Wednesday 9 September 2015

Yarn Along and a Girl On Fire

Joining today with Ginny for Yarn Along.

Well, it is finished enough that I can show a photo. The ends aren't sewn in and I have to find a space to do the blocking, but I love it!





And look at this gorgeous new yarn - Yarn Love's Audrey Hepburn. I know, I know, I am not purchasing new yarn! But this is from my monthly subscription - it is the only yarn I purchase and I love the surprise of it all. I have never had a disappointment.




I love the spring feel of the colourway and how excited was I when I saw the name of the yarn. My love of Audrey Hepburn has already been documented and to receive some yarn named after the lovely Audrey - divine!

I am unsure what I will make with this, but I am enjoying just admiring it at the moment.

And Audrey was a knitter too! Here she is during a break in filming.



And she reads fairy tales - I love Audrey!




For reading, I loved this book, absolutely loved it from beginning to end.



I think I have already mentioned that The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham has been made into a movie locally and I cannot wait to see our area up on the big screen. So I figured I should read the book first. Oh my, so worth it! It is simply fabulous. 1950s small-town at its best. The characterisation is fabulous - the policeman, the pharmacist, hilarious. And the play that the townsfolk put on - I cannot wait to see that in the movie. I have it all pictured in my head and am so looking forward to how it appears in the movie. I think Kate Winslet is just perfect for Tilly.

From the blurb:

The Dressmaker is an Australian Gothic novel of love, hate and haute couture. Sometime in the 1950s, Tilly Dunnage, a Parisian couturier, returns to her hometown of Dungatar having been expelled as a ten year old. Her intention is to visit her mad mother Molly and then leave. Instead she stays, colliding with her past and exacting revenge upon the people who pilloried her.

I will be looking for Rosalie Ham's other books from the library.

My non-fiction read at the moment is Living The Good Life by Linda Cockburn. This is an Australian book about a family who decided to live money-free for six months, living on only what they could produce on their large suburban block. They also bartered some of their homeproduced goods.



The book was published in 2007, so some of the statistical data presented would need to be researched further if you wanted more up to date information. I read it when it was first published and I think this is my third reading. It is simply wonderful as it is just a book about a family doing what they can to reduce their environmental impact, and it is inspiring. There is NO WAY that I could ever convince hubby to do something like that, but I am hoping to show him with my gardening efforts this year (fingers crossed!) that it is possible to drastically reduce our dependence on the supermarket. Once that hurdle is crossed, then just need to convince him that solar power, rainwater tanks and a composting toilet are great ideas as well!


39 comments:

  1. Love the shawl, beautiful colours and such a great pattern. The Audrey Hepburn yarn is a real delight, the colours are stunning. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

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    1. Thank you. It is such a gorgeous yarn, I almost don't want to commit to knitting anything as it is too hard to decide!

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  2. Your shawl is just fantastic. !! I love the solids with the varigated yarns. Great work of art

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    1. Thanks! It was super easy too, so definitely a pattern I would use again.

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  3. I agree, the shawl is absolutely beautiful. I think I'll try to knit/crochet a shawl some time in the future (though probably not as ambitious as yours). I went to a formal event last week and wished I had a shawl to us in case it got a bit nippy. Absolutely love the yarn as well.

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    1. Thanks! It was actually super easy, just time consuming as there were a lot of stitches on the needles by the end. There are lots of garter stitch and stocking stitch sections.

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  4. I just love your shawl too! What a lucky score in that yarn subscription. I couldn't find The Dressmaker or Mrs Miles Diary at my local library. I also wanted Jam Busters but they didnt' have that either. I'll see if I get an interlibrary loan. I recently read the Little House series and just loved them! It prompted me to go online and I found a tv series called Frontier House on youtube as we can't watch from PBS in this country. Anyway it's so good! 3 contemporary families live just like frontier times for 3 months.

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    1. That's a shame - I did have to get mine from interlibrary loan as our regional library doesn't have everything I would like to read! I haven't read Jam Busters yet - it is here waiting to go.
      I loved Frontier House! Ever since I read the Little House series as a girl, I knew that was how I wanted to live. There is also a New Zealand series called Pioneer House - similar concept. I think it is available online.

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    2. Oh excellent, I'll watch Pioneer House too!

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  5. Both books sound very interesting. I love the yarn too...and Audrey Hepburn. I read a biography of her many years ago and it was so good. She was an amazing woman.

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    1. She really was wonderful, a true lady when they are few and far between now.

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  6. Jayne I can see why you love the shawl, it is beautiful! I love all the colors and I hope you get lots of use from it.

    I am a fan of the Hepburn's, both Aubrey and her aunt, such refined ladies.

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    1. Thanks! I do really love it. You are right, just gorgeous ladies.

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  7. That does sound like a wonderful way to live.
    Lovely shawl, the colours are wonderful. And the new yarn, wow! those colours are stunning. I love a mix of neutral and brights! Keep us posted on what you make with it.

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    1. It would be wonderful, but I know I couldn't get my family to go that far. Hopefully some of the way!
      I think I just found a project for that yarn on Yarn Along - a ruffled shawl. Although do I really need another shawl or do I just love knitting them?!

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  8. Your shawl is gorgeous. What beautiful colors. I added your books to my list. I love reading stories of people who have become more independent like that. I don't think I could convince my hubby to do it either but I would love to reduce our grocery bill at least!

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    1. That is what I am trying to do too - little steps. I read a great blog here in Australia - Down To Earth - and she just started slowly doing little things and hubby noticed the difference and came on board in the end! Maybe that will happen - here's hoping!

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  9. Thank you, Jayne! I love your shawl! Applause!
    The new yarn is indeed scrumptious and thank you for some great book suggestions!

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    1. Thanks so much. I always love the book suggestions I get from Yarn Along. My list grows faster than I can read though!

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  10. That Audrey Hepburn yarn is simply gorgeous. I can't wait to see what you're going to create with it. I would never be able to convince my husband of that either. I can't even get him on a budget.

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    1. Me neither. Budget is a dirty word around here. I am hoping slow, baby steps might convince him. It is like the frog in hot water trick - get him used to changes slowly, so he hardly notices them!

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  11. Beautiful shawl! The color progression turned out fabulous. And that Yarn Love yarn - stunning!

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    1. Thanks so much. I think I have found a ruffled shawl I like for - although do I really need any more shawls?!

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  12. Wow, what a beauty! And your new yarn looks very yummy too - can't wait to see what you will make with it!
    The Dressmaker sounds lovely and I like the picture on the front very much ;-)

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    1. Thanks so much. The Dressmaker is a fabulous book. I love all the sewing and fabric descriptions.

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  13. That really is the most beautiful shawl! I want to read the book, Dressmaker. It sounds like something I would enjoy. Gosh, you and so many other talented people make me want to learn to knit or crochet. Wonder if I am too old to learn.

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    1. Thanks so much. This was a really easy shawl to knit. My kind of shawl - easy but looks impressive. Never too old to learn. I know someone who just taught themselves to crochet - can't remember if it was from a book or the internet. I want to teach myself to crochet too!

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  14. The shawl is really pretty - congratulations!

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    1. Thanks so much. I really liked the pattern - so easy.

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  15. I have always admired Audrey but never researched or read much on her. I had no idea she was a knitter or that she loved fairy tales so now I love her even more. The yarn is a delight as is your shawl. I was going to take a nap to try to get over this virus but now I'm feeling inspired to pull out my yarn and knit instead...

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    1. Illness is the worse - we have all been sick and I had days where I couldn't even think of reading or knitting. It was a nightmare! Hope you are feeling better soon.
      Audrey is a delight. I loved a book I read about her recently that just confirmed she really was a lady, as we all think. It is so disappointing when you find out someone you admire is actually not the nicest person.

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  16. That is an amazing shawl. Such dramatic colors!
    I know very little about Audrey Hepburn, but I like knowing that she was a knitter!

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    1. Thanks so much. I love the autumn colours. Yes, Audrey was knitting in public before it was cool to do so!

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  17. Your shawl is stunning, Jayne! Love it! Love your new wool; it is so pretty and to have the lovely Audrey's name emblazoned upon it is the icing on the cake. I am thinking I am going to buy the book, The Dressmaker, it sounds wonderful.

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    1. Thanks - it was a really easy knit though. I am still stroking my Audrey yarn - it is just so lovely. I can certainly see The Dressmaker being one of those books that are just as enjoyable to re-read.

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  18. Stunning shawl and the new yarn is gorgeous.

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    1. Thanks so much. I am looking forward to finding the perfect project for it.

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  19. Beautiful shawl and yarn!

    We try to do what we can here. Land and property on the whole is expensive here and planning permission more so, so we have to do the best we can with what we've got :)

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    1. Thank you! Yes, land is expensive here too. I think it may be better to buy a bush block and put in a lot of hard work. But absolutely, use what we have to the best of our ability.

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