Cute Knitting: October 2010

In My Mailbox (45)

Happy Halloween, everyone!!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, and is a way for everyone to show their new books for the week, including those bought, swapped, won, or received for review.

for review:

"Secondhand Charm" by Julie Berry

I was soooo excited to receive this one for review from Bloomsbury. I LOVED The Amaranth Enchantment and I'm so happy to read the author's newest book!!

"Moonstruck Madness" by Laurie McBain

This is a re-issue of a classic romance from Sourcebooks. I usually don't read the older romances but this one really intrigued me from all the great reviews. Has anyone read it?

bought:

"Ruthless" by Anne Stuart

I've heard so much about this series, I have to try it out! I've never read anything by this author before.

What did you receive in your mailbox this week??

I have two Halloween contests ending tomorrow, so don't forget to enter!!
October Paranormal Romance Giveaway! Win 4 books!! Ends 11/1
"She Smells the Dead" by EJ Stevens! Ends 11/1

Book Blog Follow and Book Blogger Hop Oct 29

Happy Friday, Everyone!!

It's time for Book Blog Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee.com and The Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy for Books!

My answer to this week's question: Little Women!

My answer: more space for more books :)

If you're visiting for the first time, I'd love to hear from you, so please leave a comment and say hi!! :)

Giveaway: "The Mischief of the Mistletoe" and Holiday Ornament!!

To celebrate today's release of Lauren Willig's new holiday book, I have a contest for a copy of "The Mischief of the Mistletoe" and a special holiday ornament!! Thanks to Dutton, I have two sets to giveaway, each of the two winners will receive one book and one ornament!!

Summary from Goodreads.com:

Arabella Dempsey’s dear friend Jane Austen warned her against teaching. But Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies seems the perfect place for Arabella to claim her independence while keeping an eye on her younger sisters nearby. Just before Christmas, she accepts a position at the quiet girls’ school in Bath, expecting to face nothing more exciting than conducting the annual Christmas recital. She hardly imagines coming face to face with French aristocrats and international spies…

Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh—often mistaken for the elusive spy known as the Pink Carnation—has blundered into danger before. But when he blunders into Miss Arabella Dempsey, it never occurs to him that she might be trouble. When Turnip and Arabella stumble upon a beautifully wrapped Christmas pudding with a cryptic message written in French, “Meet me at Farley Castle”, the unlikely vehicle for intrigue launches the pair on a Yuletide adventure that ranges from the Austens’ modest drawing room to the awe-inspiring estate of the Dukes of Dovedale, where the Dowager Duchess is hosting the most anticipated event of the year: an elaborate 12-day Christmas celebration. Will they find poinsettias or peril, dancing or danger? And is it possible that the fate of the British Empire rests in Arabella and Turnip’s hands, in the form of a festive Christmas pudding?

for more information, check out: http://laurenwillig.com/

GIVEAWAY RULES:
Dutton has provided 2 sets of one book and one ornament for readers of my blog!

All you have to do is follow my blog publicly and leave a comment on this post with your email address!

Please follow publicly or I can't tell that you are following :) Also, if you aren't comfortable leaving your email here, go ahead and leave a comment and then send me an email with your email addy.

Extra Entries:
+1 Tweet this contest (leave link in comment)
+1 Post link in sidebar of your blog (leave link in comment)

Rules:
US only
Must be a follower to enter
Extra entries are optional and can all be left in the same comment
Leave a comment with your email address
Ends Friday Nov. 5
Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!

Flamingo

I am very happy to report to you that I finished the design project that I was working on out of the
fabulous yarn that I shared with you in the previous post.

To celebrate the occasion, I knit this flamingo.

Because.. everyone knits flamingos when they want to celebrate right?

Wow. I just realized how incredibly boring I am.

Moving on..

It has been a couple of months now since I indulged in knitting a toy for my daughter. I absolutely love the satisfaction of toy knitting. Toys are fun, fast to knit, and my daughter loves them. They are also great for using up scraps of yarn. Most toys I've knit have been from scraps, and that is a satisfying thing in itself.

This little flamingo used up some scraps of Spud and Chloe Sweater yarn that I had leftover from my recently knit Chloe sweaters. The orange legs are from leftovers from my daughters knitted chickens from last year.

If you like this little flamingo, you'll be happy to know that the pattern can be found for free here.

It's another design by Susan B. Anderson. I just can't stop knitting her toy patterns.

This flamingo is cute and all, but lets get back to the point... there is an occasion to celebrate! My new pattern is done. And I am seriously so excited about it! It's with my graphic designer and test knitters now and I'm hoping it will be ready to release soon.

It's a beret pattern. A beautiful cabled leafy beret. And it was hard to do. But now its done.

I can't wait to show you!

a few corners

~bringing a little bit of the outdoors

Waiting on Wednesday (41)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine, and it is a way to show off the books you can't wait to be released!!

This week I chose:

"May"
by Kathryn Lasky
Scholastic Press
Release Date: Mar 1, 2011

The following description is from goodreads.com:

Book 2 in Kathryn Lasky's shimmering quartet about mermaid sisters and supernatural love. May feels her life drying up. The sea calls to her, but her parents forbid her from swimming. She longs for books, but her mother finds her passion for learning strange. She yearns for independence, but a persistent suitor, Rudd, wants to tame her spirited ways. Yet after her fifteenth birthday, the urge to break free becomes overpowering and May makes a life-changing discovery. She does not belong on land where girls are meant to be obedient. She is a mermaid-a creature of the sea. For the first time, May learns what freedom feels like-the thrill of exploring both the vast ocean and the previously forbidden books. She even catches the eye of Hugh, an astronomy student who, unlike the townspeople, finds May anything but strange. But not everyone is pleased with May's transformation. Rudd decides that if can't have May, no one will. He knows how to destroy her happiness and goes to drastic measures to ensure that May loses everything: her freedom and the only boy she's ever loved.

This book is about a mermaid, need I say more?? Unfortunately, I haven't read the first book in the series, but I have time before this one comes out! I love the cover and the romance sounds fantastic! What are you waiting for this week???

Stash Enhancement Alert

I am always searching for wool yarns in the DK and sport weight so I can knit my Dale of Norway patterns. By the way, I finally managed to catalog all of my 31 Dale pattern booklets in my Ravelry library HERE along with some others.

I like Heilo but I want brighter colors and I admit I wouldn't mind a lower price. I bought enough of the now-discontinued Elann Highland sport weight to make the Dale Whistler sweater but my row gauge was off significantly. Most of the Dale colorwork patterns are in DK weight but previous to the Highland Sport disaster I've had success making lighter weight sweaters using Nature Spun sport weight (which is becoming harder to find).

Here are some old photos of the Bullwinkle sweater (aka Dale #10006) I made years ago in Nature Spun sport weight. It was such a lucky accident because I actually had enough random yarn in my stash to make an entire colorwork sweater. (Also probably a sign my stash was too big!!)

I was just looking at Webs and they are now offering a Cascade 220 sport weight in about 30 lovely colors. The price is $3.75 per 164 yd. skein and the yarn is discountable. I'm going to get a few skeins to sample. Also, they do currently have a sale on their Valley Northampton 100% wool worsted weight for $3.69 for a large 247 yd. skein and they offer over 40 colors. It is on sale so it isn't discountable but I'm buying a few of the heathers to see what I think. I want to knit more thick worsted weight socks for padding around the house so this might just be the ticket.

Teaser Tuesday (12)

Yay for "Teaser Tuesday" from MizB of Should be Reading!!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser Tuesday pick:

"I'm not worthy of this, not by a long shot, but that kind of thinking only stops the best of us, not the worst. So I play."

p 41-42 "Revolution" by Jennifer Donnelly (ARC)

Buzy Bee (Sick Dog) Beryl B's Knits

1st thing, yes buzzzzyyyyyy

Reasons why the blog slowed.........

Dress to Jacksons (I still haven't managed to blog this!!)

Uni (son) sorted, a quick visit just to check up and he's managing.

My friend turned 40 (Stockholm Kim) cocktails all round one word, Fabulous.

My dog (Rasmus) got sick, again ........

He is like having my third child but sadly, he has been very sick.
(I just haven't managed the" just a dog" Sentence yet).........
Will I ever, he's part of my family. A sad couple of weeks but he's hopefully going to get better.

That all said here's a story about a knit success.

Beryl Brewis

I read this recently in the Mail on Sunday,you mag. In ore of the achievement I thought that she defiantly deserved her place on all knit blogs, so pass this on.........

Beryl words

Nan sweat shops, very funny and very true how many people do get the praise that there work deserves. Time and Skill, pure knit talent.

The knitted Scarf

The knitted scarf goes a long way, it just shows that the knitted stitch is therapy and it to if you very lucky (right time, right place) with huge determination can make the knit shine.

Below said scarf.

Rasmus reminder before

After (lumpy bumpy but luckily not the cancer that they thought)

My dress as it went on route to Jacksons knit wear dept, update report to follow.

some great baby stuff tutorials

Our neighbor just had a baby recently,

so I've been having fun making up some gifts.

There are wonderful tutorials out there

for all sorts of useful baby paraphenalia,

like this Changing Pad & Pocket

by Juliette Lanvers...

The inside is lined with soft cotton chenille,

there is an inner layer of cotton batting,

and the outside is a Laura Ashley alphabet print

which I had on hand.

The layers are quilted together,

and there is an inside pocket to hold diapers

and wipes.

When opened up, it makes a soft, padded changing

mat for baby.

I also made up some burp cloths using a

pattern I found at homemadebyjill...

A cloth diaper and some fabric are all

that is needed. I sewed mine right sides

together, turned, and topstitched,

but you can also make them leaving

the raw edges as Jill did.

I used some Joel Dewberry prints that I received in

a trade with Michelle,

who has beautiful fabrics in her Etsy shop.

It was so fun to recently meet up in person

for our exchange, and

I came away with a stack of beautiful

fabrics which I can't wait to find a use for.

Lastly I made an infant-sized bib

using some cotton terry cloth and

a Mickey Mouse flannel print...

...another great pattern from Chickpea Sewing,

and very easy to make.

Hope this gives you some ideas for the next

time you need a baby gift,

Deb
~

{btw, thanks for all the kind anniversary wishes!!}

In My Mailbox (44)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, and is a way for everyone to show their new books for the week, including those bought, swapped, won, or received for review.

contest wins:

"The Healer's Apprentice" by Melanie Dickerson

won from Stephanie and sent by the author! I've been waiting to read this one!

"The Search for Wondla" by Tony DiTerlizzi

won from Karen! This book looks so good, I love the illustrations!!

for review:

"The Peanuts Collection"

wow! this book is so awesome!! sent from Hachette

What did you get in your mailbox this week??

Cinnamon Cielo

Meet Becoming Art's Cielo Sport in Cinnamon.

It's so unbelievably beautiful I can't decide whether to marry it or eat it.

Perhaps I'll just design something with it instead.

Pattern coming soon! :)

Carlisle Hat & Cowl

First off, you have to go see this knitted skeleton! It is just amazing! The teeth!!

Here's the hat and cowl pattern I mentioned previously. The Carlisle Hat pattern is available HERE at Knit Picks and is knit in 4 colors of Wool of the Andes. There's no shaping so it can also be made as a cowl as seen below.

To make it into a hat, just sew together the top edges and attach each corner together as seen below.

I hope to have some completed socks to show you soon!

"Ruined" Review

"Ruined "
by Paula Morris

Publisher: Point
Release Date: Aug 1, 2009

Source: sent by publisher

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary from goodreads .com:

Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans, where she comes to spend the year while her dad is traveling. She's staying in a creepy old house with her aunt. And at the snooty prep school, the filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey seems to give Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda. Then one night, in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to talk to Rebecca, and to show her the nooks and crannies of the city. There's just one catch: Lisette is a ghost. A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle. As Rebecca learns more from her ghost friend -- and as she slowly learns to trust Anton Grey -- she also uncovers startling truths about her own history. Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?

My Review:

Ruined is a creepy, gothic ghost story, the perfect read for the Halloween season. The setting and the entire tone of the book are so eerie! The book is never too scary, but it gives the reader the perfect amount of chills and thrills.

I'm usually much more into characters than settings, but in this story, New Orleans seems like it's own character. I learned so much about the city's history as well as how the upper class live there today. Rebecca is very much involved with the "old families" in town and how their shady pasts come back to the haunt them, so their world is her world.

I loved the eerie atmosphere of the old cemetery where Lissette, the ghost, lives. The way it contrasts with the gilded mansions of the old families adds to the creepy factor. And of course, right on the same street as the cemetery and the mansion is Aunt Claudia's shabby shotgun house. The author weaves all three worlds together effortlessly.

The Mardi Gras season and parades were so much fun to read about. The costumes, decorations, and all the expense of the Mardi Gras celebration was pretty spectacular. The author really knows her stuff when it comes to New Orleans.

Rebecca was a great lead, strong but also known to make a few mistakes. I enjoyed her friendships with Lissette and her perky cousin, Aurelia.

Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 3/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 5/5

Bottom Line:This is the perfect book to read on a dark and stormy October night!