"We are all wanderers on this earth...our hearts are full of wonder, and our souls are deep with dreams." ~ Gypsy proverb

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Yarn Along 10.12.11

**First, the winner to the Persisting Souls photography e-course giveaway:
Erin @ Wild Whispers!!
Congrats Erin!!**

Joining Ginny today for Yarn Along, where book and yarn lovers share what we are reading and knitting/crocheting :)...

I'm so happy to be knitting again. I'm working on another Big Lace Scarf from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. The yarn, though acrylic, is so thick and chunky, I contemplate using the scarf as a cozy blanket instead :). And the needles!! I could not find US 17 needles at the regular craft store. So I ran with childlike excitement dragged myself to the fancy yarn store and found that happy happy joy to my dismay, they only had the wildly colored Harmony Wood by Knit Picks in the US 17. Huge needles, but I love working with them!

For reading, I just finished Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. NO ONE TOLD ME THIS WAS A TRILOGY!! Uggh. To have invested so much time on a 592 page book only to have to wait for 2 more?! But that wasn't even the worst part. It wasn't even that great. The heroine was so annoying and whiny and I think poorly developed. The story itself had it's exciting moments and there are definitely interesting subplots. I love historical fiction so there are those aspects that I appreciate, but many other components were uncomfortably familiar with another vampire romance series you may have heard of called Twilight!! We'll see if I want to continue this series or not...

I am also reading Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. Beautifully written. The opening is captivating, the beginning to middle a little slow, and now finally things are picking up again. Sena has such a poetic way with her words. She is deep, complex, symbolic and metaphorical, so I have to re-read periodically to make sure I didn't missed anything.

I am reading a few others, but I'll spare you since there are so many other places to visit today!
Looking forward to yours...
xoxo

p.s. thanks for all the well wishes for my boys...hubs is better and back at work
E. still is having stomach issues but eating normally, good sign I think :).

24 comments:

  1. Chunky yarn knitting is so rewarding because you can see the progress immediately. I love the knit picks needles. Your scarf is very pretty.

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  2. Wow, US 17 needles must be really large, but I bet they knit up quickly! I have been wanting to order some of the Harmony needles, they are so pretty. Bummer about the book. It is so disappointing to spend all that time reading and then when it's not that good it is such a let down. I hope your son and husband are feeling better and life has returned to normal.xx

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  3. oh! i `d love to learn knitting again... i did when younger but its soooo many years ago that... thanks for the book tips. a lovely day to you : )

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  4. Oh those needles! What a "tragedy" that they were your only choice ;-). I really need to step things up on notch if I'm to knit all the holiday gifts I'd planned. I'm pretty sure I have a set of size 17 needles in my stash. And this scarf is just gorgeous. Looks like someone's getting it this year :-)

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  5. How lovely is your chunky scarf! Can't wait to see it finished. I love the look of knit picks needles. I would so love to get an entire set of the interchangeable double pointed needles one day. Sorry to hear you have had illness in the family. Jacinta x

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  6. what fun knitting needles! I love those bright colors! Glad boys are feeling better.

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  7. i adore chunky yarn. i've been meaning to crochet a blankie for the last 2 winters!

    glad the last book is better.

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  8. oh it’s so bothersome to read a book that’s ho-hum! i used to keep reading no matter what and in the past few years i’ve given myself permission to set it down. i’m just now reading the girl/hornets nest series and am not as enthralled as the rest of the world was, but like ‘being’ in sweden.

    have a good one and glad your peeps are on the mend!

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  9. That scarf looks delightful! And it's funny.. my mom put that book Ahab's Wife in my hands, but i haven't started it yet. I guess I should crack it open.

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  10. Oh and it's good to hear you guys are feeling better too!

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  11. Thanks for letting me know about the "Discovery of Witches". I was thinking of reading it but my list is so long anyway, I will most likely skip it. Glad you're knitting again. I can NOT knit. My poor mother has tried to teach me several times but my brain just turns off. Too many numbers and acounting and things. But I do like to daydream about all the things I would make if I had a little more patience. ;)

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  12. i love your book reviews, you are so cute. i think i have ahab's wife on one of my shelves, i'll have to start that, it sounds like something good for me right now.
    and your scarf, how pretty does it look, all white on those colorful needles? gorgeous.
    xxx

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  13. what jazzy needles! love your funny prose knitting sister. i am using some acrylic too for ezra's hat but it's soft - from bernat i think i already threw away the label. but, it does make a trip to the knitting store so much more delightful when you sometimes have to skimp on yarn.

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  14. That book was on my "To-read" list but based upon what you said...hmmm, I think I'm going to be rethinking it.

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  15. The scarf looks so cozy! I can't wait for the e-course!

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  16. Glad your boys are on the mend. Bummer about the book. That is how I felt about Twilight, yet I felt compelled to read the rest of the books. By the way, can I cuddle up in that scarf? It is chiilly here and it looks incredibly cozy.

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  17. love that yarn! oh and ahab's wife.

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  18. Those are the coolest knitting needles I've ever seen!!!! I wonder if I can find crochet hooks like that.

    Good to know about DOW. It's been on my list, but I may cross it off. Even if the rest of the book is good, a whiny main character is just too tiresome to enjoy the rest.

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  19. Thank you for the book suggestion -- it sounds quite interesting. I will add it to my "please read me" list :)

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  20. knitting with big needles can be fun! and it's so fast isn't it?

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  21. Knitting with big needles is so much and I love the harmony wood knitting needles :) I just got a bunch of them for myself and the colors are so great :) Can't wait to see more of your scarf!

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  22. Your scarf is awesome. That big lace scarf is perfect for holiday gift-giving. I think I may do one myself!

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  23. i have read a LOT of books but Ahab's Wife is definitely in the very tip top of my faves. i've read it 3 or 4 times now and am always drawn in completely.

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“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
~ George Bernard Shaw