The Friday Night Knitting Club

"Choosing your wool is dizzying with potential: The waves of colors and textures tempt with visions of a sweater or cap (and all the accompanying compliments you hope to receive) but don't reveal the hard work required to get there."
~The Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs

After reading this brilliant book by Kate Jacobs, I'm ready to take out my crochet hook (because I don't knit) and get to work again. While I don't know of any cozy yarn shops nearby such as the one in the book, Walker and Daughter, even Michaels (a craft store for those who don't know) has a dazzling array of yarns in all colors, which inspire creativity. I'd like to find some really gorgeous cashmere yarn and get started on some Christmas gifts.

In this novel, which was published in 2007, knitting is presented as a creative, empowering, calming, and uniting pursuit, rather than an expression of the supposed domesticity of women. In The Friday Night Knitting Club, the characters are believable--not perfect--and you care about them and want them to succeed. Each one has her own story (or in a few cases, his own story), so we may understand why they are the way they are. They also change and develop throughout the story. Thank goodness a sequel to this book, Knit Two, will be out on Nov. 25, because I want to know what happens to this close-knit (couldn't resist) group of friends. I hope it doesn't sound corny, but they've become my friends, too.

Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Kate Jacobs, author of The Friday Night Knitting Club, Comfort Food, and her new book, Knit Two!

Coffee with Marge

Once upon a time, many years ago, when our children were very young, we were best friends, but as the years passed and our kids attended different schools, we saw each other less and less. Occasionally we'd see each other in town, and agree that we should get together, but our plans never seemed to materialize for one reason or another. On Saturday night I saw my friend, Marge, at a fundraising dinner for the YMCA. She said that we should meet for coffee, and this time, the plan sounded more definite. On Monday she called me, and on Tuesday we met at Starbucks. (Don't worry, this is not a plug for Starbucks, but it is a nice place to meet and talk over tea and whatever other goodies you desire. I also enjoy the music they play, and have been introduced to new musicians at Starbucks. Last summer, they had Damien Rice CDs for sale at Starbucks. In NY this summer, we went to Starbucks every day for breakfast and I pictured myself with a laptop working on my blog at a table alongside others doing the same, sipping tea.) Both of us ordered tea, rather than coffee, but no one really says "let's go out for tea", do they? We talked about all kinds of things, family matters and personal ambitions, and it felt really good to reconnect with Marge. She is funny, sharp, and original, and I enjoyed her company. I mentioned to her that I sell some books on amazon and she asked about setting up an account of her own. Later that day, she texted me to inform me that she'd made her first book sale on Amazon! That didn't really surprise me though, Marge used to collect and sell antiques, and is very gifted.