knitting with headphones

Knitting and reading are some of my favorite things to do. Unfortunately they are quite hard to do at the same time - at least for this gal.  I can, however, walk and chew gum at the same time, so at least I've got that going for me!

While knitting gives me a productive excuse to sit my butt on the couch and watch marathons of old tv shows (Veronica Mars-a-thon, anyone?), the elitist book worm in me keeps trying to play matchmaker with audio-books and knitting. Unfortunately it just hasn't seemed to work out. I find that my attention span wanders when listening to someone reading a book - and that is only after I find a reader with a  voice that doesn't make me want to think of ways to contact them and let them know they should stop reading out loud into microphones.

I have been trying to find some auditory entertainment, none-the-less, and managed to find some podcasts that have been fantastic. Books on the Nightstand, Sword and Laser, NPR's Fresh Air,  the Book Slam podcast, and The Moth are a few that have been successful at keeping my attention.

About a month ago, I decided to try audiobooks again. I used an itunes card that remained from last Christmas to obtain Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games. It worked! I listened (completely hooked on the series now) and managed to get a good amount of knitting done, too! The woman who reads the books is a bit annoying at first, but the story is so good that I made myself get over it. I am now halfway through listening to Mockingjay right now. I have also had success with listening to Neil Gaiman reading his book Neverwhere, and the really awesome Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter books (some of his voices kind of kill me though...namely Hermione).

So, if interested in auditory adventures while working away on some WIPs (I am down with the crafty lingo, my friends), I say LIVE THE DREAM! I highly recommend any of the podcasts I named above, as well as the Hunger Games series and other books listed, especially if you are as geeky as I am.

If anyone is reading this and decides to give them a go, let me know how you like them, and please do recommend any others that you like to listen to.