Yarnalong: a shrug for Bess and reading about the old West

~ before getting into this entry, I wanted to remind you that  I'm hosting a giveaway here for free books. Enter to win! It's free! Okay, onto the good stuff! ~

I'm linking up with Ginny, over at Small Things, who says, "Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading . . . I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?"

The books:

My writing's taken a turn for the historical and that means I've gotten to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes: research!

My dad introduced me to this awesome series of books, the Time-Life Old West series. Alongside the history, they're full of anecdotes and character sketches drawn from old diaries, letters, and newspapers. Reading them really feels more like reading a short story collection than anything else . . . except that all the stories are true!

Needless to say, I get the best plot ideas out of these. :D  Right now, I'm making my way through  "The Women", by Joan Swallow Reiter and "The Forty-Niners" by William Weber Johnson. 

The knitting:

Bess wants a shrug and so a shrug she shall have! I'm knitting with worsted weight cotton and NOT knitting dishcloths (vive la différence). It's a revelation: the yarn is so soft and thick, but so nice and cool at the same time. Given our hot climate here in Los Angeles, I could see myself doing this a lot more. Yarn is Universal Yarn Cotton Supreme (Ravelry link).

What are you knitting or reading?

Peace of Christ to you,

Jessica Snell

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