AtomicKnitshttp://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/Rosie's adventures in knitting (and life)!enMon, 09 Nov 2009 16:54:40 PSTTypePad http://www.typepad.com/noRosie's adventures in knitting (and life)!Abarathttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/6W3jyQOFwM8/abarat.html1001BooksAtomicKnitsMon, 09 Nov 2009 16:54:40 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20128756d3de8970cAbarat
Abarat by Clive Barker was recommended to me by Beth when I was going on a trip to the library in search of some sweet YA.  I really thought this was an excellent book!  It was really good storytelling, and I found I could easily escape into this world and leave my cares behind.  The artwork that went along with it is great as well and helps you to visualize the world and the characters.  The story is about a girl named Candy Quackenbush from Chickentown, Minnesota (already rules, right?!) who is kind of an outcast.  One day she is wandering is a field and finds herself taken away to a land called the Abarat.  Adventures begin and new characters are met.  I felt like this book was only setting the stage for the next books in the series, and I am really excited to get to read those soon.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure stories.  This is a fantasy, but I think it's very accessible, and readers who don't really like fantasy still might like this book.


]]>Abarat by Clive Barker was recommended to me by Beth when I was going on a trip to the library in search of some sweet YA. I really thought this was an excellent book! It was really good storytelling, and...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/abarat.htmlKnit Twohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/D0l1a19Uri8/knit-two.html1001BooksKnittingAtomicKnitsMon, 02 Nov 2009 11:46:26 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a6a11dba970cKnit two
I saw this one on the 'new' shelf at the library and picked it up.  I have kind of been wanting to read Knit Two by Kate Jacobs, but I definitely didn't want to buy it, and I kind of didn't want to read it.  It read fast and was pretty entertaining, which was good, and someone just didn't up and die at the end for no reason, so that was good too.  I was kind of disappointed with the development of the characters in this sequel.  Since there is no one main character anymore (she died), now we follow the other women and men involved equally.  That's ok, but I ended up not really caring that much about any of them, because I only got to know them each a little bit, instead of maybe one or two a whole lot.  I think I may have preferred that.  But, it was cute, a good ice cream sundae read, and I will probably read more books in this series if/when they come out (if I don't have to buy them).


]]>I saw this one on the 'new' shelf at the library and picked it up. I have kind of been wanting to read Knit Two by Kate Jacobs, but I definitely didn't want to buy it, and I kind of...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/knit-two.htmlAutumn Swaphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/yHO3IINf8dY/autumn-swap.htmlknit swapsYarnAtomicKnitsFri, 30 Oct 2009 16:54:49 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a697d71d970cIMG_0632
This week I received my Autumn swap package from Maggie (mfangmann on Ravelry), and I love everything in it!  I got two cute scarecrow things that I put in my houseplants, and those also inspired me to get out the few fall decorations I have and put them around.  I also got a super cool needle case that I think she made!  I think I'm going to try out putting my addi click set in there.  She also gave me a skein of hand-dyed KnitPicks Bare that she dyed herself in autumn colors.  I am torn between knitting socks out of it, or weaving it into a wide scarf.  I also got cute fall magnets, fall collage ephemera and embellishments, and fall note cards and note pad.  Thank you, Maggie! I really love it all!


]]>This week I received my Autumn swap package from Maggie (mfangmann on Ravelry), and I love everything in it! I got two cute scarecrow things that I put in my houseplants, and those also inspired me to get out the...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/autumn-swap.htmlThe Helphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/9Dzzz-cXFvk/the-help.html1001BooksAtomicKnitsFri, 23 Oct 2009 11:14:35 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a66f9b44970cThehelp
The Help is Kathryn Stockett's first novel, and my book club picked it to read for next meeting.  I thought this was a good book. It wasn't anything mind-blowingly amazing, but it was addicting to read, and I enjoyed the characters and the story and the ending.  This book is about three women living in 1960's Jackson, Mississippi.  Two of them are Aibileen and Minny, African-Americans who work as maids, and one of them is Skeeter, a rich white lady who has just finished college and moved back home to live with her parents.  All three of the women are very bothered and fed up with the racism and segregation laws prevalent in their community.  Skeeter's dream is to be a writer, so she decides to write an Anonymous book telling the stories of what it's like to work from the maids' perspective.  Skeeter also had a special relationship with her own family maid.  Some of the things that happen are funny, some are sad, and some will make you want to cry in a not sad kind of way.  This is definitely a good chick-lit fix (if you need one), and I hope Kathryn Stockett doesn't become a one hit wonder.  I did think she did an excellent job with the characters.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about women and their relationships with each other, or anyone who likes reading about "everyday life" during a period of America's past.


]]>The Help is Kathryn Stockett's first novel, and my book club picked it to read for next meeting. I thought this was a good book. It wasn't anything mind-blowingly amazing, but it was addicting to read, and I enjoyed the...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-help.htmlHandspun: Woolbearers Handpainted Merinohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/Qo3bB3T3w7w/handspun-woolbearers-handpainted-merino.htmlspinningYarnAtomicKnitsThu, 22 Oct 2009 16:56:24 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a66d0a28970cIMG_0630
It's been a while since I finished a spinning project!  I started this one before our move to Oregon, and I didn't really want to finish it once we got here.  I wanted to start something new and exciting.  But, I persevered and finished this up.

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This is what the roving looked like.  While I was spinning the singles, I thought that this was going to be the ugliest yarn in the world.  I really liked the oranges and light blues as they spun up, but I HATED the purple/green parts.  I didn't want to finished, because I really thought it was going to be super ugly.  I'm glad I finished, though.

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I think the finished skein is kind of pretty!  The colors are a little crazy, but I think they look good all next to each other.  I think this might produce really skinny stripes when knit up, but that probably won't happen for a while.

Fiber: Woolbearers Hand Painted Merino Roving
Yardage: ~495
WPI: 16


]]>It's been a while since I finished a spinning project! I started this one before our move to Oregon, and I didn't really want to finish it once we got here. I wanted to start something new and exciting. But,...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/handspun-woolbearers-handpainted-merino.htmlEnder's Gamehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/oE6RnGF4RhI/enders-game.html1001BooksAtomicKnitsThu, 15 Oct 2009 08:14:49 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a63fa813970cEndersgame
I never got to read this one as a kid either! Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - the first in a series of 4 main ones and I guess a bunch of extra ones too?  I liked this book a lot.  It was weird and disturbing and well-written and cool!  I had to remind myself a bunch of times that most of the characters are all little kids and only 6 years old when the story begins.  There are already rules today in some countries that limit the amount of children a family can have, but it's interesting in this book how the extra children are put to use by the government in whatever way they saw fit.  They aren't really considered people.  The twist at the end was *kind of* predictable, but it was still really powerful when it happened.  I liked how the ending started to open up another can of worms so that crazy stuff can happen in the books to come, which I definitely will read. I would definitely recommend this classic to sci fi fans, and also people who like ready stories with child characters.


]]>I never got to read this one as a kid either! Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - the first in a series of 4 main ones and I guess a bunch of extra ones too? I liked this book...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/enders-game.htmlFall Envelope Swap!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/tjSIq3ka_kI/fall-envelope-swap.htmlknit swapsYarnAtomicKnitsTue, 13 Oct 2009 16:23:14 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a6394278970cIMG_0617
Since I work from home and am alone most of the day, getting stuff in the mail becomes extra exciting.  I joined the Super Swappers Group on Ravelry, so I could increase my chance of awesome mail.  I also really like shopping for swap partners, and the spending limits for this group are quite reasonable.  I got my first swap package this weekend from wtrmlni!  This was a 6x9 envelope swap, and look at all of the stuff she stuck in there!  Here's a summary of the loot: a skein of Opal sock yarn, 3 packs of cherry Flavor-Aid and yarn dying instructions, a wood shawl pin, a Virginia magnet, a pin, and a postcard.  Thank you, Melanie!


]]>Since I work from home and am alone most of the day, getting stuff in the mail becomes extra exciting. I joined the Super Swappers Group on Ravelry, so I could increase my chance of awesome mail. I also really...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/fall-envelope-swap.htmlSocktoberfest 2009 Pair #1 - Bartholomew's Tantalizing Sockshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/xLE802GhwVw/socktoberfest-2009-pair-1-bartholomews-tantalizing-socks.htmlKnittingSocksAtomicKnitsMon, 12 Oct 2009 07:59:19 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a5dc91d3970bIMG_0621
It's that time of year again! Time to knit socks!  This year, my goal for Socktoberfest is to knit 3 complete pairs of socks and to knit patterns by prolific designers.  I've completed my first pair.  This is a Cat Bordhi pattern.  I really wanted to try out one of her patterns, because of all of her different and cool ways of constructing socks.

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I picked out this pattern, because I didn't really know where to start in her book (this is one of the first adult patterns), and because the linen stitch motif would go really well with hand-painted yarn.  Just to be clear, I did knit both of these socks from the same ball of yarn.  You can see that one is so much darker than the other, and the change happened almost exactly in between each sock.  I didn't bother me that much, but if I were knitting these socks as a gift, or if I was more of a product knitter, I would be really annoyed.  I guess one way to get around this would be to alternate rounds from each end of the skein, but seriously, who wants to do that?  I do really love the color of the lighter sock, and would have loved the entire skein of yarn to be like that.  I really enjoyed knitting this pattern, and trying out a new way of knitting socks.  I will definitely go back to this book again for sock patterns in the future.

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Bartholomew's Tantalizing Socks
Pattern Source: New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One by Cat Bordhi
Yarn: Pigeonroof Studios superwash merino ORIGINAL sock, colorway Nighthawk
Needles: US 2


]]>It's that time of year again! Time to knit socks! This year, my goal for Socktoberfest is to knit 3 complete pairs of socks and to knit patterns by prolific designers. I've completed my first pair. This is a Cat...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/socktoberfest-2009-pair-1-bartholomews-tantalizing-socks.htmlDragon Outcasthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/8MtXzBU8rKY/dragon-outcast.html1001BooksAtomicKnitsSat, 03 Oct 2009 17:15:30 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a5b9e980970bDragonOutcastCover
Alright, I am not going to spend a lot of time on this. Dragon Outcast, the third book in the Age of Fire series by E. E. Knight.  This book actually kind of had me by the middle to end, but it just did not deliver in the end.  It is interesting that the outcast of the clutch of dragons would be the one to rise to a relatively powerful position and how it came about, and I will read the next ones, because now I really want to know how pissed Wistala and Auron get when they see their outcast brother ruling over dragons and men and blah blah blah.  But, yeah - really cool world, lots of potential, weak delivery. Send along the next one please.


]]>Alright, I am not going to spend a lot of time on this. Dragon Outcast, the third book in the Age of Fire series by E. E. Knight. This book actually kind of had me by the middle to end,...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/dragon-outcast.htmlHomemade Stitch Markershttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Atomicknits/~3/4vsEcSyaBc0/homemade-stitch-markers.htmlKnittingMisc. CraftsAtomicKnitsWed, 30 Sep 2009 15:56:54 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834b50c6f69e20120a5aef087970b

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I joined a new swap group on Ravelry, and I signed up for a hand-made stitch marker round robin!  I knew this would be good motivation to learn some beading and make some stitch markers of my own.  I've been wanting to learn this for a while now, and you know what? It's not really that hard at all!  I wanted to do some Autumn themed markers, so I picked up some warm-colored crystal beads and pressed glass leaf pendants at Harlequin Beads and went to work. These were really fun to make and I think they came out great!  I can't wait to swap these.



]]>I joined a new swap group on Ravelry, and I signed up for a hand-made stitch marker round robin! I knew this would be good motivation to learn some beading and make some stitch markers of my own. I've been...http://atomicknits.typepad.com/blog/2009/09/homemade-stitch-markers.htmlnonadult