Summer Top Knitting and Reading

This will be a quick update on my summer top knitting and also my summer reading.

Knitting

We will get to the knitting first.

I am excited that I have joined on the sleeves to the body on my Muqarnas. I am making good progress on the raglan decreases now.

When the sleeves are first knitted onto the body, for my size, you only decrease on the body sections for awhile. I am past that point now, and I am knitting all eight decreases every other round. It is going well, except for the head scratching at times. I have to figure for myself how to keep the lace going and still ensure the decreases are accomplished. The decreases aren’t charted, in other words. You have to assess on every decrease round to work it out.

I do like how it is looking so far. I steamed the body before I joined on the sleeves. You can tell where the new knitting above the joined sleeves is, by that front center marker, and the more crinkly stitches.

My favorite feature is the lace pattern that goes doubled up the side seams and is split into singles at the raglan decreases. I haven’t checked the gauge. I am waiting for the wet blocking and hoping for the best.

Reading

In my last post, I shared my June reads and my (then) current July reads.

• Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen (reading for Jane Austen July) A re-read for me which I thoroughly enjoyed *****
• Memorial Days – Geraldine Brooks (first read of this author, reading to fulfill a Kindle Challenge, borrowed in Libby) I liked this one enough that I picked up Horse to read in the near future ****
• Complete Stories of Eudora Welty (about halfway through this book which is actually 5 published collections in one volume) Still dipping into this a few times a week.

Recently Finished and Currently Reading

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Levin – So many people recommend this one, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. It was okay, but maybe just not for me. I am not into gaming, but the story was interesting most of the time. ***
• Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster – This was good and a short read, which is perfect for summer. ****
• Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash – I picked this up because of the cover and the summary. I am a sucker for a book with a title/art that is sea/ocean themed. It’s also WWII era historical fiction. Sign me up! I am still reading this and I am really enjoying it!

Shop Updates

We have some new Darning Eggs in the shop this week. We have been working on re-stocking the Walnut, Maple, and Hackberry. Production is currently on pause while Jerry is working on another project.

Do you remember in December 2023 when the tornado totaled my brand new trailer? We haven’t known what to do with it. The insurance paid us about half what we paid for it but didn’t salvage it. Last spring Jerry stripped it to this point. I jokingly referred to it as a “gorilla cage” which of course he must have broken out of.

We didn’t know for sure what to do with it at that point. So, there is sat for over a year. He finally decided to just strip it down to a flatbed frame and see what we can do with it. The tires are practically brand new. They alone are worth over $1000 to buy new. We hated to just junk it and keep the tires for my current trailer.

So, I have no idea what will come of this, but I’ll keep you posted.