Saturday, March 29, 2008

Finished Object, Finished Books, Finished 2nd Graders

A Big Finished Object

The Lacy Prairie Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls. I'd been working on it for over a year, maybe two. I'd work on it a bit, then put it away for other projects.
















Unblocked.

















Close-up.
















Modeled.















Leftover yarn. Nothing like cutting it a bit close. It's done in Cascade 220 in the "Tahiti" colorway.

Books I've finished in March
  • The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough -- a history, rather gruesome at times, but fascinating
  • The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers -- a turn of the (last) century thriller that is considered the first spy novel in English. Set in the Frisian Islands in the time leading up to WWI. A few old fashioned passages, but really a rip roaring read. Interesting factoid: the author was later killed in the Irish Civil War.
  • The Bloody Tower by Carola Dunn -- Former aristocrat and policeman's wife Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher solves a murder at the Tower of London in the 1920s. Not rip-roaring, more comfortable, but I love the setting.
  • Shark Island by Joan Druett -- More in the Wiki Coffin nautical mystery series
  • The Bounty by Caroline Alexander -- a detailed history of the mutiny and its aftermath
  • Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson -- another Goldy Bear catering mystery
  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick -- this one is hard to categorize. It is the most recent Caldecott medal book, but it is 500+ pages. However, it's a quick read as some of the action takes place in the illustrations and in movie stills. It's not a comic book, but might appeal to young comic book readers.
  • The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer -- another 1930s classic British mystery. I like Heyer because she sometimes sneaks in a bit of dry humor.
  • Murder on the Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn -- another Daisy Dalrymple mystery
Finished Second Graders

While I was out on medical leave, the second grade heard several versions of Rumpelstiltskin. I brought in my spinning wheel and demonstrated for them. One of our state standards is that they learn concept of a production process for finished goods and I thought this would qualify.


















I've never had as rapt an audience in this age level right before spring break! They were fascinated.

















They were even interested in the knitting that follows spinning.

Finally, as an aside, does this look like a comfortable way to sleep?









1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The shawl turned out well. I've thought about knitting that one myself. Someday.

Your kitty looks like she fell asleep in the middle of grooming. I feel that way myself some mornings.