http://blip.tv/chanala/episode-30-the-february-pendulum-swings-6520795
Today’s segments include: citations, noteworthy, drafting, fully drafted, brainstorming, lit review, and five favorite things. Let’s knit together!
Citations
The birthday wishes continue!
Thank you to Andigal for gifting me the pattern Different Lines by Veera Valimaki!
Noteworthy
January personal sock yarn club
January finish it up KAL
Drafting
Pendulum Shawl in Sundara sock yarn colorways Graphite and Grapevine on size 7 signature circulars. This is a simple, beautiful short row striped shawl. I could see myself making several of these in my Sundara sock because I have a whole lot of it.
Spellbound Vanilla socks out of Twisted Limone colorway Spellbound on size 1/2.25mm signature circulars. I discovered while wearing my birthday socks that I need a 2 inch rather than a 1 inch cuff.
Fully Drafted
Windy Knitty Vanillas using Cat Bohrdi’s sweet tomato heel, out of Fleur de fiber colorway Windy Knitty on size 1/2.25mm signature circulars.
Brainstorming
Nerd Wars Tournament 7 has started! I am on team cancelled this time, for TV shows cancelled in 3 seasons or less. Nerd Wars has changed a little bit. There are only 5 challenges per month instead of 6, and one of them each tournament will allow me to submit WIPs. This is absolutely so great! I am really excited.Bristol Hat by Amy Christoffers in Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock, 80/10/10 MCN, colorway Midsummer Night’s Dream. This hat makes a v-shape, so I’m going to find some way to tie into simple machines for the discovery challenge.
Riding on the Metro socks by Wendy Johnson in Plucky Knitter MCN fingering colorway Burgundy Bets. This yarn is burgundy, so I’m going to find a way to tie it into the mulled wine that characters drink on Game of Thrones for the nerdology challenge.
Finally, my dissertation! I keep biting off more than I can chew for it. This time around, I’m going to knit 2 pairs of complicated socks because mid-semester that’s about all I can handle. I’m going to knit Daphne and Velma by Cookie A and try to tie strong, sexy, and feminine into nerdology.
Lit Review: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
After finishing this book, I immediately rated it 5 stars on goodreads. The entire time I was reading/listening I was totally hooked. Larson tells the dark story of Hitler’s rise to power through the perspective of Dodd, the US ambassador to Germany in 1933, and his daughter Martha. His storytelling style is compelling, as even the most mundane of activities during this period have so much significance because of what happened afterwards.
I liked this book because even though I’ve read a lot about the Holocaust and visited several Holocaust museums, there were things I learned in this book that I didn’t know. I’ve heard the story told from the perspective of Holocaust survivors many times, but I didn’t know what it was like for the non-Jews living in Berlin. Despite recession and debt after WWI, the Germans were living it up, partying all the time, drinking and eating in excess. I also didn’t know how pervasive anti-semitism was at the time, not just in Germany, but in the U.S. as well. Dodd was sympathetic towards the Germans because of the “Jewish problem” as he calls it. Finally, I didn’t know how the culture of fear worked in Germany, and how Hitler just wiped out his opposition, which is how he was able to come to power. Over 800 people were killed in the Great Purge, even though only approximately 100 were reported to be killed. 800 people in one week is a sure way to rise to power.
My book club has mixed feelings on this book. Several of us rated it 4 or above, and several of us rather it at 2 (out of 5 stars). The 2s thought the book was boring and found the characters unlikeable. I really liked the book for the same reasons though, the plot was mundane, but I was fascinated by that in a time where all events were anything but mundane. And the characters weren’t exceptional, but again I liked that. I’ve read many books about exceptional people during this time period, and wondered how ordinary people could let something like the Holocaust happen. This book does a great job of explaining how it could happen.
If you like non-fiction and are interested in World War I or II or fascism in general, I definitely recommend this book. It’s a pretty fast read and it captivated my attention the whole way through.
Five Favorite Things
1. Jane Eyre yarn
2. Jane Eyre pattern
3. Jane Eyre bag
4. Tempted yarn
5. Downton Abbey
Wherever you travel, bring your knitting along, and engage your creative process!
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