Books 2013 #20 - #34

Wow, no reviews since April. Some of my tube time (i.e. reading time) has been snagged by my hopeless attempts to learn Japanese. However, I have managed to read a few books along the way...

#20 Extreme Office Crafts
Jimmy Knight

I wouldn't suggest you go so far as to buy it - unless you see a second hand copy - but it is actually a better example of this kind of thing. There are some pretty elaborate things in here and some really subversive ones, but then pretty much everything seemed highly doable in my current office setting. Admittedly, in my office we play 'hide the cow' and if someone is wearing headphones it is acceptable to throw paperclips (and once, a stapler) to attract their attention, but still.

#21 The Beekeeper's Apprentice
Laurie R King

#22 A Monstrous Regiment of Women
Laurie R King

 Clearly the cover illustrator has not read the first book. A picture of Miss Mary Russell would certainly not bear much resemblance to that lady. Better job on the second although the quote on the cover "A novel which challenges the cliches of history" is wrong unless you think Sherlock Holmes was a real person. These are the proper first and second books in the series that I read a free kindle short story of in my last post. I am now on the third book so it makes sense to review these two together. Miss Russell meets Sherlock in his retirement cottage as she lives nearby with her mean Aunt. They meet and recognise intelligence in each other and he effectively takes on her education. Naturally a case then appears and so the story goes on. The author emphasises that Holmes is not of retirement age, but about 50 when they meet. But still...I dunno. It's like with the Robert Downey Jr films. If they had not based them on the Sherlock character I probably would have liked them better, but then I suppose most people would never have bothered to watch/read them. The second book was much more engaging than the first and could be read as a stand alone. In it Miss Russell gets her degree from Oxford (in Theology) and gets in with a group of women who stand in awe of a kind of spiritual leader. I could believe in the character in this book, right up until the end. And now the third book has picked up from there and I just can't accept that...well...it would be unfair to say it I guess. All in all a worthy read if you like the original Holmes character and aren't ready to accept him as a historical reference.

#23 The Roman Hat Mystery
Ellery Queen

Why did I read this? I read one of these in 2009 and should have learned my lesson. The idea is that they give you all the information you need to solve the crime and then the book pauses about 2/3 of the way through to let you work it out. My arse. Plus the story was very of-the-time racist ad sexist which normally I would just put down to the age of the book but in this was just annoying. To summarise - guy dies in theatre during a sell-out performance. Turns out he was a blackmailer with lots of hats. Who killed him and why?

Bleh.

#24 Hilda Hopkins Bed and Burial
Vivienne Fagan

I reviewed the first (free) one in this series back at the start of the year. This is the second and was rather funny. Hilda has escaped from prison and is on the run, longing to take up machine knitting again. She manages to get a job and it's not long before she's back to her naughty ways but it all starts to go wrong. How will Hilda get out of it this time? Having said that the story is about a machine knitting, murderous pensioner it may seem odd for me to say that this story had a bit more realism than the first. It was again a novelette and a good way to while away a few hours.

#25 The Skeleton in the Closet
M.C. Beaton

I spent the first half of the book under the impression MC Beaton was Alexander McCall Smith. Once I'd worked out my mistake the boring everydayness of the story and the predictability made sense. Man works in menial job having had to leave school early to look after semi-invalid parents. Parents die. He discovers lots of money. Story continues. If you like Agatha Raison you may well enjoy this. I find her too annoying to read anymore and although this book is very different the writing style is close enough for me to find these people annoying too.

#26 The Colour of Magic
Terry Pratchett

I have always wanted to read the whole of his Discworld series in order, to see how the characters and storylines develop, so this is a reread of an old favourite. I am so glad that Death changed later to become the character he is in books like Reaper Man. And that I know we revisit Twoflower later on, although I can't quite remember when. And that the Luggage remains the same intimidating piece of wood throughout the subsequent Rincewind books. If by some chance you haven't read a Discworld book I would start with something like Guards, Guards or perhaps Maskerade. Oooo, I've got so many wonderful books to reread ahead of me!

#27 This Night's Foul Work
Fred Vargas

Adamsberg has got over his stupidity regarding Camille but although he is playing his part in bringing up their son, she has had enough and is looking elsewhere for honey. This was one of the best ones in the series so far. I was really compelled to keep reading on the tube, at lunch, before bed, just to find out what was going to happen next. Adamsberg has a snooty pathologist to contend with, a possibly haunted new home and a potential rival - a man he has some shared history with from when they grew up - something that neither of them is comfortable with although it's not straight forward. But then you don't expect it to be really. A great read.

#28 Death at Gallows Green (no.2 in the series)
#29 Death at Daisy's Folly (no.3)
#30 Death at Whitechapel (no.6)
Robin Paige

Robin Paige is my Murder She Wrote in book form. I know they're not great but they're very comforting - like Heinz Ravioli in tins. They do have a small amount of historical accuracy too, although only a small amount. I doubt Winston Churchill's father was ever really thought to be Jack the Ripper. Or that Beatrix Potter was quite the profiler she is made out to be (different books). Still, they keep my mind occupied and are relaxing to read.

#31 When Last I Died
Gladys Mitchell

I am a Mrs Bradley fan (not the TV series - yuk) and this was a good one in the series. Mrs Bradley's grandson finds an old diary of a woman who was involved with a death and some disappearances - or were they all murders? She was tried and acquitted but there was doubt. Mrs Bradley looks into it and finds it concerns a local boys approved school where young criminals are sent. These are clever books which are occasionally brilliantly read on BBC radio.

#32 But He Was Already Dead When I Got There
Barbara Paul

This was an unabridged recording from Audible read by Chris Kayser. I don't normally bother giving the reader but in this case it is relevant since his issues with accents meant I spent the first half an hour of the story assuming various people hated each other from their tones and inflections. Turns out it was just his voice. The story revolves around three couples who are all involved in some way with a high end bespoke jewellery shop. There is an evil uncle who dies and it turns out pretty much all of them lie quite elaborately at some point or another. The poor detective (who coincidentally has a side-kick who keeps doing an awful fake accent) has to peel each of these away before finding the truth. I cannot recommend the reading of it but the story is good so the book is worth keeping an eye out for.

#33 Death and the Maiden
Gladys Mitchell

Another Mrs Bradley and a really good one. Lots of excellent characters get involved in the story, all with different backgrounds and interesting hang ups. This was also an Audible recording and Patience Tomlinson reads these very well.

#34 An Elegy for Eddie
Jacqueline Winspear

My cousin gave me this and I tried very hard to like it. I realised as I read that I had read the first in the series when it came out in 2003 and remembered it as being a bit mawkish. However, this kind of series can often take a while to get going so this one having appeared nine years later was bound to be a different kettle of fish. But then the barrow boys she'd grown up with (before she got educated) came to see Maisie about the death of a man born in a stable who was a horse whisperer and my hopes were dashed. When I was a young teen I worked in a bookshop that sold a lot of books with titles like "Only a Factory Girl" or "Billy Come Home" full of sentimental stuff about growing up on the poverty stricken streets where you might be poor but the table was well scrubbed.

 

I tried really hard not to think about those books as I read, but I failed. I could not like Maisie. I couldn't care about the penniless mother Eddie had left behind. I could not be interested in whether Maisie would accept a place in society by marrying her rich young man. It wasn't a bad book, but it made me itch.

I hope someone finds these interesting! I am well into the third Mary Russell book and looking back at my books from 2012 has reminded me of a number of authors I want to check to see if they have produced a book yet this year. Meanwhile the weather on my holiday is on the cusp and we are in for a few days of rain - perfect weather for reading!

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The Smell of the Sea

The smell of the sea is something there should be a word for - like the smell just before or just after rain. I was at Blue Anchor yesterday, looking for interesting stones.

It reminded me of my youth when as a little Byrne I would go to the beach (we lived opposite) at low tide when the sea had retreated for miles (or at least 200 metres) and divert the water flowing off the stones into little aquatic mazes of pools and shoots we had devised. On this beach this was happening on a slightly larger scale.

More of a river than the stream we used to work with.

Unlike Herne Bay, this beach had a series of huge boulders, followed by a few metres of very polished stones, and then sand. The stones were really beautiful.

So harmonious. Many of them having clearly been chipped off the boulders, which were also great to look at.

I spent some time looking for ones with different layers.I do find geology interesting.

Ex-boyfriend Flash is a geologist and I am waiting for Zambia to come online so he can tell me how the grey stone at the bottom of the photo below has ended up with a rainbow through it.

Nature, huh? Gotta love it. Endless fascination. Plus a great backdrop to the inevitable selfy.

See how I blend in with my polka dot top? You can tell I was born and grew up with the smell of the sea filling my lungs!

Holiday Happy

The house swap with my Mum is upon us. Pooch and I are down in Somerset while she and Robbie are sweltering in London. Pooch has fully embraced the lifestyle.

Cottage chic. Check out that window behind him and all the other props on the counter. This is my Mum's actual house! It is a little thatched cottage and actually looks like that for real, not just for photos. Plus there is an added bonus.

Artemis has chosen a new summer sleeping place away from the aga and makes it very clear when she wishes to go to bed. She hops up there and begins the most thorough wash any cat has ever performed before putting nose to paw. The chickens also take themselves up to bed in their little house at what they feel to be the appropriate time and then mutter to each other like old ladies until you come and shut the door.

I have bought down my pop spot shawl and two EPP patchwork projects. Should you happen to look in later you'll find me spread out on a blanket on the grass this afternoon with fields stretching out in the distance to the foot of the Quantocks. I'll have a glass of pepsi max on one side and a good mystery audio book playing from my phone on the other. Speak softly as I may be asleep.

A New Quilt

I am doing very well at crafting from stash. I don't think I've bought anything for a project for...oh wait, I got that yarn in Japan. Well I haven't bought any fabric for a long time. Not that I've managed to make much of a dent in what I have considering I've been doing a lot of projects that only need small amounts. I was put off starting another quilt because I didn't know what to do with it afterwards but I decided to go ahead on the basis of the build-it-they-will-come philosophy. A recipient will turn up.

So I am going with a zig zag quilt.

I have always liked them but I have never liked sewing triangles. Actually, I don't really like them at all. Except as Laughing Cow.

Then I found a tutorial for making the zigs without triangles, using rectangles instead. So...

This isn't all my fabric. It is just the fat quarters that fitted into little colour families. Having chosen to stripe coloured with white I started cutting.

So far I've sewn 3 stripes worth of blocks.

I'm using up the larger scraps and also making an in road on a lot of fat quarters. Still leaves lots for other projects though!

Hops and Swaps

Usually I am quite content to send off whatever I have made for a hop - safe in the knowledge I'll be getting something good back again. With the Triple Zip Purse Swap though I *really* want to keep this, even though I know I'll be getting one in the post.

The free pattern calls for simple cuts of fabric in a single pattern but I wanted to try a quilt as you go technique I'd seen online and this seemed like a good opportunity. I love how it has turned out!

It is perfect for scraps which I seem to have a vast amount of. I want to start another one now but I must wait until I get my one first.

The second purse I've finished didn't have to be a purse but I thought it suitable for my Partner in the Super Swaps 7 Swap where you needed to make a surprise item using embellishments. From my Partner's comments and favourites I have come up with this.

She likes birds too.

A few extra made it onto the lining.

Then finally I made a Mug Rug for the Modern Scrappy Swap. This used my Partner's requested colours and again took inspiration from her favourites.

I rather like these, having originally thought them a bit stupid. It is essentially a big coaster with room for a few biscuits next to the mug. Those american crafters - always thinking. I've started making another using the same design but different colours for my Psychiatrist. I haven't seen him for about 2 years now (no need - I'm as sane as I get) but he likes updates from his old patients and it struck me he'd like one.

Having met the requirements for these swap I decided to sign up for the Hexie Bloghop in August. They are very clever the way they make use of Pinterest - not that I need much encouragement. One of the Boards they suggested following had this pattern which combines diamonds with hexagons.

I am very taken with it. I do love EPP and all I need to decide now is what to make with the resulting fabric. I did wonder - perhaps a skirt?

Don't forget all those craft books on ebay - still time to grab a bargain.

Scorchio!

I am sure it has been a long, long time since I titled a post like this. Those that grew up in the UK in the 90s will have read that in the voice on an excited Caroline Merton and may well start going "a fer fer fer, a fer fer fer, pour favor". But despite the BBC breaking the story that the Met Office has no official definition for one, we are in the midst of a heatwave.

It means that by the time I've got home I've not felt in the least like putting a hot laptop on my lap hence the lack of blogging. Which means I am waaaay behind in displaying what I got in the Birthday Swap on Ravelry.

I was terribly lucky! It actually arrived on my birthday too although the post office held it until the saturday. I love everything and if I weren't so warm the scarf would by now have been put to extensive use. Roll on winter! Except, you know, in November.

The heat means I've only done a few rows of knitting at the end of the evening when it really has cooled down. So the pop spots shawl continues slowly. I've been working on smaller projects instead that don't need to sit in your lap. So the french knot clock face is now in residence!

I rather love the pinboard it is on.

A drawing by Nickerjac's little boy, a heart shaped leaf Mary Contrary gave me, my medal form the 10 mile night hike I did for Maggie's, postcards and tickets reminding me where I've been and what I've seen and lots more. There's even a perler star my little brother made me when he was about 3. He just graduated yesterday so that goes to show how old some of these memories are! It's something I'll miss if I do end up in Japan but a new one will undoubtedly appear over there and this one will be carefully dismantled and packed away ready for when I come back.

Speaking of which...KNITTING AND CRAFT BOOKS GOING CHEAP. I have 40 listed on ebay ending between Sunday and early next week. Everything starts at 99p so you can get some real bargains. My little flat is looking noticeably emptier - at least to my eyes. Pooch still claims it's stuffed with nonsense - but then he is fairly nonsensical himself.

There will be more to come in the next few days about the other little projects I've been making. For now - I am going to sit back and read and enjoy the heat!

Thirty Five and Fabulous

I have had *such* a lovely birthday! I was woken up by Pooch singing down the phone to me, I had chocolate for breakfast and have had a steady stream of presents throughout the day! I am now blogging before opening my pink, fizzy wine and settling down to a Murder She Wrote. 

My sister had asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I requested a portrait of Jasmine with Charlie - my two most favourite people from that part of the world. 

The expression in those little eyes makes it look as if she's just realised how much weird stuff could happen to her in the next 35 years but maybe I'm reading too much into it! I've also got another shot my sister took at the weekend when Jasmine was snoozing on Auntie Lixie under her new blanket. 

What a cutie. Baby looks good too. The blanket is one I finished a month ago having had it sitting about for months before that. 

Speaking of Lixie, I made this into a badge yesterday. 

I had originally embroidered it to make into part of a blog header. That was a goal back in January 2011 and as part of my maybe-moving-abroad thing (still all up in the air) I've been sorting through old projects. Anything that can't be quickly finished, re-purposed or gifted is outta here. A lot of things such as that may be making a reappearance (or a quick disappearance) in the next few months. 

Now...to the wine!

Circles

Do you have a favourite shape? I think mine would have to be a circle since that is the source of every polka dot ever. But a close second would be the hexagon. After a lot of hexagons in recent months I've switched to circles.

I always thought the applique method where you cut your shape out of wax paper, iron it to the fabric, cut it out with a border and then iron the border around the wax shape (and breathe) was too fussy to bother with. But I'd have to say it has worked pretty well.

It has all been done using a selection of the sewing themed fabrics I had been collecting. It's turned out in quite mellow tones which is unusual for me but rather pleasing. It is going to be a wall hanging for wherever we end up living in Tokyo. I plan to hand-quilt it quite simply so it will make for some comfortable evening sewing for the next week or so.

My other near finish is the clock face I started months ago. Just that tiny bit of green to go!

This will also be coming to Tokyo despite Pooch muttering about how I can't take very much. I've got to take some things though! Sadly there is one thing I can't take.

This is my niece who is now a full 7 weeks old. I was with them on Sunday and had paused mid feed to burp her when she dropped off into a deep sleep! She is so well behaved and sleeps through most of the night. Lucky parents!

Yesterday Newcastle...Tomorrow Stay at Home

My season of travelling for work is at an end. I am not scheduled to go anywhere now until November, by when I will hopefully have left. Ha! My last work trip was an overnighter in Newcastle on Monday and in the evening I had time to indulge in an orgy of pinning on Pinterest and favouriting on Flickr. I have obviously been blogging more about sewing than knitting for a few months now but it's not like I haven't been doing both. It's just that vanilla socks in commercial yarn - which have been my companion during all the travelling - aren't that interesting to report. So on to the good stuff.

My love of hexagon patchwork continues but I have been thinking heretical thoughts recently about it not being 'enough' just to stitch them together endlessly. Then I saw these:

(Click on mosaic for links to originals)

So cute and in fact they reminded me that I have seen this before (it may even be the same person). Essentially you trace hexagon shapes onto a sheet of fabric and embroider them using a hoop before cutting them out (since if you cut them out first they'd be too small to embroider). Isn't that sun adorable? I can think of all sorts of things to put in them.

The embroidery transfer groups on Flickr (I belong to two) are another endless source of inspiration and these in particular caught my eye on Monday night.

(Click on mosaic for links to originals)

That top middle pin-up - I think it's best to assume that's a lipstick and the scale has gone a bit wrong. I do not do a lot of embroidery but I enjoy what I do and a lot of my collection could probably be adapted for those little hexagons. You can see my other favourites on this Pinterest Board.

Then of course there is the patchwork.

(Click on mosaic for links to originals)

So divine. I am pretty sure I could keep myself entertained all day everyday making patchwork. There is something so socially acceptable about the schizophrenic way you cut up fabric only to reassemble it into something smaller than the original. More other lovelies on this Pinterest Board.

I hope you enjoyed looking at these favourites! And beware of what I realise I have big problems with...Procraftinating.

Weekend

Last weekend was a very busy one for me. Two social activities! I don't know how I coped. The first was with my favourite little boy - provided courtesy of Nickerjac who has not been at all well. I am always so grateful to friends who provide me with little people to play with. They (the little ones) are so much less judgemental when I decide to be a dinosaur for a while or win the grand national.

I was quite amazed to see one of these in  the Park.

I am not saying it is the exact same one as appeared in Herne Bay playground circa 1983 but it must be a close relation, and I've never seen one anywhere else. The pelvic thrusting necessary to get it to move was probably good for my back too. However, after no less than two playgrounds, a McDonalds, several buses and an ice cream I was shattered and regretfully dropped him back home. Then later that day my littlest sister arrived Chez Byrne to stay the night and eat one of Pooch's roast lunches on Sunday.

While looking for my first-past-the-post picture I found a couple of others I'd been meaning to share. When I wailed to Pooch that I had discovered Pepsi Max was not sold in Japan (SERIOUS issue, people) he told me maybe I'd take a liking for the sweat they drink instead. Sweat. I assumed he was joking.

No, I didn't taste it. Then finally on this, the day of my sister's birthday, I give you Jasmine who is rapidly becoming the little scientist I intend to mold her into. You can tell from the outfit.

Another small child provided for me by someone else. My little niece models a handknit cardigan and hat. The cardigan is shaped a la Pigeon Street circa 1985 and has side buttons. The matching hat has two of the worst pom poms the world has ever seen on it. I know not about the jeans but the shoes are a source on controversy.

Pooch, you will not be surprised to hear, is not so good with babies. He likes children once they start doing stuff but until that point he is uneasy. It is fortunate I do not have a hankering for my own since Pooch would be a positive hindrance during the birth and during the first 18 months. He would need gas and air throughout. However, I do my ex-wifely duty by buying things on his behalf for the children of friends which he can then hand over. The kermit shoes are one of these items. My sister frequently talks about how they are her favourite item of Jasmine's wardrobe and how wonderful and thoughtful it was of Pooch while all the time I sit there hiding my tooth grinding behind my rictus of a smile.

Japan Part 2

One cannot go all the way to Tokyo and not check out the craft side of things. At the very least I needed to find out how availability and prices compared. I wasn't disappointed. My first stop was Tokyu Hands. Pooch was the one to hear about this and had been there before. This gives you an idea of what is on offer.

It was all pretty cool with lots of yummy things. This took me back to my childhood.

Then there was fabric - not a huge selection but some nice ones.

I was also surprised how much leather was available.

And this caught my eye!

Isn't it beautiful?! They also had a little bit of yarn but overall nothing really leapt out at me. It was kind of like John Lewis - all very orderly and well chosen. It wasn't until we got to a place I'd seen online that that changed.

The place in question is Okadaya. It was AMAZING! Unfortunately they didn't allow photos indoors although this photo on Flickr is of one aisle on the yarn floor. Yep - whole floor. When the life doors opened and I saw it I felt I'd found a new home. I felt a bit frantic that I didn't have hours to spend there and had to tear around all the floors. It was all nooks and corners and so many types of crafts and so many variations. Delicious. I managed to come away with just this...

3 balls of each for a shawl, and these:

I have already made the heart one which is for a swap. The other is also a present but I suspect the recipient would prefer to make it themself.

Lastly there was one less successful outing. I had heard some time ago of a button museum in Tokyo and so I looked it up and resolved to go there. It was quite off the beaten track, it was pouring with rain and howling with wind and Pooch and I were both tired. Pooch was a miracle worker and got us both there despite multiple set-backs. This is him when we arrived.

Just to clarify he's wiping his eyes after crying with laughter because of all we'd been through to find it and the sign behind him says the museum is closed for renovation.

Such a shame.

So thus concludes my tales of Japan. It was an amazing few days and I'm looking forward to spending more time there in the future.