Nightingale pullover

LinnKnitting

This beautiful pullover/sweater is designed by Norah Gaughan. It can be found in Pompom Quarterly’s 2018 winter issue.

I decided to knit it in a light green colour, but I’m very tempted to make another one as well in a silver-grey.

 

The pattern was easy to follow and the cables look a lot more daunting than they are. The chart is large because it isn’t a pattern that repeat itself. But if you just keep track of which row you are on, the pattern isn’t hard to follow.  The pattern is the same on left and right side of the middle. And the back and front are the same as well. I saw a few mistakes in the chart but they’re easy to work around since both sides are the same, except for a lower neckline on the front piece.

Because I knit loosely I did a swatch first to measure my gauge. Sure enough my gauge was off with the recommended needles (4,5 mm) and so I switched to 4 mm needles instead. I knitted a size 2 without any other modifications. It fits me very well and I enjoy it a lot. It’s warm and cosy at the same time as it looks elegant.

The pattern has a recommended cast on method, but I tried and didn’t get it right so I just did my normal cast on method. The podcast Fruity Knitting has made a few short tutorials of techniques in this pattern and I found them very helpful. You can watch them in episode 71 of Fruity Knitting Podcast.

 

All the pieces are knitted separately and later sewn together. I’m not very good yet with sewing together the pieces but I’m doing my best. This time I was very careful with the puffed sleeves and marked the middle of the shoulder as a reference point. I’m very happy with how they turned out.

 

 

I used yarn from Ullcentrum Öland, one of my favourite yarn companies. I used the colour light green on white. This yarn is very nice to knit with and the cable pattern pops out really well. I can really recommend this yarn and it is made from 100% swedish wool. They come in the most amazing colours and I love the ones that are dyed on a grey base (gotland wool). This one is on a white base so it feels slightly more rustic in touch and is made from a variations of sheep wool.

 

 

Competence by Gail Carriger

LinnBooks

Competence is the third book in the Custard Protocol series by Gail Carriger. I am in love with this series! With a big L.

I love Gail Carriger’s witty and funny writing. This book, as well as the previous two, is full of adventure and breaks for tea. I found it delightful from the beginning to the end. This book focuses on the siblings Primrose and Percy and I find it to be a smooth transition from Rue as the main character.  I really enjoy getting to know and understand Percy and his peculiar ways. And I did love Prim and her love interests in this book! All in all, a great book!

 

Riddari Cardigan

LinnKnitting

I decided to follow along and join the Kammebornia and Järbo knit along for the Riddari Sweater. The pattern was offered for free during the knit-along and I used the English version of the pattern. You can buy it on ravelry or from jarbo.se.

I knit loose. I always seem to do. So I decided to knit in size XS/S. It is a men’s pattern so I figured a size XS with my loose knitting would end up being a size S when finished. And it did (maybe even  a size M?).

I used four colours.

Red Garnet Heather (1409)

Ash Heather (56)

White

Black heather ( 5)

I cast on for size S, to make room for my hips. I then increased and created a waist shaping (ever so lightly). I aimed for being at the number of stitches for XS by the time I got to the armpits. Then I knitted the yoke in size XS. I knitted the sleeves in size XS as well.

I love this cardigan and it has really served me well during this cold winter!

Infernal by Cheryl Low

LinnBooks

Yes, another book by Cheryl Low. I can easily say she is one of my favorite authors! Infernal is a horror story, so quite different from the Crowns & Ash series, and it really shows how good Cheryl Low’s writing is. She does not only write fantasy well, but also modern day horror stories.

This book starts out with a mystery island and a shark expedition. But not all is what it seems… I can’t really explain a lot more because I don’t want to give it away.  In short: I loved this book! It was suspenseful all the way to the end. And the end!! Loved it!! Do read it!!

 

Legend av Stephanie Garber

LinnBooks

Jag fick möjligheten att få ett recensionsexemplar av boken Legend av Stephanie Garber. Det här är uppföljaren till Caraval som jag läste förra året (läs den här).

 

I Caraval får vi följa Scarlett på ett äventyr för att rädda sin syster Tella. I den här boken är det istället Tella som är huvudpersonen. Det tycker jag är ett bra val av författaren och det är roligt att få följa med en ny person, som ändå är så sammanknuten med Scarlett som vi fick följa i boken innan.

 

Det här var en väldigt händelserik bok och jag ville hela tiden fortsätta läsa och se hur det skulle gå. Jag tycker till och med att den var bättre än den första boken. Det ska bli roligt att läsa nästa bok när den kommer ut nästa år!

Detox in Letters by Cheryl Low

LinnBooks

Red is the color of love. And death. Rebellion is coming.

Cheryl Low did it again. This series has it all, decadence, drugs, magic, plotting, pastries, fashion and rebellion! I loved this book as well as the first book. I can easily say it is my favorite fantasy series.

This book takes place a couple of years after the first one. Things have changed, but some things have not. It’s fun to revisit the Realm again and see and take part in all the new things and intrigues. This book picked up the pace and I feel like it was even better than the first one. Maybe because the characters aren’t new to us and instead we get to see the development. I loved AviSariel and Fay in this book! Strong, feisty women with a flair for fashion. I do love how this series isn’t constricted by fantasy “rules”. We do have amazing gowns and such, but there is also a modern twist to this series and the fashion in it. I love it!

Style aesthetic put together by Cheryl Low

Other than fashion, this book has a great story and development. I literally could not put it down because I needed to know what would happen next. I won’t spoil anything, but if you like drama, fantasy and intrigues you’ll like this series!

Here is a quote by Publisher’s Weekly

“This lush fantasy stays ferociously readable while offering a world that’s easy to love: unhappy people waking up to realize there’s more to life, and greeting it with curious wonder. This belle epoque–flavored series will appeal to readers who like their fantasy politics splashed with hope.”
—Publishers Weekly

 

 

The Continuum and The Grandmother Paradox by Wendy Nikel

LinnBooks

I knew I wanted to read The Continuum by Wendy Nikel as soon as I read the blurb. It did not disappoint!

“Elise Morley is an expert on the past who’s about to get a crash course in the future.”

I have read a few books where someone travels in time or places but none quite like this one. I fully enjoyed the time traveling concept and as a reader you were thrust into the story immediately. It’s not a brick of a book but I find it to be well written and making me want for more when it is over! This book has not only a great concept of time travel but also a very exciting story and a fantastic ending!

Luckily there is a sequel called “The Grandmother Paradox”.

I don’t want to say too much about this book because I don’t want to perhaps spoil something from book one. Just know there is a second book and I’m looking forward to a possible third book!