FO Friday - 5/29/2026

I finished something recently. It’s another shawl for my Year of Shawls project.

What is that, you ask? It’s my strategy to stash down some of the many singles skeins of sock yarn I’ve purchased in the past. They’ve been sitting around not being knit into anything, never mind not being knit into socks. 

Here’s the latest shawl:

The pattern is Get Set and Go by Jem Arrowsmith. I used The Fiber Seed Sprout Sock in Nautical. It is nice and squishy yarn. The put up is 510 yards, more than enough for the shawl, but I ran short. I did one less pattern repeat. 

I also finished these pillowcases (plus others that will be Christmas gifts that I can’t show) that I started back in February.

Remember how I couldn’t resist the pink flamingos in the fabric collection called Coastal Breeze by Northcott Fabrics? It must have been very popular, because one can hardly find any of the fabrics online currently.

I have another shawl and many sewing/quilting projects going right now. Hopefully, I’ll turn them into finishes soon.

MK out.

Book Chat - 05/28/2026

I read some books in April and this month. I’m here to tell you about them.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Someone overhears Finlay discussing the plot of her overdue draft with her agent and thinks that Finlay is a hitman. She tries to hire her for a job. Much mayhem ensues. It was a fun read.

The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief by Rena Pederson

There was a jewel thief in the 1960s and 70s who hit many homes in the Preston Hollow and Highland Park areas of Dallas. They were never caught. This book tells the story and also examines the seedy underbelly of Dallas during that time. I recognized many names and locations mentioned. It was interesting.

What She Saw by Mary Burton

A cold case reporter who has ties to the crime tries to find answers thirty years after four women disappeared from a music festival. It kept me guessing.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

A mid-fifties menopausal woman looks forward to her family’s annual weeklong vacation on the Cape. Three generations get together to life, while she makes all kinds of sandwiches for their lunches. It was pretty good.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

This book has been adapted to a streaming series. Margo is barely an adult. She has a brief affair with one of her college professors. When she finds out that she is pregnant, she decides to keep the baby. But she has no income, and the baby’s father is no help because he is married and already has a family. What’s a girl to do? Why, start an Only Fans account, of course. It was alright.

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

If you like quirky characters, this book is for you. Strout’s latest book does not disappoint. A high school history teacher, who on the outside appears to be living his life fully and engaged is troubled. On the inside, he is questioning free will and the meaning of the life around him that appears to be becoming more ridiculous by the minute. It was very good.

This post brings me up to date. If you’re counting, I’ve read fourteen books so far this year. I’ve got another one on the go.

MK out.

Book Chat - 5/14/2026

And we’re back! I have a few books I’ve recently read to discuss.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evan’s

Former attorney/court clerk, Sybil Van Antwerp, sits down every day in her retirement and writes letters to friends, colleagues, and even celebrities. She’s lived a full and eventful life. The letters fill in the information about her past as well as serving to moved the story forward. There’s one recipient of her letters who remains a mystery until the end of the book. It was so good.

Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center

This book tells the story of Lanie Coates - a wife and mother who has spent her married life putting herself last. When she and her family make a big move for her husband’s career, she starts to remember that she once had dreams for herself too. She starts making a few changes, and pretty soon, people take notice. It was good.

Chasing Stardust by Erica Lucke Dean

Zoey’s mom has died. Her former music journalist grandmother has hinted that her grandfather was David Bowie. She sets out to spread her mom’s ashes along the 1972 Ziggy Stardust tour. It was cute.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

In 1970s Ringgold, Georgia, Catherine Grace Cline is dying to escape. She’s the daughter of the Baptist preacher and is tired of her small town life. She and her sister go to the Dairy Queen every Saturday afternoon, eating Dilly Bars, while she plans her getaway. It was a quirky and delightful read.

And that’s it for now.

MK out.