CraftLit - Serialized Classic Literature for Busy Book Lovers

Regionalism! America! "oooooooh beautiful, for spacious skies..." (I can't think of that without hearing Fozzy Bear say "patriotism swells in the heart of the American Bear!" as he does after singing that song on The Muppet Movie soundtrack.) Twain --boy do I love him--who is an appropriate precursor to our next novellist (I think). Teresa in Scotland (Go Clan MacPhearson!) wanted me to pass on these links to you: first, two mosquito attacking SAFE products. She recommends a leave-on product rather than a soap or shampoo...especially for people like me who are Mosquito Magnets. And second, a new soysilk site. Mmmmmmm...extruded protein! Love it!

Having finished with Henry James, I thought we needed a REAL woman to freshen our pallette...Calamity Jane. Not so much Doris. Don't know if you've watched Deadwood (NOT for sensitive ears!), but it at least started out close to accurate as far as I can tell. My son and I got to see Wild Bill and Jane's graves when we drove through there in early August. We ate where Bill was killed by Jack McCall--which sounds more morbid than it is...he was killed in the poker room of a saloon. They stage reenactments of his murder every night, I think. Jane was quite something. CHEERS! And here in the "costume" of her sex. I'm sorry it's a guy reading the autobiography, but it's still amazing to hear her own words. She was one tough cookie. And while she has the reputation for being, um...not the most attractive woman of her time, I think she was actually a rather handsome woman--far less...weathered than I would have imagined for one of Custer's scouts. And then a little Bret Harte For some more local color and American Realism. Let's bring ourselves back from the mannered Victorian brink into a little good old American...Puritanism? Victorianism? Ah... When everyone knew their place... And then some really cool links sent by really cool listeners like Spider_Knit who sent me the Library Thing and Dawn who sent the Purlescence Storytellers Challenge and PeaceFleece! Whoo hoo! WARNING: Some of you were good enough to let me know pronto that there was a problem with the file. I fixed the glitch in the audio file and replaced it, but not before some podcatchers downloaded it. Sorry about that. If you re-download you should be fine. Many apologies!

Some things you didn't hear me talk about; some things you did. And the end of the book! The Librarian's Lament (don't you loathe hearing, "yeah, that's just your opinion..." when someone says something like, "the world isn't flat!"), and a killer library. Some things to do in the spring to help make the world a less polluted place...why can't they just make a kit!?! A Manifesto I can get behind. Freaky shark! Buy yarn here for the rest of January (in case you hadn't seen the Yarn Harlot's post--it's #5). And Teresa sent this link which tempted her even though she doesn't knit (Hey, Teresa, check out the Winter Spin-Off for some embroidery ideas! You could hookup with a spinner/felter/knitter!) My sister has asked me to knit her a special hat. Sadly, the pdf of the pattern is AWOL so I may have to begin my first adventure in faking a pattern. Whoo hoo! A list of courses Ruth alerted me to can be found here. No college credit, but MY! MY! look at the listings! And, of course, next week (if I'm available) we'll hear some short stories while we decide what to read next!

First: Turn of the Screw - Chapters 18-19-20! Second: Stephanie Pearl McPhee's SOAR interview. Whoo hoo! And the rest: Sock Darning. Nuff said. And worth mentioning again--the best Toe-Up cast-on in the WORLD! in my deeply biased opinion... Here's the article on the Ladies in Phoenix, knitting for the good of others...and themselves. And, from Julie: The Sci Phi Show--another philosophy podcast. Predictably enough the podcaster uses science fiction to launch each subject discussion. And Julie also wrote: since you've been into Weird Al Yankovich you might enjoy the novelty songs featured on the most recent Geek Survival Guide. The podcast is about 15 minutes long and the songs are fun. And Debra's Tallit with accompanying planning information: the bottom border was instinct with some Jewish numerology thrown in; the neckband was charted but also adapted the little "entry motif" before the zig-zag. I used a lot of combinations of 7 (Sam's birthday - 7/7/94, born at 10:10 a.m., and his bar mitzvah is 7/7/07 in the Western world) and C'hai - so there are 18 stitches in the zig-zag repeat, and I'll do 9 of them, which makes 18 of the triangles.... And where she got the Qiviut: The yarn in the tallit is qiviut, which I found not in Alaska where I grew up, but online from Caryll's Designs. And...the (unblocked) neverending cable. This is a side view of the (did I mention unblocked?) hood. The color actually came out pretty close to true on this one. Go figure!

Today, Chapters 15, 16 AND 17! WHOO HOO! Today I have some fun silkworm links, some pretty pics of the Pysanky eggs by Jen (who is very, very, very prolific while listening), some pics of intersting historical spindles, and some lip from Julie! Tee hee! Julie absolutely rightfully called me on the carpet for my anti-governess bias, so here's my rec. Go listen to the last episode, last chapter, with a different ear (that would be at roughly 47 minutes into episode 36). Then keep listening to today's chapters. Yeah...Julie has a point. I'll also let you in on some things Ol' Henry himself had to say about the book. I may also share some of ELOISE in Paris (okay, NEXT week...) and remind you that really, truly, I loathe being a single Mom. ¿Donde esta mi esposo? And some helpful info from Jen: pysanky (piz·ahnk·yeh) is the name of those Ukrainian/polish eggs. singular = pysanka Kiska (pl = Kisky) is the name of the stylus thingie. She also says: if you like Weird Al, you might be interested in The Apologetix. they are a Christian parody group that does Christian remakes of pop songs just like Weird Al. Oh! And don't forget to visit Ms Stitchy McYarnPants!

Today's theme is "Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense" which comes to us from a (probably apocryphal) story about King Edward III and the Order of the Garter. A rough translation is "Shame to him who thinks ill of it" but my AP English teacher used it as "Evil will be seen by those who look for it." Actually he may have had a different famous French quote, but I took Spanish so I wouldn't recognize a the real quote if it walked up and shook my hand. ANYway... Today we have chapters 12-14. On my needles and on my son's walls today... And how are your toes? Hmm? Does your sunscreen have: formulas that include ingredients — like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or Mexoryl SX — that impede damage from the sun's longer wavelength UVA rays, a protective effect that is not indicated by a product's SPF rating. And if you're interested in more on Mosquito bites, check out: Herbal Medicine site or the WebMD page or something my sister found on Google. And some chairty/sock 411 from Jenny M. many thanks. You can also check out Knitting Peace. Cheers for Store Wars and Weird Al! And a special thank you to Cindy, the generous Park Slope Blogger (ah, the Motherland).

Well, we're having the first winter storm of the season. The mountains are capped with snow, the sky is grey, it's 39° (I hear you..."Hey! It's the DESERT! What's with the snow and temperature?!"), and the day is bleeding ennui. Not least because my husband is here and I'm here (though it's much greyer today). But Ennui and Turn of the Screw go well together so no complaints...much. Today, chapters 10-11. You won't BELIEVE what happens today! Ai yi yi! Charity knitting! Fixes to the Blogspot site! Felted Doggy Toys! More funny things! Holiday presents of fibery knitty things! (Does he love me or is he just feeling guilty for spending New Year's in Paris with his Brother and Dad?) Was Santa good to you!? Many thanks to Nikolle Doolin for her SEXY reading of Henry James' Turn of the Screw.

Nina sent this very helpful, eminently bookmarkable link to help me with mosquito bites. There's actually a lot of great info here...and this site has a very interesting looking hand/foot/everything cream. Lotions just don't work on me. If it doesn't say "cream" I don't buy it. Well, I bought it and thank you Nina! And, here's my attempt to rekindle a love of Weird Al...Yoda! Many thanks to Nikolle Doolin for her SEXY reading of Henry James' Turn of the Screw.

This week--Chapters 6-7! Okay, and you're not really strangers but y'all sure are kind! Some fun with You Tube and Dante Julie's socks (whoo hoo!) and 1400 A.D. knit pic More Organic info from Dawn (worth a look-see)! Seventh Generation and Land Stewardship Project Janet's pomo fun And then--That Darn Governess and her latent class and boy issues!!! BTW: we didn't have time for these which I got off of a Knitter's Review forum. Did you know these superstitions: ** It's bad luck to leave a project unfinished. The intended recipient will get bad luck from the unfinished item. ** Stabbing your needles though your yarn balls brings bad luck to anyone who wears something made from that yarn. ** Don't knit a pair of socks for your boyfriend or he'll walk away from you. ** If you knit one of your own hairs into a garment, it will bind the recipient to you. ** Knitting for children you may have in the future, but before you are pregnant, is bad luck (it may prevent one from getting pregnant, or bring ill health to the baby). And Interesting Latvian beliefs about mittens 1. Mittens and socks should be knitted in summer, then they will be warm, soft and strong. 2. One should not wash new mittens when there is an old moon, they will lose their color and let through the wind. 3. One should not wipe their nose in a mitten. Whoever does that never gets rich. 4. One should not give their hand to another with a mitten on, otherwise they will give away their luck. and, again, thanks to Nikolle Doolin for her SEXY reading of Henry James' Turn of the Screw.

You should also check out Stephanie/Lumie's blog (gorgeous work!) Then go here and get smart, RIGHT NOW! After expanding your brain, you can crack yourself up with my friend Peter on his podcast. Don't forget to get your SantaCon on! When you're done with that, embrace your inner Earth Mother and find out the skinny on Organics. And in today's chapters, listen for the allusion to Jane Eyre that ol' Henry snuck into the first minute of this chapter. As we continue our governess will continue to show her true colors--not a pretty picture. And today's chapters reveal a bit more of James' brilliance. The Governess--who may still be nuts--does see someone who looks like Peter Quint. She had seen no pictures of him, but describes him to Mrs. Grose--well enough for her to identify the vision. Of course, the problem is...he's dead. So, the mystery deepens... Many thanks to Nikolle Doolin for her SEXY reading of Henry James' Turn of the Screw. Oh, and I've moved all the links to previous episodes to the right side of the blog page at Craftlit.blogspot.com. There was a question as to why the files are so blasted big, and I'll tell you--I'd like to know that too! I'm working on it...

(Apologies although I blathered quite a bit anyway...) This week, chapters 2-3! More Amazing Crochet from Dawn, some victorian pruditry, more wonderful emails from y'all, how to be an ostritch rather than a governess, and a little background on our author. His dad was a Swedenborgian (say THAT three times fast) and I thought--when working through the "ghost" question--this quotation was ellucidating: Although James had rejected in the beginning of his career "spirit-rappings and ghost-raising", in the 1880s he become interested in the unconscious and the supernatural. In 1908 he wrote that "Peter Quint and Miss Jessel are not 'ghosts' at all, as we now know the ghost, but goblins, elves, imps, demons as loosely constructed as those of the old trials for whichcraft; if not, more pleasingly, fairies of the legendary order, wooing their victims forth to see them dance under the moon." Virginia Woolf thought that Henry James's ghost have nothing in common with the violent old ghosts - "the blood-stained captains, the white horses, the headless ladies of dark lanes and windy commons." Edmund Wilson was convinced that the story was "primarily intended as a characterization of the governess". Then there's the "corruption" question. Ah...the tangled web... ALERT: I just this second got this email from MaryBeth--right after uploading the 'Cast. Darnit. But it's worth noting here: Loved your comments on the Fog Index. I'm a technical editor, and I have the following quote by Melville on my wall at work: "A man of true science uses but few hard words, and only those when none other will serve his purpose; whereas the smatterer in science thinks that by mouthing hard words he proves that he understands hard things." Is that not brilliant?! I love Melville...but I'm not gonna do Moby Dick...not for a couple of years, anyway. See how I love you? Many thanks to Nikolle Doolin for her SEXY reading of Henry James' Turn of the Screw.

Cool things to check out: Crochet Sea Creatures not to be believed (Thank you Dawn!), Check out Yarn-a-go-go's site and then check into NaNoWriMo! It's not too late! Then there's The Thread Project (One World, One Cloth), and I ran out of time to talk about My Paper Crane from Heidi. I'll never do this to you. Here's Henry, by the way: By Unknown photographer - taken from the frontispiece of Short Story Classics (American) Volume Three, edited by William Patten, copyright 1905, printed by P.F. Collier & Son. Photographer unknown. Scanned by English Wikipedian, MakeRocketGoNow., Public Domain, Link I think you'll need this over the next few weeks.: Character List Anonymous Narrator Probably represents Henry James. (Diagetic Level 1) Douglas The one in possession of the Governess' manuscript. He may have been in love with her. (Diagetic Level 2) The Governess The protagonist--twenty-year-old governess of Flora and Miles at the country estate of Bly. (Diagetic Level 3) Mrs. Grose A servant at Bly; illiterate, respectful. Miles A ten-year-old boy; charming, well-behaved, and very attractive. Flora An eight-year-old girl; beautiful and well mannered. The Children's Uncle The governess's employer; good looking, but aloof with odd requirements for the job... Peter Quint A former valet at Bly; "infamous" throughout the area of Bly. Miss Jessel The governess's predecessor; a lady, young and beautiful, but "infamous," apparently had an inappropriate relationship with Quint. May thanks to Nikolle Doolin for her SEXY reading of Henry James' Turn of the Screw. If you check out her site, you'll see why she's so good... except for that blasted microphone...

Brace yourselves, for this hair-raising journey that will take us to the most haunted corners of a dimly-lit mansion, an isolated countryside estate, a handful of creepy kids, and of course, the classic English fog creeping through the pages. Trust me, it's going to be a literary rollercoaster ride you won't want to miss! So, get ready for goosebumps, laughs, and a deep appreciation for The Turn of the Screw of hauntings and hidden secrets!

Some good blogs to check out (from SOAR attendees: Rachael Herron, Janine Bajus, and Brooke Sinnes, oh, and Stephanie...I think you know her); a really cool listener's site (Spinneret) regarding My Friend Irving; some pics (scroll down) and some detritus that I need to get out to you (below). A good Challah recipe. Heal the world through cooling! and a nice Jewish crafting guild (just in cast you thought they didn't exist!)... The Red Thread Project! How cool is this! And some stuff I found but didn't have time to talk about b/c I blathered too much: The sounds of (good) music can be found at NPR In need of Knickers? Check this out? Hook up with next year's mystery stole (number three). Awesome matress stitch (plus!) tutorial. Which I needed. Sadly. You can see the photo album of SOAR pics here.

Sleepy Hollow, part 3! Apologies! The original audio to this show was recorded—I believe—as my mic was dying. I've tried to remaster the hiss out, but couldn't get it all. However, the entire "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has been re-recorded and remastered and, along with a few other Halloweenie kinds of stories, appears in the Crafting-a-Life Shoppe. I think I promised you pics of a skull jacket that I knit. I forgot to mention that my 17 hour sojurn did give me the time to finish the baby hoodie. The carpet under the jacket, just so you know, is the floor of the Samsung Comfort Room at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport. Very comforting, no? 'Nuff said. Here's the back: Here's the front: Ain't that grand? Next week, SOAR audio (if there's a high-speed port) and after that, HENRY JAMES! The time has finally come! Book talk begins at 22:20. Listen to 28 audio.

Sleepy Hollow, part 2! The entire "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has been re-recorded and remastered and, along with a few other Halloweenie kinds of stories, appears in the Crafting-a-Life Shoppe. Skeeter Syndrome, and why I hate reserchers...well...not hate...but really strongly prefer the applied sciences... Allergic reaction to mosquito bites identified for first time—"skeeter syndrome" MILWAUKEE—Bug bites are a standard annoyance for those who spend time outside during the summer months. The consequence for most is uncomfortable swelling and itching at the site of the bite for a short period of time. However, young children, immune deficient persons and those previously unexposed to mosquitoes are at increased risk for a severe reaction to mosquito bites according to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Canadian researchers recently identified this reaction as "skeeter syndrome," defined as mosquito-bite induced large, local inflammatory reactions accompanied by fever. Large local reactions to mosquito bites are under diagnosed and sometimes assumed to be infectious in nature when in fact, they are the result of an allergic reaction. In this study, researchers studied five healthy children between the ages of two and four with no history of allergy to insect bites. Each had been diagnosed with cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin and tissue that is usually found on the face, neck or legs. The children developed extreme redness, swelling, warmth and inflammation within hours of a witnessed mosquito bite. Several months later the children were tested for allergy to mosquito. Blood tests confirmed that the children had been misdiagnosed: the symptoms they experienced were the result of an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite, not cellulitis. People with skeeter syndrome should minimize their exposure to mosquitoes to avoid experiencing an adverse reaction. It is important to increase the awareness of skeeter syndrome so those affected can avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures and antibiotic treatments. [From: "Skeeter syndrome." J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104: 705-707.] The SCA has my hat (I think)! Maybe I should engage in Guerrilla Knitting? Governess Gone Goth WEAVING!?!?! Orange Juice Carton Basket Tragic Crafting... But more importantly: Why don't the folks on Survivor start studying how to do this THE SECOND they send their application in??? Cheap sock blockers for those of us with less dough than fiber. Tucson, Meet Yourself! No, meet YOUR self. No really, meet...em...the food was great. And, I promised you Hessians. So here: These Hessians.... not so much this one... APOLOGIES! Dateline: Dallas, TX, 3:00am, Terminal C7, Samsung hospitality lounge. I flew to NYC to surprise my husband on our 10th Anniversary, and am currently stuck in D-FW airport (grrrrrrr) at 3AM. I was supposed to be home five hours ago. Don't get me started...just please know that your podcast page was supposed to be up a long while ago. The Libsyn page should have loaded though, on Thursday, and the rss feed should have dumped the 'cast onto iTunes. At least, that's what I set it up to do... I'll get the little GCast player up on this site ASAP. Thank's for your patience! B ook talk begins at 15:50. Listen to 27 audio.

| New! | 1-206-350-1642—Call in and leave an audio comment! How to call from outside of the US. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," part 1. Book talk begins at 15:20. Download 26 audio. | Shownotes | Learn the origins of the name "Tarrytown" as you listen to Geoffrey Crayon's Sketchbook. You should also check out Diedrich Knickerbocker's History of New York! Meet my man Irving (aka "Mr. Knickerbocker"...). And his spectacularly (self-)designed home on the Hudson. Someday, please plan to take advantage of the Legend. Imagine yourself as part of the Hudson River School —which I had no time to talk about but will try to get to next week. And a little on the Mather Boys, Increase and Cotton (who NAMES these people?!) and their attitudes towards Witchcraft. Here's Cotton: "Cotton Mather" by Peter Pelham. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. "Cotton Mather" by Peter Pelham, artist - http://www.columbia.edu/itc/law/witt/images/lect3/. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. The DomiKNITtrix's spectacularly appropriate skull pattern (which is free for a bit longer). A non-Socks-That-Rock club--NAYY but it looks nice! And a nice theory/site for socks. They're gorgeous and there's something about not-quite-matched socks that appeals to the eccentric in me... "Mismatched with Care in Vermont" I love that. And once again Thank you Heidi for goodie box! My 2-1/2 year old must march every day to "76 Trombones". Thank you so much!

Yeah, But it's a Dry Heat, Right? Don't try this at home--eye-scraping dry eye! EW! This week! Beauty and the Beast. No, not this one Or this one This one! (sort of...) By the woman with the long French name (that would be Jeanne Marie Le Prince de Beaumont). And, more on Bettleheim and Kohlberg...and a world lit only by fire. And, drum roll...the Faroese as it stands now... Soon, there will be an updated pic for that too. Thanks to Tina for reading this week and Joshua Christian who is my hero. The gorgeous Allison spindle from The Spindle Guy! And an UPDATE on our Craftlit Completions Gallery! Take a look at the GORGEOUS yarn Aimee in NJ has spun and dyed. These colors are amazing! And don't forget to visit beautiful Bisbeeland, Arizona! And an UPDATED update! (dateline--10/5/06). I finished the shawl. It was nothing but a pile of goo when I was done. Then I washed it and threaded my own do-it-yerself lace wire through it (18 guage picture wire) and WOW IS THAT SUCKER BIG!!! It's taking up the entire length of a twin-size bed. I'd seen other evidence of this on blogs, but to see it live and in person—it's a thing of beauty and a joy forever (or as long as it lasts, I guess...). Now if I can just dye it... If I can get my 6-year-old to hold the camera still enough I'll get a pic of it on. And an UPDATED update of my update (dateline 10-9-06): Thank you Heidi! How wonderful to get such an unexpected goodie box! I'm actually ditching my work today to read Spinning Designer Yarns while listening to "76 Trombones". You have no idea how much I needed that lift today. Thank you! Book talk begins at 15.08. Listen to 25 audio.

This week we listen to "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, and a little bit of "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster. Gillman (here she is) is a particular favorite of mine. She wrote Herland which I'm (slowly) reading for Librivox. Great little book! Juster is a freakin' genius. Really! I can't read nearly as much of his book as I'd like, but (here HE is) I will introduce you to this decidedly not just-for-children book. Thanks for your patience getting this 'cast out. Long week. Visit Jen! Today, "The Yellow Wallpaper" was read by Justine Young, and "The Phantom Tollbooth" excerpt was read by Yours Truly. If you'd like to hear Heather perform "The Yellow Wallpaper", please visit Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, November 2015. And, as always, our opening music was provided by Joshua Christian at Garageband.com, for which I am eternally grateful.

Return of the Chicks? Well, sorta...

Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Second Coming, The Cask of Amontillado

The Lady or the Tiger The Story of an Hour War Prayer

Wrapping up

Today, chapters 56-59; THE PAYOFF!

Today, aside from chapters 53-55, we talk about accordions, my love of the word "odious," (isn't it great?!) and I finally take Amy up on her suggestion weeks and weeks ago! Namely: I just read and really dug To Shield The Queen, by Fiona Buckley. Actually, I didn't just read that. I read the first three books in the series. I also have finished the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde, but my books are in boxes so I can't read you any bits from that. However, if you love books, and have a wicked sense of humor, The Eyre Affair is for you! I'm thinking that instead of a poll, I just want everyone to look at the librivox.org cataloge and tell me what you like. I'll take the one with the most emails. I think I'll putter around with some of the short works first, just to give you some variety, then dive into another long book. Sound good? Email me your thoughts at MamaOKnits AT Gmail DOT com. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro."

I'm relegated to podcasting from my local coffeehouse again, sorry about that. The ambient noise is MUCH worse than before as this joint has tile floors--a local hazzard. Apologies. I should have DSL at my Mom's house by tonight, but I wanted to get this posted before that. I'm already mighty late by previous East Coast standards. The trip, however, was successful, and we're all here safe and sound. Though, this morning's news filled me with dread as my darling husband has to fly back to New York saturday morning. World War IV, is what I'm hearing. WWIII was the Cold War, according to People I Trust. Sigh... Can't we all just get along? Even 'Liz and Darcy? This week, chapters 50-52!

Chapters 47-49! Next week, I hope I can find my microphone... Well, it's August 3rd, and I'm on the road! Chicago, Sioux Falls, Deadwood and on to LOVELAND COLORADO--home of Interweave Press.Well, it's August 3rd, and I'm on the road! Chicago, Sioux Falls, Deadwood and on to LOVELAND COLORADO--home of Interweave Press... How do I love thee...let me count the ways. So the title of the podcast? Because my son is a questioner...well...so am I, so...apples/trees, you get the picture. I fully expect this road trip to be one of fun and learning. The country is so big and so wonderful...I feel an Emily-from-Our-Town-Moment coming on! If there is internet access and time, you'll hear some audio from the road. If not, you'll notice this post popping up, and a small-ish podcast appearing in your iTunes ontime. Why? Because I love you!

This week, chapters 44-46! Really! A little OTN moment: I'm working on a Faroese shawl, which has only a little section of lace. I've knitted lace before, but this project...well, it was going to be hard enough; I didn't want to kill myself. This is the first project I've planned from washing, drying, and spinning the fiber, all the way to knitting. I'm going to do some funky dye thing to it when I'm done and I"m going to (God Willing and the Creeks Don't Rise) take this to SOAR for the gallery. But. The knitting is a total leap of faith. I've knitted 25 rows and it's barely 3-4 long. It's 390 stitches, decreasing regularly down to...well...7 that get grafted in a tricky way that I'm sure I'll marvel at when I get there. I got the pattern from Claudia at CountryWool.com. She's a genius with this stuff. Anyway. Lace and all things lace-weight are a leap of faith. They look like a ball of twisted blah, then you wet and pin them and suddenly it's...LORDY! I made THAT?! Right now, my whole life is a leap of faith...so it seemed an appropriate thing to do. And, btw, HEY, did you hear Cast-on's essay last week? It was as though we dovetailed our themes on purpose! Synchronicity? Love that Jung! Promos from Faith at The Knitting Cook, and Jeannie of Crochet Cast. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro.‿

Chapters 42-45! WRONG WRONG WRONG! 43 was much longer than it said on the tag. This week we only have 42-44...but its an hour long episode regardles... Next week, chapters 44-??... Sorry about that! Well, I'm in the homestretch! This week and next week are the last two I'll be podcasting from Croton-on-Hudson...boy I'll need to change the intro, huh? I'll be podcasting from the road the week of August 1st, then from Tucson the next week. IF I can, I'll get my son in on the 'cast...but no guarantees. He's quite the ball-o-goof. So this week! A little discussion of ChickLit and Austen... Jane Austen's novels have been repackaged as chick-lit to reflect our modern conception of her as a romantic novelist. But her world is less comforting than we think, argues Laura Thompson... On 07/09/2006, Laura Thompson created a bit of a stir in the literary world when she said that Chicklit--the girlie romancified summer book lit that's gotten to be so popular among the young--had co-opted Jane Austen, and specifically, Pride and Prejudice. ...It all started in fine non-literary style: with Colin Firth. The scene in the 1995 television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice in which Colin got his shirt wet was, almost certainly, the moment that opened the door and let the modern world in upon the quiet, oil-lit writing desk at Chawton Cottage. And when Firth played Mark Darcy in the film of Bridget Jones's Diary, the deal was sealed: Pride and Prejudice was on its way to fame and fortune. Which brings her to a point we've discussed on this podcast: ...What on earth would Jane Austen have made of it all? Well, she would certainly have laughed - "I dearly love a laugh," says Elizabeth Bennet, in the voice of her creator - and she would have enjoyed all the money, because nobody was more aware of its importance. Elizabeth and her sister Jane might have charm to spare, plus wit and good temper to keep fear of the future at bay, but their genteel poverty means that the men who marry them are not just lovers; they are personal relief missions from lives beyond contemplation. And this acute alertness to the significance of money - to the humiliating gulf between the shillings that buy Elizabeth's hair ribbons and Darcy's £30,000 a year - is just one of the many aspects of Jane Austen that has been lost to a contemporary audience. She goes on to say that too often, readers today just think it's neat that Elizabeth wound up with a rich guy--rather than noting that it was her job to find a rich husband or live a life of drudgery. In reality, loving Darcy is the bonus. The real marriage is that of money. ....Actually, there is rather more to Elizabeth than the perfection we behold in her (and ourselves). What, for example, is one to make of her ambiguous joke that she began to love Darcy on "first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley"? Sir Walter Scott, for one, thought she meant exactly what she said; and I think he had a point. ....But the novels as a whole are rather less comforting. Indeed, they are, in some ways, terrifying. There is something appalling about the lack of illusions with which Jane Austen viewed her little world. To censor out such a judgment - or to condemn it as "male" - is to do her an extreme disservice. And the point she makes next made me feel bad for not making a bigger deal out of what Charlotte did, and why: Take, for example, the character of Charlotte Lucas, one of Austen's finest, who cuts through the nonsense now waffling round Pride and Prejudice like a particularly acid lemon. Her presence lurks sombrely behind Elizabeth's lovely lightness: the two girls are faces of the same coin, expressions of their creator's joyful esprit on the one hand and cold eye on the other. Like Elizabeth, Charlotte has a lively mind, but, unlike her friend, she has no physical allure. A quirk of nature has taken her out of the orbit of men such as Darcy. And, because she is plain, she sees the world plainly. She calmly perceives its limitations: the ruthless judgments of its marriage market, the life sentence of inhabiting its tight social circles. Seeing the world, she also sees the possibility of falling off its edge. "Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want." She snaps up Mr Collins, the terrible suitor whom Elizabeth has the freedom to reject. "I am not romantic, you know. I never was." It is almost unthinkable, by today's standards, to do what Charlotte did--but she was wise, and right, and she seems to be "happy"...or at least happy enough... She is the stony reality at the heart of Pride and Prejudice. She tells a woman's story, but in a way that is utterly remote from feminine convention: with scant emotion, appealing to nothing other than rationality. And, like her creator, she has rema

This week, chapters 38-41! Next week--42-45! A brief episode because I'm behind at work, sorry about that. Today, listen for some more wonderful Collins idiocy. And as far as pride and prejudice go, Elizabeth's refusal of Darcy's proposal due to her new understanding of how she misjudged Darcy's motives knocks them both down a peg. They're on new footing now—a lot of their assumptions about each other have been challenged and now there's room for—well—something to happen. Watch for the groundwork of an eminent disaster—these are the chapters where doom comes a knockin'. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro." "Back Issues" of Craftlit can be found at Craftlit.blogspot.com.

This week, chapters 35-37! Next week--38-41! Have you met the free online spinning magazine, Spindlicity? Even after last week, do you fear socks? If so, check out the excellent resource page here. And the results of the sockblocker experiment from Felt Up Designs... SUCCESS!!! You can buy really nice fiber from Copper Moose and Grafton Fibers. How to make your own spindle or with a CD. Special Thanks to Lauren and Amy for their helpful suggestions. I'm fiddling with the sound this week, so let me know. AND Re: iTunes--I have emailed them a number of times now, and we're trying to fix the feed problem. It appears they muffed it because they changed categories, so files that should have been there and complete, were semi-moved to the new category. I know one day the only files I could get through iTunes were the odd numbered episodes--go figure. Libsyn has fixed their end of the problem. Let's keep our fingers crossed...I know I am.

This week, Chapters 31-34 (next week 35-37) Felting soap is fun for the whole family! Just look! You can get roving for felting from Toni Neil at The Fold...they're the first house on the left. Really. You have to click it and see. It will make sense. Promise! My 9/11 story, just in case you wondered. And links to poetry/stories from my students too. And then The Soapbox. Sorry about that, but it's been bugging me so much. I hope that one of us will come up with some great idea for how to save the planet and all the people on it. I suppose it's genetic in me--my Dad is a Geographer working on Desertification, so I've known we were in trouble for a long time... Anyway. The Gandhi Institute is a nice place to visit. Take a look! "We must be the change we wish to see in the world."--M.K.Gandhi "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing, would suffice to solve most of the world's problems... ‿--M.K.Gandhi And the essay on Gandhi and spinning can be found at this Yale site. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro.

Today, chapters 27-30 See the Sockblocker Key chain! See what Jeannie Townsend has done with her sockblocker key chain! See the fabu (and fake!) Extortion site, then join me in talking like a pirate on September 19th (or visit the US site and find a husband!). And the moment we've all been waiting for (at least the moment Kim was unsure if she was waiting for...): The Crazy Quilt Baby Blanket! As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro."

This week, chapters 23-26! Hobby Horror... Am I an Artist or an Anorak? As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's"Chasing Hiro."

The gauntlet is down! How do you control your stash! Tell me now and I'll post your ideas! Today! Chapters 20-22! No Joke! THREE chapters! Heather complains a bit, goes ON about clutter and the need for knitting histories, then drools over Darcy. (Doesn't it always end with that?) The books: ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life and Outwitting Clutter: 101 Ingenious Space-Saving Tips and Ideas to Make Any House or Apartment More Livable. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro.

Well, Tristan and Isolde seem to be winning out as our next book. Please keep emailing me and letting me know your thoughts. Today a little personal update from me, then on to the next two chapters of P&P! And a little shout-out ot Anne Hanson, of Knitspot.com...with whom I am tangentially accquainted. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro." Thank you too for your forbearance last week. What a mess! I so deeply apologize.

'Cast number Six! Yeee Haaaw! Chapters 14 through 17 of Pride and Prejudice? A Double Header of Annie Coleman...because I'm heading to the Dominican Republic! We don't have to fear no stinkin' Fiber allergies! Ew! Acid! Ew! Oh...and I lied. It's FlyLady dot NET! Oops! Sorry! And...We're Knot Taking Any More. June 1st, Thursday Please read the attached PDF flyer, which states the mission and the guidelines for participating. my very grateful regards, anne hanson knitspot.com Please do listen to Math for Knitters. Socks that Rock yarn can be gotten at The Fold. And oooooooooooooooo! Mister Wickham! As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro." A Note: Files for previous episodes can be gotten here at LibSyn or at iTunes. Oh, and hey...if you have a second, wouldja vote for CraftLit at Podcast Alley. I'm in the third to the last place on the rankings. Not that I'm competitive...'Cast number Six! Yeee Haaaw! Chapters 14 through 17 of Pride and Prejudice? A Double Header of Annie Coleman...because I'm heading to the Dominican Republic! We don't have to fear no stinkin' Fiber allergies! Ew! Acid! Ew! Oh...and I lied. It's FlyLady dot NET! Oops! Sorry! And...We're Knot Taking Any More. June 1st, Thursday Please read the attached PDF flyer, which states the mission and the guidelines for participating. my very grateful regards, anne hanson knitspot.com Please do listen to Math for Knitters. Socks that Rock yarn can be gotten at The Fold. And oooooooooooooooo! Mister Wickham! As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro." A Note: Files for previous episodes can be gotten here at LibSyn or at iTunes. Oh, and hey...if you have a second, wouldja vote for CraftLit at Podcast Alley. I'm in the third to the last place on the rankings. Not that I'm competitive...

Cast number FIVE??? Chapters 11 through 13 of Pride and Prejudice??? Where has the time gone? Book II ideas: Tom Sawyer! Tristan & Isolde! Alice in Wonderland?!—only if one of you record it… Let me know your thoughts! Today we get in touch with our inner Granny—specifically the Summer 2005 issue of Spin-Off. And we also get into Clutter. And De-cluttering, for a move. If the spirit moves you, send your brilliance to MamaOKnits AT gmail DOT com. As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro.‿

That's a pic of Jane! Can you believe we're on chapters nine and ten of Pride and Prejudice? Me either! And, once again, I find myself all hot and bothered by Darcey. Ah well... Before we get to that, today I'll talk to you about some quilting (that's the crazy part) and a wonderful book on toe-up socks (that's the Kahuna part). Links to: Townsend Sock Knitting Group, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's new book, check out Blue Moon Fiber Arts on The Fold's Site. Ready? Here we go... As always, Pride and Prejudice is narrated by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro."

Welcome to Episode 3! In this episode I welcome you to the joys of the Jane Austen action figure (and I am Not Kidding); the belly laughs, sly smirks, or horror filled looks of You Knit What???; the adorable (in the eye of the beholder?) cats and bunnies with stuff and pancakes on their heads; and regale you with my lovely weekend at a spinning retreat in the Catskills, hosted by Claudia of CountryWool. We'll also move on to chapters seven and eight in Pride and Prejudice, narrated (as always) by Annie Coleman. Intro music provided by GarageBand.com which connected me with Joshua Christian's Chasing Hiro. And, a little note: I'm so glad those of you who've commented are enjoying Austen. She's a fave of mine (duh!) and I'm thrilled that listening to her words is bringing you some joy while your hands are otherwise occupied.

Welcome to Episode 2! In this episode I rave about The Girl From Auntie, but neglect to mention the name of the Poncho Sweater, and go on about Alpacas d'Auxvasse (not to mention Ann Mayes). We'll also move on to chapters five and six in Pride and Prejudice, narrated by Annie Coleman. And, as always, intro music is provided by GarageBand.com who hosted Joshua Christian's "Chasing Hiro."

Well, here we are! I wanted to welcome you all to CraftLit, a Podcast for Crafters. I imagine you're here because you like to work with your hands, but you also like to read. If so, this is the place for you! Our program will follow a similar pattern every week. After some introductory comments, a web, magazine, or book review (This week Mason-Dixon Knittng), and perhaps a song, I will include a chapter or two from a book. We will listen to that book until we're done with it. And because I'm a former English teacher, I'll give you some things to listen for in the chapters we hear--just to give you something else to do while you're knitting, spinning, crocheting, weaving, or sewing. Any painters? So. Get comfortable. Find your tools. Check the volume, and enjoy, with me, the beginning (chs 1–4) of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, recorded by Annie Coleman. Intro music: "Chasing Hiro by Joshua Christian of Syracuse, NY. I found the music on GarageBand.com.

Welcome to a world of corsets, courtship, and sparkling wit! For our very first book, we're diving into the delightful universe of Jane Austen's timeless masterpiece – Pride and Prejudice! We'll be exploring Regency-era England, where matchmaking mamas rule the social scene, and a well-timed ballroom dance can change your fate. And speaking of balls, I promise we'll have our own virtual ball – no worries, no dance skills required! So, buckle up, because it's time to venture into the world of grand estates, romantic misadventures, and a whole lot of delightful drama. Whether you're a die-hard Austen fan or a first-time reader, get ready to fall head over heels for Pride and Prejudice all over again!