Recommended Books for Felting

As promised, here are the six books I would recommend to people interested in exploring felted knits, and felt making.

Again because Leigh Radford is one of my favorite designers her book tops my list AlterKnits Felt: Imaginative Projects for Knitting & Felting

And one of my other favorite designers is Beverly Galeskas and I love her book Felted Knits It was the first book I had on felting your knits.

I love the design aesthetic of Felt Forward: Modern Designs in Knitted Felt

I recommend Felt Frenzy: 26 Projects for All Forms of Felting because it not only includes felted knits it also offers a great introduction to wet felting and needle felting.

For those who want to take their exploration of fiber and felting further I recommend Shibori Knits: The Art of Exquisite Felted Knits

And for pure inspiration I recommend Felt to Stitch: Creative Felting for Textile Artists

Recommended Books for the Brand New Knitter

I spent this morning updating the handouts I use for my knitting workshops, including the list of suggested books for my Get Your Knit On! workshop. I decided to share that list here on the blog as well. Of course this is not any where near a complete list, it is only representative of the books I recommend to the brand new knitter.

The top of the list is The Knitter's Companion: Expanded and Updated (The Companion series)
It is the perfect resource for new knitters as well as more experienced knitters, offering instruction on everything from your basic stitches to seaming. I keep my copy in my knitting bag and refer to it all the time.

I include One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit or Crochet because Leigh Radford is one of my favorite designers and I would recommend any of her books. But also because the projects all require only one skein of yarn making them perfect for the new knitter - manageable and fairly simple.

I include One-Skein Wonders Again one skein means something approachable for the new knitter, plus 101 projects is a lot of projects.

I recommend Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook because of the wide variety of patterns - everything from super simple hats to great first sweaters.

I included Knitting in Plain English, Updated Edition because it's a classic, and it's funny, and in terms of helping a new knitter troubleshoot and fix things it can't be beat.

And finally I included Knitting for Peace: Make the World a Better Place One Stitch at a Time because I love the concept and the world of charity knitting can be inspiring for the new knitter.

I'm also updating the suggested reading list for my Knit This and Felt It! workshop and I'll share it with you as well, just as soon as I've finished.

Twitch

The uncertainty in my life still looms large and I've developed a twitch in my right eye. I'm not joking. For four days now my right eye has had an intermittent twitch that is disconcerting to say the least.

As of this moment we still have no idea which city we will be living in in the coming months. I suppose that even if there is a new job in a new city it will take a few months to get moved, and so it is safe to say we will still be in Austin for Halloween. But what of Thanksgiving? And New Year's? I just can't know for sure. I wouldn't hate a white Christmas. In fact I might love it a little bit.

But the right eye is all a flutter.

Here's a taste of what's not happening; I'm not registering for either the 3M Half Marathon or the Austin Marathon. I did 3M last year and would love to do it again -- it's a great race. Austin would be new to me, and it just so happens to be on my birthday. On October 11th I will officially start my training schedule and train as if I'm running both races. But I won't register until I know for sure that I will actually be here to run.

I'm also not applying for the Cherrywood Art Festival, which I would love love love to do again -- it's a great show with good crowds. But again, I can't say for sure if I will be around to actually do the show, so I haven't applied. Just as soon as I have even the slightest indication that I'll be around I'll apply, although the deadline is fast approaching and I may miss out all together.

And I haven't sent those queries, or scheduled those workshops, or ... or... or...

And all the while the right eye twitches and sleeping for more than 5 hours in a row eludes me.

Here's what is happening; I'm knitting some. I found solace in The Urbanity Vest by Amy Swensen -- it's straightforward and uncomplicated, and round after round of stockinette leaves my mind available for worry, which is, as I have said, what I do in times like these. This is progress.

At least some of the design work has moved beyond half-baked to just not done. I've got yarn ordered for several new projects, and have made real strides on a trio of hats. Here's the teaser: one pattern, three hats, the common thread is itty-bits of hand-spun yarn.

Again, it's progress.

I read Into the Wild -- captivating enough and more difficult than third grade. I also read Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac -- a pithy, and smart little number that every knitter should read.

But the nuno felting remains untouched. And the embroidery goes slow. And the house is still really clean. And there's not a speck of laundry left to do.

And the uncertainty looms large. And my right eye has a twitch.

Progress!

A Suitcase Full of Knitting

I'll be traveling next week to teach a workshop in Northern Minnesota. I'll also be visiting family, and making time to run Lake Nokomis. I grew up in Minneapolis - on the south side, right near Lake Nokomis, and it is still my most favorite run. Traveling also means knitting. This trip especially should offer ample time to knit. That's because I'll be staying with my Dad and his wife and they have a fantastic porch, and the kind of laid-back attitude that makes it easy to spend an entire day knitting.

As I prepare for the trip - making sure the dogs will be cared for, prepping materials for my workshop, making plans with friends, and providing easy-to-prepare food for The Boyfriend to eat while I'm gone - I'm also thinking about the knitting. Or more specifically, which knitting to bring along on my travels.

I've got plenty of WIPs right now - the Waves of Lace Scarf, the Branching Out Scarf, the Eyelet Rib Socks, the Urban Hens, and the One Skein Shrug. I have the yarn to start two new sweaters - The Slinky Rib from Wendy Bernard's book Custom Knits: Unleash Your Inner Designer with Top-Down and Improvisational Techniques, and the Empress Pullover from Knit Picks. And of course there is also socks, so so many socks.

Perhaps the best solution is bring it all. I clearly wouldn't finish it all, but then I'd have choices. And besides, other than my running shoes and shorts, and a couple of changes of clothes I don't need much else. Indeed, a suitcase full of knitting...

Tips for Shopping at your Farmer's Market

Farmer's markets aren't just a good place to buy fresh, seasonal fruit and veggies. Most larger urban markets also have farmers offering healthy meats, fresh cheese and dairy, fresh baked goods, and eggs from pasture-raised hens. Many also offer a selection of value-added foods like homemade pastas, and various sauces, salsas, and preserves. In other words, it is possible to do the majority of your shopping at your local farmer's market.

Following are some tips and suggestions for a satisfying market experience.

> Bring bags from home and be sure to bring several, that way fragile, and easily bruised items like peaches or tomatoes can have their own bag and stand a better chance of arriving home in good shape.

> Spend a little time before you go planning a few meals, looking over a selection of recipes, and thinking about what you'd like to cook this week. You stand a better chance of getting what you need, and using what you buy if do a little planning. But plan with the season in mind - don't go to the market looking for butternut squash in the middle of June. And keep an open mind while you shop, be prepared to be flexible with your plans.

> Talk to the farmer's and get to know them. This is actually one of my most favorite aspects of shopping at the farmer's market. You'll know where your food comes from, and you'll have a more enjoyable shopping experience. Also, the farmers and growers well let you know what's coming in soon and what's almost gone, which will make it easier to plan and allow you to take full advantage of foods with a short season.

> Remember that not all farmer's are "certified organic" because it is costly to maintain certification. Ask your growers about their growing methods and standards, you may be pleasantly surprised. If you're buying meat ask if the animals are pastured and how they live. Most farmer's are more than happy to share, and actually like to talk about their farm and their animals. Many will even invite you to visit.

> Expect to pay a fair price - remember farming and selling at market takes tons of hard work, special skills, and business know-how. The farmers and growers deserve to earn a fair wage. However, don't hesitate to ask for a quantity discount if you are buying a whole bunch of something, most growers will be happy to give a little. When the strawberries were in and I wanted to make jam I bought a huge flat a berries which the farmer discounted. On the other hand, peaches have been in short supply this year because of a late freeze, and so I was more than happy to pay full price for the peaches I bought to preserve.

> Reuse and recycle. Return things like egg cartons and berry baskets to the farmer/grower, it will save them money, and it's good for the environment. It is always better to reuse before you recycle.

> Try something new. Challenge yourself to buy something you're unfamiliar with and ask the grower for ideas about how to cook it or use it. You'll learn something.

> Get a good cookbook or two that focus on seasonal and local cooking. Fresh from the Farmers' Market (Reissue): Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop
and Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets are both excellent choices. Also a good book on canning and preserving like Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
These books will help you take full advantage of seasonal produce, and to preserve the harvest.

Make shopping at your local farmer's market a part of your weekly routine and a family event - it's a lot of fun, it gets you in touch with your community, and the food tastes better.

Julie and Julia - A Foodie Book I'd Recommend

My neighbor and friend left a rather tattered copy of Julie and Julia by Julie Powell in my mailbox with a tiny Post-it note attached that read, "It will either make you puke or laugh." I was intrigued. I had no real idea what the book was about, and I'm not now, nor have I ever been, a fan of Julia Child. I don't have anything against her, I just don't know that much about her. I've never seen her show, never cooked any of her recipes, and I don't own any of her books. But I love food, and I love good writing, and I especially love to read good food writing. So I gave the book a go.

The book is a memoir. A food memoir that grew out of the yearlong project, The Julie/Julia Project. Julie Powell was a 29 year old New Yorker, working in a dead-end job as a secretary for a government agency, when she decided to cook all 524 recipes in her stolen copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days, and blog about it daily. No small task, clearly. The book chronicles that year of cooking with wit, down-home honesty, and occasional irreverence.

No matter that Julia Child was a stranger to me when I started this book. She is not the star of this book. Julie Powell is. And while yes, I did learn a thing or two about Child, and even grew to admire her some, it is Powell who I learned to love in these pages. She is funny and genuine, and a joy to read. She drinks a little too much and is prone to fits of weeping, but she is also an inspiration to anyone who has ever dared to try something new with their lives.

Book Recommendations for Crafty Folks, Gardners, and Knitters

I indulged myself, as is tradition, and made a rather large purchase of books on my recent birthday. A little gift to myself. I've had some time to sit down and at least turn all the pages and in some cases read quite a bit and I've got some recommendations.

First up, I've been dreaming of putting in an organic vegetable garden ever since I moved here to Austin. I've also been dreaming and scheming about some major landscape changes to the back yard. It's got great bones - a patio, a covered porch, and lots of shade - but I want it to be spectacular. Spectacular and dog friendly. It is their domain after all. I found these books: Dogs in their Gardens by Page Dickey and Dog Friendly Gardens Garden Friendly Dogs by Cheryl S Smith. The later has a ton of very useful information about materials, safety, and plant suggestions. She shares not only her gardening know-how but also some very practical advice on managing the dogs in the space. The former is strictly a picture book, but it does have a lot to offer in terms of inspiration. I recommend them both.

Second to indulge the book artist in me - I've been fascinated by pop-up books and their forms and structures lately and have been planning a new series of small artist books that will involve screen printing and pop-up structures. I ordered a fantastic book - The Pocket Paper Engineer How to Make Pop-Ups Step-by-Step by Carol Barton of Popular Kinetics Press. I've been familiar with Carol's work as a book artist for several years as she is quite accomplished. This book is great! Not only does it offer clear and concise tips, instructions, and tools list it has projects. There are several pre-printed pages which you cut, score, and fold, to make pop-up cards, and pockets within the book to store your finished cards. Very clever!

And of course I had to also indulge the knitter in me. This time rather then go for a book of patterns, which I seem to have quite a collection of, I went for instructions and encyclopedic references. Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti and The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes. Both are staples to any knitter's reading diet and every knitter's shelve should have them.

That's it! Quite a haul I know but it was my 40th birthday so I went all out. All books are available from Amazon and I've included links in the sidebar. Happy reading!

Reading Recommendation - Craft Inc

This past week I devoured Craft Inc Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco. It's a great book and I highly recommend it. Whether you have dreams of hitting the big time with your designs, or you're thinking of doing a few craft fairs or opening an etsy shop, there is something you can take away from this book.

Ilasco covers the business aspects, some of which is a reminder of things you probably already know, but maybe haven't followed through on - like registering as a DBA. Much of it applies to designers and artist who are really taking their ideas to the level of out sourcing, hiring employees, and major marketing campaigns. These parts don't really apply for me personally, I print in very small editions, and want to keep it that way. So these sections only got a quick skim. But there was also a lot to be learned about things like pricing strategies, and the importance of packaging, and ways to market yourself.

She also covers the creative aspects. It was these sections that I got the most from, these parts of the book were a welcome inspirational kick in the pants. When the subject turns to creativity in general, it really stirred my pot, so to speak, about things like being out in the world, and developing your ideas, and taking time to just think.

In addition, Craft Inc. is well written in a conversational tone, with a great layout and design, so it's pretty to look at while you read. If you're a creative type, and you have any aspirations of making your craft more than a hobby, I recommend this book.

That Holiday Spirit

I'll be frank - it's no small task to muster that holiday spirit when you're a Minnesota girl in Texas. I've always been a bit of a scrooge when it comes to Christmas trees and decorating, it seems like a lot of work - you drag all that stuff out of storage, you dust it all off, put it all up, and then turn around and take it all down again. Too much for my lazy bones.

My book group had our monthly meeting on Friday night. In the spirit of the holidays we read "Holidays on Ice" by David Sadarias, drank champagne, and had a little ornament exchange. I sat that part out, not being one to ever put up a tree or hang stuff about the house, I have no real use for ornaments, and thought it best to sit it out. I didn't really love this book either, I kept finding myself feeling offended, rather than humored. The champagne was good.

Despite my distaste for indoor decorations, I have always been a fan of lights, the outdoor variety - I love how they twinkle in the snow and get all reflective and defused, it's pretty. But here in Texas we have no snow. There is the Trail of Lights - a 1 mile loop through Zilker Park here in Austin with a pretty extraordinary light display. It's the annual tradition here in Austin, a town that loves to run, to have the Trail of Lights 5k the night before the light show officially opens to the public. It's a sort of sneak preview for those that sign up to do the 5k. In my attempts to muster that seemingly allusive Holiday Spirit, I registered and ran the Trail of Lights 5k on Saturday night. It was 85 degrees at the finish line at 7:30 PM - it was not feeling one tiny bit like Christmas for this cold weather runner.

Meanwhile back at the workshop... I'm not a complete Grinch and I do like to give gifts. This year, as I've mentioned I have taken the pledge to buy or give handmade, and that means knitting, and lots of it. And because the Etsy shop has had more sales then I can seem to keep up with, it has also meant journal making, and lots of it. Even the baby has tried to get in on the act.

bad puppy

The only holiday spirit I have been able to muster so far this year has been of the crafting variety, and I suppose there's nothing wrong with that.

Coming soon .... Pictures of the finished objects for Christmas 2007 - felted clogs for many, a felted messenger bag, a second Headline News newsboy hat, and Sock Monkeys.

Finished Objects and a Wee Rant about Size

As promised this post has knitting content. Including finished objects, my first cables, a shrug that fits, and a book I love.

I just finished the One Skein Single Cable Scarf. I knit it with the Blue Sky Alpaca's Dyed Cotton. I should mention, if I haven't already, this is quickly becoming my most favorite yarn. It's soft, it feels good, it knits beautifully, and it's grown organically. Yumm.

Got Cotton Cables?

I loved this pattern. Fast, simple, and yes my first go at cables. Who knew it would be so simple to add such great detail. I, for some unknown and silly reason, erroneously had it in my head that cables would be hard. There not. And I'm so pleased that their not that I've gone cable crazy - I've just cast on the Rib and Cable Gaiter from the same book, and the Headline News News Boy Hat from Stitch and Bitch Nation. Give me a couple weeks and I'll be all cabled up.

I also made another of the One Skein Wonder Shrugs and this time it fits. I used the Blue Sky Alpaca's Dyed Cotton again this time, and the same size 6 needles but I made it 3 sizes larger and it fits. Fits just the way I want it to fit in fact. I like this pattern a lot, it knits up fast and makes a sweet little garment. My only complaint, and this is becoming an irritant with lots of patterns, I shouldn't have to knit a double XL, I think of myself as a pretty average sized girl.

my model is half my size

This past week I ordered a copy of Moreno and Singer's Big Girl Knits. I LOVE THIS BOOK! Really, it became an instant favorite. Mostly because I do think of myself as a pretty average sized girl, average with a bit of tummy and booty the size of Texas, but average. And it's more than just a bit tiresome to have to knit the extra large measurements given in most knitting patterns. I don't want to rake the muck, but I'm not, nor have I ever been a size 2, and I personally don't know even a single knitter that is. So what gives? Who wears all those itty-bitty garments...?

Back to the book - I LOVE THIS BOOK! It's smart, and funny and written with wit. It's chuck-full of good advice on really important things like which necklines work for a busty bust, which hem lines look best on a booty like mine, how to emphasize your waist, and draw attention to your curves. It also gives really thorough instructions, including the math, to make any pattern fit you just right. It also has beautiful patterns. The kind of patterns that sent me straight to my Ravelry queue to line 'em all up. If you're a truly big girl, or even an average girl with curves, I highly recommend this book. I for one have got some serious knitting to do, and I look forward to the fit.

Minneapolis - From a Knitter's Perspective

A little more on my recent trip back home to Minneapolis, this time from a knitter's perspective. I am a knitter after all.

First up, my knitting. I knew I'd have ample opportunity to knit on this trip. There was the airplane, the two and a half hour car rides, and quality time with my sister, who also knits. I brought all the ingredients for the Blue Sky Alpaca Fitted Tank. A fine choice since Blue Sky Alpacas also calls Minnesota home. I made respectable progress on the tank, finishing the front and a solid 4 inches of ribbing for the back.

I love this project, the pattern is simple without being tedious. And the Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton is quickly becoming a favorite yarn, it knits up fast, doesn't split, and is amazingly soft in the hand. Delicious.

A side note of irony - the this is really sort of stupid kind of irony - I was not allowed through security at the airport because the hair care products in my carry-on baggage were to large. I had to return to the check-in counter and check my carry-on. I was however allowed to cram my knitting into my purse and sit happily knitting on the aircraft with my pointy, metal knitting needles. hmmm...

I visited the MN Textile Center. Another amazing resource tucked away in Minneapolis. The gallery was a bit sparse. Although there were several pieces in the foyer by Sock Monkey artist Rebbecca Yaker. They involved sock monkeys, blenders, and meat grinders. Just exactly the sort of dark ironic humor I appreciate.

I made a few stash enhancements, although I was very disciplined, and didn't go over board, and only picked up things I couldn't get here in Texas. From the shop at the MN Textile Center I bought one beautiful, and hefty skein of hand-spun yarn by The Cat That Walks on Water. And I picked up a copy of Annie Modesitt's Romantic Hand Knits. A true celebration of style. It was reasoned that carrying books home on the airplane, since I had to my check bags anyway, was cheaper than the shipping charge from Amazon.

I only visited one yarn shop, the one that was my mainstay when I lived in Minneapolis. I was honestly a little disappointed. It's not that it's not a nice yarn store, it is, but it's not Hill Country Weavers. I have a new appreciation for how truly wonderful my LYS is. I told my sister, who has visited me here in Austin and therefore been to Hill Country Weavers, that I was sadly disappointed, and she confirmed I've been rightly spoiled by the inventory at Hill Country. Despite my disappointment, I didn't leave empty handed. I picked up almost 300 yds. of hand dyed soy silk by Two Sisters At Play, another MN vendor. It's gorgeous.

So with a restrained stash enhancement, a new book, a slightly more than half done sweater, and an appreciation for my LYS, I left Minneapolis. A pretty great place from a knitter's perspective.

"a blog mostly about knitting, but also about reading, shelter mutts, and other assorted craftiness"

There's lots of ground to cover since my last post, seems I've been absent from blog land lately only managing a post about once a week. As my last post noted there's a new baby in the house, and new babies require lots, and lots, of attention. So while I have managed to keep up with my half dozen or so ongoing projects, and with Aaron (just barely), I have not, shamefully, been able to keep current on my blog.

However, this morning I spent a little more than 2 hours running all three dogs ragged, and now they are sound asleep on the office floor. (Yup, nothing makes me happier than all my dogs scattered about the office resting peaceful, it's truly a lovely thing.) And so I take a deep breath and begin a much overdue blog post.

On the knitting front: I started and stopped, and started again on the Josephine Top from the Summer Issue of Interweave Knits. Yesterday at my knitting group I quit the dang thing for good, and I frogged my meager 6 rows of Josephine. It's too bad really because it is a lovely garment, I just can't seem to get it going. It's the lace thing, every row requires no interruptions, I always have to have the pattern in front of me, and I just don't have the luxury of that much quite time, remember I've got three young dogs, and so I end up not working on it at all. So frogged! I guess I'm just not a lace knitter.

I have been making progress on the Montego Bay Scarf. That pattern I can memorize, and if I'm distracted momentarily it's no big deal, I can pick up and know where I left off. I like that. I also impulsively whipped off an Amanda's Squatty Sidekick purse, all that's left is the fulling, which I intend to do just as soon as the laundry is caught up.

On to reading; I've joined a new Book Club, one that actually reads books. I love my old book club, but as I mentioned previously it tends to be more of a "wine and eating" club, which I've got no problem with. The old book club seems also to have fizzled on getting together regularly. I miss the old book club and will definitely join them for some "wine and eating" should they manage a meeting.

The new book club actually reads books, and talks about them at their regular meetings. They also eat and drink, but that seems to be secondary to the reading. When I attended my first meeting they had just read "The Time Traveler's Wife", a book that has been on my list for awhile now and one of the members was kind enough to loan me her copy, which I started and intend to finish just as soon as I read this month's selection. This month's selection is "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl". I'm not sure how it was selected but it's one I somehow got a BA in English without having read. I also just read "Water For Elephants" - I mention this only as a way of recommendation, it's a story well worth reading.

As for other craftiness, I've been binding journals, mostly for my Etsy shop. I seem to have set aside the Book Arts for knitting, and other necessities of life, but lately I've been making the time again. I've been working with my favorite sewn binding for hardcovers, the chain stitch. There is something tedious and repetitive about book binding, not unlike knitting, and that appeals to me very much. I've always enjoyed edition work.

And finally as for the shelter mutts: I've already pretty much covered that in the last few posts. The mutts are all well, and beautiful.

So that's the catch up post, pat your self on the back and resume breathing if you made it through this long, windy post. I'm off to Minneapolis, the first trip "home" since moving to Austin, and so I'll be absent again for another week or so. When I return I'll have finished objects from airplane knitting, tales of yarn store visits and stash enhancements, and news from both the MN Center for Book Arts and the MN Textile Center. Until then...

Ravelry and a Frogged Tank

Sweet! I finally got my invitation to Ravelry. If you haven't heard it's an online community for knitters, crocheters, and yarnies. It hasn't fully launch yet, but is up and running with volunteer testers. You can still get on a list to be invited as a tester.

I've been poking around, trying to find my way, and so far I think I love it. You get a notebook to track your projects, you can put future projects on a queue, you can track your stash, your needles, and you library. There are also the usual friends, forums, and groups features that you typically find in cyberspace. The only draw back I've found so far is it seems a bit daunting to add my stash. Over all though I quite pleased to be a part of the community.

On another note... I finally frogged the orange Tank Top I've had hidden away since early Spring. It's an easy pattern from the One Skein Book, and I was working with Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, which I love, but I just lost interest. I guess mostly because I just don't need another tank. So I frogged!

I'll reclaim the yarn for a future project. I'm think the Cast Off Sweater in The Natural Knitter.

Knitting News, but Mostly a Reading Post

It was a whirlwind of a weekend. There were three different sets of house guests. The Boyfriend's 17 year old visited from Mpls. for most of the weekend. She's a good kid and I like her. We all saw Pirates Three. Promptly upon her departure my niece arrived with her three wee people in tow. I've missed them since moving away to Austin, and the visit was far too short. And promptly upon their leaving the four legged guests arrived. I had to pick them up actually. I agreed some time ago to do the doggy sitting for a good friend's two dogs while she has her first baby. I of course had no way to know that all would converge almost simultaneously. In the chaos I found no time to knit or write.

Yesterday, after the 4 dogs had run themselves nearly ragged in the yard, I did make it to my Tuesday Afternoon Sit and Knit. I was a half hour late, but I made it. And I needed it. So better late than not at all. I cast on Sizzle and made some legitimate progress. In one short session the back of the sweater now measures a full 4 inches from cast on. Time to start the dart decreases.

Unfortunately there was no other knitting to report. There is a lot on-the-needles. Seems I'm still not motivated enough to finish that pretty brown purse, and not sure just what my problem is. I'm thinking of frogging the orange tank, but can't bring myself to do it just yet, I can't bring myself to work on it either so it seems that frogging is inevitable. I've completely given up on the squares for the afghan, I found a pattern I love, but won't start that until I get some of these other projects safely off the needles.

I have been wanting to get caught up on a reading post. My reading has been bordering on prolific. I finished The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean about a week ago. There is a strange phenomenon with this book, seems every time I mentioned it the other party would reply "oh that's the one Adaptation was based on." But I never saw that movie. I tried to see that movie, but I hated it, and slept instead. I didn't hate the book. In fact I rather enjoyed it. I was struck by the fanaticism of the orchid collectors, and realized how true that fanaticism rings with both book collectors and knitters. Seems there is something lurking in the universe that pushes collectors over the edge to obsessive. And that's what this book is about.

I immediately started, and finished How to Be Good by Nick Hornby. It's a fast, fast read. It is a really light and witty story, but it touches on a pretty big theme - how do we define what it means to "be a good person". Is "good" defined by our professions, or are family status, or our ability to treat others with kindness? I'd highly recommend this one for a quick summer read.

After that dose of 'light reading" I felt compelled to pick up The War by Marguerite Duras. It's slowing me down some, and the title is really all I have to say about it just yet, it's a memoir of Duras' experience as a French survivor of WWII and Nazism. I love Duras, but this one's incredibly dark, and sad, and daunting.

Yesterday I set The Duras aside in favor of something a little less daunting and a lot more fun, Yarn Harlot Secret Life of a Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. It was among the "Thank You" gifts I received for taking care of my friend's dogs. I read the Harlot's blog everyday, and this book is a genuine treat. I think that like Orlean's book it's about being obsessive. And like Hornby's book it's about being good. But mostly it's about knitting.

Two Tiny Mistakes

I've made two tiny mistakes. Okay, I've possibly made more than two mistakes in the course of my whole life, but I've made two tiny mistakes I want to talk about here. For a minute.

Mistake number one: I own a copy of Sensational Knitted Socks, by Charlene Schurch. And I'm not a sock knitter. I admire sock knitters, and I even covet their socks, but I just don't have the patience for those tiny DPNs, and I'm barefoot most all the time. So I'm cleaning off the bookshelf, and I've made this mistake available to you here, at Decidedly Bookish. The book features all the basics for sock knitting, including techniques, anatomy of a sock, sock yarn and where to get it, and sizing charts. It features 10 basic designs plus a bunch of stitch patterns. You can knit oodles of socks. I can't.

Mistake number two: I got suckered by the pretty pictures I saw online from Wenlan Chia's book Twinkle's Big City Knits. This is truly a beautiful book, it's no wonder really that I was enchanted with the photography, it's stunning. Really. And the designs are unique, and chic, and stylish. I looked gentle through the book, an evening's entertainment, and decided I had made a mistake. I'll never knit a single one of these designs, I'm just not enough of a fashionista, and I'm way too thick to look good in chunky yarn. And honestly the itsy-bitsy model drives me to drink. So, if you're looking for a barely-looked-at book of high fashion knits, in chunky yarn, that's got exquisite photography, it's available here also.

Have a grand and yarn filled weekend y'all!

Edited to Add: Both books sold! Thanks.

Living Green(er)

I've lately been making more of an effort than ever before to live a little greener. Maybe it's having recently read Al Gore's book, or maybe it's noticing the changes in weather patterns, or maybe it's just maturity. I'm not sure, but when I hear people complain about how "it's getting hotter every summer", I reply "that's global warming my friend". And when I hear my people back in Minnesota talk about how "it never snows anymore", my reply is again "that's global warming my friend". And the more I say it, the more I am reminded to live a little greener.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 20 years, mostly because I have long been aware of the huge negative impact a meat based diet has on the environment. The livestock industry is a huge offender in terms of water usage, water pollution, and energy consumption. I recently read in the Austin Environmental Directory 2006 that scientist David Pimental calculated that it takes 1/2 as much energy to produced a vegetarian diet as a meat based one, the difference is enough to drive every passenger car in the US for 3,300 miles. Some other interesting facts - the energy to produce one hamburger is enough to run a 100watt light bulb for 18 hours, and the energy for one hamburger each day for a year is enough to power a refrigerator for 18 months.

Lately in addition to making meat-free choices, I've also been making an effort to prioritize some other considerations while at the grocery store. Priority number one - buy local whenever I can, most of our food travels some 1500 miles before we consume it, and that's just too far. Priority number two -buy organic, food that's grown clean means cleaner soil and cleaner water. Priority number three - buy in bulk, and minimize packaging. This includes reusing bags, and containers. After all, all that packaging uses energy to produce and increases the amount of waste we produce.

I'm also biking more. Now that I have moved from Minnesota to Texas I can ride my bike year round. And I'm lucky enough to live in Austin, a city that's very bicycle friendly providing bike lanes, and places to park. I recently got a more practical bike for these purposes, I had a little racing bike, I now have more of a hybrid that I outfitted with a rack and a trunk pack which makes it possible for me to take the bike to yoga, the food co-op, the post office, and more. In fact the only thing I can't figure out how to do is the dog food run, the mutts eat a lot of food. The boyfriend has even started commuting to work via bicycle.

So what does all this have to do with a blog about crafting and knitting? Well, for starters becoming increasingly more aware of the things I can do to be less of a burden on my world makes for some creative decision making: what route can I take to make it to my destination on the bike? What substitutions can I make to a recipe in order to buy local and organic? How can I consume less packaging? You get the idea, and the more you use your creative muscle the stronger it becomes.

I also knit green as much as I can. I use natural fibers pretty much exclusively, and natural fibers are renewable resources. Yep, even the animal based ones. One a my favorite fibers recently is bamboo, a plant that grows especially fast, making it especially environmentally sustainable. There are also organic cottons, and organic wools available on the market. And again, supporting organic agriculture supports a more earth friendly economy.

I also use recycled fibers. A few posts back I talked about 2nd Time Cotton, a yarn made from the recycled waste from the textiles industry. And there's lots of other choices for recycled fibers on the market including, wool, silk, and cotton. On a smaller scale of recycling (but no less important) there's reclaimed yarn from old sweaters, and reclaimed felting from old wool.

And finally there's buying from your LYS, buying locally when it comes to yarn is just as important as buying locally grown food. I admit I don't do it all the time, there are some great deals to be had on the Internet, and some really beautiful hand-spun and hand-dyed yarns I buy from craftspeople via Etsy. But I've resolved to make an effort to visit my LYS more often, and shop the Internet less. It reduces the trips the UPS truck makes, it supports a local independent business woman, which is also a good thing, and it definitely reduces packaging.

It may seem like an insignificant effort, but I don't believe it is. We all know the world of knitters is a powerful force, capable of real change and real impact. Think of the knitting for peace movements, and the Charity knitting movements. Powerful indeed. What if those efforts included being kinder to our planet?

We can all find ways, small simple ways, to reduce our impact on the planet, and craft a little greener, knit a little greener, and live a little greener. Think about it, and post your ideas, I for one would love to hear them.

Peace!

Warning: This Post Isn't About Knitting

This post isn't about knitting. It's about books, or more specifically a book club. As my profile states "I'm a reading maniac", and as my header makes clear this is a blog only mostly about knitting, it is otherwise about reading, shelter mutts, and other some such.

I'm in a book club, which is really much more a "wine and eating" club. Every month or so 6 or 9 of us ladies get together and we all bring great food, and we all drink wine, and we all eat, and we all talk. We seem to only rarely actually talk about books however. Don't get me wrong, we all read - Just apparently not the same books.

We sometimes recommend books to each other, but in the almost a year that I have been a member of this book club we have only, as a group read two books. They were both really good books, but it has only been the two. They were "Bastard Out of Carolina" by Dorothy Allison and "The Blind Assassin" by Margaret Atwood.

I, like the other ladies in book club, have of course read many more books in that last year. Myself I've read "Wolf Boy" by Evan Kuhlman, "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean, "Chinatown Death Peril" by Paul Malmont, "How to Be Good" by Nick Hornby, "Blast From the Past" by Kinky Freidman, "Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore, and some others I'm not trying too hard to recall right now. I would recommend all of these reads.

I love books. I also love "wine and eating". And so I love my book club.

TA-DA! Finished

Ok so I finally got my WIP pile whipped into shape, so to speak. All the fulled bags waiting for embellishment were finished and sent on their way. The One Skein Stash Bag is officially a finished object.
I really loved knitting this one, and she truly was a stash buster. I used two colors of Tahki Cotton Classic, Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, Mission 1828 Cotton, and Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine. Phew!

I also finally did the last bits to the ribbon scarf.
What I love about it: It's brown. That's actually why I bought this skein, the colors. It's a soft light grayish brown, with hints of pink and green. I also love how the drop stitches make it drapey. What I don't love: The yarn content is 50% cotton and 50% nylon. I was truly a sucker for the color on this one.

Objects off the needles... No more work in progress wreck... right? wrong! I couldn't stop myself in the meantime from casting on some new projects. I started the Tank top from One Skein, but quickly got impatient with the row after row of stockinette.

So I started knitting squares for a blanket. It's a good exercise really, I can do a variety of stitches in a variety of odd ball yarns which is a perfect monotony buster. And because I want my blanket to be at least 4 feet wide and just over 5 feet long I need to make 63 squares. In other words this little project will be on the needles for some time.

I also started the Child's Vest in the Knitting for Peace Book. I started the stripe pattern using a three balls of Cascade 220, a heathered blue, a heathered orange, and gray. About half way through, it dawned on my that it looked "red, white, and blue" and the thought of some poor child running around Afghanistan in "red, white and blue" stripes made my stomach hurt a little. So I frogged it, and started again in just the blue and gray. Very Dapper.

So much for finishing. I guess I'm not that a-typical of a knitter after all.