Definite Article

Did you happen to catch the story about sock knitting in this past week’s Wall Street Journal? (Yep, you read that right!) There was a story about the popularity of Sock Wars, one of the online knitalongs, and the briefest of mentions of our own little Socktoberfest as well! How about that?

“Sock It to Me”, Wall Street Journal, 17 December 2007

Ravelry also got a nod. I wish that they had included a website address for further information about Socktoberfest, but a random mention is pretty good too! It was a total surprise to me, and I thank Parikha for pointing it out to me.

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By The Book

When my dear friend Jenna was in town last week, I was happy enough with the pleasure of her company. We ate delicious veggie foods, caught up on Project Runway, and knit and calculated sleeve cap measurements for her gorgeous Pentagon Pullover.

You have to send Jenna some good vibes ~ she has run into some issues with the sleeve caps, but after seeing this pulli (and actually trying it on too) I can tell you that this is one of the most amazing sweaters I have ever seen. I simply cannot wait to see it finished and modeled. She is using a silk blend of Botanical Shades (the same line of yarn that I used for my Aftur Yoked Pullover - I had alpaca/wool/mohair blend - we bought it together at MDSW 2006) and the yarn is impeccable. Of course, so is her knitting.

…and we did a little exchange of goods. I got her some yarn, and she got me a book! And amazingly, it was the same day that I had admired Carole’s lovely Selbu mittens patterned from the same book - and I was this close to purchasing it on my own. Now this lovely book is mine. Not only is it full of amazing patterns of mittens and gloves knit in the traditional Norwegian style, but it has some wonderful historical details included. I am thinking that I should ring in the new year of 2008 with some Selbu mittens of my own! (and I definitely have to get to the Nordic Heritage Museum when I visit Seattle…)

Many many thanks for the lovely comments on my “long-time-comin’” hoodie. I am still contemplating the closures, but in the meantime, it is keeping me warm and cozy!

Seems that the Yarn Girls have a new book every time I turn around!

Yarn Girls’ Guide to Knits for All Seasons [Amazon link]

The concept behind their fifth book is pretty solid: knits for every season of the year. The book is arranged by season, and there are 40 patterns represented of different technical skills. The majority of projects are well-suited to beginning knitters who are ready to move into sweaters. Intermediate and advanced knitters will appreciate the simplicity of the patterns, and can also use the basic constructions as a “jumping off point” to add colorwork, cables, or interesting embellishments.

The designs on the cover are actually some of the strongest in the book. The shrug on the left is knit with a great linen yarn and would be a great addition to any wardrobe. I am already thinking about yarn for that quick project! The belted cardigan would be perfect for fall and winter, and the men’s saddle shoulder pullover is another simple and classic design. Kris gave a nod of approval, so this one could show up on the needles this winter. The contrast yarn for the saddle shoulders would not be my first choice: I am thinking that a nice chunky tweed would work better

The majority of the fibers and yarns used in the book’s designs are easy to find, and are common weights and materials, able to be substituted easily. Many of the fibers used are natural, and there are also a few patterns that use vegan yarns and yarns from sustainable plant fibers (mainly linens and linen blends). My only complaint comes with the sizing: They are not quantified with sizes as many other knit patterns are (e.g. 34″, 36″, 40″) but rather XS, S, M, L. Knitted measurements are provided in the pattern along with a schematic, so a XS corresponds with a finished width of 16″, which would probably relate to about a size 32″ or 33″ (with some ease). They also give length in this same measurement way. Sure, the information is still there, but I am not sure why they do it in this unconventional way… it can be a little confusing to a beginner.

There are several attractive patterns - these two were also among my favorites. I liked the stand-up placket collar. The pattern calls for a worsted weight alpaca, and could easily be subbed with some wool or a nice blend. The hooded vest was another favorite: so cute and versatile. I could see myself wearing that all year long. It calls for a cotton/linen blend of yarn, but it could also be easily substituted with a cotton/silk blend or bamboo fiber.

The simplicity of the designs are what is so appealing - I like classic styles. If I am going to take the time to make something, I want it to be “in style” for years to come. These styles will undoubtedly stick around, and they will be fun to knit up in the process.

The book comes out tomorrow - July 31st. Give it a look!

Last week, I helped out with a book exchange at work. I combed through my shelves the night before deciding what to keep and what to swap, and in the meantime, I found some great representations of this month’s color theme:

My shelves are full of books, and so many of them are nice rich colors.

With knitting and full-time work, I just don’t feel like I get to read as much as I would like. Yet, I have managed to fit in some good books this year. I got on a kick early in 2007, and reserved many of the new notable fiction books at the library. I read Water for Elephants, The Stolen Child, The Last Town on Earth, The Secret Life of Bees, and The Thirteenth Tale in rapid succession. While all of them were memorable, I thought that the second and third titles above were the best of the bunch. Stolen Child was unlike anything I had ever read; fantastical, but something about it seemed so real. Last Town on Earth was based on the true events surrounding the influenza epidemic in 1918. The book is a thought-provoking study on the concept of “other” and on the xenophobia that was prevalent in that time period. Right now, I am reading two fiction books: Interpreter of Maladies for my book club, and The Mermaid Chair.

It is interesting that I have read so many fiction books this year, as I tend to gravitate towards non-fiction. I have interspersed a few nonfiction books into my fiction frenzy of late… The Art of Travel was an extremely fulfilling book, I felt like I had really learned something after reading it. I felt inspired by Mountains Beyond Mountains, and I am reading small bits of Caught in the Act, a contemplative philosophical book that really gives me pause.

My bookshelves are primarily filled with books I have not yet read. I hold on to a core group of books - mainly my tomes from college and graduate school, and special gift books. The others are just “visitors” on the shelf. My sister often lays claim to some of the books, and others are taken to swaps and exchange shelves like the one at work. I guess I like to share.

Kris and I are heading to beach later this week, and some of the books on the shelves will definitely be coming with me (as well as plenty of knitting).

**What are you reading right now?

I have yet to knit one of Norah’s patterns (I am planning one for the next color scheme of Project Spectrum) but I draw such inspiration from her work. Perhaps it is her clean lines and unique constructions, or her nature-oriented motifs… all I know is that I love it.

Last week’s Berroco Knit Bits email inspired me all over again - they announced Norah Gaughan’s new pattern book, combining two collections, and simply titled “Volume One” (that indicates that more than one is planned!) There are some brilliant pieces in both collections, and here are some of the ones that really caught my eye:

This picture shows three of the knits from the “Urban Layers” collection. “Justina” is the skirt -worn here as a dress - such a lovely and versatile piece! (and see the boots? I have some that are nearly identical!)

The Anais tee, with the lovely neck line. I can see this become a hot blog knit…

I love the photostyling in both collections, and these two pieces, the Chantal cardigan, and the simple Noemi scarf are both nice additions to any wardrobe.

The Aune skirt is particularly lovely with all of the textural details.

There are some other stunning designs in this collection, and even some simple designs that will be wardrobe staples. I am looking forward to getting my copy of this wonderful volume!

It is said that you can learn a lot about
someone by just looking at their bookshelf.

…Some of my green books…

A little Project Spectrum experiment. I don’t keep my books sorted by color, but I do enjoy putting them in this arrangement every once in awhile to see what titles and topics end up next to each other.

Indeed, the books on my shelves tell stories about me.

I had a hard time narrowing down a major in college. I liked so many things equally. I went in thinking that I would be an English major - I loved language and writing, so why not. I bopped around and took a few classes in all of the humanities and social sciences, and found a very loving home in the Ancient Studies department. It was a small faculty that focused mainly on classical studies of Greece and Rome. I took ancient Greek every day at 8am. We worked our way through Xenophon’s Anabasis [seen above], telling the story of the Greek armies battling with the Persians. We also read the Greek New Testament, the Septuagint, as well as many notable Greek philosophers and poets. A daily dose of the ancient language for three years… and I am lucky if I can remember the alphabet now. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly it goes if you don’t keep up with it.

While I enjoyed the classical studies, my true passion was for the Near East. I petitioned my professors to offer more courses about the Eastern Mediterranean: the history, the archaeology, the religions, and the language. I supplemented my major of Ancient Studies with a Religious Studies minor. My professors in the two departments knew of my interest and were able to organize some very interesting courses throughout my tenure at the university, among them a course in Jewish Mysticism, encompassing ancient and medieval mystic practices. It was a fascinating class with an exhaustive reading list; the book above, Major Trends…, is an incredibly dense book, yet so chocked full of information on the subject. It was one of our textbooks for the semester.

The last two years of my undergraduate career were steeped in Hebrew - both ancient and modern. (At one point I was taking Greek in the mornings and Hebrew in the afternoons - I was definitely living in the past!) I went to another university in the area that offered ancient Hebrew and transferred my credits. Before taking this first class, I had no experience with the Hebrew language. The majority of the people in my class were Jewish and knew their aleph-bet, but I started from scratch. However, in a matter of weeks, we were all reading Biblical passages with ease. Hebrew is surprisingly easy to learn once you get started! My background in the ancient language made it easier for me to pick up the modern language when I did my study abroad in Israel in 2000. When I returned from Israel, I took a summer ulpan, and actually had phone conversations entirely in Hebrew. I marvel at this now, as I am SO out of practice, and while I still can remember some words and constructions in speech, it takes me much longer to read.

I graduated from college in 2002. I wanted to continue my Near Eastern Archaeology studies into graduate school, and I applied to several universities. I was rejected from my first choice, and I lost steam. I began to evaluate: did I really want to be in school for seven or more years studying long-dead languages and the stratigraphy of a tel? The truth is that I really did want to continue, but I became very nervous about actually finding a job in the profession after devoting years of my life to it.

So, I took some time off. I worked in a book store, and then I moved into library work at the same institution that rejected me from their graduate program. I read lots and lots of books - I devoured them actually - reading three to four books a week. I had always been a voracious reader, and had often considered a career in library science. It wasn’t until this break that I felt a strong pull. After some consideration, I applied to two library school programs and was accepted by both. I knew that I wanted to continue my study of history and culture, like I had done in undergraduate, and I enrolled in the Rare Books/Special Collections/Archives tract of the program in 2004. I was also accepted into the History department for a double Masters degree. Over the two years, I took a broad range of theoretical and methodological courses on library science, archival studies, museum studies, and history.

After a particularly difficult semester (fall 2005) I decided to postpone the History degree. By that time I was working as a contract archivist for a great institution (the same place I currently work) and the Library degree was the most important rite of passage. By December 2006, I graduated with my degree in Library Science, and was hired as the full-time archivist for the collections at the same institution.

You never know where you will end up. I realize that I am still at the beginning of my journey. One minute I thought I would be doing the whole academia/professorial thing: years of dissertation research, publish or perish, tenure-track. For so long I thought I would be compromising if I did anything else.

Archivist/Librarian by day, knitter/blogger by night. I would never have guessed that five years ago!

Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with my choices. It is because of these choices that I now have the time to devote to my true passions: knitting and crafting, blogging, reading, exercise, and travel. (All represented on my bookshelf!)

…and who knows what the future holds?

Yeah, and those are just the stories that my green books tell!