What I've been...

Hearing:

Crochet Chat - I was somewhat bereft when long-time crochet podcaster Mary-Beth Temple decided to wrap up proceedings and focus her energy elsewhere. But her place has been admirably filled by this podcast from Stacey Trock aka Fresh Stitches. Stacey is known for her adorable stuffed animals and cute graphics and brings a new voice to crochet podcasting. With great guests such as Laurie Wheeler, founder of the Crochet Liberation Front and Stacey's insights into the crochet industry, this blog has become a staple on my playlist.

The Story Board  - this is strictly a youtube video series, but as the video portion consists of various authors sitting in front of skype and chatting to each other, I've been using it more as a podcast. Patrick Rothfuss, author of the phenomenal 'Name of the Wind', chats to other successful authors about the craft of writing and storytelling. It's great to hear (and see, if you wish) from people who are passionate about storytelling and what makes a good story.

Reading:

Needled  - this is the blog of knitting designer, researcher and advocate Kate Davies. Kate writes intelligently both about her designs and knitting history, and she is closely involved in the advocacy of Shetland wool. Each post is accompanied by photographs of her designs and nature, mainly in the beautiful landscapes of Scotland and Shetland. I feel like I learn something about the history of knitting each time she thoughtfully writes about her latest project.

Watching:

Revenge - this glossy American drama focuses upon Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) and her quest for revenge against the Hamptons-residing Grayson family who framed her father. The characters live in the lap of luxury, making this pure escapist fun, full of glamorous dresses, luscious beach-side scenery and sumptuous sets. And it's not just pretty. There's tension and mystery as Emily manipulates Hamptons society to get revenge and find out exactly what happened to her father.

Making:

A Knitted Shawl - it's my own pattern, so unfortunately I can't provide a link to it yet. It's made out of some Wollmeise 100% Merino Superwash in a brilliant blue (WD Nazar Boncugu), and will have an all-over lace design. I designed the lace portion of the shawl in the springtime, and I used the Knitting Kninja's tutorial on designing lace triangles to help understand how to take my lace design from a basic rectangle to a growing triangle.