Knitting

24 July 2013


Sometimes when you start knitting a project, even though you love the photos that entice you to knit, you fail to see that to complete it you need to knit and purl many long rows.  The body of this cardigan is 149 stitches of knit and purl for 16 inches, although I knit 15 as this will make for a better fit for me, which I thought I would never complete.  I have taken this with me everywhere this week even if I had only time to knit a row or two it has made the knitting, somehow, much easier to complete, I am a very slow purl knitter.  I had also forgotten that 15 inches of aran weight wool on 5mm needles knits up a lot quicker than using 4 ply on 3mm.  I have now joined the sleeves and have just started the first cable row.  I am really enjoying this project now.

I have finished reading the book I shared last week, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier which I loved.  It is the fictional account of the story behind the painting of the picture with the same name.  It is written from the perspective of the girl in the picture who is a maid in the house of the painter, Vermeer.  It is a wonderful book, one that I read in only a few days.  I have also read Why be Happy When you Could be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson this week.  This is an autobiographical story of the authors upbringing in Northern England in the 60s and 70s, adopted as a young baby this is a harrowing and honest story of her life with her adopted parents and the years hence including her search for her birth mother.  It is a story of hardship, no love, religion and emotional neglect despite this it is a wonderful read, one that I throughly recommend I will be seeking out other books by this author.  I am now reading a completely different book, The Devil's Acre by Matthew Plampin, set in Victorian England it is a story of intrigue, violence and mystery.  I am a few pages in and am enjoying it thus far.

Joining in with Tami for this weeks work in progress.

13 comments:

  1. I love Jeanette Winterson's writing but hadn't seen this one, will have to look for it at the library next week.

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  2. Yes! When you have rows and rows of knitting and purling it can get a little boring, but at least you completed it! It is a lovely color!

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  3. Looks like your cardi is almost finished. Your knitting is very neat.
    I like the sound of all your books although the Winterson one sound like it might be a bit of sad read.

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  4. aw it will be worth it when you're done, can you watch tv when you knit? Maybe a chance to catch up on your favourite shows or put on a film?

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  5. I really liked Pearl Earring too. Wonderful read, but the movie was not as good (of course!).

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  6. I sometimes get lured by a pretty picture and fail to notice something tedious about it (like ribbing!) but I'm glad you're enjoying the project now.

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  7. I have a couple Tracy Chevalier books in my library! I'll have to find them and try reading one! I really like historical fiction, and art history is a draw for me.

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  8. wow! that would be a lot of knitting! so fine and your stitches look very wonderful!

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  9. New follower via gfc from WIP. Would love to have you stop by and check out my page. http://unravelingends.blogspot.com/

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  10. That is allot of knitting...I really like the color though, I am a big fan of blue. Thanks for stopping by and visiting my grocery bag rug and leaving a comment. KEEP ON KNITTING
    With All That I Am
    Carrie - The Handmade Homemaker

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  11. I think you have done really well to stick with all that knitting! Thin yarn knitted up on small needles does have such a lovely smoothness. It'll look absolutly beautiful! I have enjoyed Jeanette Winterson's other books. I'll look up that title now! Thanks for the reccomendation!

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  12. Hello.

    Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. It is always a treat to "meet" someone new.
    I too have the syndrone of picking a particular pattern to knit that later turns out to not be what I hoped it would be. And for me knitting is quite a bit in the process, as well as the completed project. But you stuck with the pattern, and as you said,"I am really enjoying this project now." Wonderful!

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  13. I've just started crocheting a shawl and I have a feeling it will take quite a long time. Thanks for the book recommendations, I shall look out for them.

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