The Capricious Guide

The Bliss

I've been a bad blogger, but I've been reading a lot and knitting too! I have nearly finished my Wicked sweater and will post a picture when it's done. True to form, I started something new before completely finishing my last project!

This is what I swatched today - Jude from Debbie Bliss's book Summer Essentials. Here's my swatch:

Looks good huh? I am using Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere resurrected from this failed project. I've gotten the 24 stitches over 4 inches to match the gauge in the pattern but 30 rows are only about 3.5 inches . I've used a size 5 needle and really don't want to go smaller and mess up my sts/inch gauge. The pattern is for a cropped sweater and I have more yarn than is necessary so the plan is to make it a little longer. I'll have to do that for sure now otherwise it might be really short! As long as it fits around my body I'll be happy. Any suggestions?

Literary Catch up #2

I read "One Good Turn" by Kate Atkinson a few weeks ago now. I'm not usually into crime novels or mysteries, but Atkinson is a great story spinner! The story picks up where "Case Histories"* left off though if you didn't read it you could read this without wondering what's going on.

"One Good Turn" focuses on Jackson Brodie who is a former private detective. He is in Edinburgh, Scotland with his girlfriend Julia who is engrossed in a play and has little time for Jackson. Wandering around, he stumbles onto a crime scene and into a maze of characters that Atkinson develops evenly through each chapter. This book is a little confusing as there are many characters who, as the reader, you know have to be involved with one another. The central mystery also changes about half-way through the book, but it kept me interested and involved. I think this book would be a great beach read, could be a quick read if you wanted it to be. I would recommend it to those who don't normally read mysteries for something different!

*By the way I know I read "Case Histories" also by Kate Atkinson before Christmas last year...why didn't I put it on my list or write about it?? That's strange. I really loved reading that book.