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Reading with a headache

I've had a headache for a week straight now (my head is pounding as I type this), so I've been trying to lay low when I can, which means I've been reading quite a bit. In fact, I started The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams on Friday night and finished it up on Saturday.

If you know me and my reading habits, you would probably be shocked that I am just now getting around to reading this cult favorite. In fact, I'm surprised at myself -- but even fanatical readers have weird holes in their libraries. Fortunately this was rectified when I came across a bunch of sci-fi novels at a garage sale (yes!)

If you are a fan of sci-fi, absurdest comedy, or both like me, you will really enjoy this book (think Asimov meets Vonnegut). Funny, thought provoking, and just plain fun. I am very happy that this gaping hole in my library has now been filled.

Work In Progress

There is something that I find extremely appealing about a pile of fabric scraps. Maybe it's the feeling of having accomplished something, yet I don't think that's entirely it. Am I the only one that feels this way?

Being somewhat late to the game (a sports metaphor -- will wonders never cease?), I recently discovered charm packs. Well, not so much discovered them since I knew they were out there -- I just didn't think they had any real purpose. Was I ever wrong! My least favorite aspect of quilting is the cutting -- I demand perfection of myself and labor over each cut. These charm packs remove this from the equation almost entirely. I did still have to cut up the white fabric, but that was a breeze in comparison to cutting up squares out of 40 different fabrics. Yikes!

When I was at the quilt shop the ladies there told me about a fun little tool called the Quick Quarter, which led me to making lots of triangles which I decided to turn into pinwheels. After going through one charm pack, I decided that this was so much fun that the originally planned mini quilt was to become a full sized quilt and luckily the quilt shop had several more packs of the came fabric in stock.

I have a feeling that this will be done soon as I can't seem to stop working on it!

Maddie is a Punk Rocker

Reading, Reading, Reading

It's been a while since I posted a reading update, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading. When last I posted, I was starting Rabbit Redux by John Updike, which I flew through. I think it may even have been better than the first book -- Rabbit, Run. Highly recommended. I'm sure I'll be reading Rabbit Is Rich, the next Harry Angstrom book, as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

Next up was The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga which won the Man Booker Prize. I really enjoyed this book and the glimpse into social issues in India which I previously knew little about. The story is told as a series of letters written to the leader of China from an Indian man who works his way up from an orphan boy in rural India to an entrepreneur in the big city. The driving force of the plot is the murder he commits, why he commits it and how it changes his life. Highly recommended reading.

Most recently I finished reading Lisa See's latest -- Shanghai Girls, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I've written about Lisa See before and my love of her books exploring the fate of women in Chiona in the past. This book starts in Shanghai and the action moves to the United States as a pair of sisters flee during the Japanese invasion. It's a wonderful novel, historically based, with an engaging lead character. I recommend this book as well as her others -- Snow Flower and the Secret Fan & Peony in Love.

Toto Woven Scarf Complete

Last week was a blur, as I spent about 20 hours in the car taking Maddie to and from camp. I did start a quilt, but before I show that off, I need to get caught up on some things.

First is the Toto Scarf which I finished a while ago. I wove this on the Ashford Knitters Loom using Dale of Norway Svale for the warp and Artfibers Toto for the weft.

The resulting fabric is incredibly soft as the Svale is cotton and silk and the toto is microfiber -- not fun to knit with, but a joy to weave. My camera doesn't care for these bright reds and oranges, but I think this second photo gives a pretty good indication of the colors.

Definitely more weaving in my future this summer. I purchased yarn a couple of years ago for a woven scarf/wrap and now I'm excited to get that project started.

Summer Camp

Here is a photo of Maddie a few weeks ago -- looking quite grown up with her purse and breakfast. Today I sent her off (without taking a photo) to summer camp.

I'm a homeschooling mom, and we have school year round at our house, which means I spend many hours with Maddie each day. In fact, I could probably count on one hand the number of times she's been apart from me for more than a few hours. So summer camp is a big deal here.

While this is only a day camp -- running from 9am to 3pm each day this week -- it is the first time that she will be in this type of setting, spending an entire day away from me with strangers. In fact, we had to go out and purchase a lunch box for this occasion -- which practically made her giddy. And yesterday we went to the grocery so she could pick out some lunch things. (Often she eats leftovers, yogurt fruits and veggies at home, so this was kind of a big deal to her.)

She was a little nervous and quite excited for camp -- in truth, I think I was more nervous than her. I'm sure she'll do fine though and was already talking about how she planned on making friends as we were walking up to the drop off site.

Now what will I do with myself all week?

The above photos of the peony and blueberries were taken by Maddie in the garden. Photography is one of her current interests.

Baking with Dorie Greenspan

Sometimes I purchase a cookbook and right away I have to make something from it -- or several things. Then there are cookbooks that I gaze at and then place on the shelf, only to rediscover them months or years later. Dorie Greenspan's book Baking: From My Home to Yours is one of the later.

After ignoring it for ages, I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and  have made two recipes in succession which both turned out wonderfully. Now I shouldn't be all that surprised by this since this book did win the 2007 James Beard Award in the Baking and Deserts category.

First I made the chocolate chip cookies -- I usually use the Toll House recipe, so this was a departure. They were just perfect, the extra dough froze beautifully and the second batch that I baked up after thawing the dough was as good (if not better) than the first.

Then last night I made the Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Muffins. Perfect as a snack or dessert and everyone loved them. They were easy to make too.

I'm not sure what I'll make next from this cookbook, but one thing is certain -- this will be my go to baking book for some time.

Weaving the Toto Scarf

I've had some beautiful, soft Toto yarn in my stash for *years*. In fact, those of you who have been around the knitting blogs for a while will remember the box swap that happened -- maybe 5 or 6 years ago -- where you got a box, took out some things you liked, added some things you no longer wanted and sent it on to the next person. Yeah, ages ago. Anyway, I took out three balls of this Toto yarn from Artfibers which is microfiber. I tried knitting with it and hated it, but thought it would be perfect for weaving.

I also had some nice Svale yarn from Dale of Norwary -- awful to knit with since it is cotton and silk and super splitty, but it made for a nice warp.

I'm using my nifty Ashford Knitter's loom, which I'm loving. I still need to get the courage to warp up my Dorothy Leclerc loom, which I think I'll do for my next weaving project.

It's weaving up very nicely and making a lovely, soft, flow-y fabric. And I know I'll be able to wear this against my sensitive skin.

Despite the other things I need to get done today, I have a feeling this scarf may get finished up this afternoon (especially if this storm starts and I have an excuse to stay indoors!)

Dyeing in a Thrifted Electric Roaster

Last Friday on our weekly thrifting trip, I found this big electric roaster marked $8 at a garage sale. I found 2 books at this sale too and offered $5 for all three, so I'm calling this a $4 roaster. As you can see, I brought it home, pulled out the dye stock solutions that I haven't used in years and found a hunk of fiber.

As I mentioned, the dye solutions were quite old and I didn't expect them to work very well, hence the pale fiber. In addition, a bit of dye came off on my hands when I spun it. Despite that issue, the roaster worked like a charm and I love dyeing outside because there are no fumes to contend with.

Photos of the spun up yarn soon.

Reading Classics, Award Winners & Graphic Novels

I can hardly remember where I left off, but I believe I was starting to read Pride and Prejudice on the Kindle. Really enjoyable and fun read as always.

After that I picked up The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson. I loved the first volume -- The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party -- and decided I had to read the follow up. It was as good, if not better than the first book and I highly recommend them. They fall into one of my favorite genres, historically based fiction. This book leads into the Revolutionary war and follows Octavian Nothing as he fights first for the Rebels and then for the Redcoats trying to figure out who will give him his freedom with all this talk of liberty. 

Next I picked up a couple of graphic novels at the library -- Good-bye, Chunky Rice and Thoreau at Walden.

I read Blankets by Craig Thompson ages ago and knew that he had another much loved graphic novel called Good-bye, Chunky Rice but hadn't seen it available anywhere, so as soon as I saw it at the library, I snagged it. It's a wonderfully sad little story and was a joy to read.

Thoreau at Walden by John Porcellino is a nice little volume composed mostly of quotes from Walden, mixed with endearing illustrations -- Thoreau and a friendly mouse, Thoreau working in his garden, and Thoreau enjoying nature. I think it is a fun read and a nice introduction to Walden for younger readers.

Right now I'm completely caught up in Updike's Rabbit Redux -- the second Rabbit Angstrom book. Incredible books (like Phillip Roth, but so much better -- more restrained and less egotistical.)