Monthly Recap: July
- kniteweup
- Aug 1, 2019
- 4 min read
After so many big changes during June, it was nice to take a bit of a step back and rest. Which isn't to say I wasn't keeping busy -- you'll see proof of that below -- but it was a different kind of busy, one which allowed my chronic illness relapse to heal properly. But if you know me, you know I have to keep my hands busy, so bring on the knitting (and reading)!
The Ripple Bralette by Jessie Mae Martinson -- The last monthly roundup introduced my sunshine yellow version, which I almost managed to finish by the end of June. Unfortunately, it wasn't the right fit, probably because I'm a very tight knitter, and so the project was frogged and restarted. Going one size larger got the perfect fit! I finished it just in time to send home with my friend, although sadly before I got a chance to photograph her in it. And of course, as I'm a creature of habit and this pattern is just SO GOOD, I immediately cast on another one. This time I'm knitting a cotton version, a gift for my wool-allergic mama.
The Spray Lake Socks by Nicole Bracey -- I'll admit, it's a bit slow-going on these cuties! The first sock of the pair knit up super quickly, but I'm finding the second to be a bit more time consuming; I keep making silly little mistakes and having to rip back again and again. The pattern is gorgeous though, and I get so excited to see another little arrow appear as I work through the lace pattern! They were the perfect project to take with me on both my trips to Vancouver, and particularly nice to have during the intermission of Bard on the Beach's performance of Shakespeare in Love...
The Aveiro by Orlane Sucche -- I've had my eye on this pattern for a while and finally decided to cast on. I repurposed some worsted weight yarn that I've had in my stash for a long time now, and the hibiscus-pink makes me so happy to work with!
I also released a new pattern this month, the North Shore Beanie. You can read all about this super cute toque here.
I'm slowly making progress on my Goodreads Reading Challenge! Back in January I decided I'd partake, and set my goal for 2019 at 40 books. I'm already way behind schedule but it feels good to have gotten some more reading in this month.
If you read last month's update, you'll know I had started in on Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. At that point in time, I wasn't totally sold on the plot, but had decided to keep on reading. In all honesty, I can't believe I finished it; there were some pretty cringe-y moments, lots of boring filler within the plot, making it a sluggish read. I ended up doing quite a bit of skimming. That said, there was a rather nice ending, but I don't think I'll be recommending this particular book in future.
On a brighter note, I burned through Ian McEwan's novel On Chesil Beach in a day and a half. I couldn't put it down. I loved McEwan's novel Atonement, which I read years before, and have slowly been collecting more of his books over the years. I finally picked this one up, partially due to how much I enjoyed the film adaptation (breaking my usual rule about reading the book before experiencing any adaptations). I won't spoil anything, but I think I actually liked the film's ending more than the original...
Following that fantastic read, I reached for Canadian classic The Stone Angel, written by Margaret Laurence. Laurence's writing is beautiful, painting vivid imagery and weaving magic into everyday experiences. I had a hard time putting it down and ended up doing some weird yoga to try and knit and read at the same time -- I'm seriously considering investing in one of those page-holder-things now. I love a book that can make me cry, and this book certainly achieved that.
Speaking of crying, I ended up shedding some tears -- as well as feeling enraged, hopeful, and heard -- while I read A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott. I found this non-fiction book while scrolling through Twitter; someone had written they were "crying by the third page" and said it was a fantastic read (if/when I find this tweet again, I'll link it). I checked my local library for it and found there were 27 holds on only 3 copies. But I wanted to read it, and I wanted to read it now, so off I went to Chapters, grabbing the only copy on the shelf. I'm so glad I bought it; I ended up marking almost every single page, underlining words and sentences that I related to, that made me feel sad, that made me angry, that outlined the harsh realities of Canada's history, present, and future. I cannot recommend this book enough.
This month was a bit more reading-heavy, but I promise August will make up for the slight lapse in craftiness: I've got a few sewing patterns picked out (dusting off the ol' sewing machine after a few years of inactivity) and I've joined a KAL (knit along) for the gorgeous Soldotna Crop... so stay tuned for next month's update!
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