Review and Giveaway! "Sundays at Tiffany's"

To celebrate the premiere of the Lifetime Original Movie "Sundays at Tiffany's" on Dec. 6th, I have a giveaway of the book that inspired the movie- "Sundays at Tiffany's" by James Patterson! I read this book last year, and loved it.

Here is my review, originally posted last year:

"Sundays at Tiffany's"
by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnett

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I thought "Sundays at Tiffany's" was a very sweet romance. The story itself is very simple and uncomplicated. I can easily see this book being made into a movie.

8 year old Jane Margaux feels like she doesn't live up to her extravagant mother's expectations. Vivienne, her successful broadway producer mother pays little attention to Jane, except for their weekly trip to Tiffany's every Sunday. Jane spends most of her time with the only person she can really depend on in her life, her imaginary friend, Michael. Michael always knows the right thing to say to cheer her up and build up her self esteem. He's always there for her when she needs him no matter what. But unfortunately, imaginary friends don't last forever and Jane loses the one person she counts on the most.

Twenty-three years later, Jane is still under her mother's rule and is in a miserable relationship with a man who cares more about her Broadway connections than about her. Jane and Michael find themselves miraculously crossing paths again, and are faced with many new choices and questions about themselves and each other.

The story and writing style are simplistic but the story itself is so sweet, it doesn't really need filler to make the story longer. This is a fantasy story in a way, but Michael's job as an imaginary friend is explained well and wasn't hard for me to believe. I found it a little odd that Jane's chapters were told in 1st person and Michael's were told in 3rd person, but I got used to it quickly. It wasn't hard to understand, but I did wonder why the author wrote the book this way.

Michael was pretty much flawless, so he really wasn't realistic at all. But I was viewing this novel as a fantasy anyway, so it didn't bother me that he was too good to be true. Jane was very much a pushover but still likable. It was fun to see her become stronger as she built her self esteem with Michael's help.

I thought this book was very innocent and refreshing and I will probably read more in this genre by Patterson.

The movie:

The movie version of the book premieres on Lifetime at 9pm on Monday, Dec 6. While I was reading the book last year, I thought it would be great as a movie, and now's our chance to see it! You can find more info on MyLifetime.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
Hachette has generously provided a copy of the movie tie-in paperback version of the book for one lucky reader 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 and Canada 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 Wed Dec. 15
  

Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!

recycling...

I'm really excited about these totes I've made

for the shop,

it's so much fun making something new

from old.

In this case, I've dug out some old feedsacks

and coffee sacks that I have had tucked away.

I also have some more recycling of textiles

in the works, so stay tuned...

~

Hope your Thanksgiving was grand!

~Deb

Teaser Tuesday (16)

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:


" My heart leaped into my throat. I tried to stuff it back down behind my ribs where it belonged. "


p 181 "Secondhand Charm" by Julie Berry

A little felted purse KAL, part 1

The current issue of Interweave Knits has an article (by me) about installing zippers without any sewing at all, using a very special kind of very small latch hook called a "knit-picker."  There are two different methods described in the article for installing zippers:  working from the zipper outward, or installing a zipper in an already-made item.  There is also an Interweave Knits video on the technique.

If you have a copy of the article, or have viewed the video, and would like to explore the method of working from the zipper outward, here is a pattern for a little felted purse using that technique. The project is presented as a KAL  (knit along) in several installments.  Today, we'll lay out the materials and get as far as the top trim.



With its flat bottom, this little purse is roomy beyond expectation: a cell phone and other necessaries fit neatly alongside bills and change. Made up in an afternoon, these are great for gifts too.

Materials, needles and gauge

*Scrap amount of superwash worsted weight yarn, the model uses Cascade 220 superwash--this is the lavender trim at the top of the purse
* Scrap amount of ordinary (feltable) woolen yarn in contrast color, the model uses Cascade 220 in green
* Approx 1/2 ounce ordinary (feltable) woolen yarn in main color, the model uses Cascade 220 in dark purple
*Closed-end nylon or polyester coil zipper in matching color
*"Knit-picker" type mini latch-hook--this is explained in the magazine article
*Crochet hook in size to match yarn
*large eyed sewing needle
*set of 5 small dpn's to give gauge of about 6 st/in
*set of 5 larger dpn's to give gauge of about 5 st/in

The average finished size is 3" (L) x 2.5" (H) x 2.25" (W) but this can vary by as much as 1/4 inch larger or smaller in each measurement, depending on how much felting you choose to do.

KAL Part 1: Zipper and Top Trim

Shorten zipper to 3 3/4 inches working length as shown in the Interweave Knits article, or however you usually shorten a zipper.

Per illustration 1 above, mark zipper tape for pick up--two dots across each end of each tape, and 12 evenly spaced between, as shown. (Zippers have seam guides woven into them, so finding a straight line along the tape is easy.)

Superwash top trim: Using smaller dpn's, mini-latch hook (aka "knit-picker") and the knitting needle method described in the Interweave Knits article, and using 1 dpn for each side of zipper tape, pick up 1 st for each dot.

Begin the pick up at the arrow, working down the left zipper tape first.  Ignore the square and different colors for the moment: for the purpose of picking up stitches, each dot equals one loop to be picked up through the zipper tape.

 


Per illustration 2, above, once you have picked up the stitches through the zipper tape, it should look like this, with one needle holding all the stitches on one side of the zipper tape, and a second needle holding all the stitches from the other side of the tape.

Arrange the picked up sts on 4 dpn's: 6 across each end and 10 along each side. Needle 1 holds purple dot stitches; needle 2, green dot stitches; needle 3, blue dot stitches; needle 4, brown dot stitches. You could re-arrange the stitches onto the four dpn's by sliding the six end loops around onto their respective needles, but these loops are tight, and it's easy to lose one.  Therefore, in practice, the easiest way is to re-arrange the stitches by is by knitting them off when working the second round.

Second round: In this round, besides re-arranging the stitches onto 4 dpn's, you'll also increase stitches using the kfb method, all along the sides of the zipper tapes.  This increasing gives the purse its boxy shape. Here's how:

Bring yarn through zipper tape opening at pink square and commence to knit in direction of pink arrow as follows: Work 1 st in each of the 3 purple dot sts on needle 1, kfb in each of the 10 green dot stitches on needle 2, work 1 st in each of the 6 blue dot sts on needle 3, kfb in each of the 10 brown dot sts on needle 4, end round by working 1 st on each of the 3 remaining purple dot stitches on needle 1, you'll have 52 total sts on needles.

(Click here for further information about kfb--knit front and back.)

Work for 7 add'l rounds, knitting plain. Bind off. Top trim made. Note: the trim lies purl side out, with the knit side curling towards the zipper teeth, as shown in the opening illustration.

(Click here for a method of binding off in the round which hides the gap appearing at the last stitch of an ordinary bind off)


This is the first in a three-part series.

Click here for the second part of the series
Click here for the third part of the series
Click here for the accompanying video tutorial 

Good knitting!
--TK

New Knitting

I've just completed four new sweet, whimsical, little designs for springtime out of this 

rainbow of Louet Gems Fingering Weight yarn. 

Patterns will be revealed in the new year... but I'll give you a hint now:

Something for little girls. 

It's been awhile since I designed for little ones. It was nice to get back to it. :)

Thick Blue Cabled Socks

I'm working on a big list of Christmas knitting links. I hope to post them by the end of the week because I found some possibilities for last minute holiday knitting.

Here's a quick FO in my continuing efforts to knit more of the free Drops patterns for thick socks. These socks were a nice mindless knit but cables at that weight were a bit tough on the hands. The pattern specifies bulky yarn but I used two strands of Wool of the Andes and size 8 (US) dpns. I originally intended these for DH but he thought they were too girly?? It was for the best since I only had four skeins (two of each color blue) and I would have run out of yarn if I was trying to make them for him.

Blogiversary SALE!

Three years ago today I started my blog, and what a wonderful journey it has been. 

This blog has led me into wonderful friendships and exciting new creative opportunities. 

November 26, 2007 will always be a special day to me.

 For the past 3 years I've used this date to give back to my readers, and to all of you who have kindly supported me from the very beginning.

This year I will be offering a 50% off sale on all of my pattern pdfs. The sale will go on all day tomorrow, November 27th. From midnight to midnight PST.

To receive your discount, please enter the special code "3yearsofnnk" in the checkout process.

(Note: It has come to my attention that some of you are having a hard time with the discount code. At the bottom of the Ravelry Shopping Cart window, you will see a little link that says "Use Coupon Code", please enter in the code there. Email me if you have any questions: nevernotknitting@gmail.com)

Thank you, and enjoy!

If you'd like to leave a comment for me, I would love to hear from you!

I'd love to find out how you originally stumbled upon Never Not Knitting and how long you've been reading!

holiday baking

I'm baking the desserts for Thanksgiving dinner

at my Mom's:

* mini cheesecakes with cherry topping-{yet to be added}

* two pumpkin pies

* one peach/blueberry pie

Tomorrow I will count my blessings

and give thanks.

Hope your day is full of goodness,

Deb



Crochet graffiti gets recycled into a skirt

Vivacious

The big mistake........not any more.

My dyslexic S a 2?

Any how its no longer a problem as on the round who knows what it spells and if you stair for that long to work it out, you would be pretty noisy.

http://cuteknitting.blogspot.com/2010/08/washing-line-crochet-and-precious.html

Pick up the stitches almost like knitting on the round only it's crochet.

A bottom warmer for sure, and I mist say needed........

What has happened to the UK a country that the thinnest jacket was required in

winter, it seems the season have shifted.........

I'm wearing my Swedish Jacket;-(

I thread the elastic through using a large darning needle, to help keep shape and hold up if the stitches should stretch and using the stitch that I have tried to demonstrate below cover up the elastic.

With this stitch.....

You are almost going back over what you have done before.

Party Dress gets a re-vamp


Potential party dress gets an overhaul

I made this last xmas and have just never been happy with the sleeves deciding that I could wear this as outrageous at it seems if I played down down the straps and put a black t shirt under (long sleeve of cousre) I figured it could be wearable.

Major problems

where as follows
1) I had no idea how I'd made the dress.
2) I could not just unpick (as the stitches where some how side ways)
3) had none of the original yarn to help fix.

Problem solved I cut off the sleeves (believe me I spent an hour trying to work it out! before I committed such a crime.

Below picked up stitches roughly with a life line.


Added an edge, as neatly as I could...... hiding the bitter mess of the insides, I'm showing a very selective picture as basically it was a major patch up.

Waiting on Wednesday (46)

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:

"A True Princess"
by Diane Zahler
HarperCollins
Release Date: Feb 1, 2011

The following description is from goodreads.com:

Twelve-year-old Lilia must save her best friend, Kai, from a terrible enchantment caused by their perilous encounter with the Elf-King and his beautiful daughter. Now the only way for Lilia to break the spell is to find a mysterious jewel of ancient power hidden somewhere in the North Kingdom. But the jewel will not be easy to find. The castle where it lies is caught up in a different kind of search—the search for a true princess.

You gotta love a fairy tale story like this!! And the cover is gorgeous!!

I want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving holiday early because I probably won't be around much until after the holiday weekend!! Enjoy your holiday, everyone!! :)

Christmas Knitting

I am not doing much in the way of holiday knitting this year but I did make a few items for DH. I'm planning a backpacking themed Christmas stocking for him this year. I bought a little firestarter, a tiny battery-operated reading light, and a fleece neck gaiter.  I'm going to make him some homemade trail mix and energy bars. Above you can see the knitted items I'm adding to the stocking. I did some worsted weight socks (Valley Yarns Northampton) with the requested 10 inches of ribbing (snore) and also made some fingerless mitts. They look strange but he has a pretty wide thumb angle so I think they'll fit him well. Actually it turns out I have a bit of yarn left so I might add a quick ribbed headband in the same yarn.

Bubbles would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! As usual she's starving and hopes her Thanksgiving feast starts as soon as possible.

Book Blog Follow and Book Blogger Hop Nov 19

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: One year!! I started Nov 9 of 2009.

My answer: I am most thankful for family and friends. Thanksgiving is the biiiiig holiday for my boyfriend and I to spend with both of our families so I may not be around much between now and Thanksgiving weekend. We have lots to do and lots of people to see! I can't wait! And I'll be back to the blog full time after Thanksgiving weekend :)

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

Just add crochet

Hat hats hats........ Rasmus and Monet (who had literally just woken up) try to model my knit wear, Rasmus did his best to be human so he didn't miss out on the photo opportunity.

38 34 38 a little too burlesque?

Modelling my Edward top, even actually wearing a bra.

Not very model like but life like, trying to make it look like a real ladies a little bit of a chore.......this weekend job to give my mannequin a real figure.

Graffiti for skirts!

Vivacious has become a graffiti skirt,(prototype) this is the Dyslexic on and basically I decided that on a round who could tell what it actually said..........

So far so good, below £1.65 charity shop buy to complete this task huge acrylic




TOOOOOOOOOO MUCH ON

This mess applies to my life as well as my projects, I think that I actually need a time out.

Uni work OCA

I really must get on with some uni work this is going to be the longest ever chapter, I just can not come to terms with just how awful hand dying is if !!! if you just have no interest, I just want the end product and I totally respect the work that goes into the love of dying
I JUST DON'T LIKE IT!

Rhubarb and custard

Gets a waist band of huge proportion




Just how many projects should one have on the go at once, it occurred to me lately that I have not finished any thing in a while..........

And that the reason for this is I just keep moving on.....it's a little knit crazy.

Rich is very patient with the fact that a lot of the time there's no seats as I seem to spread out like ivy, I'm every where.

I need to get a grip, we need to fit a tree in here and I can't bring back out my knitted one, can I ?

It's just to much even by my standards (To much yarn,never?)

Simply threading the elastic through, with a darning needle.

Lamp Shade cover,

Clock cover,

Desk lamp cover,

Just add a little crochet.

These are a few on my favourite things...............

How to below

http://theknittingforartexhibition.blogspot.com/2010/11/funkying-it-up-with-crochet.html

Brave New Knits Drawing Giveaway

I have a new giveaway for you to enter!

In episode 44 of the Never Not Knitting podcast I had the privilege of interviewing Julie Turjoman, the author of Brave New Knits. Julie's publisher, Rodale Books, was kind enough to provide a copy of the book for me to give away to one of you!

In addition to the book, the winner will receive a skein of Malabrigo Sock yarn in the eggplant colorway kindly provided by Sandrasingh.com. This is the yarn and colorway called for in the book's  

Orchid Thief Shawlette pattern by Ysolda Teague.

Isn't this pattern gorgeous? And it only takes one skein!

It was hard to capture the gorgeous color of this yarn with the camera. It is a lovely deep dusky purple.

Be sure to listen to episode 44 to learn more about Brave New Knits. Also, don't forget to visit Sandrasingh.com. You can get 10% off of all yarns, magazines and needles through December 15th! 

Enter code "NNK01" at checkout.

To enter to win, please leave a comment (only one!) including your contact information under this post.

I will be announcing the winner here December 1, so please check back to see if you have won!

Drawing Now Closed! Congratulations to Judi A, the winner!

"5 Ingredient Fix" by Claire Robinson

"5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant and Irresistible Recipes"
by Claire Robinson

Publisher: Grand Central Life & Style
Release Date: Oct 27, 2010

Source: sent by publisher

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary from goodreads.com:

Food Network regular will instant recognize the concept behind this book: As the host of the channel's 5 Ingredient Fix, author Claire Robinson presents easy-to-make recipes with no more than five ingredients. Like the show, her debut cookbook demonstrates that this guideline is no harsh limitation. In fact, her recipes for dishes like Maple-Candied Bacon, Grilled Scallops with Saffron Aioli, and Brioche French Toast with Strawberries and Cream show that her penchant for fresh ingredients and distinctive flavors turn simple fare into delectable feasts. Especially appealing for kitchen newbies, but a fine resource for any home cook.

My review:

This is a beautiful cookbook with some really upscale recipes that have only five ingredients or less. Robinson's philosophy is that the more ingredients you add to a recipe, the farther away you get from the true flavor. Of course, the five ingredients that you do use need to be very high quality. While the recipes seem uncomplicated to prepare (yay!), they also seem like your grocery bill would be pretty high (boo!)

I loved that this book had sections on hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and appetizers. I can really see how people would use this book to host elegant parties. It seems like a lot of books skip over these types of recipes, so I'm glad to see the options here.

I also thought the chapter on "All Day Eats" was unique and useful to me because I love snacks! The Fennel, Strawberry, and Arugula Salad" looks delicious, as do many of the other salads and snacks.

As for the main dishes, they weren't really anything I would try, for example-a whole chicken, but the side dishes looked really good. I'd love to try the "Smokey Roasted Peaches."

Bottom Line: This book is beautifully presented and would make a lovely gift. I think it would be especially great for a hostess who throws a lot of elegant parties.

workroom cleanup

A big cleanup going on in my workroom today.

Somehow, over the summer, it became

filled with clutter;

now that sewing season is here

I need to get organized.

So far, I'm about half way there...

~Deb