The Bog of Lost Scholars

25 February 2009

Startitis

Filed under: Crafts — Castiron @ 00:22

Startitis has hit with a vengeance. So far this year, I’ve started the Oblique cardigan (halfway through the back ribbing), a pair of socks in KnitPicks Dancing color Ballet (toes are done; starting on the foot), the Stacked Eyelet Cowl (halfway through), and an afghan from Lion Homespun. But hey, they all count under my “I have the yarn, and it’s assigned to a project, so it’s effectively a UFO already” rule.

And I’ve finished a fair number of projects over the past couple months:

  • the Featherweight Fantasy stole
  • the Trekking socks
  • the Regia Lampion socks
  • a string bag out of Hempathy
  • a string bag out of Euroflax linen
  • a hat for the baby
  • a new Urchin
  • a set of dishcloths for my sister’s family
  • the heart ornament

Other progress:

  • Gruen ist die Hoffnung socks have about 25 rows each left on the foot before I turn the heels.
  • Andean Treasure Vest is almost through the fourth pattern.
  • Tundra socks are nearing the end of the heel gusset.
  • Heere Be Dragone: row 152.
  • Flutter cardigan is about a third of the way to the front-back split.
  • The gussets on Ivy Socks are done.
  • Neon Turkish Sweater — a couple more rows.
  • A thread on the cross-stitch pentacle.

11 February 2009

Recent Reading: Bebris and Brockmann

Filed under: The Castiron Reading Journal — Castiron @ 23:53

Carrie Bebris, The Matters at Mansfield. Mr. and Mrs. Darcy solve another mystery. Why I put a hold request in as soon as I know the library has a new Bebris book: it’s a fun romp. This one’s no exception; I read through it rapidly, and I found several characters’ portrayal quite good. Why I read the library copy rather than buying it: there’s always something that makes me step back and say “wait a minute…”. In this case, it’s a character’s apparent memory loss — it adds nothing to the story other than some artificial pathos. (And frankly, I don’t find the character’s fate consistent with what Austen says in summary.) I find the stories fun, but at the end, I’m dissatisfied.

(Also, note to the publisher: it’s Mrs. Jenkinson. Please correct Chapter 4, where it was consistently given as Miss.)

Suzanne Brockmann, The Defiant Hero. A romance in which the female lead’s daughter and grandmother have been kidnapped by terrorists, and the male lead is a Navy SEAL. I loved her Unsung Hero, but this one didn’t work as well for me. I enjoyed the suspense plot and the subplots — I love the grandmother! — but I don’t really buy the main characters’ romance.

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