I am an avowed Jane-ite. I have read all 6 of her finished novels, her unfinished novel “Sanditon”, as well as a collection of her short stories. I’ve seen movie versions of all of her novels, even a Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice 🙂 I have a Saint Jane candle in my bedroom and know what “The Look” means when you speak of Mr. Darcy.

And in a not-so-indirect way, Jane is responsible for my knitting. The series of specialty magazines, “Jane Austen Knits”, from Interweave Knits are what drew me into a desire to knit. I bought two of them while visiting my later-to-be husband in Nebraska, when we visited the Wooly Mammoth Yarn Shop (since moved to Omaha) because they were gorgeous… just so…. Jane 🙂

Problem was I didn’t really knit. Those magazines were probably the biggest push for me to learn and get better.

I’ve made a few items from those magazines over the years.

My first: The Modified Mobcap (have made it twice!- this is the one I accidentally felted) by Elizabeth Cherry

A Sensible Shawl by Celeste Young

Emma’s Overdress by Heather Zoppetti  for my friend Renee

Northanger Abbey Mittens also by Celeste Young

And the Hetty’s Sunday Cuffs by Danelle Sorensen  also for Renee which I didn’t even take a picture of before I sent them off to her… very uncharacteristic of me.

Still on my wishlist to knit are Elinor’s Day Coat by Carol Wessinger; and the gorgeous Regency Blouse by Alexis Di Gregorio!

I recently finished the amazing book,  Jane Austen at Home: A Biography, by Dr. Lucy Worsely. I didn’t see the subtitle when I first put it on my to-read list and having read and watched a few things by Dr. Worsely I assumed it would be just about daily life in Regency/ Georgian era England and just link it to Jane Austen a little bit. I didn’t expect a full fledged, start-to-finish, bio and I was so pleasantly surprised! This book was truly fabulous to me. It kept my attention and kept me wanting to find time to read more each day. It stayed interesting and humorous throughout and did a fantastic job of constantly making connections between experiences and people from Jane’s life and how they showed up in her writings. It placed her novels in the larger context of England’s history: militarily, politically, socially and literature-wise. I would highly recommend!

Finishing this book has led me to rewatch “Persuasion”, “Emma” and “Love and Friendship” and I’ve also recently revisited the planning for a Jane Austen themed double knit scarf… you know as you do. I am leaning towards a  “Persuasion” theme, in particular, the heart fluttering letter from Captain Wentworth…. “I am half agony…. half hope….”