Yarn Along

This week I keep plugging away at my super soft cardigan.  I’m having a tough time coming up with a name for it.  I have a few ideas floating around as I stitch back and forth.  This is basically my knit-while-Elias-is-trying-to-fall-asleep knitting.  He may be 4 but he still needs a nap everyday, and he still starts playing right away if I’m not sitting in his room.  I actually enjoy that part of the day because it’s so quiet.  The big kids are occupied with their own projects downstairs, Solveig is asleep in her crib, and Elias is just staring at the wall for awhile until he drifts off.  I get to just sit in the rocking chair and knit.  It’s quite peaceful.

Not only am I in love with this yarn, but after knitting a few cardigans that are either fingering or sport weight, I’m pleased with how quickly this worsted weight cardigan is going!  I don’t plan on releasing this pattern until after the baby is born, but it’s just going so fast, the release date may be moved up if she decides to make a late entrance.  We’ll see.  I don’t promise anything at this point of the pregnancy! At this time it’s the plan for my January pattern.

I’m at the point of the second book in the trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter where it’s getting really good.  O my goodness, do I love this book!  Reading it is like enjoying a fine piece of chocolate.  Sure, little romances are like a KitKat.  You can just go through a bag without noticing or even thinking about it, and it’s a fun little delight.  But then there are other times where you have, like a Godiva cheesecake, and it’s so rich that you have to eat it slowly, and savor every morsel.  That’s this book.  Each description, each scene, each complex relationship is just so rich in words that you can only handle so much of this book at a time.  Books like this don’t come a dime a dozen.  Books like this one, won a Nobel Prize.

Books like this feed the soul.  So good!  The first book, “The Wreath” covers Kristin’s childhood, courtship and marriage.  Kristin’s relationship with her father and with her choice in love is in such conflict, and as she loves both men so dearly and is conflicted so many times, her relationship with God is also put to the test as subject of sin is wrestled with.  Issues like loyalty, tradition and honor are examined.  It’s just so good!

I’m now in the second book “The Wife” where sins from the previous book deeply effect the characters even years later who are maturing and developing.  Relationships are complex and messy, as they continue to try to understand what God expects of them.  Like every other marriage, it’s 2 sinners going through life together.

Christianity is still pretty new to Norway at this time in history.   The Catholic church rules, but “old ways” and superstitions survive in the countryside.  Outside influences, both successes and involvement in overthrowing the king of Norway (all historically based in medieval times) make life simple pretty quick as the characters realize what really matters.  Is it too late for relationships to be restored as a trial for high treason begins?

Now I’m just making it sound cheap.  It’s not.  It’s so beautiful.

Linking up again with Ginny.  I love knitting and reading, and meeting others who do too.

O!  I almost forgot.  Be sure to check out my new FREE PATTERN “Winter Butterfly Cowl” I just posted yesterday, and the yarn giveaway I’m doing with it’s release.  Free baby alpaca chunky yarn…doesn’t get much better than that!  You don’t have to sign up for anything, or any hoops like that. It’s just some Christmas fun.