Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Unraveled Wednesday

Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday. There was some real unraveling, but hopefully, that is all behind me. 


I fixed my issues with the baby blanket. I had to rip all the way back to the beginning border stitches but now I check after row 3 (the k2tog, yo row) to make sure I haven't forgotten a yarn over. That extra stitch matters in the pattern and while I can sometimes drop down and fix errors in my knitting, I couldn't figure out a way to do that to add a yarn over. It's still too hot to knit much on a baby blanket but I might try working on it during the drive back to NJ. Two hours in an air-conditioned truck is too much good knitting time to waste.

Also, my fabric arrived, and I love it. 


The contrast of the sweet flowers and the words makes me laugh and made me want to get start sewing on masks. I've washed and ironed the fabric, and today is for pinning the pattern and cutting out as many mask pieces as I can get. My sewing machine is in NJ, but I think I'll be able to sew several masks this weekend. I can hardly wait to wear one!

I finished Here in the Real World and even though it's a middle-grade book, I found it delightful. Not too sappy or preachy, just a celebration of introverts, art, and hopefulness. Now I'm struggling to read The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue. It's not the book; it's me. The subject is the 1918 flu pandemic and it's set in a maternity ward in Dublin. I thought I wanted to read it when I requested a pre-publication copy from Overdrive, but now I'm not so sure. Each day I read only a few news stories from NPR and The Atlantic and then stop, so I don't know if I want to be focusing my reading on a pandemic story, especially one with expectant mothers. I'll see ...

What are you making and reading this week?

20 comments:

  1. Oh that fabric! Love it!!! Your masks will be fabulous. Cute baby blanket too. Sorry you needed to rip back. My reading is sporadic and not very much, though Fletch and I are now reading (re-reading for me) "Woodswoman" by Anne LaBastille and it is very good. Not sure I would read a book about a pandemic right now....

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  2. Best fabric ever! And I do like the blanket too! Yeah...not so sure I'd read the book either right now. One of my favorite books The Dog Stars has a pandemic theme and I am staying way away from it! (But it has Colorado! Which I am afraid I will also be staying away from in September. So sad.)

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    1. I loved the Dog Stars! It was very sad, but so well written, and hopeful. I really enjoy Peter Heller's books.

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  3. That fabric!! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! I am almost done with Song Yet Sung... and I have so many feelings about it. (and I am knitting the blues! lol)

    Also, I have YET to catch a Mahi Mahi... grrr! lol

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  4. love the fabric immensely! and the blanket is beautiful!!!!

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  5. Love that fabric, Bonny. It's a bit of pandemic kitsch, and I think you will make others smile when you wear it. I also really like that blanket. Makes me want to knit a blanket this winter! I have been trying to decide if I want to read The End of October (which is also pandemic themed), but have decided I need to wait awhile. I really enjoyed The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, and although it is sad, I didn't feel depressed when I finished it. Of course, I read it before the pandemic. I have been plodding along reading mysteries and looking for something to read!

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  6. I've been working on various projects, I just can't settle into any one thing, but I am making a bit of progress on a shawl, an afghan, a crewel work sampler, and some random quilt blocks. I have been reading a lot! I'm currently reading What You Have Heard Is True by Carolyn Forche, an amazing memoir. In 1978, a stranger turned up on her doorstep and asked her to accompany him to El Salvador to learn about what was going on at that time; he wanted her to use her poetry to bear witness to the human rights violations and the coming civil war. Although some parts of the book have been very difficult to read and I have to put it down after reading them, I soon go back to it; I can't put it down!

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    1. I think it's difficult to settle on one thing, but making progress on multiple and varied projects sounds great! And I thank you for your wonderful description of What You Have Heard Is True. It sounds intriguing and like a worthwhile read, so I'm off to search for it at the library. Thanks!

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  7. That fabric is really something! I literally laughed out loud.
    I love fan and feather, but it doesn't leave any room for errors.
    I'm reading The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve by Stephen Greenblatt.

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    1. My husband thinks I may offend some people with that fabric, but I think they're too close if they can read it and be offended. :-)

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  8. Totally love that fabric. I agree with you. People will just have to get over themselves!

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  9. Those are going to be the best masks EVERRRRRR! Fuckity fuck! That makes me smile!

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  10. The blanket is great and that fabric is just fabulous! I don't think I'd dare wear it but I wish I could!

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  11. I am so looking forward to your modeling your face mask - love he material. The baby blanket is going to be lovely. Safe drive to. NJ ... will you have to self quarantine?
    Cheers~

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  12. What fun fabric, ha! And the feather and fan pattern is classic for a reason - so beautiful!

    I don't blame you about second guessing the book on the 1918 Flu -- it would be way too close to home for me right now!

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    1. The fabric designer has a whole line of "pretty sweary" fabrics and even wallpaper. If things continue for too long, I may be papering a room in this design!

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  13. The fabric is fabulous! I actually saw someone else had it for masks (one of the video podcasts I watch), along with other similarly profane prints. Were it not for the smaller person in the house, I'd be totally on top of those.

    I know Feather and Fan is "supposed" to be an easy lace stitch, but I've never been able to knit it without messing up multiple times.

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  14. Sometimes those yarn overs can be the devil. The blanket looks very sweet though. I made four masks yesterday - Friday, although my fabric isn't nearly as fun as yours. One might just as well have a little fun with the masks. I was happy to find elastic at a small local store this week. It was almost as good as finding hand sanitizer.

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  15. I'm glad the blanket is back on track - Feather & Fan can be tricky! LOVE the fabric ... and I totally hear you about the book - I think it's just the wrong time (and won't it be wonderful to look forward to a time when it will be ok to read something like that?!)

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