Monday 16 January 2012

Knitting and reading

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope 2012 will be fantastic for you all!


I love knitting............. and I love reading.......... but often find myself frustrated when doing one because I want to be doing the other too.  So I had a lovely time in November and December sitting at the kitchen table with my Gentle Art of Domesticity open in front of me while I happily knitted away.  Here was a book that would kindly stay open for me releasing both hands to knit.  But normal books aren't so co-operative.  Then my mum bought my dad a Kindle for his birthday so I tested it for knitting and reading ability and found it to be very user-friendly.  

So with my Christmas bonus from work I bought my own Kindle earlier this month and have been knitting and reading quite contentedly - until I get so absorbed in the book that the knitting falls by the wayside - or find I'm not all that hooked on the book and would rather knit.

So far I have re-read Twilight which was ok - less good than the first time I read it, read The Island (finally!) which I loved and I'm currently reading One Day - which I'm just not getting into as quickly as I thought I would.  In an attempt to educate myself I have also downloaded A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations as I have never actually read any Dickens.  


And so far I have knitted more of my Christmas socks (ok, so they are late), a cover for my Kindle, some mittens for a friend's 50th birthday present (that I forgot to photograph before I gave them her to her on our walk this morning), a mitten for me - that I have frogged and started again because it was too big, and part of a Hitchhiker in dk wool.


I still prefer real books and could never imagine my house ever not looking like this
 (Dot's wall)
(the sitting room "wall" that is actually a bookshelf built into the space between two rooms)

but I do love the multi-tasking made possible by my Kindle.

I have also been playing with paper after finding this fabulous book


Just look at the pages inside:

It has 32 cut out models to make and the paper is really good quality.  I saw it in my local Dunelm Mill for £15 but found it on Amazon for £10 instead and I'm really pleased with it.

I need to invest in a proper cutting knife rather than scissors but had fun last week making a toaster - that actually moves up and down (albeit rather stiffly)

and this tortoise.

If I hurry up and get the washing up* done quickly I should have time to do some more tonight with Fred before I cook the childrens' supper :o)

*whoops! I've just revealed that I still have last night's washing up to do - so why am I blogging??!

19 comments:

dutchcomfort said...

Happy New Year Mrs. Locket!!

julie said...

Happy New Year lovely Lucy. Sounds like you've had a creative and busy start to 2012 - love your knitted kindle cover xxx

Helen said...

Happy New Year Lucy!! You have sold out to the wicked kindle I see??? Love the knitted cover . . . only you!! Love Helen xx

Ali said...

My kitchen's a bomb site and I'm still reading!
That book looks like a lot of fun.

Khris78 said...

I so love your bookshelves!!!!
The papercraft looks great too!!

Sew Create It - Jane said...

Nice to read your news.

Your knitted projects are lovely...both DD2 and I were swooning over your green wool...pretty!

Twiggy said...

Happy New Year !! I'm with you on the love of real books but I do fancy a kindle, very transportable, but probably not a good idea for me to read in the bath - I have a lot of crinkly paged books :) Lovely knitting as ever, missus. I'm having a little birthday giveaway if you'd like to join in!!
twiggy x

wonderwoman said...

Happy new year Lucy! Blogging is way more fun than washing up! I loved the island a brilliant book. Xxxxxxxx

Lina said...

Wow you're not kidding about the books! I'm beginning to come round to kindles and reading on my hubby's tablet too. I'm impressed that you can read and knit at the same time! Happy new year to you!

Cass said...

That paper book looks great. Where did to get it my daughter would love it

Thimbleanna said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE those bookcases Lucy! I feel the same way you do -- do you suppose people in 30 or 40 years won't have real books in their homes? That would be really sad. Looks like you're doing some beautiful knitting!

Gina said...

Happy New Year Lucy. I can knit and watch TV but I've never tried knitting and reading my Kindle at the same time... still sounds complicated!

Jodie said...

Dishes are alwAys there..... Blogging is way better.
It is so nice to hear your voice Lucy

Daisie said...

Happy new year! Your lounge, front room, sitting room (whatever you call it) looks just like ours (only whiter and cleaner), we love books and it's a phrase we all use when out shopping " you can never have too many books!" x

Mary Lou said...

Happy New Year to you. I got myself a kindle for Christmas as well, and the knitting/reading combination is perfect. I am not ready to give up on books yet, though, too much of my house looks like your photos!

Julie said...

Happy new year. I love my kindle for the same reason - that you can do other things at the same time. It's taking Katie about an hour to have her after-bath feed but with my kindle I can enjoy a lovely snuggly feed and read too......its great. We have a house full of books as well. They are everywhere but I really hate to part with them, I can't imagine the kindle ever completely replacing proper books - I do hope not. Juliex

WendyBee said...

What an entertaining post. I don't have a Kindle, but I am verrry curious about whether I'd like it. I keep thinking I should borrow my son's nook color, but I think I haven't yet, because I think I *will* like it, and then have to fight off the "I wants".
Love the cover you made for it -- red yarn, cables, what's not to love?

ladydi said...

Lovely Lucy, you are a very gifted knitter! Your beautiful cable Kindle cover is perfect. Can you really read and knit at the same time???

French Knots said...

Happy 2012 Lucy!
I bought my husband a kindle for Christmas and ha has read 3 books this month which is more than I've ever known hime to read so I've not been able to nick it off him yet!
And he didn't want a knitted cover for it, had to be a butch black one with a little light built in - pah!