Book Review: The Friday Night Knitting Club

Wow. I just finished the book and Wow. This book was everything that Ann Hood's book was not. It is wonderfully written in a unique style.

The story focuses on Georgia Walker, owner of a yarn store in NYC, and her regular customers who make up a Friday Night knitting group. Kate Jacobs, the author, manages to weave together a story that realistically intertwines the lives the members of the club. Like the Hood book, there is tragedy, but it is realistic and it is combined with so many moments of pure joy in the lives of the characters. While Hood's book centers around the knitting group and branches out awkwardly in to other areas of the character's lives, Jacob's book is fluid and moves from one scene to another, but always comes back to the yarn store. Knitting is a part of life and it means different things to different people, but it isn't the circle from which all things eminate.

This is a great story with a few surprises that I refuse to let on. My only regret is that I missed a book signing by Jacobs when she was in Vegas a few weeks ago. I've heard that Hollywood is planning to make this in to a movie and I hope so!

Go get it from the library or bookstore and enjoy it!

Casting on and Reading

I am busily finishing up all my "homework". I can't wait until May 1!! This has left very little time for anything much less knitting (you should see the laundry). But I have managed to sneak in (a few pages at a time) "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs. Book review forthcoming.

I also managed to cast on and finish the front of a hedgehog for a niece whose birthday is April 29. So I MUST finish that soon in order to send it off to NYC in time! Thankfully, I can probably give myself a few hours this weekend and do the back.

That's it for now. Sorry about the lack of anything lately... I will NEVER put off all this work until the end again. From now, I do little bites throughout the entire term.

(Please someone hold me to that!)

Look what I got...

My postal "person" doesn't like to bring packages to my door so I headed to the post office today to get my package. Thankfully, it has cooled down so I took DD for a little stroll over to the post office. As the mail worker dude was handing me the envelope he says, "Here's your yarn." It struck me as very funny (maybe because I hadn't ordered it and yet he knew what it was?).... :-)

Anyway... I got a hank of Chewy Spaghetti (that is the coolest name!) yarn to make a pair of cabled socks! Two things I want to knit and have yet to do -- cables and socks. I've made stockings... and a wee baby sock to learn, but never anything for anyone to actuall wear! I'm very excited! And the color of the yarn is perfect! It reminds me of Easter eggs.







Now if I could just find time to cast on....

It all came is some very pretty tissue paper, which was destroyed by this innocent looking chap. He's cute when he's sleeping.

And a bunny cake....

Here is my creative outlet for the weekend!

My LYS

My LYS is actually a quilt shop with yarn on the side. I love going there. I'm not really a "regular" so to speak, but the people are still friendly (some LYS's -- not so much). They have a frequent shopper program that is totally reachable (you don't have to purchase $1,000 to get $5 back!) and every single month you get a coupon for 20% off of your total yarn/book purchase! Plus all patterns are always 30% off. And the prices are reasonable. I love the teacher there and the yarn portion of the store is really taking off.

So I headed there yesterday with my monthly coupon to get some goodies for my SP10 pal and suddenly realized how boring this LYS really is. For me, for normal knitting they have what I need -- Cascade 220; Debbie Bliss; Noro, etc. But if you want something nice or really pretty... or a cute little doo-dad... not so much. I was kind of disappointed because I really want to support my LYS, but I think the rest of the pacakges for SP10 will be purchased on-line so I can get her something beautiful. I may also venture out the to 2 other LYS's in town....

Which leads me to another point... my city is currently 1.4 million people and growing daily. How is it that we have only 2 full-time, yarn only stores and 1 quilt store with a side of yarn?? We had 3 full-time stores, but one had to shut down. I read the Harlot's page and am following the represent thingy. If there really are so many of us... how does a city this large only support 1-2 yarn shops? Hmmmm... one is kinda snooty and I think LYS owners need to be aware of that -- you never know who the new person in the shop is! And coffee -- why oh why don't any of them sell or offer tea/coffee?? And somewhere to sit down and look at the pattern books? I'm thinking yarn shops need to be more like bookstores -- beverages, comfy seating, and good light! :-)

Happy Easter! I'm baking today instead of knitting. I found a shawl on Elann that I fell in love with. Sadly, I can't come up with $30 to get the yarn... it's a rainbow shawl in Adara (I think). I love color! :-) But I digress... happy easter and I'll throw up a picture the bird's nests; bunny cake; and basket cupcakes I'm baking today!

Bunny -- Finished!

Here is the bunny -- all finished! It is the first time I've put nose and a mouth on a toy. Turned out well. I tied a bow around his/her neck and sent him/her off to Philly. I forgot the cotton-tail though... oh well!

It's been busy around here today with a seder for 15 adults and 4 kids tonight. But now we're done. DH is home all week on Spring Break. It's nice to have him around, but distracting. I can't get my "normal" routine to work. That's OK -- I love having him around!

I took this picture of Ella this morning outside. Wow, huh?!?!