OT: Small Reading Jag & Other S.E.X.

I'm having some problems with my hands and can't do much stitching. I'm hoping this will resolve very soon so I can do more then 4 or 5 stiches before I have to stop.

I'm reading "The Art of Racing in the Rain." Not too far into it yet, but so far it's a nice read. Written by a dog, but not all about him, mostly about his family.

Lucille

I hope you are able to get back to stitching soon. I managed to get a good deal of the backstitching on one of the Xmas ornaments done yesterday. First stitching in about a week. DB doesn't need rides anymore.

I'm in the middle of Charles Finch's "The September Society," set in England, in the 1870s I think. Interesting descriptions of Oxford as the "detective" is a graduate and returns to his old haunts to investigate the mystery.

Nancy

Sorry about the hand problems. Have you gotten a stand to use, to help? Any therapy or the like? Hope it clears up soon.

I really liked "The Art of Racing in the Rain" - it was a nice read, with a perspective that I think many pet-owners ponder. IIRC, it's being made into a movie.

Just got back from the errands, and splurging on more irrestible fabric - some silk velvet in an impressionist print that I'm going to use to trim one of the jackets, and glass buttons for said jacket. Plus, a kind of tie-dyed silk charmeuse that I resisted yesterday (coupon maximizing) and got today for making into a top to go with said jacket. And a piece of woven, nubbly wool with lots of colors for making another jacket. Left behind a piece of silk (remnant) to pick-up tomorrow- again with the coupon maximizing. Going to use it for surprise lining on jacket of this wool. Enough sewing stuff for now - that's for sure.

I think, hope, I've finally kind of caught up a bit on sleep, so I'll either be reading tonight, or stitching. DH won't be done reffing - men's league championship after a youth Tier 1 tourney play-off (note to Cheryl - saw the Manchester Tier 1 Bantam minors yesterday - DH may see them tonight) til about 10, 10:30, so....

Ellice

"snip> ...

I ordered one and I'm waiting for it to arrive. I hope it helps some.

It's an interesting book. A little different then what I generally like.

I miss the days when I sewed all my clothes. Now, since I spend almost all my time in jeans and t-shirts, and there aren't any good fabric shops in this immediate area, I don't bother anymore. Lucille

Way cool - we know older and younger sibs of some of the kids on that team...

Hate to say it, but if you're reading the Dan Brown tonight, you just may fall asleep! It was pretty lame.

Thanks for the shout out. Two more recommendations: I'm halfway into the new Audrey Neffineger ("Time Traveler's Wife) book, "Her Fearful Symmetry", and LOVING it so far. Well written, interesting characters. (I'll let you know when I finish it if it stayed true til the end).

Last week I read "Sisters of the Sinai," nonfiction about twin Scottish ladies in the late 19th century who traveled to St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai in search of old biblical manuscripts. Really interesting on so many levels - biblical history (scholarly research at a time when scientific methods were just beginning to be applied to religious texts), feminist history (these women were brilliant but shut out of the Cambridge official academics, though befriended by many individual scholars - they lived in Cambridge as adults), travel book, and biography of women who were eccentric, extraordinary individuals with quirky personalities.

Also been doing some sewing. Made a quilted table runner for my mom for Christmas (already! I'm so proud of myself!) and halfway through another for a neighbor's birthday. The other day I bought a little piece of colorful fleece to make myself a new hat. I have a gray fleece hat that I really like, but it's BORING (though a crocheted pink flower does jazz it up just a bit)...this fabric is blue with turquoise/green/purple flowers and paisley (a la 1960s). Definitely NOT boring. I'll have to download some directions off the net, or else just measure the gray hat I already have.

sue

Why don't you come join us on alt.sewing? We could certainly use your input along with all the others.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Sounds like some fun projects coming up for you!

Looks like I'll be doing some sewing, too. DD was home over the weekend and was talking about how the scrub tops I made for her in Aug. were too big. We went to JoAnn's (our only fabric shop except for Wally World, which isn't really, of course). I even remembered to take along the coupons I had just gotten! Holiday prints were 50% off, so she picked out one with a green background with little snowmen all over and one with a purple background with scarecrows & pumpkins. We used a 40% off coupon on white puppy paws on a black background and the 50% coupon on an all-over penguin fabric. 4 tops for about $30 (they sell at W-m for about $16 a piece).

Guess my wise men will get put on the back-burner for a bit!

Joan

I'm sure it will - just not having to hold the frame may let you be more relaxed, less stress on the hands. What did you get - inquiring minds (a.k.a. Busybodies) want to know?

I could see that. I'm working my way through the Dan Brown - mostly because I got interrupted.

Even wearing jeans, well, I guess I've finally figured that it's a bit of fun to do some interesting jackets to wear - even casually. DH even went with me yesterday for the last day of coupon-optimization - and of course found some hockey fabric - which is joining up with some other stuff to make something for Cheryl and the namesake (little Elise).

When I start using the machine, I go on bursts of really doing a lot of sewing - DH isn't so thrilled when I ask him to do some pinning. But, it is fun - sort of absorbing in a different way than when I'm stitching.

When I lived in FL, I sewed a lot of little dresses - and my DM made a ton of tennis clothes for me back in the day (sure, the sponsors back then would take care of my shoes and rackets, but not little tennis dresses).

Ellice

Well, I got through the beginning, but then life interrupted. I'm home this afternoon for the most part - so may get to it if I don't stitch.

Looking forward to hearing.

Sounds interesting.

Wow - sounds great. We did the last G-Street trip yesterday - I bribed DH by having brunch at Eggspectations first, then a quick trip. I just had to pick up a silk remnant - hand-dyed background with roses on the foreground that I'm going to use as a totally quirky lining/cuff for a woven nubby wool sort of chanel jacket. Love surprise linings. DH saw the new Bernina quilting frame thing that you can hook your machine to and turn into a semblance of mid-arm quilter. He took one look - looked at me and said "I suppose this is what you want." And was surprises by my response of "I haven't even looked at the price - but....maybe, eventually." I also bought a piece of art deco quilting fabric - new group from Robin Pickens (IIRC) for Robert Kaufman. Lots of bright circles, shapes, and gold outlines. There was one that was a take off on pine-trees and regular trees

- stylized - in brilliant apple green and mid-purple. I just had a flash of an idea - I know it sounds awful - but there was just a tiny bit there, so I bought 5/8 yd and thought at least I could maybe do some finishing or something. Bright and irresistible to me.

So, I guess we're both in the sewing phase.

Ellice

Thanks, maybe I'll do that. I used to lurk there.

Ellice

Sewing scrubs - I even have some hockey fabric I bought for scrubs - and then stopped needing them. But those are quick sews. Sounds like you had fun. Enjoy the sewing.

Believe me, I know how spoiled we are here with a really good fabric store, and there is also a sort of high end garment fabric store in McLean (I try only to go when on a real mission, otherwise, who knows), and actual needlework stores.

Ellice

Following up on my own earlier post: I finished "Her Fearful Symmetry" this morning, and loved it all the way through. There was an interesting twist at the end that took me somewhat by surprise, and I really appreciated that. There are several threads to the story, some of which tied up, some didn't, and by the end I could see some nifty patterns to the whole that weren't necessarily apparent until hindsight. All in all, a very satisfying read.

Sue

Is Her Fearful Symmetry a standalone or a part of a series?

a standalone.

It's not a mystery; it's a fantasy/ ghost story. (And maybe more surreal than fantasy.)

sue