Dovegrey has been reading A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book and it has got her gathering shimmering fabrics and then quietly going to pot! I'm only a fifth of the way through the novel (it's nice and long) so who knows where it will all lead eventually, but that cover alone (you can see it in full here but click to enlarge) has made me pick up a skein of yarn which has been in my basket for a while, wind it into a ball and cast on.
Try as I might I can't capture the colours accurately, but they really are vivid. I'm using the silk/cashmere 4 ply to make a scarf for our red-head, and next her hair these blues and greens are beautiful.
The problem is: do I read or do I knit? The book is compelling, and the simple pattern quick and pleasing. Decisions, decisions.
I'm sad that I can't get The Children's Book on US Amazon. I'll try something else. It sounds so good. I read the reviews on UKAmazon. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Pom Pom | 08 June 2009 at 01:12 AM
I'm here in Seattle and ordered it last week from The Book Depository. (see up the page and on the right) It should be here any day. Great service, great price and no shipping cost. And the excitement of a package from England.
I've been following Dovegrey's enchantment with the book and couldn't resist. Karen- I would probably read first and then knit. Especially if the weather is hot.
Posted by: blackbird | 08 June 2009 at 02:14 AM
How clever of you to remind us of the Jackson Browne lyric "The Fairest of the Seasons" with its refrain "I want to know; do I stay or do I go" !
So my suggestion is to drop both and get thee to the spinet!
Posted by: Dark Puss | 08 June 2009 at 09:25 AM
Do I read or do I knit? A lament heard in my house on a daily basis. It's a good day if you can manage to do both isn't it.
Posted by: Darlene | 08 June 2009 at 12:07 PM
I'd read!
Posted by: Nicola | 08 June 2009 at 08:00 PM
Do alternates, when your mind is sated with ASB imagery head to the needles and have a ponder about it all, I loooooove that wool.
Posted by: dovegreyreader | 08 June 2009 at 08:30 PM
Lovely pattern, Cornflower.....can you give us a reference to where we can copy it?
Posted by: adele geras | 08 June 2009 at 11:23 PM
Ditto Adele, I haven't knitted for years, but this is so tempting, I feel the urge to find the needles and get going again.
Posted by: carole | 08 June 2009 at 11:30 PM
Beautiful scarf Karen, and like Adele and Carol I would love to have the stitch pattern.
Posted by: Elizabeth | 08 June 2009 at 11:58 PM
If only it were easier to do both at the same time!
Posted by: Rebecca | 09 June 2009 at 12:40 PM
Coming up tomorrow, Adele!
Posted by: Cornflower | 09 June 2009 at 04:22 PM