Yarn Along #1

We knitters have a lot of interests.  Besides our great love of knitting ... and crocheting ... and weaving ... and spinning, we also love cooking and reading.  It's rare that I've come across a knitter's blog who doesn't also share interesting recipes (or restaurant reviews) and new books to read.

I'm joining Ginny's Yarn Along this week as I, too, am one of those knitters who loves to cook (and eat) and must always have a book going.  This week, I'm working on a simple triangular shawl (yes, my second one) while reading Swamplandia by Karen Russell.  


I blogged about this simple shawl already, but I enjoyed knitting it so much that I decided to make another one, this time with a worsted weight wool.  The main difference is that I knit into the back loops of the YOs which creates a nice, open stitch for a more lacy motif.

I've finished about one-third of the novel and am really enjoying it.  Narrated in the voice of a 13-year old girl, the novel is centered around the Bigtree family who founded Swamplandia, an alligator-themed amusement part in southern Florida.  It's funny, poignant, and filled with colorful characters.  I'm not a huge fan of plot-driven novels.  Instead, I much prefer writers who can develop their characters fully, so much so that I feel like I know who these people are.    So this week, both shawl and novel are humming along.