Fiber Fool

Just a few things I’ve run across recently in blogland that have piqued my interest etc…

There of course has been a huge surge in using freezer paper for stencils to apply designs on t-shirts, bags, pants, etc. In fact, it has been so big there is a Flickr group dedicated solely to sharing projects that have used freezer paper stencils. There is some really cool stuff in there, but I have to say my favorite is from M&C - a Barrel of Monkey Tee! Yes, I do know this craft diva in real life so you could probably accuse me of being biased, but there is just something about me and my monkies and the whole red and green color combo makes it even better!

Of course, you don’t have to have read this new blog for very long to know that I’m getting in touch with my Scandanavian roots, so when I was greeted this morning with a notice that the 200SOX blog was updated and I came across these gorgeous socks that Helene made I couldn’t help but be in awe (and inspired) and now lusting after the book she spoke of.

Have you seen Theresa and Julie using Weavettes? I love what Theresa did with her square! Don’t know what a Weavette is? Check out their web site! For other sizes and shapes check out Hazel Rose Looms (thank you for the tip Amanda)!

There is also from a while ago the great flip-flop socks that Alison recieved. I think they are adorable. I recall seeing some last year. I really don’t wear flip-flops much but I love those socks. And, thanks to Whip-Up for the link there is a PDF pattern in English available! Plus, it is probably a great way to use of yarn after making shorty socks!
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I just finished reading The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg (translated by Gustav Lannestock). I actually read an old hardback library copy I got about a year ago. Along my recent theme of Swedish cooking this is the story of a family’s emigration from Sweden to American in the middle nineteenth century.

I am unsure why, but I was expecting the book to be more about their settling in America. Instead, over half of the book was dedicated to the time leading up to their departure. Ultimately, I think that was done quite well. It gave me a sense of why they made the decision they did and also gave me a better feel for the political situation in Sweden at the time. It also gave me a real sense of what the crossing of the Atlantic was like. There are three more books to this series (which was originally planned as a trilogy) so there is plenty of time to devote to their settling and adjusting to this country.

I did find the names in the book quite interesting as you got to see the evolution of the Swedish and other Scandanavian names which are so prevalent in Minnesota - Nielson, Johnson etc. It was just a nice reminder of the roots of those names.

When I first bought the book I had started to read it and then set it aside. It is not a real page turner, so I suspect I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read it last year. It isn’t one I would universally recommend. I suspect one needs an interest in Swedish culture and the emigrant story to enjoy this and the other books in the series.

Now I’m on to Anne of Green Gables. Last year I had thought the summer would be one of revisiting all my children and young adult classic reads - Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, if time permitted The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, but somehow the summer flew by and I didn’t read any of them. So, I’m going to give at least some of them a try this summer. I might also throw in some newer books aimed towards that age group as well such as the His Dark Materials series. We’ll see how far I get though…

I’m also taking part in a religious text reading group. We’re a group of mixed religious backgrounds and current beliefs and we are starting with the Old Testament, then The Book of Mormon, followed by the New Testament and depending on how much steam we have left after 26 or so weeks we might delve into other religious texts as well (perhaps after a bit of a break). But, I think that heavy reading will be broken up quite nicely with some easy child and young adult reading. Especially since they have set a pace of roughly 100 pages per week.

For those who are wondering, the numbers in the subject are (fiction books read, non-fiction books read, total books read so far this year). I’ve been terribly slow with reading this year, I’m not sure why.