literary bits

Lately, I've discovered something that's been around a Long Time. It all started with the mail.
The mastercard bill to be precise.
The bill came. On it were several hundred dollars worth of purchases from Borders, Barnes and Noble, and my favorite, Audible.com.
Something had to be done. Something drastic. dh (dear husband...) has suggested just cutting up the MasterCard. hmmm, don't think so.


so on the trip to Columbia SC to see youngest dsd (dear step-daughter),instead of all of us attending the football game on Saturday afternoon, I went to this building...see what a nice cost-saving person I am, those football game tickets are pricey indeed.

What an incredibly beautiful library.
And their selection of knitting books - amazing. I had to be called to go back and meet dsd and dh at the dorm when the game was over.
Since we've been home I've learned to use the InterLibrary Loan function, to use the online reserve function to have books and CD's I'm interested in delivered directly to the library branch that is a mile down the road, and I've figured out how to download a book from CD to my computer and then upload it to my Ipod. It's a hassle, for sure, easier by far to click on Buy-It-Now and have Ipod compatible books download from Audible.com, and the books I'm interested in show up at the door from Amazon....however, it's much more pleasant in this household when the mastercard bill shows up and all those charges aren't there.

List of recommended 'reads' to listen to:
Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
Drop City by TC Boyle
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan
The Shifting Fog by Kate Morton
World without End by Ken Follett







and a preview from the new E Lavold book
out Book 13 Out of the Woods

Size does matter!

mittens 002
Originally uploaded by mlweaving

clockwise from top:
1. Sea Mineral mittens from Spillyjane pattern, yarn Sisu from Sandnesgarn. Finished thumb in larger mitten last night. I'll get more pics and post them. Using same yarn and same pattern, I Knit first mitten on size 0 addi turbo using magic loop, and felt the knit fabric was too tight, too stiff. So I knit the second mitten on size 1 addi turbo, and I'm much happier with the fabric. However, there is no way this can be a pair, as the size difference is significant. These will make a great example though, for the class I'll be doing for mittens at LYS.
2. Snowdrift pattern,vintage, yarn Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4ply; knit on size 3 needles (3.25mm). Needle size is too large, knit fabric sort of loosey goosey. I won't knit the mate to this, but will instead use this also as an example for class.
3. mitten started my own compilation from Cimdu charts, yarn Mountain Colors Bearfoot and Louet Gems sportweight; perfect size needle for mitten, knit on size 2 addi turbo
4. NHM14 from Selbuvotter; yarn Elann peruvian cashmere (purple) and Jo Sharp alpaca silk georgette (lilac contrast), needle size 2 addi turbo.
5. Latvian MIttens, District of Latgale style; yarn black-Jo Sharp alpaca kid luster, orange-Koigu KPPPM, red-Truffles needle 1.5mm
6. knit from my own design using charts from Cimdu Raksti, Baltic braid on cuff. Yarn: Mountain Color Bearfoot variegated blue and a Debbie Bliss merino wool 4ply (coned) in purple solid. Needle size 2 addi lace using magic loop. Perfect pairing of yarn and needle size. I've just about finished the thumb on this mitten, and it is going to the store also for display to advertise mitten class.

For Sharron - it'll go with her coat, (and she picked the yarn colors)

On the sewing front: I received the pattern for the Vogue jacket, and will be cutting the muslin tomorrow or Wednesday.

and just as a reminder, Project Runway starts Wednesday night.