Yarnalong - the one where not everything is as it seems

This week I'm (re)knitting the beginning of Blank Canvas. When I pulled it off the needles to rip out four rows to restart the striping pattern I discovered it was huge. So I ripped it back and started again. The issue is that I am getting 18 stitches per 10 cm with a DK yarn, which makes no sense. Also, my gauge says this size should fit me, but I tried it on and it still seems big. But maybe it's just being weird, because gauge wouldn't lie? Right? Right??

I'm reading the second Cypress Hollow book Lucy's Kiss by Rachael Herron. I read the first one and it was just all right. I was a bit disappointed because I love Rachael's blog , and she seems like a lovely, lovely knitter. The books are unashamedly romance, but the first one was based around some kind of fake feeling (to me) miscommunication. I only started the second one because I bought them in a digest volume and I thought I had better try it or delete it from the Kindle. Well, I'm loving it. The romance feels natural and sweet and it's lovely.

I'm listening to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which addresses some huge issues of race, science, rights of control over your body, poverty, all told around one family. It's such a good listen. And the narrator is so good I sometimes forget she's not the actual author of the book. Not a dry science book at all.

So that's me for another yarnalong, where things got rather unexpected, but not at all bad. Pop over to Ginny's blog to see what everyone else is knitting and reading this week.

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Linky Wednesday - the one with the pause

In meditation it's said that the pause between the in breath and the out breath is a gap, a space to rest. Well, I'm in that in-between space for reading, listening and knitting. This is a random photo of a highlight of my week - I filled up my lolly jar. These are just supermarket party mix. During the lockdowns, we sources a great pick-and-mix delivery service, but at some point they started sending from the UK, which is a bit silly. Rachey messaged me a new one she found, and I impulsed purchased a kilo of mixed lollies, and then she sent me a link to the biggest lolly shop in Melbourne, which also delivers sweets by the kilogram, so i think I'm sorted for the rest of the year! In reading I've just finished The Beckoning Lady by Margery Allingham . It's the second last book in the Summer of Mystery, and I have to admit, having now read nine Margery Allingham books, that they are OK. I wouldn't have read them if they were not connected to this club, but on...

Geogradiant MKAL Part 1 - that was unexpected (spoilers)

Stephen West released the first MKAL clue on Thursday night. I started knitting it without looking at spoilers. When I got up on Friday he had sent through an "alternative" clue one. I then went and had a look at the spoiler thread to try to work out what was going on. Which was that some people thought the pattern looked like a "German hate symbol". I knit on anyway, since I was half-way through. Then he took down the original clue, replacing it with a mitred square in garter stitch. The Ravelry forums and Instagram are a complete shit-show, even though Rav is being moderated. It's been a bit disheartening, having something that is usually quite light and fun weighed down with all this. I admire Stephen's quick and sensitive response to this drama. I also feel that anything can look like anything if you squint. To me this looks like a Celtic knot. I think mine is pretty, and I'll knit on through all crises.

Unravelled Wednesday - the one where it's ordinary

This week I finished my first book for the 2025 When Are You Reading? Challenge , which was The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker , which covered the pre 1200 time period. I loved it, it's a retelling of the siege of Troy from a feminist perspective. I haven't worked out what I'm reading for the 1200-1399 time period. Suggestions are welcome. I'm currently reading Central Station by Lavie Tidhar , which is science fiction set in a future Tel-Aviv. It's good, but there are loads of characters and I'm not overly invested. Although at least I'm having no problems telling the characters apart, they are very district. I just don't overly care what happens to them. I'm listening to a NetGalley review copy of Mona Acts Out by Mischa Berlinski , which is the story of a woman unravelling. It's very different from Mischa's other books, but quite compelling. I'm not sure what's next, probably something from Kobo-Plus, perhaps Regrets...

What I made, by Sharon

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