New LibriVox project and other updates

I've started working on my newest solo for LibriVox.  I chose a young adult or teenage book called The Girl Aviators and the Phantom Airship by Margaret Burnham.  This book is the first in a series advertised as the 'Girl Aviator Series' and is aimed at teenaged girls on up.  I was happily surprised that these were not already in the LibriVox catalog but, of course, LibriVox always welcomes additional readings of any Public Domain books.  After I finished the last two books I recorded, Peggy's Trial and Camp-Fire Girls in the Country or The Secret Aunt Hannah Forgot, I donated the copies to Project Gutenberg since these books were not yet in their catalog.  I received a very nice thank you email from them and one of their scanners/proof-readers will be uploading these books to PG's database as he finishes them.

I've also continued with my knitting and crocheting for charity.  I finished the cabled hat that was a 'work-in-progress' in a previous post and I've also made some more squares for the Knit A Square project. They have posted a wishlist for the coming year which will be very helpful for me and my knitting friends when we decide what to make other than squares.  In addition to my charity knitting and crocheting, I've been busily at work on a new Amigurumi project.  I'll post more about it with pictures when I'm finished.  Oh, and when Duane and Linda and I were out antiquing near where Duane lives, we came across a shop that had a bunch of old and vintage knitting needles.  Some were even made of bakelite.  Duane and I have both bought some of the old plastic ones and I love knitting with them.  They're so light and smooth.  I haven't tried bamboo needles which I know that many people praise for the same reason.  I just love the idea of using vintage needles.  Apparently this dealer has more needles and has been putting a small bunch out at a time.  Great for us since we can check back to see what's new in style and size.

In the mean time, I'm waiting for responses to various auditions I've sent out for audiobooks for pay including several that will be recorded for Iambik.

LibriVox and other updates

I finally finished recording and editing Camp-Fire Girls in the Country or The Secret Aunt Hannah Forgot by Stella M. Francis for LibriVox.  It has been cataloged and can be found here.  The mystery reads a bit like a Nancy Drew book and the age group for this book could span from around 10-14 years old.  Here's the summary I wrote for LibriVox:

"Teen-ager Hazel Edwards and the other twelve members of the Flamingo Camp-Fire Girls experience some real adventure when they are invited to spend part of their summer as guests of Hazel’s elderly aunt on her large country farm. Mrs. Hannah Hutchins is a widow living alone with a few servants and farming assistants in her home in the midwestern town of Fairberry. The girls set up camp on a section of Aunt Hannah’s farm but, before too long, an incident occurs during the annual Fourth of July celebration in Fairberry. What happens will have far-reaching consequences for Hazel’s Aunt Hannah and the girls of Flamingo Camp Fire as they must use the skills they’ve gained to fend off desperate characters and help Aunt Hannah to ‘remember’ what she forgot. This book, Camp-Fire Girls in the Country or The Secret Aunt Hannah Forgot, is one of numerous books written about the Camp-Fire Girls and their experiences."

This was a book I found in a used bookstore that was going out of business.  Because it's not currently available in print online, I've donated this copy to Project Gutenberg to be digitized.  My next recording for LibriVox is the other children's book I purchased from the same store that is also not currently available in print online.  Peggy's Trial by Mary Knight Potter was published in 1901.  When I finish recording this book, I'm planning to donate it to Project Gutenberg, too.

In addition to sending out audiobook auditions, I've continued to knit and crochet for Knit A Square and The Humble Stitch along with several of my friends.  Right now I have completed 11 squares for Knit A Square.  For The Humble Stitch, I just finished my first set of fingerless gloves or handwarmers.   (I had George model them for the photo.)  I made these with a man in mind but they could really be worn by either sex.  I'm really pleased with not only how easy these were to make but also how easy it will be to adjust the size for the pattern to make larger or smaller gloves.  I found the pattern on this blog called Speckless.  The blogger also has links to other items she has made.  Very talented lady!

I plan to make more of these gloves but I want to make a hat or scarf first.  Since I'm starting so early in the year, I should have quite a few donations for The Humble Stitch before next winter.

Yarns -- from the recording kind to the craft kind

My first square.

My cyber-friend, Kate, who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, heads up an organization called The Humble Stitch Project.  I've mentioned in previous entries here where I've come across great deals on skeins of yarn and I've mailed them to The Humble Stitch for volunteers to knit and crochet items for the homeless in South Florida.  (Yes, it can get pretty cold there, too.)  After telling my friend, Barbara, about this project she was immediately interested since she's an avid knitter.  She passed the word on to other librarians and friends and it was decided that as many of us as possible would knit and/or crochet squares for another site mentioned on The Humble Stitch. 

KasCare Aid for AIDS Orphans has a site called Knit A Square where anyone may knit or crochet 8" by 8" squares that will then be joined together to make blankets to keep these children warm.  It is estimated that there are 14.8 million orphans in sub-saharan Africa.  1.9 million  live in South Africa.  It takes 60 of these squares to form one blanket.  We're going to try to make at least enough squares for one blanket by the New Year and hopefully many more to follow.  I decided to crochet my first square.  I'm going to knit my second one to see if one way is faster than the other for me.  I hadn't picked up a crochet hook in over 25 years and it's been even longer since I knitted.  I knitted some as a kid.

Ladies black scarf.

I've also been working on items to send to The Humble Stitch.  I've finished a ladies black scarf and I'm currently working on a navy hat for a man.  The scarf is crocheted and I'm knitting the hat.  I hope to have a few more items finished to mail to them before Christmas.  It's amazing how fast these skills return to you even after many years.  

Partial man's hat.

I'm still recording my latest solo for LibriVox -- Camp-Fire Girls in the Country by Stella M. Francis.  I'm actually behind in editing but pretty far ahead in recording which is a good thing in case I happen to be unfortunate enough to catch any of the colds that have been making the rounds.  Nasty colds and voice recording don't mix.  Right now, it's slowed down a bit at Iambik due to everyone (including publishers) taking holidays.  I'll be reporting here on our next releases, though.  Meanwhile, it's a great time to take out my yarn, work awhile, then go back to editing sound files.  Oh, and breaking out the Christmas decorations, too!