Historically, I’ve only used cotton yarn for baby items and washcloths.

Mabel the Merciless loved this cotton tee I made her while away at a yarn show in her first year. Her Mabellina Ballerina Tee was *almost* enough to make her forgive me for having the audacity to spend a day with not-her. XD

But, summer is starting to really ramp up and I’m thirsty for sock knitting. So, I have jumped on the cotton-train hard, and I want you to ride it with me! I’ve got one last free KAL planned for our Dresden themed read-and-knit-binge. If you haven’t been following along, so far we’ve done the Blue Beetle Handwarmers and last week we wrapped up the final section of the Summer Court Socks (pictured below). 

YARN STUFF

Never Never Socks

I’m pleased to introduce the Never Never Socks! Denizens of the Nevernever exist with one foot in the mortal world and one in the realm of spirits and faeries. Without magic to sustain them they are reduced to puddles of ectoplasm in our world, and this was the inspiration for the socks. They are executed using stacked increases and decreases to create the ectoplasm motif at the cuff and toe. 

The knit along will kick off in next Friday’s book club post. The pattern calls for two contrasting colors of sock weight cotton yarn. I used our newest addition to the shop, Baah-Free Light, and we’ve got some great new colors there for you to consider. But whether you use our yarn or not, I really recommend taking a dive into cotton sock knitting with me. Having only made handknit socks in wool before, I didn’t know what I was missing. My toes feel like they have their own personal cool breeze. 

Earlier this week, I posted about managing ends with cotton yarn and included a video tutorial. You can check that out HERE. Over the next few Wednesdays, I’ll be posting more videos to help you along with the techniques used in the socks. I’m planning to cover stacked increases, stacked decreases, and German Short Rows. Leave us a comment if there are any other stitch tutorials you want us to add to the agenda down the line! 

BOOK CLUB

contains spoilers form ‘Small Favor’ by Jim Butcher

Small Favor bursts at the seams with exciting fight scenes, last ditch efforts, and Harry’s failed attempts to protect the people he loves. At this point in the series, we’ve seen significant growth for him. Gaining an apprentice (Molly) has forced Dresden to start to work through some of his own stuff and be a role model. I’m a fan of role model Harry. He’s far from perfect, but I also think as we go into book 10, Jim Butcher has grown a lot as an author. Who knows, maybe it’s just that I’ve grown as a reader. 

Small Favor is one of the Dresden books that I don’t enjoy as much when I’m actually reading it, but when I’m reflecting on it after the fact I feel like there’s a lot to love. I think it’s that the book is so excessively action packed that the quieter character and overarching plot stuff that I’m really showing up for gets lost when I’m actively reading. I also think this is one that I enjoy more on subsequent re-reads than I did the first time. I’m the type of person that will re-read a full series before a new book comes out, and even rewatch all prior seasons of a show before a new season when possible. So this is the 3rd or 4th time I’ve read Small Favor, and it ages better than a lot of the other books. There’s a lot of little things I catch that I didn’t notice the first time, or things that you wouldn’t notice without having read the future books that are foreshadowed here. Which is all to say that although I remember feeling a bit let down by this one the first time I read it, I like it a little more each time I come back to it. 

The most significant thing I’ve changed my mind on in re-reads is how things played out for Michael Carpenter. The scene where he gets shot felt so raw and out of nowhere the first time I read the book. I was angry with Jim Butcher. But reading the series this time around, and writing about each book as I go, I feel sort of guilty for my misplaced anger over Michael’s fate. I wouldn’t say I’m paying closer attention to the books, but I am certainly paying different attention when I’m reading them with the intent to talk about them here. Things that I might have skimmed past or just let go of I tend to be more critical of in an effort to be honest about the material. On the flip side of that, I also spend more time reflecting on the things in the series that are really beautiful. And nothing is more pure than Michael Carpenter’s soul.

Early in the book, Michael has a conversation with Harry and Sanya, and he expresses how much it would mean to him to be able to stop fighting the forces of evil and just focus on being a carpenter, a father, and a husband. On multiple occasions in prior books, Michael has alluded to having a feeling that his time in the Knight of the Cross is coming to a close. He doesn’t know if that means he’s going to die, be put out of commission, or simply be told that he’s allowed to move on now. On this read through, it stood out to me how frequently, from his very first appearance on, he has seemed to want to retire. It’s easy to write some of that off to him displaying modesty, but I think the truth is that facing the sort of darkness that he has come up against is especially hard for someone like him, who wants desperately to see the goodness and light in all people and situations. On top of that, while he is certainly the most devout Knight currently wielding a sword, he’s also the one with the most to live for outside of the Knights of the Cross. 

Butcher didn’t pull his punches, and delivered an emotionally wrenching end to the boss fight. The cavalry has arrived just in time to pull Harry et al off of the island where they’ve been battling Denarians to take back Ivy (the Archive) and Gentleman Johnny Marcone. Harry and Michael stand together on the ground waiting for their turn to be pulled to the relative safety of a helicopter. As Harry looks up, just as he goes to grab the rope that will pull him to safety, he sees Gard looking at Michael next to him and recognizes the look on her face. It’s the look she gave him at a time that fate had determined he should die, though he escaped the greater plan that time. Believing that she has had a precognition that Michael is about to die, he gives up his spot to Michael and insists he goes first. As the rope pulls Michael away from the battle, clutching his holy sword, a shooter on the ground targets Michael, shooting him in the spine. The book ends before we find out if Michael will wake up and pull through, but even if he does we know that he is unlikely to wield Amoracchius again. 

I’ll see you back here next week with the first clue to the Never Never Socks and to discuss Turn Coat by Jim Butcher!

~Megan-Anne

“I’ve had a tense couple of days. And I’ve got to tell you, burning someone’s face off sounds like a great way to relax.” – Harry Dresden, Small Favor by Jim Butcher

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