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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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