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    Arts

    CraftLit

    CraftLit — Annotated Audiobooks for Busy People

    Love classic literature…or wish you did?

    CraftLit is a weekly podcast featuring classic audiobook chapters paired with entertaining literary commentary that makes great books easier—and more fun—to understand. Host Heather Ordover explains historical references, vocabulary, and cultural context before each chapter so listeners can fully enjoy the story.

    Think of it as a global book club for classic literature, perfect for listening while commuting, crafting, walking, or doing chores.

    CraftLit has been in continuous weekly production since 2006, making it one of the longest-running literature podcasts. Listeners also send in voicemail comments that keep the show feeling like a lively reading group.

    Authors featured include:

    • Jane Austen
    • Mark Twain
    • Elizabeth Gaskell
    • Mary Shelley
    • Wilkie Collins
    • Alexandre Dumas
    • Robert Louis Stevenson

    Recent and current readings include Mark Twain’s Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc and Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford.

    Classic audiobooks—because loving great books in a busy world is tough.

    Advertise

    Copyright: © (c) 2006-2019 Heather Ordover

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    696: Chs 3-4 — Mr. Harrison's Confessions Sep 19, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 696: Mr. Harrison's Confessions | Chapters 3-4

    Book talk begins at 25:15

    Pears, parties, and peculiar housemates—Mr. Harrison's adventures just keep getting more awkward (and more entertaining).

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    SEPTEMBER Raffle - Box of Raffle by Andrew Ordover

    THIS WEEK'S TEA: https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    Farley's Bookshop!

    Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    • Durham U English Courselist
    • And a close up of a class and one from the U of York (thank you LilyM)
    • We caught Hank Mansplaining Knitting
    • The Ultimate "We Have Notes" video from @KristineVike
    • And the evil of Private Equity predatory practices (actually, she has a LOT of useful informational videos!)
    • Spectacular FIXED SciShow video: I Remade the SciShow Knitting Video (with accurate SCIENCE) https://youtu.be/5btQokB32dQ

    Solomon's Seal:

    • Dutch Tiles—as with Cranford, these were out of style when the story was written/takes place. They have a resurgence of popularity during the Arts & Crafts movement: https://www.regtsdelfttiles.com/antique-delft-wall-tile-18th-century-horseman-in-manganese-rosette-corner-motifs.html
    • The Jargonelle pear (Pyrus communis 'Jargonelle') is an ancient, hardy, long-lived pear variety, first mentioned in the 17th century. It produces medium-sized, yellow-green fruit with a reddish flush and musky, sweet, juicy flesh, ripe in late summer. The fruit must be eaten fresh as it does not store well.
    • Sir Astley Cooper & Sir Robert Peel again
    • Duncombe (silent final "be")
    • The back room was my consulting-room ("the library," he advised me to call it), and he gave me a skull to put on the top of my bookcase, in which the medical books were all ranged on the conspicuous shelves; while Miss Austen, Dickens and Thackeray were, by Mr. Morgan himself, skilfully placed in a careless way, upside down or with their backs turned to the wall. HA!
    • Women's veils: https://www.sewhistorically.com/mourning-in-the-1850s/ deep widow's mourning; such veils and fails, and capes and cloaks, that she looked like a black crape1 haycock2.
    • very mal-àpropos that I could hardly keep from smiling; 3but I would not have done it for the world, … '"I have the 'dognoses' of my dear husband's complaint in my desk, Mr. Harrison, if you would like to draw up the case for the Lancet.4 : Mrs. Malaprop is a comedic character from Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1775 play The Rivals. She is a pretentious and self-important aunt who constantly makes humorous verbal blunders by using words that sound similar to, but are inappropriate for, the intended word. This type of linguistic error is now known as a malapropism. Her name is derived from the French term "mal à propos," which means "inappropriate" or "poorly placed". ***a memorable scene occurs when she instructs her niece, Lydia Languish, on the importance of controlling her passions, famously advising her to begin matrimony with "a little aversion," and later attempts to describe Lydia's headstrong nature by calling her "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile". then
    • She tells Lydia that she must forget the young man, saying, "But I say it is, miss; there is nothing on earth so easy as to forget, if a person chooses to set about it. I'm sure I have as much forgot your poor dear uncle as if he had never existed".

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    695: Chs 1-2 — Mr. Harrison's Confessions (Start of Book) Sep 13, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 695: Mr. Harrison's Confessions | Chapters 1-2

    Book talk begins at 14:46

    You'll want to tune in to our latest story—because in Duncombe, even saying you feel "pretty well" can cause a stir.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    SEPTEMBER Raffle - Box of Raffle by Andrew Ordover

    THIS WEEK'S TEA: https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    Farley's Bookshop!

    Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    The Dress (in process and another of the dress on me)

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    694: Ch 16 — Cranford (End of Book) Jul 25, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 694: Cranford | Chapter 16

    Book talk begins at 12:00

    Will peace be restored in Cranford society? Or will Mr. Peter's antics shake things up for good?

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    03:00 - JULY Raffle - Botanical Knits: 12 Designs inspired by trees and foliage by Alana Davos of Never Not Knitting 04:26 - THIS WEEK'S TEA: Gratitude Blend https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    Crafty Chat 05:41 Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    • Sizing knitted sweaters
    • video on most hated knitting advice

    080:15 and 12:00 START BOOK TALK

    • 16:00 - Edward Said (Palestinian American, 1935-2003) book Orientalism in 1978 was news, now it's just "well, duh".

    • 24:48 - Negus (182) - hot port, sugar, lemon, spices Negus recipe and if you search there are MANY variations. (Mrs Beeton had something to say about the recipe - FOR KIDS!—not these Beetons)

    THIS Beeton

    • Preston Guild (1179) has held fair in Lancashire town every 20 years since 1542. Last in 2012, next in 2032 (only ever postponed in 1942)

    • 30:43 - Chapter Audio
    • 51:27 - Post-chapter Notes
    • 58:33 - "The Last Generation in England" read by Noel Badrian
    • 1:23:56 - "The Cage at Cranford" read by listener Lily M (THANK YOU!)

    Next up! • Mr Harrison's Confessions

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    Bonus Episode: Interview with Andy Hayes of Plum Deluxe Tea Jul 19, 2025
    Show notes

    I sat down with Andy Hayes of Plum Deluxe Tea (CraftLit's first-ever sponsor!) to learn more about teas and get answers to many of our burning questions.

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    693: Ch 15 — Cranford Jul 18, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 693: Cranford | Chapter 15

    Book talk begins at 22:26

    Cranford wraps up with surprise marriages, booming tea sales, Mrs. Jamieson's selective approval, and the long-awaited return of a familiar face—serving one final cup of genteel drama and heartwarming resolution.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    3:20 JULY - Botanical Knits: 12 Designs inspired by trees and foliage by Alana Davos of Never Not Knitting 04:57 THIS WEEK'S TEA: Gratitude Blend https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdteaDon't forget to send us your crafty videos

    07:10- review of Knit Nation

    9:00 stitch of the month

    around 10:08 - I'm talking about what NOT to use the stitch for around 10:29 here's my swatch

    around 12:18 color header pic The inner edge of odd pages has the page number :(

    22:26 START BOOK TALK

    22:30 We had a marvelous chapter 14, and the start of Miss Matty's tea chop (and comfit dispensary) 23:17 HumanKind: a hopeful history by Rutger Bregman

    25:00 TEA!

    • Congou - Chinese Black tea popular in 19th Century
    • (Lapsang) Souchong - fine variety of above; smoked-dried over pinewood fires (so it takes kind of marvelously smokey)
    • Gunpowder - fine type of green tea - EACH LEAF is rolled up to look granular (I checked, and yes, you can watch the leaves unroll while it steeps!)
    • Pekoe - superior black tea picked when leaves are still young and downy (Plum Deluxe has a Pekoe Ceylon Tea—because pekoe is actually a tea grade not a falvor profile!)

    26:31 - Holy smoke! Samuel Johnson's Dictionary is ONLINE now!

    26:50 - The old Hundredth - musical version of Psalm 100 "All people that on earth do dwell" (Heather actually played it on the piano for you!)

    28:05 - Baron Munchausen stories, all free to read or download: Public Domain Texts - Raspe's Original English Edition (1785) The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen

    → Project Gutenberg - Bürger's German Expansion (1786)

    Wunderbare Reisen zu Wasser und Lande, Feldzüge und lustige Abenteuer des Freiherrn von Münchhausen

    → German Text on Projekt Gutenberg-DE - Illustrated Edition (Gustave Doré, 1862)

    Beautifully illustrated version:

    → Internet Archive Scan - English Edition with Illustrations (1895)

    Baron Munchausen: His Travels and Surprising Adventures in Russia (Includes famous illustrations)

    → Project Gutenberg Free Audiobooks - LibriVox (English audiobook)

    → Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen (LibriVox) - LibriVox (German audiobook)

    → Wunderbare Reisen… (LibriVox)

    30:46 - More on the Siege of Rangoon (1824)

    32:20 - Chapter Audio 01:06:22 - Post-chapter Notes

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    692: Ch 14 — Cranford Jul 11, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 692: Cranford | Chapter 14

    Book talk begins at 11:49

    Will Miss Matty accept help from her loyal friends? And what's this about Martha and Jem... and a lodger?

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    01:30 July Raffle - Botanical Knits: 12 Designs inspired by trees and foliage by Alana Davos of Never Not Knitting

    03.14 - This week's Tea - Gratitude Blend https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    06:10 - Janine Barchas and Isabel Greenberg's new book "The Novel Life of Jane Austen: a Graphic Biography"

    10:20 We had a very Sad chapter 13, which ended with Miss Matty thinking about Martha. :(

    11:49 START BOOK TALK

    Rubric- The Book of Common prayer printed directions for teh service in red. Hens the Rubric (from the Latin word for 'Red") signified someting of importance and later came to mean "injunction" or general rule. REALLY??? LATIN FOR RED????

    13:50 - Mammon - Matthew 6:24, Devil of Covetovness or Demon of Greed (medieval and Milton - lowercase) (in hebrew meant money, modern hebrew. = wealth), , unjust worldly gain - ANNOTATION is partly WRONG, But there WAS a Syrian God of Wealth

    19:45 - AAah Voo DEER-ray zhuh Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman - Basically Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - the easiest piece of music one could learn to play. Mozart had done one of his 12 variations (though, personally, I'm partial to Tom Lehrer's Clementine)

    21:25 - She could "trace out patterns very nicely for Muslin Embroidery, by dint of placing a piece of silver-paper over the design to be copied, and holding both against the window-pane, while she marked the scollop and eyelet-holes". ANNOTATION SAYS "Probably broderie anglaise which used scalloped edges and a pattern of holes sewn round with thread like a button-hole."

    22:55 - a Celestial Globe to learn simple astronomy/constellations https://fi.edu/en/science-and-education/collection/celestial-globe

    24:35 - Wool-work and counting threads - think of needlepoint and petit-point, but you have to COUNT THE THREADS in a muslin or light canvas backing. Around 1830 v popular to stitch portraits of royalty (again, at least 10 years out of popularity elsewhere, but still popular in Cranford). Printed, gridded patterrns (Beeton's Book of Needlework)

    27:05 - Under a glass shade - put a glass dome or CLOCHE over things to keep dust off—would have been REALLY important b/c it was DUSTY back then and only got worse in London as the Century went on (also used in gerdening for heat retention)

    27:55 - Couchant - lying down in Heraldry Image from Sodacan, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    28:35 - East India Tea Company - Founded in 1600 by QE1 and held the chartered right to trade with India and China and IMPORT the tea as a monopoly until 1834 (BTW, Twining's started as a coffee SHOP/Room adding tea in 1717 , bought adjacent building for ladies to take tea(might be Western world's oldest dry tea and coffee shop) at No. 216 Strand london in 1706; still operating today - and logo created in 1787 is worlds oldest in continuous use) B/c the EIC's charter was for trade/importing, anyone could SELL the tea.

    31:25 - our mites: Biblical times a mite was the lowest denomination of coin in Judea (two mites = one lepta (thin or small in Greek) which was equivalent to a quadran, the smallest Roman coin), (also see Mark 12:43 re: the Widow's Mite where Christ praises the window who gives her last two mites in the temple) Two mites were worth about 1/64th of a denari - a day's wage for a common worker, toay about 1/8 of a US penny (1 cent)

    33:40 - Spills - QUILLING (thank you Aimee!) video of making Quilled spills

    37:15 - Comfit - nut, seed, etc, covered in sugar coating - link to max miller's video on Sugar Plums

    Post-chapter Notes

    1:25:42 - SSA update - Broader information from Snopes and SSA-specific update - but don't feel the need to read other sources. Here's the actual text of the Bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    691: Ch 13 — Cranford Jul 04, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 691: Cranford | Chapter 13

    Book talk begins at 19:20

    Miss Matty finally does it—she picks out a gown all by herself. But just as she's basking in her big main-character moment… BAM. Gossip hits the milliner's like a dropped teacup.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    02:00 July Raffle - Botanical Knits: 12 Designs inspired by trees and foliage by Alana Davos of Never Not Knitting

    04:00 Dear Reader Game (iOS only So far) and a gif sample

    10:05 Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    10:45 Korean thimbles: I cobbled together a way to do it by combining this, and this, and this.

    13:00 Knit Nation - I got the first three issues…I'll let you know.

    14:20 I also stumbled on an interesting Hogarth video that includes a bit on the Rake's Progress which I mentioned several weeks ago

    15:00 Here's the Washington Post review of Frankenstein at STC and I THINK this is a gift link so you can read it without an account!

    Future bonus episode coming on my thoughts about the whys and why nots behind So Much Frank — that will be out after the **Guillermo del Toro Netflix version ("This November Only Monsters Play God") Oscar Isaac, Charles Dance (TULKINGHORN!), and Christoph Waltz (hell yeah!).

    POLL QUESTION - there are several other Cranford-adjacent stories that E Gaskell wrote - would you like me to do those right after we're done with Cranford?

    18.20 - This week's Tea - Bookshop Blend https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    19:20 START BOOK TALK

    19:30 welly stawed = well-stopped or well-stuffed

    21:30 Shawl - 30 shillings (machine made) which would be £1.10 using historical economic calculators (e.g., the UK National Archives or measuringworth.com): - 30 shillings in 1845 ≈ £85–£120 today (2025 GBP) depending on the method (retail price index vs. average earnings).

    Post-chapter Notes

    55:55 Annotations said "green tea was FERMENTED tea" - nope, just partially oxidized then the process was halted, whereas Black teas were FULLY oxidized.

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

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    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

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    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

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    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    690: Ch 12 — Cranford Jun 27, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 690: Cranford | Chapter 12

    Book talk begins at 15:55

    Peter may be lost to the mists of time (or possibly crowned the llama of Tibet, if Miss Pole is to be believed) but it's Lady Glenmire who's dropped the real bombshell in this week's chapter.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    02.00 - This week's Tea - Bookshop Blend white https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    • Erin has a free Book Tracker quilt pattern that you might be interested in. It's also an FPP (Foundation Paper Piecing) pattern and can be found here: https://www.snugglepuzzle.com/book-tracker-quilt/

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    03:55 - Foundation Paper Piecing patterns

    04:30 - Benjamin Dryer of "Dryer's English" & Andrew on AI this is what he wrote to me to introduce all these interactions:

    • The reason I was remembering this book (that I can't quite remember) is that the idea of scale has been on my mind. It started with this story, and then this post that I wrote in response to it—and then this post by Benjamin Dreyer, which I asked my Chat-GPT to respond to, which then led to THIS piece from America's Copy Editor, with both of us being a little dazzled and a little terrified by a "mere" predictive-text engine's ability to create a phrase like "phrenology for prose."

    07:30 - CraftLit is now on Audible—please check and let us know if it worked!

    08:20 - Jon Stewart and Trevor Noah

    10:25 - Jameella Jamil's article

    12:17 - Don't forget to send us your crafty videos like Steph!!!

    13:00 - Listener Margaret had JUST read this book on the Porter Sisters when their books were mentioned on a Cranford episode! ZEITGEIST!!!!

    13:46 - I just listened to the podcast Haptic and Hue: Tales of Textiles. the June 4 episode is on The Witches of Scotland: How a New Tartan Became a Living Memorial - and thought Craftlit people would be interested—thank you JayKay

    15:20 - And from Maia a BBC podcast on the same topic

    15:30 - And another podcast from Lily M

    15:55 START BOOK TALK

    16:05 - A Moving Chess Pieces Chapter

    17:49 - "veiled prophet in Lalla Rookh" by Thomas Moore (1799-1852), verse tales joined by prose text, first tale "The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan" Edward Said's book Orientalism

    19:00 - Rowland's Kalydor: a skin tonic with a basis of almond oil.

    19:20 - Bonds are issued by governments or companies wishing to raise money. Foreign bonds in Cranford = risky (a kind of South Sea bubble).

    22:56 - "Tibbie Fowler"—poem by Robert Burns (1756 to 1796)

    24:30 - "Queen of Spain's Legs"—just sayin' 🤣

    47:21 - Post Chapter Chat

    51:10 - it's not The Kiss scene, it's "The Reunion Scene" and you can find it here.

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

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    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    689: Ch 11 — Cranford Jun 20, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 689: Cranford | Chapter 11

    Book talk begins at 13:40

    Who's really behind the name Signor Brunoni? And could Aga Jenkyns be…?

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    • Plum Deluxe Tea-CraftLit's Discount Code! https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    • Erin has a free Book Tracker quilt pattern that you might be interested in. It's also an FPP (Foundation Paper Piecing) pattern and can be found here: https://www.snugglepuzzle.com/book-tracker-quilt/

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    • Stephanie Canada Make Do for Victory https://youtu.be/pTonpoa2zIw?si=tLL-gGbBFg3dox8N

    • ANTIQUE PATTERN LIBRARY! https://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/workbasket.htm

    13:40 START BOOK TALK

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jun—Princess Bride (book—there are many versions - Heather has notes on which Forward to read)
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

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    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


    688: Ch 10 — Cranford Jun 13, 2025
    Show notes

    Ep. 688: Cranford | Chapter 10

    Book talk begins at 14:11

    Robbers, suspicion, and just when things couldn't get more tragic (or absurd), Mrs. Jamieson's dog dies—and she mourns harder than she did her own husband.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    0:00 Episode start

    • Plum Deluxe Tea-CraftLit's Discount Code! https://bit.ly/craftlit-pdtea

    • Erin has a free Book Tracker quilt pattern that you might be interested in. It's also an FPP (Foundation Paper Piecing) pattern and can be found here: https://www.snugglepuzzle.com/book-tracker-quilt/

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos

    • Nicole Rudolph women's credit card history

    • Nicole Rudolph's women traveling trunks

    • KAZ Victorian trains vs modern trains

    • Nicole Rudolph money and clothes channeling lady glenmire's 10£ outfit

    13:10 Support BJ Harrison here: https://audiobooklibrarycard.com/ For a subscription of $6.99/month, you can stream or download the entire Classic Tales Audiobooks library. These are curated, award-winning titles Truly unlimited listening. No limits or extra fees.

    14:11 START BOOK TALK Signor Brunoni and Miss Pole's Magicsplaining - she only gets worse in this chapter

    15:03 - Doctors are also dentists - don't forget

    16:10 - Remember that the French fought with the Colonists against Britain AND The Brits also fought the French in Spain during the Peninsular War (1808-1815) vs Napoleon.

    17:12 - Madame de Staël with a turban on and another of Mr Denon-

    Denon was an art expert who travelled with Napoleon to Egypt. One of his sketches is of a man in a turban:

    18:35 - There is a reference to Philomel / Nightingale

    20:34 - You'll hear a reference to a mysterious "deadly force" - or "the gaze"

    21:32 - Cheltenham, spa town.

    21:46 - Virago—domineering bad tempered woman

    21:50 - Videlicet - viz: Videlicet (2. > vi-DEL-i-sit or wi-del-eh-ket in Latin) is a Latin adverb meaning "namely," "that is to say," or "as follows." It's abbreviated as viz.

    22:56 - Dr. John Ferrier—(1761 to 1815)—author of an essay "Towards a Theory of Apparitions" and Dr Samuel Hibbard—(1782 to 1848)—the author of Sketches of the Philosophy of Apparitions (or an Attempt to Trace Such Illusions to Their Physical Causes (1825)

    59:27 Post-chapter Chat

    01:02:00 - LOGICAL FALLACY - Miss Pole: "I beleive he was robbed…"

    Appeal to Belief ** - (argumentum ad consequentiam or ad populum)** Definition: Claiming that something must be true (or false) simply because one believes it, regardless of the evidence or reasoning - the Plural of Anecdote is NOT Data.

    1:03:39 Mrs Forester - cold pigged in the morning to get out of bed

    Miscellaneous

    • Don't forget to send us your crafty videos
    • BOOK/WATCH PARTIES coming up in 2025: Last Thursday of every month, 8pm Eastern:
    • Jun—Princess Bride (book—there are many versions - Heather has notes on which Forward to read)
    • Jul—Princess Bride (movie)
    • Aug—The Last Unicorn (book)
    • Sep—The Last Unicorn (movie)
    • Oct—Random Harvest (book)
    • Nov—Random Harvest (movie)
    • Dec—Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (book)

    *CraftLit's Socials*

    • Find everything here: https://www.linktr.ee/craftlitchannel

    • Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/2raf9

    • Podcast site: http://craftlit.com

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftLit/

    • Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftlit

    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftlit/

    • TikTok podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@craftlit

    • Email: heather@craftlit.com

    • Previous CraftLit Classics can be found here: https://bit.ly/craftlit-library-2023

    *SUPPORT THE SHOW!*

    • CraftLit App Premium feed bit.ly/libsynpremiumcraftlit (only one tier available)

    • PATREON: https://patreon.com/craftlit (all tiers, below)

    ——Walter Harright - $5/mo for the same audio as on App

    ——Jane Eyre - $10/mo for even-month Book Parties

    ——Mina Harker - $15/mo for odd-month Watch Parties

    *All tiers and benefits are also available as*

    —*YouTube Channel Memberships*

    —*Ko-Fi* https://ko-fi.com/craftlit

    —*NEW* at CraftLit.com — Premium Memberships https://craftlit.com/membership-levels/

    *IF you want to join a particular Book or Watch Patry but you don't want to join any of the above membership options*, please use PayPal.me/craftlit or CraftLit @ Venmo and include what you want to attend in the message field. Please give us at least 24 hours to get your message and add you to the attendee list.

    • Download the FREE CraftLit App for iOS or Android (you can call or email feedback straight from within the app)

    • Call 1-206-350-1642


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