Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Yarn Along Mid-April




Mid-April still on the needles, the dusky purple matching the blustery blue, gray, white, purple skies of the middle of April.  It is a sweet knit.  I'm eyeing it with anxiety, worrying that the size four will not actually be big enough for my four year old come next fall and I was hoping it would fit her awhile.  I have always had to adjust to smaller sizes since all my girls are petite.  The pattern (Mi Avril) didn't have a chest measurement which would have guided my size selection so I went with a size 4 figuring if anything it would just be a bit on the big side and while I did achieve gauge, it's not looking like it will fit lengthwise the way I was hoping for.  I might undo the bind off and knit another inch in the bodice, um YUCK, especially because I tried Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off and don't want to hassle with this!  (It was a great bind off though and it is really super stretchy without appearing loose.)  It's a surprise birthday gift so I haven't tried it on Millie but I think I will stealthily slip it on her in her sleep tonight and take a look.  Then I can know for sure except I can't because I don't really know what in the world I'm doing. 

Can you believe I'm still reading the same two books as the past several weeks?  I'm finally plowing through  
1) The Magicians by Lev Grossman about as fast as I can, which is admittedly not very fast, but I'm near the end.  The more I read the more I see Grossman's talent.  These are really incredible and if you like the Harry Potter genre you will probably like these. He has written complex, very raw characters in a really colorful, vivid, fascinating universe. I like this second book even better than the first.  

2)  The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall.  The third installment of a sweet quiet story about a family of all girls, a nostalgic story but set in the present day.  I love it.

I am listening to Sense and Sensibility via CraftLit and also listening to Twelfth Night via Chop Bard (such a great podcast if you've ever wanted to read more Shakespeare but feel daunted.) Podcasts accompany my evening dishwashing after the kids go to bed, my afternoon dinner preparation, and my drifting off to sleep. I'm looking for podcast recommendations to add to my list since I'm cleaning out my feed and realized that I'm paring out most of what I used to listen to.  Any favorites that you listen to regularly, literary or otherwise?

Linking up with Ginny at Small Things for her Yarn Along link up!  Does anyone else wake up on Wednesdays and want to hop right online to see all the gorgeous yarn and projects that are sure to be posted?

10 comments:

  1. Such a pretty photo! I love the dusky purple sweater, the color is one of my favorites. :)

    For podcast recommendations, I like the Sarah R. Bagley podcast and Elise Get's Crafty podcast.

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  2. Oh, I'm not much of a podcast person, so I can't help you there. Love the dress and wonder how the stealthy "try-on" went. :)

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  3. What a gorgeous colour the dress is! I would love to know all about podcasts, but we have very limited internet in our rural area, and I don't dare go there! We would have used our monthly download in a day!

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  4. i hope the knit fits! it is super cute. :)

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  5. I do hope it fits and if you do have to add length that won't be too terrible right? I'll be your cheerleader in spirit.

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  6. The only two podcasts that I listen to are Craft Lit and the Dave Ramsey podcast. But I'm on the lookout for others as well.

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  7. Ohhh, I hope it fits, because it is darling.

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  8. I really hope it will fit - it is such a beautiful dress!!!

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  9. Such a lovely dress, I do hope it fits.

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  10. Sarah, I so enjoy reading these posts each week! I am definitely going to check out the Grossman books once I get through a few dozen others that are already on my to-read list (!)... I love seeing things take shape over your needles! My knitting skills extend no further than a basic knit/purl/lose-a-stitch/repeat "pattern," so I stick with crocheting.

    As far as podcasts, my personal favorite is the Tolkien Professor - start with his Washington College Tolkien Overview course. I think you'll enjoy it!

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