Amber's (scaifea) 2020 Knitting/Sewing/Cross Stitch/Crafting Projects

Hi, everyone! Happy New Year!

I've recently started a new, part-time job at the local public library, so my crafting productivity will likely suffer this year. I still hope to spend *some* time in my sewing room, and I'll share what gets done there here.

Here's a look at my work space:





Happy crafting, everyone!

My current projects are a pair of socks (knitting) and a Buffy-themed cross stitch project that was meant to be a Christmas present for Charlie, but just didn't get finished in time. Not sewing projects just now - I need to do some organizing and brainstorming...

Great to see you back even if your time here will be limited.

>3 dudes22: Thanks!

Yay! I'm glad you're sticking around.

>5 lauralkeet: Aw, thanks, Laura!

Glad to know you will stopping in some of the time!

>7 avaland: Thanks, Lois! I do love it here, although I do more lurking than posting.

I think we all spend time lurking at one time or another.

Looking forward to seeing your projects!

Oh, have we lost Amber? Come out, come out, wherever you are....

Ha! I'm here! My projects have just slowed to an agonizing crawl. I recently accepted a position at the local public library, so I'm still adjusting my time management skills to figure out how to have time to craft! I currently have a pair of socks on the knitting needles and a cross stitch project going as well. Hopefully I'll have something to report soonish...?

I remember those days when I was working and always had multiple projects of different kinds going....

Congrats on the job. Glad to hear from you.

>13 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

Hi Amber! I covet your work space - I don't really have any room dedicated to crafting but would love to be able to have a sewing room of sorts.

>15 PawsforThought: I feel so lucky to have so much space! Right now the sewing table is doubling as a ping pong table while I try to keep Charlie entertained...

I keep meaning to post an update here and then forgetting again! I'm currently working on two knitting projects (a pair of socks and a baby blanket), a cross stitch bookmark, and I've started a quilt for our new bed. I'll try to remember to post photos of them soon!

Ooh, do post photos if you can - I'd love to see your projects.

Okay, so here are my current projects:

The socks, based on this pattern ( https://www.haradawool.com/post/smitten ):



The baby blanket, which is a twisting sort of concentric squares pattern (I've done this one before as a full-on lap throw, but I'm changing the pattern up a little). It's a little difficult to see what it looks like now, since I'm working it on circular needles:





The cross stitch project is a bookmark based on a fractal pattern, in shades of black, grey, and white:





And the quilt will be out of these fabrics (I'm just at the very beginning of cutting) and will be a star block sort of thing:



And here's the pattern I'm using:

That all looks really good, Amber. I don't think I've ever seen a balnket like the one you're knitting. Will be very interesting to see once it's finished.

And those are great fabrics for the quilt. I like mixing neutrals with shades of blue, it's soothing.

Wow, you have a lot going on, Amber! I can't wait to see all of these come to fruition.

>21 lauralkeet: Laura: Ha! Story of my life, to be honest; always too many projects going at once! The socks are troubling me right now; I checked my gauge and everything, but they're turning out kind of huge-ish. I'm not too far in, and I do like having a larger opening anyway, so I think I'm just going to bump down the needle size from where I am (two more rows to finish a pattern repeat, at least) and try to small it down a bit.

>22 scaifea: I admire you for being able to adjust as you go and keep going. I'm such a perfectionist that I'd rip up the sock and start over until it was just how I imagined it to be. I don't want to think about how many knitting projects I've ripped up in my time.

>23 PawsforThought: There's really not much that's admirable about laziness, to be honest. But also, again, in the case of socks, I generally *do* start the cuff with a larger needle to make them easier to get off and on.

>24 scaifea: Acceptance is admirable, at least for someone who is borderline incapable of it.

>22 scaifea:, >23 PawsforThought: it's such a tough call, to rip out or adjust in-progress. When I was new to knitting I hated the idea of starting over so I would stubbornly press on, only to be unhappy with the results because no matter what, I could always see the mistake or tension issue or whatever. Sometimes I'll let one mistake go, but if I make a second one then I start to get grumpy about the project and that's a sign to just rip back and start over already.

>26 lauralkeet: Laura: Agreed. If I know that I'll be unhappy with the end result if I leave a certain mistake, then I'll rip it out and start again (or, more likely, rip it out and put it away for a little while, until I'm not angry at it (read: myself) anymore). This one I think will be fine, since I like it slightly bigger at the cuff anyway.

>26 lauralkeet: I can't let even a small mistake go - it'll be the only thing I see. If my gauge is slightly uneven I'll rip it up. But I was taught to knit by my grandma who was exactly the same way so it's no wonder, I suppose.

>27 scaifea: I want my scks the opposite - to sit quite tightly at the ankle. If they're too loose they won't be able to hold trouser hems in place when needed.

>28 PawsforThought: Well, yes, I want the socks tighter at the ankle; I'm talking about the cuff here.

>29 scaifea: My cuffs go from the top of the sock and all the way down to where the heel starts.

>30 PawsforThought: Ah, so we're talking at cross purposes here a bit: by "cuff," I mean just the top maybe 2 inches of the sock.

>31 scaifea: I get it. Looking at the photo you posted I see that you change stitch after those two inches - I use the same for the whole "shaft". That makes the sock fit very snugly the whole way (and is the only way I'm used to making socks).

Love the socks! And the cool cross stitch bookmark! I can't even imagine doing a blanket on circular needles. Is that for your own comfort or because it all fits on the one circular needle? And you are doing a quilt! Can't wait to see it in progress!! So many things going at once (reminds me of my younger days when I could juggle that many different projects at the same time. Sigh.) Glad to see you back in here, Amber.

>33 avaland: Hi, Lois! The blanket is knitted from the middle out in a round: you add a stitch every so many stitches, which gives it the wonky concentric circles feel. So it has to be made on circular needles.

I'm nervous a little about the quilt because it's been a good long while since I've done one. I had my physicist husband check my maths before I started cutting!

Lovely projects! I've made a couple of those fractal cross-stitch patterns, they're fun. Very excited to see how that blanket turns out.

>35 mabith: Thanks!!

I find I'm very interested in how that blanket turns out.

Here's a photo of the bigger version I finished a few years ago:

>38 scaifea: That looks really cool, Amber.

>39 PawsforThought: Thanks!!

>38 scaifea: ooh, I LOVE that blanket. Thanks for the pic, it really helps visualize what your latest one will look like.

Yes - That makes it much clearer. It looks so comfy.

>41 lauralkeet: >42 dudes22: Thanks! The baby version will be a little different: the original has wider color stripes, half of each are stockinette and half garter stitches; the baby one will have stripes half the width and it is all stockinette.

>34 scaifea: Oh! I remember that one. We had it up as the group picture once upon a time. I get it now. My hubby is also useful for such questions! (his PhD is in applied mechanics, the undergrad was physics). You will be fine with the quilt. I still make mistakes all the time (luckily, any screwed up bits just go back into the scrap bins!

>44 avaland: Thanks, Lois, for the confidence vote! We'll see how it goes.

So, I've turned to making masks, too. Here's my first one:

>46 scaifea: You did a good job.

>47 thornton37814: I did, didn't I? Ha!

>46 scaifea: Not only is it good work, it's also pretty.

>49 Lyndatrue: Thanks! Blue is my favorite color and I do really like that fabric. I had it left over from a roll dress I made for my niece.

Beautiful Work! I especially like the socks, and that fractal cross-stitch pattern would make a great dollhouse rug.

Oh, I almost forgot. Does the mask have something rigid in the middle at the top, so it can be crimped over the nose? Highly recommended. I was a hospital nurse for almost 40 years, and I wouldn't want a mask without a nose crimp.

>46 scaifea: Lovely!

>52 sallypursell: Sally, the masks don't have to have something rigid at the top, some prefer that, some don't. I bought a small bag of plastic coated twist ties to use (probably just zigzag them on), but I haven't done so. The first 25 I made were shaped (form-fitting) and I wasn't certain how easy it would be to attach them, and the subsequent ones (the pleated) I've just not added one (but I think my husband wants one on his, so we'll see)

>51 sallypursell: Thanks, Sally!

>52 sallypursell: >53 avaland: I'm with Lois: I didn't add anything rigid because I wouldn't want that. I get that nurses and other folks wearing them all day long might like that to help keep them in place, but I would only be wearing the mask for a short time and feel like it will be more comfortable without. Thanks for the tip, though!

I think a lot of medical personnel are using these on top of another mask. I also heard a doctor explain that a filter needs only to be a piece of nonwoven fabric. He suggested a paper towel. But it seems non-adhesive interfacing would also (furnace filters, HEPA filters, and one mask-maker dried out a disinfection wipe...

>55 avaland: I think you're right about that, Lois, or at least I've read that they're doing so in a few different places. I'm foggy on the why - does the cloth mask help extend the life of the "real" mask?

>56 scaifea: Essentially, yes. The "real"mask can be used for a long time (a whole day), but only if it doesn't get contaminated by someone touching it. If there's another mask on top of it, *that's* the mask that'll be contaminated.
The podcast Sawbones had an episode a couple of weeks ago that explained this really well.

>57 PawsforThought: Ah! That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation!

>58 scaifea: I'm glad. I wasn't sure I was making sense to myself.

>59 PawsforThought: Ha!

I've been working on a couple of project, but as usual, I always forget to post here. Here's a few blocks from the quilt I'm piecing together:

Oooh, pretty!

>62 rosalita: Thanks, Julia!

>61 scaifea: I love the stars and the polka-dots!

>63 scaifea: Thanks!

Like that!

Ooh very nice! Will this be a bed-sized quit or more of a throw?

>66 dudes22: Thanks!

>67 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! It will be a bed-sized quilt, or, in other words, it will take me forever.

Ha! I can't imagine taking on a project that size. Good for you!

>69 lauralkeet: Laura: Ha! Yeah, I'm not sure how sane a decision it was...

Very nice.

Oh, very nice! How big are the blocks? (Glad to see someone is still at their sewing machine)

>72 avaland: They're 8 inch squares, I think? Something like that.

I've not been doing much crafting lately, although I'm slowly plodding through a handful of knitting projects. I always make Charlie's Halloween costume, of course, so here he is this year as The 10th Doctor:

>74 scaifea: Nice to see you here! And oh my, Charlie has grown. (10th. Is that David Tennant?)

That's a great costume, Amber. Very nice!

>75 avaland: Thanks, Lois! Maybe I can get myself in gear and be around more often with things to show for it.
Yes, Charlie has GROWN. He's taller than me and has recently caught up to Tomm, too. And he's only 12. Yoicks. And yep, Tennant was #10. Here's the look we were going for:



>76 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! I'm pretty proud of the suit, really. Fully lined and everything! Hopefully he doesn't outgrown it before we can start going places again...

That's an extremely ambitious sewing project. Great job!

>78 dudes22: Thanks!

Okay, so here's the quilt I've been working on, just the top, which I finished piecing yesterday (I made the actual quilt sandwich and started quilting yesterday, too):



The photo isn't great - it's not nearly as much of a hot mess as it looks here - but also just don't look too closely because it *is* a little wonky in places. Some of the squares I made way back when I was just starting to learn how to quilt, and I didn't want to throw them out and redo them because I kind of like the idea that it's a record of my learning progression? And I also kind of love that it's a hodgepodge. It's made wholly out of repurposed flannel shirts.

>80 scaifea: Nice! Is it bed-sized or more of a throw? I love that you made it with recycled (or upcycled maybe?) fabric.

>81 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! Honestly, I hope I can get a better photo once I've finished the quilting - the colors are wrong here and it looks way more clashy than it actually is. It's lap-quilt sized, and yeah, the repurposed shirts make it so soft (plus, I just love giving new life to old things).

I think plaid and flannel are just great together. Makes me want to rush out to my local consignment store for flannel shirts - oh wait - they're closed. But you've given me an idea.

>83 dudes22: Flannel shirts that aren't stained or threadbare are not easy to find in thrift shops, so I wish you all the best luck! Garage sales are a good place to look, but I'm not going to any of those right now (nor am I venturing into thrift shops, even though they're open right now here).

I suppose I could go through my husband's closet ... Actually I have more than enough projects right now, but that is nice looking.

Well done, Amber, that’s impressive! I love that you’ve made it out of old flannel shirts. I’ve had a similar idea for re-purposing my old flannel pyjamas. I’m always excited about reusing something that can be reused, and especially when it’s something I really liked in the first place (like my lovely, soft pyjamas).

I love plaid! and there's nothing better than old, worn flannel. Thanks for showing. It makes me think, too.

>85 dudes22: Closet-raiding is a valid choice! And don't we all already have more than enough projects? Ha!

>86 PawsforThought: Thanks! Let me tell you: this quilt is going to be *so* soft and cozy! As I'm quilting it, it's so lovely to the touch and I almost want to keep it for myself (it's a Christmas gift for my parents).

>87 sallypursell: I love plaid so much, too. and flannel plaid is The Best!

>80 scaifea: et al

I love that! It messes with the eyes, but in a playful way. I remember when you started collecting the shirts. I was raiding my husband's closet for cotton plaids.

I have never made a flannel quilt. Any specific things one must watch out for (i.e. shifting of the pieces because of the nap); does it make a mess in your machine (I shouldn't have to ask that but it's been probably 30 or more years ago I made anything with flannel...and I had a basic Kenmore machine back then).

That quilt is going to be an heirloom for someone!

>89 avaland: Thanks, Lois! Part of the reason why I'm not happy with the photo is that the quilt is not so hard on the eyes in real life. I'll try to get one in actual daylight once it's finished and hopefully that will look more accurate.

I didn't have any trouble with shifting because of the nap, and these were not-new flannel shirts, so there's not a lot of fuzz left. I've also got another quilt in the piecing process that *is* made with new flannel, but that's not making a mess or shifting, either. If I make another one out of repurposed flannel, though, I'll use some lightweight interfacing on the pieces, because some of the flannel is borderline threadbare, and making the points meet would be a lot easier with slightly more stable fabric, I think. This one is for my parents for Christmas, and I think they'll love it (I hope so, at least!).

Are you sure they won't fight over it? I was going to ask if you interfaced any of it. Question answered.

>91 dudes22: Ha! They're pretty good at sharing. They're been married for 50 years, so they've had a lot of practice.

>90 scaifea: Re: the mess. Maybe I was thinking more about velvet. The last time I made something with crushed velvet was a long hooded cape (with fur trim!) for my oldest daughter's winter wedding in 2009.

>92 scaifea: 50 years! Congratulations to them!

>93 avaland: Ooof, yeah, velvet. Yoicks. The most recent big mess for me was making a robe out of that floofy 'minky' nonsense. The. Worst.

Quilt update: The quilting is coming along faster than I expected, so yay! And I'm excited to use my new bias tape making kit to make the binding. Soooo much faster than doing all that folding and ironing by hand!

>94 scaifea: I've heard stories about that stuff (there must be static involved there, too?)

>95 scaifea: Oh, yes, those bias tape makers were a dream during that all that mask-making.

Amber, you don't by chance have the book Scrap Quilt Celebration, do you? It's older, 2002, but I had it out yesterday and this morning to browse through, hoping for some inspiration, and noticed that at least 3 of the quilts featured in this book are shown made out of plaids (and most of her scrap mixes in the other quilts all seem to include plaids), This is my favorite - a schoolhouse pattern (bad photography because I'm in a recliner with books and a laptop all over me...and also color is enhanced because of the iphone):



Amazon is selling the book pretty cheap these days. Just sayin'

>96 avaland: Omg, yes, the static. UGH.

And YES to the mask making! *So* much faster with the tape maker.

I may have that book in my quilting book pile, but if I don't, I'm definitely ordering it - I love that schoolhouse one! Thanks for the tip!

>97 scaifea: No one seems to be wearing the masks with the straps these days now that others are available, and elastic is readily available. I still wear them because I wear both glasses and some very pricey hearing aids.

>98 avaland: I haven't even made any with elastic yet, although I think I'll give them a go this month. We like the tie straps. *shrug*

>99 scaifea: I have noticed that every catalog I've seen this season (and that's a lot...) has masks for sale. I even picked up a Dr Who one for a teen.

>100 avaland: Yeah, I've noticed that too.

I noticed too. And quite the variety in prices.

>102 dudes22: Right? It's great that there's a healthy supply of masks out there, but...designer masks? Really? Seems...crass? I do love the idea of things like Doctor Who masks and playful, fun themes, though, and maybe there's not much difference there, but, well, I am layered with contradictions.

Thing is the mask was made of a stretchy fabric and came with two filters to use inside. No cotton in the mix as far as I could tell.

>104 avaland: Those knit-looking masks *do* look comfy.

>105 scaifea: I speculate they'd be hot (if not cotton).

I ran across even more quilts/patterns using plaids today in other books, all from the late 90s and early otts: Nickel Quilts: Great Designs from 5 Inch Scraps and 101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts.

>106 avaland: Oh, good point about the hotness. And thanks for the book tips!

The quilt is finished (I tried hard to get a good photo, but wasn't terribly successful, I think):

Next project is a Christmas gift for Charlie. He loves The Dragon Prince (on Netflix) and his favorite character is Callum:



So I'm going to try to recreate his bookbag as a messenger bag:

I like the quilt - especially the bottom left block - red/black/green? gray?. Anyway, I don't have many plaids (Christmas mostly), but it's an idea to keep in the back of my mind.

That bag looks somewhat ambitious. Good luck.

>110 dudes22: Thanks! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and it's *so* soft and cozy.

The bag won't be that bad. I've bought fabric pens to recreate the stripes and I'll use a white or off-white fabric for the gusset and a fabric pen to make stripes on that part, too, to simulate paper. We'll see how it comes out, but I'm optimistic.

>108 scaifea: I love it. It's playful while being cozy-warm-looking, what's not to love about that?

>112 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

Besides sewing these days, I'm still knitting as well, and I made this little thing:



It's a Soap Sweater Pebble. It's knitted with wool yarn and acts as a loofah with the bar of soap inside. As you continue to use it, it will felt itself, and by the time the soap is used up, you'll have a little stone made of felted yarn. This one is going into the Christmas package for my parents - my mom is one of the only people I know who uses bar soap. I love the idea and hope it actually works!

That's a cute idea, Amber!

That is cute! Do you put the soap in and then sew it closed?

>115 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! It's a pattern I found on ravelry, of course.

>115 lauralkeet: Thanks! Yep, the soap goes in just before you kitchener stitch the whole thing closed.

>114 scaifea: That’s cute. I did something similar earlier this year (which then inspired me to do washcloths), but mine is for soap bar scraps and doesn’t felt.

I use soap bars too, but it’s difficult to find ones that don’t make my insanely dry skin even worse.

>114 scaifea: Very clever! Glad to see you always thinking of projects to do.

>118 PawsforThought: Paws: Using something like this for soap scraps is a great idea!

>119 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

Okay, Charlie's Christmas present is finished! (see >109 scaifea: for the inspiration):

>121 scaifea: I commented over on your 75 Books thread, but it bears repeating: that is AMAZING.

>122 lauralkeet: Thanks so much, Laura! You're awfully kind.

>121 scaifea: Clever gal! Lucky Charlie. It looks great, Amber!

>124 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

I've started my next sewing project, which is a Yellow Brick Road quilt for a friend. I've washed all the fabrics (I was spooked by the talk of potential color bleeding earlier), ironed it all, and have started the cutting process. I'm excited about this one: if it turns out okay, I think my friend will LOVE it.

>125 scaifea: What colors or fabrics are you doing it in?

pssst. I've gone ahead with the idea of that quilt made with solids and have it (actually "them") up on the flannel board. It's tough for me to evaluate it because solids just don't give me the buzz I get from other fabrics. If you get a minute, would you pop over and see what you think? I have two patterns up (maybe I should just make both)

>121 scaifea: - That really is clever. I thought I had posted yesterday, but I was having internet problems so I guess it didn't actually "post". That fabric pen did a good job on the lines.

>126 avaland: Lois: It's a mix of a hodgepodge of colors and prints, all based around a theme. I'll definitely post photos when it's done and the recipient has it.
I'll hop on over to your thread in just a minute.

>127 dudes22: Thanks so much, Betty! I was so nervous about using the fabric marker. I waiting until the bag was finished to draw the design (except the line for the pages on the gusset), because that seemed easier as far as getting it lined up and positioned properly, but then there was the ginormous fear that I'd make some silly mistake and the entire thing would be ruined! Very stressful.

I'll post of photo of my latest finished project maybe later today, but for now I'll just report that I pulled out my long-running cross stitch project yesterday for the first time in a long while, and it felt good to get back to it. It's a fractal pattern in greyscale:

>129 scaifea: - Cool! How much did you already have done?

>130 dudes22: *snork!* I was afraid someone would ask that. I'm about half an inch down on that photo...

>129 scaifea: That fractal reminds me of an MRI image!

>132 lesmel: Ha! A bit, yeah!

Okay, so here's the last project I finished, the YBR quilt. It's in Supernatural-themed fabrics - a gift for a best friend/fellow fan:

>134 scaifea: That's lovely!

>135 lesmel: Thanks! Sorry for the slightly fuzzy photo, but yeah, I do like how it turned out. I was worried that those fabrics together would turn out too busy-looking, but I'm pleased with the result.

I whipped these up this morning - flannel masks for our daily evening walks. We usually don't even wear masks during the walks because there's no one else out pretty much ever, and on the rare occasion there is, we just cross the street. But I intensely dislike my face getting cold in the winter and we want to try to keep up our walks year round, so I thought, why not make flannel masks for us?

>129 scaifea: That's a really cool design, but I don't envy you cross stitching it. I'd have an aneurysm before I hit the halfway point.

And well done on the quilt - looks lovely.

>130 dudes22: - That's ok. You'll make it.

>134 scaifea: - I like this. The colors are distributed nicely across the quilt.

>137 scaifea: - That's a good idea. I walk with 2 other ladies at 6:30 am and it can be quite cold. We don't wear masks as we're all facing the same direction and we walk one on each side of the road and one in the middle. (There's no traffic.) I've got some flannel. Maybe I'll try one the day after Christmas.

Thanks! I did use the greyscale trick to make sure the fabrics were fairly evenly distributed.

I'll try the new flannel mask out tonight, probably - let me know if you like yours, if you get round to making one!

>134 scaifea: I like it!

>137 scaifea: I've noticed masks to be a bit of a plus as the weather has gotten colder. Flannel seems perfect for the walks. I haven't gone over to elastic masksbecause I wear two (very expensive) hearing aids and what with that and the glasses... Last week, both times that I had to go to the hospital or adjacent building for appointments, the Covid check-in now included giving me a paper mask to wear. This is a new thing. The first time, I pulled mine down and put the paper one on very carefully (always afraid I'm going to slingshot one of those hearing aids somewhere I can't find it), but the 2nd time, they told me 'just put it over your own mask' which I have to say was suffocating as it pulled my mask up against my face. I swapped them as soon as I could.

>141 avaland: - My husband found them uncomfortable because of his hearing aids and glasses and asked me to make his so they go all the way around his head. One band has to be shorter than the other but he likes it that way a lot.

>141 avaland: >142 dudes22: I still wear tie masks mostly, too, but I also keep a small stack of elastic ones by the door, in case someone comes to the house and I need to put one on quick-like. I have glasses, too, but I don't mind the elastic too much. I definitely would wear ties with hearing aids, though, because I'd have the same fear of losing them! With my long hair and scarves and hats and everything else for a walk, though, elastic just seemed simpler.

The ones I make for my husband are elastic but it goes around his head. So he wears it at the neck and then can just pull it up if he needs it.

>143 scaifea: That makes sense.

>144 dudes22: I thought about the two elastics at one point but I have fairly long hair now (and it's the thin, flyaway stuff).... Before I go out I put the tied mask on and then I drop the upper tie forward so the mask hangs around my neck. I pull it up as necessary, like your hubby does. It's not a fashion accessory I'll adopt permanently :-)

Amber, I decided to poke my nose out beyond my 75 thread a little bit, and I see you have an amazing craft room. I now have craft envy!

I bought a 1-bedroom condo, which is pretty roomy, considering, but it's still only 1 bedroom. So I have a sewing corner in my bedroom where my sewing machine and 2 totes with mending piles live, along with my thread keeper on the wall. Plus the 2 under-bed storage bins for notions. My fabric stash lives down in the garage/storage area.

I am slowly working my way toward getting back into sewing. Clearly not happening in 2020, but optimistic about 2021.

The quilt and masks are lovely. And the daily walks sound great.

>146 justchris: Good to see you! Good luck with the sewing resolution - this is a great group for motivation in that department!

And thanks for the quilt and mask love!

So, my new thread is up:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/327830#