Hello Gentle Readers. Early this morning I woke to a flicker drumming on the metal top of the fireplace chimney. He is persistent in the spring, drumming to demonstrate prowess to potential mates. The first time we heard the metallic vibrations we thought we had a critter or a bird in the flue. Thank goodness that was not the case. This morning the wind is quiet under a mostly blue sky. A chickadee and junco flit in and out of the birch. The sun reflects off the brilliant head of the red-bellied woodpecker. The birds have been absent from this area for the last few days so it's nice to see them again. Sunday near sunset, a flock of sandhill cranes flew over, no doubt heading for their rest areas near the Platte River. Spring is stirring.
Wednesday is the day to link with Kat and the Unravelers to post about knitting and reading. Knitting is sometimes an adventure. This sweater is too big, as in nine instead of four inches of positive ease around my chest. Good grief! I haven't ripped it out yet because I want to analyze my mistake or mistakes. I've knit other sweater patterns by this designer and never had a problem with fit so I know I've done something wonky. In the next few days, I hope to have some daylight hours to solve the puzzle. The yarn is too nice to knit into a sweater that sits in the drawer.
As a palette cleanser, I knit this little washcloth. I used KnitPicks Cotlin. I added extra increases but it is on the small side. Knit in soft colors, it would be a nice addition to a baby gift. Anyway, I put this one under a soap dish in a bathroom. It's a pattern I have always wanted to knit. Who knows why but it was a quick satisfying project.
I added a few rows to the Sophie Shawl and finished my Scrappy Socks. I may have enough of the solid yarn of the heels and toes to knit a pair of socks with another yarn for contrast. Does leftover yarn multiply in the bottom of project bags?
I am about to abandon Night and Day published by Virginia Woolf in 1919. Woolf's writing includes interesting evocative metaphor and character description but the storyline of young adults navigating romantic relationships has less appeal. One young woman, used as a sounding board by other characters, works for the women's right to vote. However careers, men's or women's, are not the focus of the novel. I could also be missing the point so abandoning it might be my best option.
I continue to reread one of my favorite Cather novels, The Song of the Lark published in 1915. This is the story of a young woman finding her musical vocation and those who influence her along the way. Cather includes Native Americans and Mexicans in this novel. To a certain extent, her depiction of both groups relies on stereotypes but they are not invisible either. Romance in the Cather novel is about music and place.
Looking at the publication dates, made me curious about these two women. I discovered Cather and Woolf lived about the same time. Cather's letters* provide evidence that she read some of Woolf's work. I found an article suggesting the three part structure based on a house in The Professor's House by Cather may have influenced Woolf's structure in To the Lighthouse.
I'm off for a walk. I love light jacket or sweatshirt weather. I hope the change of season finds you well.
Ravelry Links
*The Selected Letters of Willa Cather
The springtime antics of the birds delights me also. I brushed Sherman to hopefully speed up the "spring shedding" process... the birds loved all the dog hair that carpeted the grass. It is nice to think of a bit of him lining a nest somewhere!
ReplyDeleteYou are wise to pause that sweater knitting... too large is not a good thing! I hope you find the problem quickly and are back on track!
I always feel you are chatting just to me, like a girlfriend. Your birds sound delightful, yesterday a fantail chirped right by my face as it danced around looking for any bugs I may have disturbed while walking in the forest. It's light jacket weather here in New Zealand too - only we are into autumn now which is my favourite season.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I am sorry your sweater is too big. I hope you're able to figure out what went wrong and that it's an easy fix!
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I'm jealous of all the birds you see in your neighborhood. Here we overwhelmingly have robins and sparrows, but today there are a couple of noisy bluejays as well. Sometimes I get lucky and see the hawk who likes to visit our neighborhood.
I've always wanted to knit that washcloth too! I am so sorry your sweater is way too large. Hoping you can figure out what happened. Your scrappy socks are so pretty. (And I do think my basket of leftover yarns tends to multiply - perhaps at night??)
ReplyDeleteThat flicker drumming is an interesting sound to wake up to and yet more proof that spring has arrived if the males are showing off. I am sorry about your sweater, but glad that you found a quick and satisfying project to complete while you mull things over. That yarn is too nice to abandon now. I've always learned something when I hear about famous people who have lived at the same time and perhaps had an influence on each other. Too often I think of historical figures in isolation and not in broader terms of when they lived and who else was around then.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time this morning I heard something other than crows and jays.
ReplyDeleteYes, the answer is definitely yes. Just like those wire dry cleaning coat hangers that multiply in the dark the same thing happens when I close my box of leftovers - I’m certain there are more in there when I open it again. Or maybe it just seems that way because I’ve rummaged around and disturbed the balls.
ReplyDeleteAfter being here for over 50yrs my memories of spring in the northern hemisphere are fading slowly - because so many of our trees are evergreen and the local bird population doesn’t migrate we don’t see that ‘awakening’ as dramatically as you do.
Hopefully you will discover where you went wrong and be able to adjust , rethink and return to making the beautiful sweater. As you say it needs to be seen not languish in a drawer
I’ve just had a nice few minutes looking up tickler, Junko and chickadee. Very sweet looking birds although the drumming on the fireplace could get tiring very very quickly!
ReplyDeleteI’m really enjoying your blog posts, I’m glad that I’ve joined Kat’s link up and found it.
Rachell https://thelittleroomofrachell.com/
DeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteHi, The scrappy socks look great. I love the nice fit...not so slouchy. I admire you for working to figure out what went wrong with the sweater so it does not happen again...I agree....the yarn is very beautiful. Have a great week.
ReplyDeletethere is something freeing when we chose to abandon a read that is just not for us. I haven't read her and even though I own a few of her books I've never been motivated to crack one opened. Love the socks and wash cloths are the perfect knitting break!
ReplyDeleteWe had a flicker that used to do that same thing. Which is how we found out that we were missing our chimney cap one spring ... when the flicker came down the chimney and into the living room! It was quite an adventure. (Tom was my hero in capturing and releasing the flicker, who went on to live a happy life in our garden.) (And we got the chimney cap replaced.)
ReplyDeleteOh Jane, that too big thing happened to me recently and now that I am almost done with my reknit, I am so happy I took the time to figure out where I went wrong. Yesterday someone commented on how much I learned. I love how you are paying attention those early winged creatures. We have an owl who greets the morning lately.
ReplyDeleteOh Jane, I feel you on the sweater dilemma ... if something goes awry I want to figure out WHY before I rip/adjust/restart. and !!!! about The Professors House/To the Lighthouse connection. I read the former a few years back and didn't love it - I think I need to put it in my re-read stack!
ReplyDeleteI love Willa Cather and have been trying to find a hardback of The Song of the Lark, it’s such a great book and one I read in high school (yikes, that was 40 years ago!). Beautiful knitting Jane and I love your washcloth, that would be a wonderful gift for a friend of mine…. may need to make one too.
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