What a great response to my little yarn give away! I will determine the winner of the Elann Esprit by random number generator on Thursday. There will be more yarn going out next week to those who have taken the time to comment this month. Thanks for all the fun!
Be sure to check the end of this post for some more free audiobooks that I am giving away!
I promised myself that the name Shedir would not be mentioned again until it was actually being knit. Well, the ban is lifted! I have completed 30 rows of the new incarnation.
The yarn is still Rowan Calmer, but it is a different color than the first attempt. I kept thinking how disappointing it would be if I ran out of yarn after doing so much work, so I ordered two more balls. The pink was in the same dye lot as the ball I had, so that decided the color.
I’m still using a lifeline every 10 rows or so and a stitch marker at each repeat. I set up my magnetic board to keep track on the chart. The knitting is easier this time around due to all the previous practice. For the first dozen rows of the cable pattern I was tinking often, but it is going smoothly now. I want to finish this by the end of the month so I can get some other hats done, too.
- Seven or Eight Random Facts
It seems that my time has come. I was tagged with the Random Meme twice in one day. Rebecca and Sherrill tagged me within 3 hours of each other. One was for 7 facts, and the other was for 8. Let’s see how far I get.Here are the rules:
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
- I love to swim, although I don’t do it enough anymore. Being in water feels like a second home to me. I can even do an eskimo roll in a kayak, which is turning it right side up when it is upside down.
- After getting married and leaving home at 18, I didn’t own a TV until my children were teenagers. We did lots of fun things and my kids learned to love reading.
- I stopped reading fiction after my sons were born, since I can’t put a good book down and it is best to get some sleep before spending the day with two active young boys. I’ve only started reading fiction, except what I used in my high school classes, in the last two years, since I quit working full time.
- I quit cutting my hair when I was 11 years old. It has been long ever since, except for a couple years recently when I lost half of it after surgery, so I cut it up to my shoulders. It’s very slowly growing back, and is about 6 inches from my waist, where it usually stops naturally. It might never make it.
- I used to live very naturally — grinding wheat to make bread, canning foods, gardening organically, spinning yarn, using herbal medicines. I’ve veered away from that lifestyle to some extent, but think I am slowly moving back to it. It feels like who I am.
- My children were born at home and schooled at home until junior high. I started a preschool in my home so I could stay with my children and still work.
- My last name came down from my Swedish great grandfather. Someday I’d like to go to Sweden to see where some of my ancestors lived. My great grandmother (whose family was from Wales) lived in a fine house on Long Island. I have relatives I don’t know in New York. On the other side, I still have relatives in Texas. I’ve met many of them. Their ancestry is not so well documented.
- And one more… I tend to be introverted, rather quiet except with friends. On occasion I shock people who don’t know me well with my playful and unrestrained behavior.
- Whew! If you managed to read through all that, consider yourself tagged!
AudioBook Blurb:
Four free audiobooks are yours for the taking. These are all on CDs. I bought Lolita new, the rest were used. All are in good condition. Follow the links to find out more about them.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Saul and Patsy by Charles Baxter
My review of A Walk in the Woods is here. I enjoyed Saul and Patsy, but it is more of a character study than a story. Lolita is a difficult read because of the subject matter, but worth reading on an intellectual level.
Feel free to email or leave a comment if you would like any of these audiobooks.
Go, Shedir!!
It was fun to read the random bits about you – grinding your own grain. Wow! Some of your books tempt me, but I’m resisting for others who don’t have the opportunities I do. I live in a major metropolitan area and have the use of two excellent library systems, which have lots of audiobooks – including newer stuff in downloadable form.
Comment by Chris — Monday, May 21, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
I would love Lolita if it is still available. Do I need to pay shipping? By the way, your Shedir is beautiful so far. Good luck!!
Comment by allie — Monday, May 21, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
Great progress! I love Calmer and Shedir. I’ve made 2 so far. Once the cable pattern is established, the mistakes are less frequent I never ran out of yarn, but I used size 7 needles, since that’s what I had at the time, and did only 4 pattern repeats to compensate.
Comment by Jen — Monday, May 21, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Your Shedir is gorgeous! You will be done with this one in no time at all.
Comment by Sarah — Monday, May 21, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
Do you have a pattern for your scrubbies? I heard about them on the Dishcloth KAL!
Also I just finished a plan pair of socks using the same Lorna’s Laces. Love the yarn, but I like fingerling better.
Jill
Comment by Jill — Monday, May 21, 2007 @ 8:53 pm
The Shedir looks great (very complicated, though).
Comment by Nicole — Monday, May 21, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
your shedir is fab!
Is it biking weather where you are yet??? I fear ours will never come.
Comment by Kelly — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 2:30 am
The Shedir is lovely – you will do it. I still
!
fearhave no time to attempt itI was surprised at your list, and yet not – because it seems to fit you! It’s a fantastic list
. I’ve already done my list, woo-hoo (and my hair made the list, too).
Comment by pixie girl — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 6:42 am
Shedir is looking good!
I forgot my hair on my list. I cut off almost 10″ of it a little over a year ago, but fortunately, it’s back down to my waist. I’ll never do that again unless there’s a medical necessity or a friend gets cancer and needs it!
Comment by Batty — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 7:28 am
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your meme, Becky! And,I’m just remembering I forgot to answer your last email! I love grinding my own wheat and making my own bread, too. It is just a little harder now with just the two of us.
It looks like we are both at the same place on Shedir so I guess I better pull it out of the basket and get going on it. Those stitch markers between repeats are lifesavers and there is one row in there that I dread every time I get to it because it seems to take 3x as long as the others! The pink is lovely!
Comment by Rebecca — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 9:32 am
If A Walk In The Woods is still availalble, I would like to put my name in for it. I bought my father the book and haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. I think he might like to listen to the auther reading it.
I have got to make a Shedir, it looks like a lot of fun.
Comment by Suzanne — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
Lovely yarn and beautiful pattern.
Comment by Kathleen — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
I am commenting for the Elann yarn, not an audiobook.
Granted an audiobook would be great to listen to while knitting, but … I am too nervous to use one out of my local library, so why should I deprive someone else?
But when it comes to yarn … I have sharp elbows.
BTW, that Shedir pattern has also been on my list of “things to do for myself”, at some point in the future – for quite some time. But Christmas knitting keeps getting in the way … or at least it has – until recently.
I am now knitting dishcloths for presents – having discovered the Monthly Dishcloth KAL. Which will hopefully give me more time to knit things for myself.
Happy knitting,
Janey
Comment by Janey — Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
Love Shedir! Hmm…I keep forgetting to try that one…must put it up on the list.
I enjoyed knowing more about you…especially the “back to basics part” of you – I always wanted to live that way…did a little of it, but YOU really DID it!
(((hugs)))
Comment by knitnana — Wednesday, May 23, 2007 @ 10:12 am
I would love any of them if still available, but I’m sure they are all taken by now.
S
Comment by Sarah — Thursday, May 24, 2007 @ 10:19 am
A Walk in the Woods is one of my favorite books, it’s just so hilarious!
My mother baked bread. It made moving out and having to eat store bought bread utterly hellish. At the time, I couldn’t boil water without burning it, much less bake. But yum.
Comment by Carrie K — Monday, May 28, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
So I’m listening to saul and patsy and just wanted to say it is an interesting story and I’m going to continue to listen although i think its a bit odd its also compelling. Thank you.
Comment by Sarah — Tuesday, June 19, 2007 @ 2:17 pm