?  Can you have a great book and a great project going at the same time?

Visit Ginny to see what others are knitting and reading, possibly at the same time.

6 comments:

  1. I think something like that has happened to every knitter before. You work so hard on your project and then it's not quite right for some reason...
    The lacy Baktus was one of my latest projects as well. So easy to knit, I loved it!

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  2. I'm no where near approaching good enough to read and knit at the same time yet! Though I have been known to watch football and knit. Impresses my husband for some reason... lol! ;)

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  3. Anke, I agree. I think if it were an easier project, I could accept the problems with it. Considering all the frustration, I'd like to at least like it!

    Jenletts, I knit and watch football too, but I know I can look up and see the instant replay.

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  4. I certainly can't read and knit at the same time. I'm like you: If I have a good book going, I read more. If I have a good project going, I knit more.

    Your Pretty Thing looks lovely; sorry you don't like it =( I can understand, after all the frustration you went through ... And I think the Lacy Baktus looks very pretty, too. May have to add that to my queue.

    I am so out-of-touch when it comes to movies; I had no idea that movie was even out there ~ LOL! But it looks good.

    Stay cozy and warm! =)

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  5. I wish I could read and knit at the same time but I'm just not good enough to do it yet *grin*. I must see if I can find a copy of the book 'The Rite'. I just was the movie previews for it and I always love reading about that stuff so it is definitely going on my list! So sorry to hear that you didn't like your Pretty Thing :( I've had similar experiences sewing, putting so much effort and love into something to have it not turn out as hoped and not like it. Enjoy your new peaceful knitting project :)

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  6. can't do anything and read at the same time.......


    BUT


    with my audiobooks I can do almost EVERYTHING whild reading! I love that!

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