Friday 8 December 2017

The Great Christmas Knit Off

I included The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown in my #stitchingsanta parcel last year which I sent to Kim at The Material Lady blog. Kim emailed me to let me know that she'd read and enjoyed it over the Christmas period and asked if I'd like her to post it back to me so that I could read it too. How kind and thoughtful of her. Unfortunately, I didn't get round to reading it last year as my book time was cut short as I was ill myself leading up to the festive period and then my dad ended up in hospital so I kept it to read in the run up to Christmas this year.


I really enjoyed this book, there wasn't much substance to it, you certainly didn't have to think much, but it was just what I needed to come home to when my mum was in hospital. I don't think my brain would have coped with much more. It's a touching, feel good story with lovely characters which is perfect for reading during the festive season and having knitting as a theme appealed to me too.

Incidentally, my mum is now home from hospital and much better in herself, though a district nurse is visiting daily as she developed a DVT in her leg whilst in hospital so she'll need a daily injection for at least the next twelve weeks.

It would be a shame to just send this book off to the charity shop so I've decided to add it to this years #stitchingsanta parcel. I hope my partner enjoys it as much as Kim and I have.

42 comments:

  1. Sounds like the book was made for you. Glad to hear your mother is out if hospital.

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    1. The subjects really appealed to me, knitting and Christmas both in one book. My mum's happy to be home.

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  2. I'm so glad to read that your Mum is out of hospital. Sometimes it's great to have a 'light' reading book. I can't resist the 'shopaholic' series! Jx

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    1. It's a relief to have my mum back home again. This book was a perfect light read. I used to read the Shopaholic series, I've read quite a few in the series but I got a bit fed up of them so I haven't read the newer ones.

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  3. It looks like a fun book and a nice easy read after a taxing day.
    I'm glad to read your mum is back home now. X

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    1. It was a very easy read, very enjoyable. My mum was glad to get out of hospital.

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  4. I’m so glad to hear your mum is back home, now she just needs to get well.

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    1. She's so much better now than when she was taken in, she had us all very worried.

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  5. I've just bought the book for my Kindle for the vast price of 99p. I am sure your Mum will get better much more quickly now she is home.

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    1. I saw it was on the Kindle daily deals recently. I enjoyed it, I hope you do too. I think people always feel much better in their own home and I know my mum was glad to be in her own bed again.

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  6. What a lovely way of saying thank you from one to another. Glad to hear your Mum is home & hope she continues to improve. All our love to them & you. Have a great weekend & take care.

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    1. We're so glad to have her home again, we've all been so worried but she seems much better now.

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  7. Glad to here your Mum is so much better.

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    1. It's been such a worrying time for us so it's good to see her on the mend at last.

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  8. I'm glad your mum is home again, Jo. I hope she continues to improve.

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    1. She's doing well at the moment so I hope she stays well now.

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  9. Sounds interesting, there are a few knitting related books about now. Friday night knitting club as well as the Debbie Macomber Blossom Street knitting series and Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky - the protagonist frequently knits. Incidentally Barbara Delinsky - Coast Road (not knitting related) is a book I've read a few time, enjoyable.
    This weeks Women's Weekly have a pattern for knitted stocks on the straight needles. It was issued 'this' Wednesday. Cx

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    1. I've read The Friday Night Knitting Club and found it rather hard to get into but I didn't know about the other ones so I shall look out for those, thank you for mentioning them. My sock knitting started out on straight needles, I think it's a good way for someone to learn how a sock is made up before embarking on dpns or a circular needle if they're a little unsure. The only problem for me is the sewing up when they're finished, that's the biggest attraction of knitting in the round for me, no seaming.

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  10. I'm glad that your mum is on the mend.

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    1. It's been a worrying time so it's a weight off our minds now that she's home.

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  11. That sounds are great book for relaxing too. So pleased to hear your mum is home. Shame about the DVT though! There's always something isn't there?xxx

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    1. I was really pleased to find a book with a knitting theme, it was fun to read. My mum's got so many things wrong with her now that we always joke that she goes to the doctors with one thing and comes out with something else, it seems it's the same with the hospital now.

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  12. Glad your mum is home, at least you don’t have to keep going to the hospital. Sometimes something light is just what we need, just enough to distract us from daily life without having to think too much. Hope you’re keeping warm xx

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    1. It so much easier for us having my mum at home, the travelling to the hospital and back was very tiring. I tend to read in bed so something light is ideal for me.

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  13. I'm sure the next recipient will enjoy this wonderfully unchallenging read. I know i had a fabulous day on the couch when I wasn't fit for anything else reading it 😃.
    Good to hear that your mum is home. I hope this Christmas is more relaxing than last year. K x

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    1. I really enjoyed the book, it's perfect for reading at this time of year. I thought this Christmas was going to be very similar to last year with my mum being in hospital so it's good that she's home again, it's just a case of keeping her here now.

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  14. Sometimes a feel good story is just what you need. So happy your Mom is doing better and is getting the care she needs. Now you take care of yourself.

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    1. It is, it's good that you don't really have to engage the brain sometimes when you have a lot going on in life. Things have calmed down a bit now that she's out of hospital, though I've still got loads to do for Christmas so I'm still reading easy going books.

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  15. Sounds like a wonderful story - I do enjoy knitting novels. I'm currently catching up on reading a number of gardening books that I've accumulated over the past year but am hoping to get back into a novel or two come spring.

    I'm so glad that you mum is back home - must be a relief for everyone, even though she had to endure several weeks of injections.

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    1. I've got a backlog of books to get through and I keep adding more to the collection. My mum's so much better than I thought she'd be even after her stint in hospital, it's good to have her home.

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  16. Sometimes you need an easy book to just be able to switch off and relax. I don't often read seasonal books but I'm coming round to the idea. Next year I plan to read a book each month with the name of the month in it. I have one for January, March and August, and I'm borrowing one for December. Just need to find the others.
    Glad to hear your Mum is feeling better.

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    1. It's enjoyable to just read and not have to think sometimes. I think reading a book each month with the name of the month in it will be a fun thing to do. It's only these last couple of years that I've read Christmas books at Christmas but I really enjoy it now. My mum's doing really well.

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  17. Glad to hear your Mum is better and you got around to enjoying your book. Just got back from Uk visiting Daniel and the girls, my its been cold! take care xcx

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    1. My mum's so much better now than she was, the book was the perfect thing to come home to after hospital visiting. I hope you had a good time in the UK, it's got so cold just recently.

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  18. I'm glad to hear your mum is doing better :)

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    1. It's a relief that she's recovered as she has.

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  19. After reading your post, I downloaded 'The Great Christmas Knit Off' to my Kindle. Only 99p! Nearly finished it now, and I have found it a very enjoyable light read. So thank you :)

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    1. I'm so pleased you've enjoyed it. I found it just right for this time of year, very festive and with a sprinkling of knitty content if you're into that. I never used to read seasonal books at this time of year but I really enjoy it now, they certainly get me in the Christmas spirit.

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  20. Sometimes all we need is a light reading book, this sounds perfect!

    I'm so pleased to read that your mum is now out of hospital.

    All the best Jan

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    1. It was a good book to read at this time of year. My mum's much better now and glad to be at home.

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  21. LOL ...i'm reading this book at the moment, only a few chapters left, I've enjoyed it's easy style too.

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    1. I'm enjoying reading Christmas themed books during the Christmas period, I think I'll be reading what I've got into January, or even February, I've amassed quite a few.

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