Hyrna H is still waiting in the knitting bag. Instead, I started this, my Christmas project. I told you I couldn’t show you the yarn (Cascade 220 superwash) because the colors would give away, to those who know me, the intended recipient. But then, it occurred to me–black and white photo! You can see how cool this is, but can’t see the colors. There are five, arched sections, and I’ve about 2/3 through my second section. So . . . about 35% done. Gotta love fast projects.

The challenge? It’s knitted with two colors that rotate every other row, and uses two strands of each color. So, I’ve got two skeins of yarn and am using both the center and outside strand from each. All the strands twisting around are . . . challenging. It’s a fun pattern, though (which, again, I don’t want to link to, just in case, but you may have seen it online a couple months ago). And the knitted fabric is nice and thick and plush. It’s going to be warm. I think ___ will like this! (This will also be the last and only photo you’ll see of it until after I can safely show you a color version.)

  It probably won’t surprise anyone to see the pattern that showed up at my door today. The Karabella pattern that I admired so much on Kerstin‘s blog the other day. And, oh yeah, the Rowan Cafe “Classic Woman” book. (Um, because, of course, I needed to make the order worth the shipping fee. Of course!)

Now, let’s talk about reading for a moment, shall we? I just finished the Julie and Julia book. Not really all that impressed. It had some interest, and it was a quick read, but I was bored at parts and frankly thought she came across as a self-absorbed whiner. Cooking all those French recipes was an impressive feat, and some of the writing was good, and I certainly didn’t hate it (Also, yes, the language and the various discussions that I wouldn’t consider “polite conversation” bothered me a bit. I admit it; I’m a little prudish that way.) Didn’t hate it; didn’t love it. Probably won’t read it again.

Now I’m trying to read Castle Rouge by Carole Nelson Douglas. It’s the sixth in her Irene Adler series. (Irene Adler, you’ll remember is the only woman ever to outsmart Sherlock Holmes.) She started the series years ago and I loved it–I loved her take on Irene and the mysteries were really kind of fun–especially when Sherlock himself got involved. In the last couple of years, she’s started writing books in this series again, only now, they’re much darker, much more “noir,” and not nearly as much fun. Frankly, I’m struggling. This one (and Chapel Noir which came before it) mix in Jack the Ripper, as well as Nellie Bly, and the the other nuclei characters are used less and less. I’ve never enjoyed reading Jack the Ripper stories; I don’t like horror or real crime genres, and this series is definitely heading in that direction. Now, her writing is always excellent, and if this is your kind of “thing,” by all means check these books out, but I think I’ll stick to the original four.

Yep. There seems to be some reading ennui going on. Maybe I really should focus on my own book, huh?? (It’s finding the time around the knitting and, you know, that full-time job that’s tricky–not to mention the temptation, when sitting in front of the computer, of checking e-mail, blogs, and that kind of thing–but I acknowledge that at least some of that is just an excuse.)

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading // 2 Comments »