Literary Knitting

I mentioned in my New Years post that this year I would be participating in the Self Imposed Sock Knitter's Club in 2012. This idea by the Yarn Harlot is a wonderful way to both destash my ridiculous sock yarn collection and inspire me to move away from plain "vanilla" socks and try new and challenging sock patterns. I have always been envious of people who have patience to make a sock with features like cables and lace, heck, even ribbed socks impress me! I have a collection of sock knitting books but I never knit from them. This year is going to change all that. I am determined to become a more adventurous sock knitter.

As per usual with these silly ideas I have, that wasn't enough. Another goal for 2012 is that I want to read more for pleasure. With knitting taking over my life, most of the reading time I have is saved for academic purposes and my teaching. I want to read at least 12 books this year for fun. This is a low goal and I hope it will be attainable. These two ideas came together and I thought, wouldn't it be fun if the books I read somehow have a connection to the projects I'm knitting. Realizing that my idea of fun might greatly differ from the majority of the population, I picked out January's project and book with gusto. 

January Self-Imposed Sock and Book Club

The Socks: My Vampire Boyfriend by Kate Atherley, published in Knitty, Fall 2009, free pattern

Photo borrowed from Knitty, Fall 2009. Link above.

The Yarn (the stringy variety, not the story): Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in a One-of-a-Kind Colourway

The Book: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

My progress:

I think I may have chosen a doozy of a first non-plain sock to start with. The cables in this sock make my eyes come in and out of focus, but so far I am enjoying the challenge (and it is getting easier. I have knit the three pattern repeats for the leg and am about the start on the heel flap. I have a long way to go and must not give in to SSS (second sock syndrome). I have joined two KAL (knit-a-long) groups on Ravelry for moral support and encouragement to get these done by the end of the month. I think I am going to need it!

Close up of the heart cable

Close up of the "bite mark" cable, which looks like it is being punctured by little eyelets. Love this!

As for the book, it is the perfect choice to curl up with on cold January nights. It combines two of my favourite genres: historical fiction and fantasy. The book reads like a historical biography, the story mixed in with excerpts from Honest Abe's real and imagined journals and writings. I don't want to reveal much of the plot, but essentially the journals reveal that vampires do exist and Abe was a bad-ass vampire hunter, who vowed to take out all vampires in America. The book could have come off as just plain ridiculous, but is well written and combines enough historical fact to allow the reader to suspend disbelief for the fiction. I am thoroughly enjoying it so far. This preview video for the book on YouTube says it all.

Happy knitting and reading!

msi