I’ve been in a stash-busting mood. I’ve also been in a non-thinking-knitting mood. That means I’m knitting lots of patterns written by other people that I’ve been longing to knit for years. This week I cast on Francie by Rebekkah Kerner. This is such a beautiful, well thought out pattern. It’s interesting but not all-attention-consuming. The ribs in the sock are winding and gnarling like a tree, and the designer had the book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in mind when she was designing it. (One of my all-time favorite books.) I love patterns based on literary characters. It’s like my 2 favorite hobbies hanging out. Last time I was in the twin cities I stopped by a little yarn shop and was introduced to “Dream in Color” yarn. I could not leave there without a skein, and picked this lovely, smoky blue. I intended it for some kind of shawl. But when I was looking up on Ravelry some great projects using this yarn, this pattern kept coming up. I hadn’t connected before that this was the yarn used in the original design.
My reading has been limited to books for the kids lately. In our morning hour, one of our subjects is Shakespeare and we are using How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, which is just so great. We’ve finished all of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and are now moving to “Twelfth Night” now. My kids are absolutely loving this unit, possibly more than any unit we’ve done in years.
For our morning tea time, I read aloud a chapter book directed towards the younger kids, but one the older kids would still enjoy. This year it’s The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. We read this author last year too and loved her then. This book does not disappoint at all. We are all in love with Edward Tulane, and are watching him slowly learn to love as well.
After the little girls go to bed at night, I read a book directed more at the older kids. Little Britches has been on our reading list for awhile. This story is told so well of a little boy moving to a ranch and learning to be a rancher, horse man, cowboy…he calls it by various names. The kids have been begging me at the end of each chapter to read more. My voice hasn’t been able to hold up to that, as the chapters are a bit longer than the books for the little kids. But I have to admit, I wish we could too.
Dawn says
October 21, 2015 at 2:20 pmI love hearing about your reading with the kids. My kids go to public school and the teachers have lamented to me that there just isn’t much time for reading aloud. I do it at home, separate books for all three of my kids, although they do listen in with each other many times. It’s one of my favorite parts of the day.
Sarah W. says
October 21, 2015 at 2:40 pmBeautiful color; I can’t wait to see the finished product. As always, I love reading about your newest reads, thanks for sharing.
Mom says
October 21, 2015 at 3:14 pmI love the pattern, too!
Also, “Little Britches” was a memorable book for me. Our teacher read it to us when I was in the 5th grade in Japan. When she got to the part where Little Britches broke his toes, I fainted. My teacher, Betty Osmundson had to carry me to her bed which was in the room next to the classroom upstairs. She had called Marion Werdahl (our dorm mother)upstairs and I woke up with a cold cloth on my forehead and all these people looking down at me asking if I was okay. 🙂
Gretchen says
October 21, 2015 at 3:17 pmHahaha!! When we get to that part, I’ll have to tell the kids that story about their Grammy. I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of it. How memorable!
Caroline says
October 21, 2015 at 4:40 pmwhat beautiful yarn – one of my favourite colours for sure! I really enjoyed your description of your reading time with your children – I do the same and it’s so very special.
Laura says
October 21, 2015 at 5:05 pmWhat a coincidence; I just watched A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for the first time last week, and absolutely loved it . Now I need to pick up a copy of the book.
Elizabeth says
October 21, 2015 at 5:56 pmwhat lovely things you are making, and neat about the yarn sock pattern connection! lovely books, so very nice! God bless!
Jessica says
October 21, 2015 at 8:08 pmHey! I’m reading How to Teach…Shakespeare too. We’re just starting with Midsummer Night’s Dream. Have you started memorizing passages?
My boys love the Mercy Watson series. We may pick up Edward Tulane. The Oregon Children’s Theatre will have a performance of it in April!
And your yarn is lovely!
Jodi in CO says
October 21, 2015 at 8:33 pmI read to my four sons all while they were growing up, They loved it but I had trouble getting them to sit very long. Finally I hit on reading to them while they ate their evening meal. Their dad worked a swing shift so he was gone in the evening. This worked quite well. Their favorites were James Herriott’s books. I found that very little children don’t care what you read to them as long as you read something. I think it’s sitting next to you or on your lap and hearing your voice that is most important to them.
Iris says
October 22, 2015 at 9:43 amThanks for those book recommendations – I will try them with my boys! 🙂
Bekah says
October 22, 2015 at 5:29 pmSounds lovely – cozy knits and intriguing books!
Rosemary says
October 22, 2015 at 5:30 pmI only heard of the author Kate DiCamillo recently; I will have to put that book on the to-read list! And oh, that yarn is gorgeous … the socks will be wonderful.