Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Words and Wool

It is nice to be back to knitting during school hours (when that allows). I'm working on the TINY tea leaves cardi for Laura. I'm using the nicest yarn. I think it is merino, if I remember correctly, and I recycled it from a thrift store sweater. I can't wait to see the finished sweater!

One of the girls in my Knit Club has angora rabbits! This past week she brought in a little swatch she had harvested, spun, and knit!!! I couldn't get over the silky softness of this swatch! Softer than anything I could imagine. I think I'd like to cuddle one of those rabbits!!!

 Here are the two cushions I embroidered during the Lord of the Rings marathon. The orange color doesn't come through well in the photo, but I love how they look in the living room.


And the Queen Anne's Lace:


As for reading:


Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth has kept me engrossed all week. The original title is "The Midwife" but the book has been renamed to go along with the new BBC miniseries. I still haven't seen the first episode of the mini series, but I'm getting the idea it may not be as good as the book........ I do love the book. It's full of heart-wrenching stories, precious stories, and funny stories! Worth does put in a little more detail than I would like when describing the horrors of the local houses of ill repute, so I would find this book unsuitable for young people.

Having always been interested in the medical field, I do love the glimpse into the lives of the midwives that this book provides. Interestingly, my youngest sister was delivered at home by a British midwife who was then practicing in Pennsylvania. She was the a quiet, gentle but strong, extremely knowledgeable older woman that I have always admired. I can't help but think of her while reading these stories. And it is fun to recall my own experiences with British midwives and the two home births we had in Scotland.

Sarah's Cottage by D. E. Stevenson was recommended to me this week by my friend Rachel in New Zealand. Since Stevenson is a favorite author I was eager to read it and Michael didn't even have to have it sent via Interlibrary loan but found it at our local library when he went to inquire for me! (Normally, all our books are retrieved from the city library system, but they don't have many Stevensons and I can't request interlibrary loans due to the fact that we don't live in the city limits. This means a trip to the local library, which we only patronize for interlibrary loans).

My Heart's in the Lowlands: Ten Days in Bonny Scotland by Liz Curtis Higgs was picked up from the library and begun today. I'm not sure this book would be of interest to anyone unless they particularly love Scotland but I figured I might enjoy it and get a few ideas of places to visit. We shall see........

And now for the presidential debates, which may provide some knitting time!!!

Oh, and hop over to Ginny's for more ideas on books and knitting.

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9 comments:

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

I just finished reading Bel Lamington by Stevenson. My friend who first recommended Stevenson to me said I had to read it.

While it is not a direct sequel to the series that starts with Vittoria Cottage, Bel starts out in London but ends up in Scotland and meets the people from the second and third books.

I loved this book! I would have read through it again soon but it was inter library loan (the Marion County library!).

Vittoria Cottage takes place in England but the remainder of the story is in Scotland.

Angela said...

You knit during math lessons, too? :). That sweater pattern is very sweet...the neutral color is a great choice.

jemilyea said...

Sarah's Cottage! I reread it this summer, along with many other Stevenson books. Have you read Sarah Morris Remembers, the first book? Sarah's Cottage has quite a few characters from other books.

I didn't know Liz Curtis Higgs had written a non-fiction book about Scotland. I'll have to see if my library can order it.

Anonymous said...

The embroidered cushions look really lovely. Got a lot of yarn for embroidering from my grandma but I'm not yet into it that much. Your cushions look like an easy start.

Jessica said...

such great projects? i have bags of angora hair/fur? to learn to spin with. our buns need a good shaving again soon.
that midwife books looks good - ill have to find it at the library. and..
i finally learned to knit! you should post a tutorial about unraveling sweaters that seems like a much more economical way to knit.

southseaislandhome said...

I'm so glad you were able to find it so easily! I ended up getting it on audio before I had finished my other book - it just looked too good! And I'm in the middle of it now and enjoying it so much. I have found 2 D.E. Stevenson books on our NZ website (like ebay), and I've definitely got my eye on them. A new author to collect for me. :o)
Love, love your embroidered pillows.

DesertSnowdrop said...

Love your cardi, it is going to be gorgeous!

HeatherMavis said...

Liz Curtis Higgs is a wonderful author. That's going on faith since I have never actually read any of her books. However, I have watched part of a seminar series she did (which I can't remember the name of) which IS wonderful. So, I want to read her books. Another author I love is Linda Windsor. She has written two trilogies taking place in 5th- 7th century Ireland and Scotland. The first is "The Fires Of Gleannmara series" , the second is "The Brides of Alba series". Look her up at www.lindawindsor.com.

Anonymous said...

Your knitting is lovely! And I hope you get some good ideas about where to visit in Scotland. Have you seen the blog "Journeys to Scotland"? That might help you as well. She posts a lot of nice videos. http://ajb47.wordpress.com/