What I made, by Sharon

W elcome to part 22 in a series of non-fiction book reviews, originally based on the idea that the books I request tell you everything you need to know about me.  I have, after so many chapters of this series, realised that all these posts say about me is that have eclectic taste and endless curiosity.   I can't believe I'm up to part 22, this was just a place to put these reviews, but now I can see how broad my non-fiction reading is, and how many interesting, good (and sometimes not-so-good) books and topics I've had a chance to explore.  Today I am talking about bohemia (the cultural state, not the Eastern European region), sloths and relaxing.  I don't do a start rating here (although I have to on NetGalley) because sometimes I prefer to use words to express how I felt about a book than provide a stark, unscientific and often inconsistent number.  All books in this post are kindly provided in e-arc form from the publishers through NetGalley. The Twiligh...

I'm currently listening to a NetGalley review copy of  Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh . It's a family drama about two divorced parents whose 20 year old daughter moved to China and gets hit by a car. It is a really moving and lovely book, and the narrator is perfection. Next up in audio is a Jodi Picoult    Where There's Smoke , which is also from NetGalley. In eye-reading, I finished  The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon  by Richard Zimler , although I skim read the last part, and did not enjoy it at all. Now I'm reading   Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka,  in an attempt to read some novels about Sri Lanka before we go there next month.  After that I'm going to read  The Confidence Woman by Sophie Quick . My goal is to alternate a Sri Lanka novel and a NetGalley review book until we go away in just over three weeks, and then read local novels while we are away.  In crafting, my shoulder has seized up again, so I'm ...

 I've always considered myself a product knitter. I love the finished object and I love wearing my handknits. But recently, as I spent every free minute of my time knitting on a hat for no-one in particulra ( Sonsie by Kate Davies Designs )  I started to consider that maybe my relationship with knitting has evolved. The act of just so soothing, making every stitch and every stitch making a piece of art, as well as a practical, usable garment.  I was obsessed with knitting this hat, and not for any particular reason. I used some machine dyed Bellevie Park yarn that was left over from one of Katie's projects, and some had-dyed yarn left from Leon's winter set. And I love it. The bright solid against the hand-dyed is so effective.  Mixing and matching hand and machine dyed is not something I've thought a lot about, but it's something I want to experiment with more.

I'm not sure who I was kidding when I said it would be quiet now we're back from our various holidays. I'm not here for a quiet time, I'm here for a good time! Last week I managed one night at home (Wednesday, in case you were wondering) in between all my usual activities, a night at the theatre and some cabaret. Good times, spent with friends. Luckily I can knit, even when socialising. I'm working on the  muka pullover , a plain tee with big, dramatic lace sleeves. I've got a way to go before I have to think about the sleeves! In reading it was a big review week, but unfortunately not full of highly rated reads. I 3 starred a not particularly thrilling thriller  Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton , and 2 starred a  Audible Original  Trap Line by Timothy Zahn,  both of which were from NetGalley. Now I'm reading  The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon  by Richard Zimler , for the  When am I reading? 2025 book challenge . It's very good, but als...

  The internet (and this blog) are littered with well fitting, marvellous garments, which we report were super easy and fun to knit and worked out perfectly. And one reason for this is - who wants to sit down and write a post about how their 259th sock was a complete fail. What happened was - when we were on holidays in Warbutton I was finishing Leon's socks, and i didn't really have the time or energy to get together my next project - wind the yarn, get the right needles, consider a swatch and so on. So I grabbed some contrast yarn and decided to knit the Confetti socks, a paid sock pattern. this is the picture from the pattern: so pretty! I cast on, and then discovered that those crosses are not cable crosses - they are this weird winding technique than requires a cable needle, and taking both hands off the needles. It was slow and painful. I did already know that using a dark colour for the slipped stitches in these style of socks is a bad idea - it pulls the whole thing to...

  As happens quite often, I knit Leon's winter set while we were on holidays together. Many years, including 2025, we get to Adelaide for the Adelaide Fringe, which runs in February and early March. Since it starts to cool off here in April, it's all perfect timing. This year I wanted something simple, so I used a 4 x 1 broken rib. I wanted to let the yarn shine. It's Bombed Yarns from Tasmania, beautifully handdyed. I made the usual set - scarf, hats and mitts. This year I made a slouch hat. i do love a louchy hat: The only thing I would have done differently is that I could have (should have?) made the last 3 stitches of each row garter. It was so curly before I blocked it but blocking did it's wonders and now it's flat (or at least flat enough). I used an actual pattern for the matching socks ( Broken Record Broken Rib) , which are also 4 x 1 broken rib. And that's the best photo I have of them. I don't have a lot more to say about this set. It was a sim...