Knitting

I have been busy elsewhere this week so my knitting has progressed slowly.  I am still working on the  sleeve of my Antler Cardigan.  I have several projects that I would like to cast on but my time has been taken up with other projects.  I have finally finished my Purple Jacket which I have worn several times, I need to find the perfect brooch to keep it closed as it does not have any buttons.

I have been doing lots of reading this week.  I finished the wonderful Longitude by Dava Sobel,  it is a good and interesting read.  Although this is a book about a scientific endeavour she makes the subject very accessible.  Some of the issues she raises in the book are still prevalent today, Harrison the subject of the book was a self educated man and not part of the scientific establishment of the day.  He had to spent forty years convincing the Board of Longitude, the body set up to issue a substantial prize, that his invention met their requirements, requirements that they chose to change each time he met them.  I have also been reading a lovely sewing book that I found I in my local library.  It has many projects that I would like to make, one day!

The book that has taken much of my time this week is about Saudia Arabia, The Veiled Kingdom by Carmen Bin Ladin*. Born in Switzerland to a Persian mother and a Swiss father, Carmen grew up in Switzerland returning to Iran for extended holidays with her mother.  She met her husband, Yeslam Bin Ladin* a member of the huge Bin Laden clan, in 1974 when he was on holiday in Switzerland they later married and after a period of living in America returned to live in Saudia Arabia where two of their daughters were born.  Her description of life for a woman in Saudia Arabia is hard for me to fathom.  I cannot imagine what it must be like to have to no place in society, to be unable to leave the house and to do so you must be accompanied by your brother or husband and be covered from head to toe despite the intense heat.  The only man able to see your uncovered face is your husband.  Your whole life is ruled by the conventions of your religion.  Carmen fears for her two daughters, if her husband was to divorce her they would be taken from her and looked after by either him or another member of the extended family, Yeslam had fifty three brothers and sisters.  She travels to America and Switzerland every year where she lives in stark contrast to her life in Saudia Arabia, I know from reading the back of the book that she eventually leaves Saudia Arabia for good but I have yet to reach that part.

* this is the correct way to write the name.

Joining in with Ginny for this weeks sharing of knitting and reading and Tami for this weeks work in progress.