Continuing with the Art of Crochet by Teresa (aka Crochet Geek) brilliant YouTube channel flowers. I just finished row 2. I think this will be pretty cute when finished and probably look a little retro.

Art of Crochet by Teresa Richardson - Cheerful Crochet Flower

I think the Cheerful Flowers will crochet into an afghan. It is coming along pretty nicely. The second set of pineapples are finished on the doily. I can’t wait for it too be finished so I can block it. I’m over half way done so not too long now.

Starting row two

over 1/2 way done

I’ve been making a few little crochet flowers from Art of Crochet by Teresa (aka Crochet Geek) brilliant YouTube channel This one is the Cheerful Flower. It is so easy to make because you can just follow along with the video. I’m going to make more and see how many I can attach.

Cheer Flower

After neglecting this piece for several months, I finally picked it back up again and have worked a few rows. I’m on row 32 so I’m over 1/2 done.

All ruffling is now gone and it lies flat without pins. It really straightened out a lot after I finished the first set of pineapples. It may ruffle again, but I’m sure it will all sort out in the end.

It's flat!

Finished product

Big blue eyes

The pig is coming along nicely. I think the DPNs are working well for me.

I’m using black for his trotters. I did find it a little fiddly adding the color (you can see the jog where I added it) but that is alright. I’m getting ready to shape the trotter so I’ll have to put some of the stitches on a holder. Hopefully that will go okay.

Working on a trotter

A while back I found a very cute book at the library called Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson. I decided to check it out and am very glad I did so. The patterns are so cute. I’m currently working on the pig pattern. But what is really interesting for me is that it is the first time I’ve used DPNs.

I’ve worked Magic Loop before and sort of liked it. The problem there was that I found it a bit fiddly. In fact, one time the cable just popped out on me and I dropped all my stitches.

Now, it took a while for me to get the DPNs under control. Getting that first couple of rows knitted was very hard. The book is very helpful with the instructions thankfully so I managed.

Once I got going, though, it eventually started getting easier and easier. I’m still working on the main body but am well into my decreases. I’m looking forward to the smaller bits like arms and legs to see how I manage those.

Here is some of my work from a couple of days ago. I’m further along now but the photo gives a good idea of how I’m going.

Double-pointed Needles project

I recently watched the 1992 production of the Blackheath Poisonings which had aired on PBS’s Masterpiece Theater. I really enjoyed it and decided to check out the book by Julian Symons which was also excellent.

Basically, it is about a ghastly family of toy dealers that are constantly fighting and jockeying for power. They are lead by matriarch Harriet Collard (played brilliantly by Judy Parfait). Harriet’s son, George Collard is married to Isabel Collard. Isabel is having an affair with Roger Vandervent, who just happens to be married to Harriet’s daughter Beatrice. Roger’s son Paul, from a previous marriage, is besotted with Isabel.

Meanwhile, Harriet’s other daughter Charlotte takes up with an old-flame, the rakish Robert Dangerfield. Dangerfield and Charlotte are both jockeying for power within the family, firm and with each other.

The poisonings occur first with the death Roger Vandervent. Since his relationship with Isabel becomes uncovered, she winds up being accused of his murder and is forced to stand trial. Paul, convinced of her innocence, does all he can to help her.

Adultery, murder, and blackmail are just but some of the scandals in this story. It is dark and, at times, amusing, but always keeps a grim feel.

The series differs from the book in quite a few ways. There is a much greater focus on the spiky relationship between Robert Dangerfield (Patrick Malahide) and Charlotte Collard (the fab Zoë Wanamaker) in the series. The book places a greater focus on Beatrice Vandervent (Julia St. John) and cousin Bertie (Nicholas Woodeson) who are more neglected in the televised series.

Also, the endings are a bit different. Initially I thought I was liked the book more, as it started out a lot stronger but by the time I got to the end I preferred the series.

Harriet Collard (Judy Parfait) and Bertie (Nicholas Woodeson).

Roger Vandervent (James Faulkner)

Paul Vandervent (Christien Anholt)

George & Isabel Collard (Ian McNeice & Christine Kavanagh)

Robert Dangerfield & Charlotte Collard (Patrick Malahide & Zoë Wanamaker)

1943′s Who Killed Who by Tex Avery has got to be one of the best cartoon shorts ever. It has a great soundtrack and loads of sight gags to compliment it’s jokey film noir feel. References to pop culture stars of the time include Jerry Colonna and Red Skelton. There is also a cute reference to the NBC chimes.

Avery is obviously very famous for his Red and Wolf cartoons as well as Droopy and Barney Bear. I love the Red and Wolf toons but I think I’d place this creepy masterpiece just a tad higher though that’s partly because it isn’t as well known. It’s being under-rated makes me want to support it all the more!

Detective Inspector Septimus Finch may not be the most well-known of British crime characters but he is quickly becoming one of my favorites. He is the creation of Margaret Erskine and appeared in books from 1938 to 1978. The style tends to be kind of gothic with a damsel-in-distress theme. In fact, a lot of the paperback books have the typical gothic cover of a girl running away from a creepy house.

In the few I have read, the central character does tend to be the damsel with Finch taking on a slightly smaller role than is typical for sleuths. He is a New Scotland Yard man and is described as being a tall, large framed fellow with an athletic build. He has a deceptively disinterested, even sleepy, expression but is actually always on the look-out for a good mystery to solve. His voice is very soft and gentle for such a big guy.

It is sort of a difficult description to wrap one’s head around. I think if there were ever to be a television series based on Finch’s adventures, Mark Heap of Lark Rise to Candleford might be a good choice. He’s very talented and I recall him using a soft voice in the Simon Pegg comedy Spaced.

The novels I have read so far have been set in the 1960s and 1970s and are quite representative of that time-frame. Since Finch is always being described as in his 30s in those books, I can only assume he is sort of a timeless type character.

I’ve read The Case with Three Husbands (’63), The Ewe Lamb (’69), Besides the Wench is Dead (’73), Harriet Fairwell (’75) and am currently reading The House in Hook Street (’78)

It would be nice if Septimus Finch were a little better known. The gothic tone and his gentle demeanor would make for a brilliant television series.