Wednesday, February 3, 2010

A Little This, A Little That

Now that January has morphed into February, we've entered the longest half of winter. One remedy? A quick bit of knitting. If not the cowl from She Shoots Sheep Shots, there's this, a free pattern from Blue Sky Alpacas:


They are weightless and surprisingly warm. Knit with size 5 double points -- the few that Henry hasn't eaten -- and cast off with a size 7, to ensure an elastic top. The yarn? Blue Sky's Brushed Suri, plucked from one of the irresistible walls at Shepherd's Choice, at the new store in Anoka. I'm thinking that, for the next pair, I'll add a small ruffle around the bottom.

If you can't be knitting, nothing says you can't be reading about knitting. There's this novel,



published last summer, but which found its way into my hands a few weeks ago. If you love Ireland, or all things Irish or Aran sweaters or all of the above, you will probably enjoy this — even if you aren't a knitter, but the book is more fun if you are. Unlike some other novels with knitting threads (sorry. had to say it), this book rings more real: no wooden conversations, for example, and no discussions among the characters about their 'relationships.' eee-yeewww. Full disclosure, however: I found the main character a bit too shrill and paranoid, but I have never had her emotional baggage, either. The book is available here or at any bookstore or library.

I am at least two years late to this party, but I'm having a great time anyway:


If I ever knit a washcloth, please check whether my meds have gone bad, but there is so much more than that in here. The authors are just so darn funny — and realistic — did I mention that there is some fabulous work? I want to make ... alot of the projects. I picked up my copy here, but it is also available here, of course. Haven't seen it in any yarn shops lately, though.
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