The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Six

Shawl Six: Brush Creek Shawl by Carina Spencer

It's time for another Thoughtful Shawl post!

Shawl six is this absolutely beautiful shawl by Carina Spencer that I knitted back in 2015.

This shawl is a definite keeper. It's made of two of my absolutely favourite yarns and I love the elegant, light lace of the design. 

The soft grey with flecks of pink, yellow and blue is Confetti on The Uncommon Thread's tough sock. I've been in love with this colourway for years now, and this is actually the second skein of it that I bought (I now have a third in my stash - waiting for the perfect project). The deep blueish grey at the top is Old Maiden Aunt's Selkie on her cashmere/merino/nylon base. This is another yarn that I've bought multiple times - I love the subtle colours and soft blending. Finally the third yarn is a ball of Lang Yarns Jawoll that I picked up from The Yarn Cake in Glasgow. 

I love this shawl, it's full of favourites and special memories and I know that I could never lose in from my collection.

The only problem I have is that it's a smidge on the small side - so it tends to be a Spring/Summer only shawl - but I think that a heavy block might open up the lace and add a little width. 

I'm going to give it a nice long soak and give it a big old stretch to ensure I give this little shawl the love and wear it deserves. 

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: The Wisdom Of Sally Red Shoes

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ruth Hogan's second novel has lost none of the charm and wit of her hugely popular debut The Keeper Of Lost Things.

This novel takes a slightly darker turn than her debut and is self-informed by the author's own battles with cancer. That's not to say this is a dark book, it's not. It deals with death, loss and grief with the wonderful wit, warmth and wonder first experienced in The Keeper Of Lost Things.

The story follows lead character Masha, and secondary character Alice. Both women are well fleshed out, with quirks and flaws that make them both real and endearing. I found myself both laughing and crying along with Masha, a complicated but deeply likeable woman dealing with the loss of her son.

What I liked the most about this book is that while there IS a romance, it's certainly secondary to the friendships and bonds that Masha and Alice have with other people in their life.

It's an extraordinary novel, full of gentle wisdom and joy even while following Masha and Alice through dark and troubling periods in their lives. There's such pleasure in watching Masha learn to live with her grief and blossom through the connections she makes.

Ruth Hogan is a skilled writer, and I think her personal experiences have really fed into this book. You can feel the heart and love and overall the hope.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Siena

Siena by Zoe Blessing
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Zoe Blessing's debut of the Forestfolk series features a gorgeously imagined world populated with tribes and 'aberrations', people blessed with gifts out of the ordinary. Right from the beginning the story is a slow burner, but it never feels extraneous or meandering, instead it feels very much like the book is designed to world build in preparation for further books in the series. It also spends a large portion of time introducing the important characters in Siena's world, leaving each character well fleshed out and very real.

That's not to say that the story is aimless or boring, it has a strong thread throughout and I really enjoyed the pacing. Siena is an unusual main character for a fantasy novel, her strengths lay with gentleness, kindness and understanding rather than the sassy heroine or battleworn hero usually preferred by this genre. She was never written as being weak despite lacking physical strength.and I like that she was a multilayered character with more to offer than good swordskills and a sharp tongue.

My only criticism is that the book seemed perhaps pitched to a younger audience than most YA novels, and as such lacked a little depth. Relationships were formed almost instantly, battles were over quickly, Siena found a place easily. I would have preferred just a little more conflict and counterbalance to everything being so wholesome.

View all my reviews

Finished Object: Don the Golden Retriever

There hasn't really been much knitting news on this blog lately, and that's really not for a want of trying. I have a pile of tube socks mounting up that desperately need heels putting in, and every time I trawl Ravelry for a new and exciting sock or shawl pattern I can feel their judgemental glare.

So, while there is no finished object for knitting...there is a crochet object! To say I'm stunned is an understatement.  I think it might be time to add a crochet section to this blog! I'm both gobsmacked and proud of how I'm doing with my crochet lately.

Even just a year ago the thought of picking up a hook broke me out in a cold sweat. I couldn't even manage a straight chain stitch. My hands seemed too big, too clumsy and too...handy. But, never one to give up I decided to try again when my lovely friend Adam decided to try and pick up the hook.

He picked up a kit to make a bunny, and I browsed Toft's pattern selections. I settled on a bunny too and bought the pattern to make Emma the Bunny.

I'm digressing a lot, so let's just say Emma wasn't incredibly successful (I can't account for yarn for crochet the same way I can for knitting so she is sadly a headless rabbit). Adam gave up, and ended up sending the bunny kit to me so I could finish it for him.

But, something amazing did happen. Crochet clicked for me. It didn't seem overcomplicated or stressful anymore. Instead I found the process soothing and fun.

Fast forward a bit of time and I picked up the Toft advent calendar, the idea was to crochet a little bit of a mystery animal a day at a time in the run-up to Christmas.

This also wasn't the most successful endeavour, I found the loop stitch horrendously difficult as a beginner crochet wrangler. But I mustered the courage to flump my way through it somehow. But as a sidenote, never try and learn a tricky crochet stitch in the run-up to Christmas. It's horrible and stressful during an already stressful time. I think a million Quality Street were eaten and there may have been some whisky consumption to soothe my frayed nerves.

BUT, these struggles are why I'm so proud to show you my finished object. Please meet Don the Golden Retriever.

See his fluffy little chest? Those feathery legs? That magnificent swoopy tail? ALL loop stitch. To say I'm proud is an understatement.

Once again, the power of the click happened, and my struggles with Gloria the Christmas red panda paid off. I can now loop stitch without stuffing a million toffee pennies into my mouth between each loop. Toft yarn is absolutely gorgeous to work with, and I love the natural colour scheme. The pattern was also wonderful, and I can't wait to work on more puppies from Edward’s Menagerie: Dogs.

The only struggle I had with Don was sewing his face, I must have ripped out and sewn that nose 7 times (no exaggeration!), it was rough. So, I'd love to see a video from Toft covering facial features. Especially for the dogs where the face adds a lot of character to the animal.

But, here he is. Finished and making me glow with pride. Don!

Book Review: Every Day

Every Day by David Levithan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

David Levithan's YA fantasy-romance is a difficult book to review for me. I chose to read it because the concept really interested to me. With the topic of gender identity and sexuality so high on everyone's radar currently it seemed like a timely read. And on the surface, it deals with the topic well - there's never any doubts in A's mind as to whether what they are doing is incorrect or wrong - they just act in a way that seems natural to them. I found that incredibly refreshing, and can imagine that this book would be useful to anyone feeling in flux with their gender or sexuality.

The moral of the story seems to be acceptance and love - no matter your gender or sexuality. However the strength of Every Day also seems to be it's failing. I have noted a number of reviews criticising how judgemental A is when they are discussing the bodies that they are inhabiting. I didn't have a problem with that, A is a teenage narrator and as such I would expect certain flaws in their developing personality, and a judgement nature is certainly common in many teens. However I feel like this book tried to tackle too many teen issues in one short book and as such we were handed important issues like depression, substance abuse, obesity and illegal immigration with no real depth behind them. I understand that A only had one day in each of the bodies, but I still feel like they were glossed over a little, leaving it more like a checklist of problems teens deal with rather than story-shaping. So, what could have been an important book for teens exploring gender identity became a little bloated with superficial views on serious issues.

And so we get to the root of why I find this book so problematic - as a light, romantic read it was adequate, good even. I really admire Levithan's unique and magical slant on topical issues, and I still think the concept is a good one, however I feel it could have been handled a little better. The times the book did cover the main issues it did so with sensitivity and warmth, but throwing in the other issues for A to deal with means the book lacked overall emotional depth for me.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Lost For Words

Lost For Words by Stephanie Butland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stephanie Butland's charming Yorkshire-set romantic-mystery-drama manages to introduce a prickly protagonist, while still making her easy to emphasise with. Loveday Cardew is a difficult, isolated and sharp character, who should be hard to care about, but the strength of her interactions with always lovable Archie, gentlemanly magician Nathan and even the somewhat villainous Rob make it easy to see that there's something deeper in her than just the sharp edges. She's a bold and unusual choice for a main character, and I loved spending time with her.

I also really enjoyed how well Butland conjured up images of beautiful, historic York with it's independent cafes and dusty, but wonderful bookshops, and coastal Whitby with the salt-tang of the air and the hustle and bustle of tourists. As a Yorkshire woman it always makes my heart glad to see books set in my home county, and I'm especially proud of this one.

I found the story so engaging that I just couldn't put the book down and ended up reading it in two days. I found myself feeling the terror, worry and love along with Loveday as the story unfolded.

I can't wait to read more by Butland, and I hope it leaves me as breathless as Lost For Words did.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder

The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder by Sarah J. Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found Sarah J. Harris's unconventional mystery a little hard-work to begin with. I didn't slip in Jasper's mindset as much as I would have liked, however this could just be because his point of view is so unique and unusual. However as the story moved on, I found myself really absorbing the colours of Jasper's world, and trying to view things through his eyes. It's certainly an interesting perspective to write a book from, and I really appreciate the innovation.

I enjoyed the mystery unfolding from Jasper's perspective, where he is unable to recognise faces or follow expected social cues - it made me view the story in different ways to how I usually read fiction. I also really enjoyed the little moments where the reader could take the cues, or implied meanings but Jasper missed them.

However I found the last portion of the book a little bit hard to digest, I felt that Harris was trying to turn Bee Larkham into a tragic character that we should sympathise with and feel sorry for. But I don't think that her previous actions should be justified by her past. It felt like the book had spent a long period of time establishing Bee's character, only to try and change it drastically at the end, and it felt forced and rushed to me. Perhaps if there had been more of Bee's history interspersed throughout the rest of the book, it may feel more natural.

However on the whole, the character building was strong, and the addition of colours to characters really added a strong insight. On the whole The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder was a unique and enjoyable read, with a few flaws.

View all my reviews

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Five

Shawl Five: Dreambird KAL by Nadita Swings

Back in 2014 I was still very much a beginner knitter, I was starting to experiment more and poke around in more complicated patterns. I've actually always been of the opinion that as long as there's a tutorial or Youtube video, then I'm game to learn any new stitch no matter how intimidating it might seem. So when I heard about the Ravellenic Games, and the ethos behind it, I was really excited to join in and challenge myself. 

I actually initially picked Stephen West's Esjan shawl to be my project for Sochi 2014. I purchased some beautiful buttersoft Malabrigo worsted in sunny shades of red and orange. I waited eagerly for the Opening Ceremony to cast on.

The day came and I clasped my needles enthusiastically, ready to start a new knitting adventure. But within hours it became clear that me and Esjan, never going to work. I'm sure that it's not you, it's me Esjan. But your lace pattern is as undecipherable to me today as it was back then. My brain just refuses it. 

So, it left me in a bit of a panic. I was a day down, patternless and with yarn specifically purchased with this project in mind. I scoured Ravelry for a replacement that could use the same yarn. But nothing spoke to me. Nothing was the challenge I needed, but without tearing my hair out after the disaster of Esjan.

So when I saw the Dreambird KAL, it was unsuitable and looked incredibly difficult. I'd never even heard of swing knitting (and to be honest, even today I'm not entirely sure what swing knitting it). But it was so beautiful, I fell in love. 

Growing up, my favourite fairytale was always The Firebird, and I couldn't stop imagining this shawl in smokey, charcoal tones and fiery splashes of colour. It felt like a sign that this pattern reminded me so strongly of an old Russian folktake, when the Olympics was in Sochi. So, I steeled my nerve and bought the pattern. 

I had a beautiful, but unidentified yarn that I bought at Yarndale previously. The tag had somehow wandered in between my purchasing it, and camping in the wilds of Skipton. But I knew the flaming tones would be perfect. Rob made an emergency dash to my LYS (props to the wonderful Kath of Little Houndales for letting a big, hairy man into her house late at night on a non-shop day to pick up the emergency yarn) to grab a skein of Malabrigo sock in a lovely deep purple.

I was ready to go! And only delayed by two days, I could do this! 

I knitted that shawl religiously. I watched the moguls, the freestyle skating, the curling and so much more. I fell in love with Winter sports and the steady click-clack of the pattern. I felt a swell of pride as Team GB won medals, and I knitted hard and fast and finished just in time. 

And my goodness what a beautiful shawl this is. I don't know why I don't wear it more. It is the very reason I needed to start this project - I have beautiful shawls, full of stories and love that deserve more. So, I've dug out my Firebird shawl, and resolved that it will get much, much more wear. 

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: The Wicked Cometh

The Wicked Cometh by Laura Carlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"But I know that even if the sun were to illumine the whole borough, it would still be dark. Dark with the business of the people who live here. Dark with the deeds that are done."

Laura Carlin's The Wicked Cometh is an atmospheric, gothic novel set in the Victorian slums of London. Her evocative prose conjures up the smokey, dirty backstreets overflowing with crime and poverty with ease. However, this is in someways at the expense of character development. I feel like a heavy portion of the book was dedicated to painting a grim picture of the dense alleyways and slums, leaving the main characters Hester, Rebekah and Calder a little underdeveloped. It also means the book has a tendency to meander at times, spending a lot time scene-setting that could possibly be better used in helping the reader empathise and care about the characters more.

The plot itself was as twisty and tense as Carlin's wonderfully imagined London slums, leaving me constantly wondering where it was going to move to next, until the last few paragraphs. I saw the twist coming from a mile off, but that didn't dampen my enthusiasm for the story in general.

As part of the LGBTQ+ community, I found it incredibly heartening that the slow-burning, but passionate relationship between Hester and Rebekah was given time to grow organically, and never felt gratuitous or scene-stealing from the main story.

On the whole, there were parts I enjoyed about this book, but felt it was let down a little by length and slow pace at the beginning. I'm glad that I read it, but I wouldn't do so again.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Cliff House

The Cliff House by Amanda Jennings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Edie's life was dipped in gold. How could she ever understand?"

Amanda Jennings' The Cliff House is a tense and unsettling read of obsession, love and teenage rebellion. The titular house and wild Cornish coast are so sharply painted that they almost become characters in their own right in the book, their landscapes changing to echo moods and moments.

Amanda Jennings' writing is beautifully poetic, but without ever moving towards overwrought purple prose. It's a perfect example of sparing details being used to paint the most vivid images. Jennings' evocative description made it easy to picture the stark white house, or even taste the salt spray, from the first few pages I was instantly immersed into her world.

The story flows at a nice pace, feeding you intrigue and tension bit by bit always leaving you hungry for more, until the last few chapters. I feel they're more rushed than the rest of book, and they lose some of the edge and punch because of it. To me, the big reveal was dampened a little as it hurtled along too quickly.

However, unlike in the case of some books I've loved with weaker endings, it does nothing to detract away from my overall good feelings about this book. It was a gripping read and I could barely put it down.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading

Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Growing up, I was often found with my nose in a book, at school, at home, in the park. It didn't really matter where, books were my constant companions. So, when I saw Bookworm, I knew it was for me. Written by a self-professed bookworm, for fellow book lovers everywhere.

Right from the first pages, I knew this was going to be a book I took to my heart. Lucy Mangan writes with confidential ease, like she's sharing these bookish secrets with you, and you alone. It's charming and relatable instantly. I've tried to read bookish non-fiction before, such as The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller but I struggled with relating to the memoirs and anecdotes. This was absolutely not the way with Bookworm.

Although we were born 11 years apart, it seems Lucy and I share a great deal in common with childhood reads, from the classics like Where The Wild Things Are and The Very Hungry Caterpillar to more niche reads such as Dicey's Song. So, it was happy coincidence that reading Lucy's memoirs took me back through my own memories of my pony book phase, Sweet Valley High addiction and forays into adult books.

Bookworm is a thoroughly charming book, and Lucy is an engaging writer with bags of humour and passion. Her joy of books is infused in every page and I loved sharing this journey with her.

I would like to add a warning though, my Amazon basket is positively groaning now with books that Lucy loved and that I missed as a child. So read with caution!

View all my reviews

Book Review: While You Sleep

While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt is a gorgeously gothic thriller, packed full of atmosphere and suspense, it follows American artist Zoe as she leaves behind her life and estranged husband to spend some time in an isolated Scottish house with an eerie history.

The setting of a tiny, remote Scottish island adds a claustrophobic twist to the tale, with tension building up from both the isolated location and the close-knit community. I found While You Sleep to be a little slow going to begin with, using the go-to thriller mechanic of strange noises and an eerie atmosphere. But the book soon takes an interesting diversion, replacing Zoe's feelings of dread and fear with an unsettling eroticism and general unease.

On paper this reads very much like a formulaic horror-thriller. Single, lonely woman in a strange, haunted house, but there's much more to this story and Stephanie Merritt's writing and ideas keep things fresh, throwing ghostly singing, demon lovers and witchy women into the mix.

My only criticism is that I predicted the twists in the story before the big reveal, which removed some of the knife-edge paciness that I prefer in thrillers. However, it was certainly an enjoyable and fresh take on the classic haunted house tale.

View all my reviews

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Four

Shawl Four: Sister Joan by Sivia Harding

When I first began my Thoughtful Shawl Project, I immediately earmarked my Sister Joan as belonging to the 'to keep' pile. I expected to give it another blocking to make the edges nice and crisp, but other than that, this shawl was good to go. However, things change.

I remember knitting this shawl, endless nights in front of the TV watching Rob playing video games, this shawl has seen monsters, zombies and explosions. How many pieces of knitting can say that?

I remember the slow, meditative process of beading this shawl. The clear beads shining like raindrops against the gently tonal greens of Malabrigo Sock. 

And most of all, I remember how much I loved making this shawl. From reading the sweet story about it's naming and conception, to picking the yarn out at my LYS. From sliding endless clear beads through my fingers to knitting every single stitch.

I knew this shawl was special.

So, when I began giving away shawls and seeing the joy in their faces as I gifted them something handmade and loved. I knew, that although I still loved this shawl, there was someone who would love it more. Someone who would wear it more. And mostly, someone who deserved it more. 

Karen has been my friend for a long time now, she's supported me through a lot. The usual grown up worries, relationships, money, job, illness. She's one of the strongest women I know, and a constant inspiration to me. Plus, she appreciates the finer things in life like custard and RuPaul's Drag Race. 

So, it took very little convincing for me to realise that Sister Joan was destined for her. Just like its namesake, Karen is kind, generous and considerate, and most definitely knitworthy!

So, I parcelled up Sister Joan and set it off on a new adventure to live with Karen. I knew from the absolute gleeful response I got to the gift that I'd done the right thing. No matter how much I loved the shawl, the yarn, the beads - Sister Joan never really belonged to me. I was just looking after it until the right person came along!

....and then cast on another one ;)

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: The Hazel Wood

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Look until the leaves turn red, sew the worlds up with thread. If your journey's left undone, fear the rising of the sun.”

Honestly, this is a difficult book for me to review. I've seen this popping up here and there on Goodreads and I added it to my mental to read queue almost immediately. So, I feel like perhaps I went into this with too high expectations, and that ended as it usually does, with disappointment.

My main issue with this book was the lead character Alice. She was so spiky, rude and self-centered that is made her difficult to emphasise with, or even to become fully absorbed into her story. I'm not always immediately against a difficult character, I think when they are skillfully written you can still form an emotional connection to them. In some ways, flaws can make a character more rounded and easier to relate to. I didn't find this with Alice, because her mean spirit would just peak at random moments with little provocation. This just led me unable to connect with her, and confused at her reactions often.

I particularly found her treatment of Finch uncomfortable, the constant reminders of how ugly and annoying she found him was jarring to me, particularly as he was so instrumental in helping Alice to reach her goal. I found her lack of gratitude, or even ability to treat him as an equal human being was difficult to swallow.

That being said, there were moments of this book I really enjoyed. The snippets of Tales From the Hinterlands were beautifully written, as every bit as magical and dark as the original Grimm fairytales. I also loved the descriptive prose Melissa Albert used to paint scenery, she made it incredibly easy for me to imagine her magical forests and the weird and often vicious characters that inhabit them.

In reflection I feel the book would have scored much higher for me, possibly even 5 stars , had Alice not read so self-absorbed, rude and unlikeable.

It actually makes me sad to only give this book 3 stars, as I feel Melissa Albert's beautiful writing style deserves more than that, but the unevenness of Alice means I can't score it any higher sadly.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Silent Corner

The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dean Koontz's latest series gets off to a thrilling start, from the first moment to the last page I was hooked!

This is the first book I've read by Koontz, after dismissing his previous books as 'not my cup of tea', but I loved the synopsis I read, and I'm very glad I gave it a chance.

Jane Hawk is a formidable main character, often treading the line of good and bad. She's a complex, and often hard-nosed woman, but I never found it hard to empathise with her. Towards the end of the book, I was really rooting for her to be successful in her crusade.

The only thing I can criticise is the constant reminders of how beautiful Jane is supposed to be. Almost every male character in the book had an opinion on her outward appearance, often making comments about her physical form. I think with the current climate regarding male/female interaction in Hollywood, and life in general the unnecessary comments on Jane's appearance were misjudged and should have been removed.

But, overall I really enjoyed the book - the writing was sharp and thrilling and the story chugged along at an exciting pace, leaving me excited for the next instalment.

View all my reviews

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Three

Shawl Three:  Dauphine by Maria Magnusson

Back in 2013, I was an avid subscriber to The Knitter magazine. I was still very much a beginner knitter, but the contemporary and bold patterns in the magazine really spoke to me (my feelings on the magazine in it's current state are VERY different. But, let's not get into that rant today!).

As soon as I saw the beautiful Dauphine shawl in Issue 56, I knew I wanted to make it. I loved the easy way it draped around the shoulders, and the elegance of the lace and cables. I began making plans to make the shawl.

I started browsing online wool shops, and was (as usual) drawn to deep shades of violet and soft hues of lavender. But I felt an urge to steer away from my usual and safe colours. I found a gorgeous sunny yellow Artesano 100% Alpaca 4ply yarn. The soft halo and egg yolk yellow really grabbed me.

I snapped it up and began waiting impatiently. 

When the yarn finally arrived I cast the shawl on immediately, I couldn't wait to adorn my body in silky, alpaca sunshine. Although I was an inexperienced knitter, I've never really looked at a pattern and thought "nope, no way. That looks too complicated for me." I've always been very much in the give it a try! category. So, the lace and cables were probably less intimidating to me than they should have been.

I knitted happily away, following the pattern. Back in 2013, I didn't know how to read my knitting, and so one of the cable twists is a row or two too long because I accidentally repeated the pattern. But, I didn't dwell on it. I had a beautiful, elegant shawl. All done and dusted and ready to wear.

Except, the yellow really didn't sit well with my skintone. That beautiful shade of egg yolk made me look sickly and tired. I should have stuck to my safe space and gone with purple. 

The shawl languished in the bottom of my shawl chest. When I started this project, I began to look at my shawls in a new way. Does it being me joy? Do I know someone else who would have more joy from it? Who would this shawl suit?

I knew almost immediately who this shawl should be rehomed with. It has gone to live with one of my very favourite people in the whole world. A lady who I didn't know, until I turned up a few days after Christmas day to give it to her, had dyed her fair hair bright pink! 

We pondered together whether her hair was too bright for the shawl. I suggested she embrace it and go full-on brights! She wondered whether it might be better suited when the colour had faded a little.

Either way, I know she will cherish the shawl. And I know she will rock it, bright hair or not.

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.”

What is there to say that hasn't been said about Harry Potter?

I'm certain at this point in life, everyone knows how magical, wonderful and life-changing these books are. JK Rowling brings the spellbinding world of Harry Potter to life with bold and relatable characters, who are thoroughly charming because of their flaws and shortcomings as well as their good points.

As the first book in the series, painting a new world and characters while keeping pace with a gripping story can be a challenges, however in this book it's clear that Rowling has put her heart and soul into imagining the wizarding world, and manages to introduce this to new readers with ease.

The illustrated version adds a new dimension to the classic tales, with stunning artwork presented alongside the opening novel. Jim Kay has managed the difficult job of illustrating such well-loved characters and stories with dazzle and brilliance.

I was born into the generation that grew up with Harry Potter, the books were age appropriate for me as they were released, but as an adolescent I just didn't get it. My friends were all spellbound (if you'll pardon the pun), but the idea of following the adventures of an 11 year old boy wizard was really dorky to me. I fell into the books accidentally while volunteering in a Thai animal shelter. Nights were long and dark (no internet, no TV, no bars!), and I'd taken very few belongings with me. I borrowed the first book off someone else in the shelter, and was gripped from the first moment. I couldn't believe a book I'd avoided vehemently for most of my life could make such a big impact on me. I didn't just love it, it was true love.

I begged and borrowed the other books while I was at the shelter, and read my way through the entire series in a month.

I wish that I had read these books as a child, no because they're not great as an adult. Because, they undoubtedly transcend age. But because I wish I'd been part of the magic!

Thank you JK Rowling for such a perfect series.


View all my reviews

2017 in Knits

I thought that it might be a fun idea to round out the year with a look at what I knitted in 2017.

So, let's get into it!

In 2017, I finished 26 projects in total. This is an improvement of 6 projects from 2016, and it was an absolute bumper year for shawls.

Of the 26 projects, a massive 11 were shawls.  That means 42% of my knitting time went into shawls. The one thing I swore I would never knit as a beginner knitter!

So, let's take a look at them!

The first shawl of 2017 was the beautiful Aisling by Justyna Lorkowska. I actually started this shawl way back in 2015, but the edging really got me. I found the cabled pattern really hard to wrap my head around, and the huge amount of stitches was really intimidating to me. But I buckled down, stuck on some This is England and bashed out those many, many stitches. I'm really happy with this shawl, the pale colour is some gorgeous glittery Sparkleduck yarn. It shimmers so wonderfully under the lights. It's also a lovely big, drapey shawl.

My second finished was was The First Light by Veera Välimäki. I have complicated feelings about this shawl. It's knitted in the most beautiful, silky Stranded Dyeworks singles yarn, but absolutely no amount of blocking will make this shawl sit nicely on my shoulders. It feels very tight around the top of the shawl, and granted I do have fairly broad shoulders but I'm disappointed by how inelastic the top edge is. I wonder if it's possible to gently unpick it and reknit? Or perhaps it should be regifted to someone with more narrow shoulders!

2017 really was the year of finishing longterm WIPs. The gorgeous Vedbaek by Karie Westermann was the third shawl I tackled. I originally started this in 2015, but managed to convince myself the design was harder than it actually is - although I suppose this is a good indication that my knitting skills are definitely improving over the years. I knitted this out of some beautiful Malabrigo in the Candombe colourway. However, despite ordering two skeins of the same dyelot they came out so wildly different, it's hard for me to give this shawl the love it deserves. It's mostly my own fault, I should have alternated the skeins as I was knitting, but I didn't realise they would be so different that they looked like different colourways. It means the shawl has a big pale green strip towards the bottom, while the rest is a sort of grey, purple with flashes of deep green. It really is a shame, because it's a gorgeous shawl until the last three or four inches.