NO SPEND CHALLENGE: FEBRUARY 2019

I blinked and January was over. I feel like I can barely remember any of it already. There was work, and being tired, and trying every day to do a little more and make more of my time, then there was being sick and doing nothing and then it was gone. I was not in the moment. I was not aware of the little things. I was consuming for the sake of it. I want February to be different. Slow. In the moment. Mindful. I want to look around and see that I already have everything I need, and maybe even more than I thought. Find something old and make it new again. Do with what I have. Finish stuff rather than start others. 

To help me focus on all of that, I decided to make February my No Spend Month. (quick note that No spend months are part of my 2019 Bucket list. I want to do two of them.) 

It's the shortest month of the year which makes it sort of easier. It follows two crazy spending months (December was the Holidays and January in France is full of sales). And it comes before March which is EYF month! It will be my first time going to a big knitting festival, first time going to Scotland and I want to enjoy it all as much as possible. Which makes February the perfect opportunity to slow down, look around, take stock of all the things I already have then make the most of them rather than add new things I think I need but probably don't. 

That can easily apply to almost all areas of my life:

- knit on my already on the needles projects

- go through my stash and assign yarn I already own to projects already on my queue

- read the giant pile of books next to my bed

- go through the freezer and drawers fool of food and meal plan with those

- enjoy more all the free things we luckily have access to rather than seek the next cool new thing eg free yoga videos online (I'm a huge Yoga with Adrienne fan!)

...

In simpler words, I won't spend money unless I absolutely need something I don't already have or can borrow. I will also try to make money by getting rid of the things that no longer serve a purpose. I will reorganize and make space so that I truly know what I already have and what I actually need. 

I like a good challenge and I know I can make this one fun rather than restrictive. Wanna join?

My 2019 Bucket List

Happy 2019 everyone, wishing you all a loving and gentle year! I am using the first few days of this new year to reflect on 2018 and make plans for 2019. First up is my bucket list. I'm not big on resolutions because I find them not as "action based" as I'd like but bucket list are exactly that for me. A random mix of serious stuff that I dream of and small fun things I'd like to enjoy. And because writing things down makes them so much more real and well, makes me a lot more accountable, I thought i'd share them here :). In no particular order:

1. go to EYF

2. read 24 books

3. find a home

4. get a massage

5. watch fireworks

6. increase my income

7. go to the sea

8. grow Wild Handmade

9. cook from cookbooks

10. get my driver's licence

11. do a 100 days project

12. use the stash

13. swim

14. sew a pinafore dress

15. get a switch

16. make out

17. get better at yoga

18. try more plant dyeing

19. do 2 no spend challenge

20. plan a summer trip

The Makers Bookclub

Welcome to the first installment of the Makers' Bookclub! Today is the big reveal of our first picks for January/February! As announced previously, the format I have gone for is 2 books every 2 months. It could be two fictions, or one fiction and one non fiction and the whole point is that you have two whole months to read one of them (or you know, both if you feel like it. The first thing you might notice with those two books is that they are NOT new releases. I don't know about you, but despite my best efforts I always seem to read new books two years late. Sooo many get released all the time and the pressure to keep up is just too much for me. I also find that I am more in the mood for some books in specific seasons and so I figured for some of the picks of this bookclub I would go back to slightly older releases that perhaps just like me you missed out on or you know, have had on your shelves for two years gathering dust ;). Let me know how you feel about that!! (also, hoping that means it's easier to find second hand copies or get it from your library that way!)

Anyway, without further ado, the books I have selected for this new year are:

Uprooted by Naomi Novik and Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

E. Gilbert is obviously super well known for Eat Pray Love (which I personally adore, don't know about you) and in 2016 she came out with Big Magic, which is all about how to live a creative life. As a maker, being creative and finding inspiration are obviously always front of center so I figured this was just a perfect pick for a Maker's bookclub :) I do hope it will inspire you as well and will help you in making 2019 your most creative year!

As for Uprooted, it is a novel I bought as soon as it was released and then somehow put aside for too long. But the topic and general vibe of it is so perfect for the Winter season that I figure the time had come! It is also a perfect example of everything I like in fiction: magic, darkness, fairy tales, strong female characters, woods, wizards and so on. I am always looking for fantastic worlds that will draw me in and make me forget my life for a few hours, and I certainly hope this one will do that for us! (a quick extra note: I realize there is a chance some of you have already read this one so if that's the case feel free to swap it for Novik's new release Spinning Silver, just don't spoil it for me us haha)

Alright that's it! Let me know your thoughts, are you excited, interested, disappointed ??? 

------------------------------

(french version)

Hello les françaises, j'ai vu que vous étiez quelques une par ici et comme je ne sais pas trop si vous préférez lire en français ou en anglais je me suis assurée pour cette première selection d'avoir des livres disponibles en français :)

Pour commencer l'année, j'ai donc choisie Big Magic de Elizabeth Gilbert, disponible chez nous via Le Livre de poche sous le titre Comme par magie ! J'espère qu'il vous inspirera a faire de 2019 une année placée, entre autre, sous le signe de la créativité!

Coté fiction, j'ai choisi mon genre de predilection, la fantasy, avec Uprooted de Naomi Novik, disponible en France sous le titre Déracinée. Magie, forêt mystérieuse, princes et princesses, contes de fée et sorciers, je vous souhaite de réussir a vous evader quelques heures grâce a ce roman!

Bonne lecture!

2018 reading challenge / an update

Ever since I started using Goodreads a few years back, I have set each year a reading challenge for myself. Last year was 30 books. This year I went with 36 which meant an average of 3 books a month. Doable right?

10 months later, it's October, and so far I have read 23 books in 2018. 

20% of me is like ugh I will never make it to 36 this challenge is a FAIL. The other 80% is honestly quite impressed with 23 considering how much I've worked this year (I was unemployed for 6 months in 2017 so plenty more to read back then). I think if you would randomly stop people in the street and ask them how many books they've read so far this year, 95% of them would say less than 10 (I 100% just invented that statistic but I really don't think most people read than much nowadays).

So I'm happy with my 23. I have like 5 I am currently reading (all different genre, so I don't mind having multiples at once, there's always one that fits my mood this way). Pretty sure I can reach 30, which would be awesome.

Looking back at the 23, I can easily "read" into my year so far. I have been tired and looking for comfort reads hence lots of re read and fantasy. Plus a few self improvement books which is a big 2018 theme for me, trying to figure some things out and take better care of myself. Books really do say a lot about ourselves, don't say? 

What has your reading year so far been like? 

Are you on Goodreads? Feel free to add me there :)

THE 1000$ PROJECT / ON MONEY

I hate money. We spend our lives trying to make lots of it, judge those who don't have it, and never ever feel content with what we have. I'm 29 and the reality of my life so far is that I work a full time job, bust my ass off 6 days in a row on sometimes very physical tasks, always standing up for 7 hours, have an awful commute every single day, then sleep for 2 days then start all over again. Yet at the end of the month, I don't make enough money to be allowed to rent a flat, even a tiny one. So what exactly is the point of money if hard work isn't even a guarantee of having a roof over your head? This is the question I have been asking myself for months, years of active life. 

I love money. I wish I had lots and lots. It allows me to buy yarn and books, to see the world and eat good food. I am constantly trying to make more of it. I can't really get a second job (I've tried) because I don't work a regular 9 to 5 job and my hours change every week. So I've recently started looking for other solutions, ideas, inspiration in general. I've listened to podcasts, binge watched Youtube videos, and stocked up on books. I'm currently listening to  Jen Sincero's You are a badass at making money (no opinion on it yet, still early in the book), then found Canna Campbell's Youtube channel. Her videos are all about empowering women to get to financial freedom. She has content about such things as Frugal February (aka no spend month, more on that very soon), and developed a concept called The 1000$ Project (she even wrote a book about it, though I would say her videos are already plenty of content worth to start with). That inspired me. One of her big point is to find ways to free ourself from our monthly usual income (aka our paycheck) and develop side projects in order to create passive income. A passive income ,as its name suggest, is an income that once set up would take care of itself and thus take us one step closer to that financial freedom. Her personal strategy through the 1000$ project is to gather 1000$ at a time, then invest it in shares and perceive dividends each year that form her passive income. For others the 1000$ could go towards deposits, or help pay back loans. For me as a knitter and wannabe designer, when I think of passive income I think of patterns. Of course that involves lots of work, designing, having actual ideas, writing, testing, promoting… but once your pattern is out there your part of the job is done and the money you can make months or years later from it is passive income.  

The project has also encouraged me to look around for creative ways to make money: selling stuff you no longer use or care about (destash anyone?), actually looking, really looking, into your monthly budget and seeing if cuts could be made (I spend way to much on takeout when really I could cook more at home and save tons), looking for people interested in paying for skills you have but never use (I can translate english to french and vice versa for instance and maybe some people out there are looking for that skill set!). You could participate in marketing studies, test out apps. Once you start brainstorming, the ideas don't stop. And I love that about this project, It's giving me motivation to grab my own financial freedom, see money in a more positive way (aka one where money doesn't control me but I have control over it), and try and somewhat move forward. 

And since I have now written this on the Internet it's clearly official: I have embarked on my own 1000$ project as of October 1st, and am giving myself until the end of 2018 (a total of 3 months sounded like neither too short or too long of a time period) to make as much as I can. Inspiration struck this weekend for me and I have actually started designing a knitting collection (think Cozy Winter) to be hopefully released in December!! Cross your fingers for me it works out! 

What do you think? Have I gone insane? Could this be fun? Are you feeling like giving this project a try? Let me know in the comments!

Love,
Lea

A life update

2 years. 7 months. A lifetime worth of events. A blink and here we are already, 2 years and 7 months older.

I can't quite remember why exactly I stopped writing here. I started using Instagram a whole lot more. I started feeling like blogging wasn't quite a thing anymore, and all the efforts of keeping up with a blog not so worth it considering my following. Then there's also the fact that 2016 was a year of nightmare for me. My life crashed, I forgot how to live and breathe and smile and get up in the morning and get to sleep at night. Which is really hard to hide on a blog where words are involved (and much easier to hide on a platform full of pretty pretty staged photos). As you can tell by the fact that I am writing today, I made it through. 

And then I started all over again. Quit my job and field of work, excluded the toxic people from my life, tried new things, explored more. I'm still looking really. For who I want to be, how to make it happen, where, with whom. It's a slow process, and as I have come to find out, slow is the way to go. Knitting is still a big part of my life, and I am so very grateful for every stitch that healed me and every person in this amazing community that without knowing it kept me standing with their support and kindness. I've designed a little bit, podcasted on the most irregular basis (sorry guys) and made more knitwear than I have opportunities to wear. I've been all the way to Finland for a festival, and dream of Edimbourgh for next year. 

Will you be there?

I try every day to do a better job of taking care of myself. Books, yoga, good healthy food, meditation, travels, so many little things that make up my days and keep me up. So many topics I hope I can talk more about on this little blogs. Words. Those I have missed. Just like stitch after stitch can heal, so can words on a page. And I have missed writing. There is some kind of magic to the fact that once it is written, you can let go of it. And even more magic is the fact that maybe somehow, by sharing with others, you suddenly realize that you are not so alone after all.

With love, 

Lea.

ALL YOU KNIT IS LOVE: EPISODE 11!

It is insane the difference a year, 6 months, a month even can make. 2015 was just so freaking awful. But then flickers of light. of hope. It's 2016 now and not that I want to jinx it or whatever, but I have a good feeling about it! And so a new episode was recorded. I don't watch my episodes, and I didn't even edit this one so I can't really tell but I feel like I look fairly happy in it, which I am!! Let's hope this last right ;) I have missed this podcast more than I knew, just talking about the things I am passionate about and chatting with you all. YOU are the best and even if I have to repeat myself 1000 times, THANK YOU so much for your love and support <3

Alright, enough emotional chit chat, enjoy the episode :)

PS: do you really need show notes? Curious to know. All of my current + finished projects are up on my Ravelry page :)

ILLUMICRATE UNBOXING - Feb 2016

What is Illumicrate you say? Well, quite simple, it is a really cool UK based quarterly subscription box for book lovers! So if you love YA books, and you love mail, there is a strong chance that it will feel a bit like Christmas when your box arrives ;)

Illumicrate was launched last November, and their February box is their second box (the third one will be in May!) Each box contains a newly released YA book as well as bookish goodies from small independent business, usually exclusive to the box!

So I decided to treat myself to the February box to see how I would like it and... spoiler alert, loved it! Here's what was inside:

BOOK: Truthwitch! I was SO happy to see this book inside. I had just started hearing about it on Youtube and was really curious and there it was in my box! Can't wait to start this one! It's got fantasy, witches, girl friendship! Also included was a signed by the author bookplate. I'm not big on autograph really but some people seem to adore them so cool point!

GOODIES:

Bookshelf Pencilcase by Elena Illustration: LOVE THIS!!!

Loveboat Magnetic Bookmark Set: now that I have been introduced to magnetic bookmark, I'm not sure I can go back. so freaking cute!

A Darker Scent of Magic Candle: bookish candle. my dream come true. And this one was inspired by an other YA book that I read a couple months ago and absolutely loved (A Darker Shade of magic).

Book Quote Pencils: I'd rather be reading / a good book has no ending / read write repeat.

+ bookmarks, a tote bag and badges from other recent bookish release. 

If you would like to give it a try, the subscriptions are currently open for the May Box (which I will very much get since May is my birthday month aka treat-o-self month!)

WHAT I READ // JANUARY 2016

Ghost World - Daniel Clowes

I want to read more graphic novels this year and so I decided to start with one I always picked up at my LYS but somehow never bought. Pretty sure I saw a movie adaptation of this 10 or so years ago (with Scarlett Johanson) but can't remember a thing about it. I really liked this story. It's about that weird moment in life when you're not quite a kid anymore but not an adult either. It's about friendship and love and somewhere in between. There was quite a few references I didn't get, either because they were too american or too old for me but still really enjoyed it!

We should all be feminists - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Small but big. This book doesn't solve anything or share any deep insight on the problem of gender inequality and everyday sexism but still feels so important. One of those "need to gift to everyone" book. Her writing style is a good mix of funny and clever so I would be curious to check more of her work!

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

This was a reread for me. Mostly because I got Carry On over Christmas and I thought I'd read both at once! Loved it even more than the first one, if that is possible. (you can see my original review of here!)

Why not me? - Mindy Kaling

I wasn't sure I could get as much from this book as I did from Is everyone hanging out without me (her first book). BUT then came the "love" chapter and it might be my new favorite everything. Considering having it printed on my walls Might have said a bit too loudly a bit too often "YES! Exactly!!" And "oh so I'm not the only one doing/thinking that"! Which is pretty much what I expect/want from this kind of memoir. Well done Ms Kaling. Funny and inspiring as hell!

The Wide Window (ASOUE #3) - Lemony Snickett

Probably my favorite in the series so far. There is just something about gloomy dark kid stories I can't resist! Also, there is a TV adaptation from Netflix coming soon so pretty excited about that too!

Favorite quote: "We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. 

We say to girls: You can have ambition, but not too much."

TAKE HEART: a review and a challenge

The talented ladies behind the awesome Pom Pom magazine (a quarterly publication of rad knitting patterns) launched a new project recently called the Pom Pom Press. The goal? To publish even more rad patterns with cool knitting designers. And the first one they picked just happened to be one of my personal favorite: Fiona Alice. It's called TAKE HEART and it is beautiful <3 So obviously had to order it right away! And guess what? I want to knit ALL THE THINGS IN IT! Which some others are also into and there you go, a year long knitting challenge began! I thought I could share a little review of the book here, and my yarn ideas for the patterns. Fair warning: get ready to want to knit them all too!

THE BOOK

If you bought a PomPom magazine issue before, the format is the same. The paper is beautiful and sturdy. In the first section, for each pattern, Fiona shared the inspiration behind them, a super cute sketch of the pattern and her reasons for the yarn she designed the piece with. The second section has the actual patterns, either written or charted, or both! The photography is absolutely beautiful and will make you want to go to the beach and knit/wear all your knits! There is a total of 11 patterns that ranged from graphic to elegant to modern to romantic. Some would I think make perfect gifts but most you will want to keep all to yourself!

(c) Juju Vail

THE PATTERNS

Take heart: this one was originally published in a 2013 issue of PomPom and marked the start of me falling in love with Fiona's designs. I actually tried to knit it last year but picked the wrong yarn, so now looking for a very soft and lofty (?) one that will be a perfect fit for the romantic feel of the pattern

Three Cliffs: a super lovely and big wrap that I am planning to start so very soon. Fiona chose the Viola yarn by John Arbon and I am planning to do the same, probably in a deep blue color!

Martinique Beach: color work people! This pattern is awesome! Calls for worsted weight which I don't have much of stashed so one I need to think about. Maybe Quince and Co?

Caswell Bay: a hat + mitts pattern, very graphic and modern. She picked a silk + merino yarn which looks just perfect to show the design so might do the same. Yarn idea: Dye for yarn

Queensland beach: a gorgeous cabled headband I need to start like yesterday. Calls for worsted weight. Yarn idea: Gilliatt by De Rerum Natura

(c) Juju Vail

Lunenburg Harbour: a pair of socks super simple yet elegant. Yarn idea: Exmoor sock yarn by John Arbon

Chester Basin: a hat + mittens pattern with the coolest slip stitch technique. Would make a great winter gift! Yarn idea: Garnstudio Drops Nepal

Ketch Harbour: a cool DK weight shawl that fans of Moby Dick should love ;)

Pennard Castle: leg warmers designed in two size. + a really cool stitch pattern! perfect to wear under your boots while walking through the forest in Winter <3 Calls for fingering so finding that in my stash should not be hard, at all!

(c) Juju Vail

Top 16 books I want to read in 2016

Currently, there are 100 books or so on my TBR (to be read) shelf on Goodreads (which you can see here). I add to it pretty much everyday, so it can get a bit overwhelming at time (just like the soon to fall over pile of books by my bed!). To help me a little and serve as a rough guide for my reading challenge this year, I decided to pick my favorite 16 in this list and make it a priority to read those first. Some I already own and some I got for Christmas so that's a nice start! Tiny precision: this list only include already published books! I am SO BAD at reading books the year they are published it's almost funny. But I might try and make a little list or top 10 of the books I am most excited to discover this year, we'll see. Ok enough chit chat, here's the list!

The Signature of all things - Elizabeth Gilbert

Uprooted -Naomi Novice

The Witches - Stacy Schiff

The Book of speculation - Erika Swyler

Reasons to stay alive - Matt Haig

Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

Glory O Brien's History of the future -  A S King

The Name of the wind - Patrick Rothfuss

Challenger Deep - Neal Shusterman

Carry On - Rainbow Rowell

The Heart Goes Last - Margaret Atwood

The Ocean at the end of the lane - Neil Gaiman

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara

The Raven Boys  - Maggie Stiefvater

The First fifteen lived of Harry August - Claire North

Illuminae - Amie Kaufman

A KNITTING WISHLIST

So, I didn't really make any goals or resolutions of any kind for 2016. But that doesn't stop a girl from dreaming. or making to do lists. So here's a little selection of knitting patterns I would very much like to knit this year. As you will see, trying to focus on more "useful" pieces, that I could get a lot of wear of in my everyday life.

(c) Fiona Alice

Ashland  (Julie Hoover)  - Sibella  (Carrie Bostick Hoge) - Skew (Kyoko Nakayoshi)

Lumpy Space (Stephen West) - Three Cliffs (Fiona Alice) - Kimmswick (Julie Hoover)

(c) Stephen West

love. love. love.

(There is only one way to correctly read this post's title and it's this one!) 

One teeny tiny little word. that can mean the whole world.

Two years ago I decided to spend 364 days focusing on happiness. And I must say 2013 was indeed a pretty happy one! A year ago, I figured it was all about trying to be brave. It's now January 2nd, a year has passed and I feel like if I have learnt only one thing in this time, it is that we all are brave enough, despite what society, people or the little voice in our head tells us. So here I find myself, a new year has started and I look for a new word. A word to guide me, to inspire me and to challenge me. It might sound silly, but nothing quite scares me as much as love. I very rarely let myself fall in love, and even more rarely let someone in to my heart and life. Yet was it this life about if not love. And I'm not just talking about the big one, but also friends, and family, and the most challenging of all sometimes: loving oneself. So let's give this a try, and see where it takes me. Some place lovely hopefully ;)

Happy new year everyone <3

We were together. I forgot the rest. 

Walt Whitman

2015 FAVORITE BOOKS!

I have somehow managed to finish 35 books this year! I say finish and not read because some clearly didn't make the final cut. I believe there are too many stories to be read to waste my time struggling through books I simply don't enjoy enough. Yes I am thinking about you Little Women! You were either too boring or I am simply too old for you.  Let's leave it at that! But that's okay, because there are books that I LOVED so freaking much this year, and those are the ones I'd rather talk about. So here it is, my top 5 books I read in 2015!

5. THE MAGICIAN'S LAND - Lev Grossman

This was such a perfect ending to The Magician trilogy. The character's growth was amazing and probably my favorite part of the writing. Who knew Quentin would ever become a character I would love, yet Lev Grossman made it happen. I very much believe this is the PERFECT story for the adult who still believes in magic. My copies are right next to my Harry Potter series, and that should say something right ;)

4. FAHRENHEIT 451 - Ray Bradbury

I feel like I read A LOT of dystopia this year, and this is one of the best. It is so small and simple and yet says so much so powerfully. If that makes sense. I wish people would talk more about this book and less about 1984 because it gives you so much more. Also, you can never go wrong with books about books!

3.TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS - Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed deserves to be on all of my yearly top 5 I feel like (last year #1 book for me was Wild <3). She's just such an amazing and inspiring woman. Her style is quite raw and honest, so not for everyone but very much made for me. Tiny beautiful things is the written version of her radio show Dear Sugar and though obviously some of the topics talked about I didn't care much for some other just plain hit me in the heart and I still find myself thinking about them over and over. Her words make me feel brave, and that is all there is. 

2. THE NIGHT CIRCUS - Erin Morgenstern

This book is everything a story should be. It's got great characters, a world you would swear exist for real, magic, adventure, emotions. It's awesome and everyone should read it because you will love it!

1. THE HANDMAID'S TALE - Margaret Atwood

This book is just so damn important. Reading it should be right there with "drink plenty of water" and "go get some air when you feel like nothing's working anymore". I feel like my new life mission is to tell people to READ THIS BOOK!


I've got hundreds of books already on my TBR for 2016 so pretty excited to start reading new amazing books tomorrow!! What books are you all most excited about?

PS: did you take part in the 26 books in 2015 challenge? You can see all the books I read here :)

#QOTD

 NOLITE TE BASTARDES CARBORUNDORUM 

Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale

A weirdly appropriate Quote of the day from one Parisian to the rest of the world. Sorry it's been so quiet here. Nothing much to say I guess, mostly waiting for this year to be over. 

Les Reveurs shawl - PATTERN AVAILABLE!

This Summer I read a wonderful story, about a circus, love and magic. I fell in love with the words and the world she described. A part in particular stuck and resonated deeply to the knitter in me: 

“ They are enthusiasts, devotees. Something about the circus stirs their souls. They seek each other out, telling of how they found the circus, how those first few steps were like magic. Like stepping into a fairy tale under a curtain of stars […] And so begins a tradition of rêveurs attending Le Cirque des Rêves decked in black & white with a single shock of red. Often, just before dawn, there is no color to be seen in the circus, save for their small splashes of scarlet. ”

A couple days after finishing the book, I started doodling and swatching with a pretty skein of red yarn I had had in my stash for over a year, waiting for its calling. Soon after, my Les Rêveurs shawl was born. It is probably highly subjective of me to say that I love it and think it is gorgeous, but I do anyway. I fell in love with shawls as soon as I got into knitting and so designing my very own shawl pattern feels extra special.

I tried to put as much of the magic of the book and of my love of knitting in it, and I am now super excited to announce that the pattern is available on Ravelry! 

The shawl calls for one skein of fingering weight yarn (tonal or solid would work best), a 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needle and if you feel like it, a few beads to include to the bind off. It has a textured body, a lace section that looks complicated but really isn't and an elegant picot bind off. All instructions (written), and links to video tutorials to help you with the technicalities are included in the pattern. Whether you have read the Night Circus or not, I hope you will enjoy knitting the pattern and will love wearing the shawl <3

Les Reveurs 

A YEAR OF SOCKS

On this day last year, I put on my feet my very first pair of hand knit socks. And fell in love. With the colors, the comfort, the warmth, the "oh thank you I made them myself!". I knew it was the beginning of something. So I started a little challenge: a year of socks. And you know what? It was fun! 

In that year, I have made 10 pairs of adult socks, 2 baby ones, and I have two more currently on the needles. I tried cuff down, then toe up, discovered the magic of short row heels, designed my very own sock pattern, and started a pair out of leftovers from previous ones (Inception style!). A good year I'd say! Funnily enough, my favorite and most worn pair is still the very first one I made.

Seriously can't believe I used to be that girl who said "why would I even want to knit socks, I don't even wear any!" One year older me is laughing hard right now. Hand knitted socks are the best! So here's to many more years of knitting socks!

OCTOBER READ ALONG

Hello!

Let's talk about books today :)

There are two in particular that I am very excited to read in October: The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball and Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel! (I talked a bit about them both in my book haul video which you can see here)

To make things a bit more fun, I decided to organize on my Ravelry group a little READ ALONG! It's super simple, you pick one of both books (they are different enough that everyone should hopefully feel drawn towards at least one!) , and then find a few minutes here and there to read during the month of October. Personally, I almost always read before turning the lights off at night, mostly so that the last thing I do in the day isn't stare at a screen ;) If you need to commute to go to work, reading a bit might also be an option then (although I'll admit, I've been known to miss my subway stop because I was that into the story I was reading!). None of the books are too new, so it should be pretty easy to find them in your local used or new bookstore or your library!

If you'd rather join on Instagram, I've set up the hashtags #TheDirtyLifeRA and #StationElevenRA over there ;)

Hope you like the idea! And that you'll like the book <3

#QOTD

“I can't say when you'll get love or how you'll find it or even promise you that you will. I can only say you are worthy of it and that it's never too much to ask for it and that it's not crazy to fear you'll never have it again, even though your fears are probably wrong. Love is our essential nutrient. Without it, life has little meaning. It's the best thing we have to give and the most valuable thing we receive. It's worthy of all the hullabaloo.”

Cheryl Strayed, 

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar

You may say I'm a reader

But pretty sure I'm not the only one!

Yesterday I introduced a new series of videos on my Youtube channel, this time all about books!

I first thought I could simply add a reading section to my knitting podcast, but I quite like the 45 min average length that I have going so I figured I would record completely independent videos, still hosted on the same knitting channel. Knitting and reading are two of my favorite things so it makes sense I guess! 

Anyway, for this first video, I have a book haul for you! I'm basically going through the books (hard copies + Kindle) that I got in the last month. Hope you will enjoy it, and maybe be inspired to go to your local bookstore and grab a copy for yourself! 

I will record a second video at the end of the month that will be a review of the books I have read in September (5 so far, hoping for 8!). 

Let me know what you think! 

xx

ps: of course I had to find a Beatles pun for the name! ;)