Books, books, books

I recently checked out two knitting books from my library. Despite its very 1980s cover fashion, The Knitting Experience: Book 3: Color by Sally Melville has some great patterns in it. I am not crazy about the sweaters (which do tend to be boxy and a bit out of style) but there were two skirts, several bags, and some placemats that I loved. And the instructions? Phenomenal. The photos for working intarsia and Fair Isle were in color, so you could really see what yarn was supposed to be going where. I think when I am ready to tackle these types of knitting, it will be to this book I turn. It is on my “to buy” list.

The second book I checked out was Debbie Bliss’s Special Knits for Babies: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies since I have a few cousins and friends with babies and some good stash yarn for a wee one. The designs are lovely. But, I admit to finding it frustrating that every pattern called for an expensive Debbie Bliss yarn. I know, I could swatch with what I have and figure out all the math, but... is it so hard to list several yarn options? Maybe I was just in a grumpy mood, but I ended up just feeling very blech and lazy about it all and will be returning the book w/o having made a single item.

Besides knitterly books, I am reading volume I of Samuel Pepys' diary. I don’t know if I really have the desire to read all ten (he kept a yearly diary from 1660 to 1669) but I am enjoying this one. I love reading old letters and diaries. I am so nosy!

And I am taking breaks from Pepys with an “easy on the brain” mystery by Ngaio Marsh called Dyed in the Wool. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any knitting in it.... just a corpse in a bale of wool! eeeeeewwwww.....