I think it might be a good one! Though, this an entirely impossible time of day to get a picture with accurate color, natural light or no.
It’s still not perfect. I want to have strands of mulberry silk top in there, but we’re off to a good start. I’ve spun it, I’ll wash it, I have one more to spin, and then I’ll knit them into fingerless mitts for Liv to see how it looks worked up.
I’m thinking that despite what the sample on the dyecard looks like, I’m not going to be able to use mahogany silk in Nate’s sweater. It’s entirely too pinkish as opposed to the dark, burgundy red it’s supposed to be. However, it’s beautiful.
Aside from carding and spinning a quick batt, I didn’t get much done with fiber yesterday. Didn’t knit a stitch on Clark’s sweater. I got sucked into a book. On Saturday, I read Howl’s Moving Castle and yesterday, I read Castle in the Air. They’re both children’s literature by Diana Wynne Jones. She’s very softly funny. Intelligently funny. They’re enjoyable to read.
Nate is a huge reader, and much of the female side of his family (mom, sisters, sisters-in-law) are also. I’m not much of a reader, but I think I could become one. (This is both exciting and distressing to me. There’s only so much time… and reading, while tremendous fun, doesn’t feel productive).
Anyway, when I said I wanted to read Howl’s Moving Castle after seeing the movie and wanting more information on the characters, Nate took me out and we bought it. I read it in a day, and showed interest in the follow up and it’s sequel. Yesterday, he came home with four books, one for him by Neil Gaiman, and three for me. He’s also brought up a book from his extensive library downstairs that he’s sure I’ll like called Mad Kestrel by Misty Massey.
I’m not lacking for encouragement, that much is certain.
And I’m still intrigued by the Outlander series Carrie recommended to me, that I’ve heard referenced several times since in various conversations.
Bah! There are far too many interesting things to spend time on.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:18 am
You might enjoy the Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead since you liked the Twilight books – my friends and I (all Twilight fans) really do! They are young adult books but really great we think.
We are also reading the Outlander books (I just finished book 4). We LOVE LOVE LOVE them. BUT, they are very dense, very long and very involved. The historical detail and accuracy is amazing (in my opinion). There are some fairly graphic sex/rape scenes. Never gratuitous (again, IMO) but still there. But, we are really, really enjoying them and I would definitely recommend them. Just be prepared to be sucked in for months. I’m a fast, frequent reader and it has taken me nearly a month to get through the first 4 books.
I am also a fan of Diana Wynne Jones! You may also enjoy Patricia Wrede.
And, I love your batt and yarn. It’s really pretty. I am so excited to be watching the progress with your shop!
October 1st, 2008 at 10:44 am
Yup. . . sexy, sexy sex in those Outlander books. And, Abigail’s description up there is very accurate. . . I had to take a long break from them, as the first 5 books sucked up a LOT of my reading time. But, you could.not.tear.me.away from them while I was reading. I have the 6th book and have just found out that the 7th in the series is coming out in hardback soon. . . ACCKKK!
Stephenie Meyer’s alien book (not a young adult book) The Host was gripping. I’m not into alien fiction, but she is such a compelling writer (except for that last vampire book. . sigh). I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. . . much more a study of relationships then really being about aliens. . . I think you’d like it.
And, yes, that yarn of yours is gorgeous!
October 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Hmmmm. Sexy, sexy sex scenes are probably too racy for me. And I don’t need to be sucked into a vortex.
I liked The Host a lot.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:11 am
Wow, that looks beautiful! I think it would look great on Nate, but even better on you. And you’ve done a lot on Clark’s sweater in just one day. It’s so cute that he knows it’s for him.
What books did Nate get you? Did he pick up The Graveyard Book for himself?
October 1st, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Yay! Sounds like you are feeling all better. I did not comment before about Clark’s sweater, it’s really nice (and I love your yarn).
As for not having enough time, I don’t know how you do it all. I am retired and live by myself and still cannot find time to do all I want to do. As I near 60 I am feeling this urgency that even if I live to 100 my days are finite. I love holding a real book and even smelling new books but have accepted that since time is limited it’s OK to listen to audio books while knitting or quilting. It’s not really reading but it’s much better than watching tv.
No comment on sexy sex scenes, don’t remember what that is. 😉
October 1st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Haha. I could say something here, but I’d better not :-).
I’m not all better, actually. I still fatigue far too quickly to resume exercise, but it’s s.l.o.w.l.y getting better.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
That is so pretty and texturie (wd?) I feel like I could touch it through the screen. Way to go.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:58 am
OOO I like this one! Congratulations! I think this is just the beginning of a lot of successful batts for you!
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
I really like the batt and yarn. I think you could still get the same overall effect using a little less silk. It’ll make your fiber dollars go a little further.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Oh, the Outlander books are WONDERFUL!!! I am sure there is a library in the Seattle area that has the unbridged versions on CD. I put them on my iPod and have been listening to them again (I’ve read and listened to them several times) as I knit. I can be productive and knit at the same time! The first book alone is 28 CDs, so that is a lot of knitting time!
This batt is also really pretty! I love the colors and the flecks!!
How are your elbows doing?
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Oh, I think you would love Outlander!!! I had no idea there were sequels to Howl’s Moving Castle – I’ll have to check that out. BTW, I’m loving how your batts are turning out!
October 4th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Laura, I know what you mean about feeling unproductive while you are reading. On the one hand, i feel that it is important for the kids to see me reading books so that they develop a love of them. However, I put reading on the bottom of my priority list every day.
I remember you saying that you weren’t much of a reader because you had a problem with your eyes wandering too much on the page. Did you find a solution to that?
October 4th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I am doing better. Online, I still struggle, but sitting in a comfortable chair with an actual book, it’s better. There have been a few times in the last week that I’ve had to stop and look up for a minute before going back to the page. Then I make myself focus on one word at at time for awhile ’til I got back into a natural rhythm. I don’t know what’s up with me. I’m weird.