Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Unraveled Wednesday: 12/14/22

I'm happy to join Kat and fellow Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday, with a completed pair of socks and some new (and not entirely satisfying) knitting. First, the socks:


I'm happy with them and my sock mojo has been well-satisfied. Once the socks were done, I started thinking about maybe knitting a hat for Justin's girlfriend, Jess. I found some lovely soft Malabrigo Rasta in my stash, decided on a pattern, and cast on. I can't remember why I originally bought the yarn, but I do understand why I haven't used it. Super bulky yarn on size 15 needles just isn't very comfortable for me. I had this silly idea that I was going to whip this hat up in just a few hours, but I've already messed the pattern up and unraveled once twice, so we'll see if it actually becomes a hat on the second try. I even found a pom-pom in my stash, so there is some incentive to finish since all the supplies were just sitting there waiting to be assembled. 


I fiddled around with my Hitchhiker idea and couldn't make it work the way I had planned, but that's my fault for not remembering that stripes in garter stitch are best accomplished in two rows (one ridge) and not just one row. I'll go back and revise the plan after I finish the hat. 

I made a discovery in reading this week - I don't really enjoy short story collections. I was anxious to read Claire Keegan's collections of short stories because I really admire her spare writing style and thoroughly enjoyed Foster and Small Things Like These. But for me, this just didn't translate to liking her short stories in Antarctica and Walk the Blue Fields. The subject matter of the stories fell flat and many of the endings were vague and obtuse. But now I know to stay away from short story collections (except for the Christmas collection from L.M. Montgomery that I'm currently reading.)

What are you making and reading this week?


11 comments:

  1. beautiful socks! I like short story collections if they are well written. So it depends!! Love the fast and dirty chunky knitting you got there.

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  2. Well, I hope the yarn can get its act together so you can finish that hat up (and quickly). I don't buy super-bulky yarn for the same reason -- I know it knits up quickly, but it's just not comfortable.

    I am generally not a big fan of short story collections, though I've enjoyed a few in the past couple years. Most of the time I find them to be unsatisfying because they end just when I'm starting to get into them! I do, however, like essay collections, and those are often similar in length.

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  3. Seems there are a bunch of us who are not short story fans. I remember buying a collection of John Cheever stories decades ago...I think I read 3 or 4 and never finished the others. Like Sarah, I enjoy essays though. And, funny, I am now reading a book of short stories that take place on the Eastern Shore...but it's not interesting or well written - LOL. That hat (to be) is a gorgeous color. I hope you can get the yarn to behave (or your hands with large needles and biggie yarn - that hurts me!). and your socks are wonderful Bonny - love that yarn.

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  4. The socks are fabulous, Bonny. I just love the stripes! And . . . good luck with the hat. The yarn looks yummy, so I hope you can "wrangle" it into shape. (I'm not a fan of big yarn/big needles, either.) (And it's always the projects I think will knit up quickly that I struggle the most with.) I love short stories -- but not always entire collections of short stories by the same author (because they can't hit ALL of them out of the park). Much as I love Claire Keegan, I think I'll just pass on reading her short story collections . . . XO

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  5. Rasta isn't easy to knit, is it?! hope that 3rd try's the charm! ...and I'm intrigued about L.M. Montgomery's story collection. It sounds wonderful.

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    1. just looked up the book - thank you for the recommendation!

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  6. Oh wow, that Rasta is a gorgeous color, though! I hope you finish the hat!! Sending MOJO!!

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  7. That yarn looks like it would make a very warm hat. I love that color. It's such a rich shade.

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  8. Just looking at that big yarn makes my hands hurt, but it is a gorgeous color and will make a warm hat. Good luck with it!
    Short story collections are hit or miss for me, I prefer essays.

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    1. It's making my hand hurt, too! I can't wait to be done (I had to unravel it again tonight) and get back to fingering weight yarn!

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  9. The socks look great and toasty warm. I do not like to knit with bulky yarn, although I've not tried Rasta. The color is pretty. I am also not a short story fan. For some reason I love a collection of well written essays but short stories leave me wanting to know more about the characters.

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