Literary Crafter: Bathsheba Everdene

I'm back to my literary crafters, and this month it is Bathsheba Everdene from Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd. Bathsheba first appears knitting at the sheep shearing supper;

The sun went down in an ochreous mist; but they sat, and talked on, and grew as merry as the gods in Homer's heaven. Bathsheba still remained enthroned inside the window, and occupied herself in knitting, from which she sometimes looked up to view the fading scene outside. The slow twilight expanded and enveloped them completely before the signs of moving were shown.

Although she seems quite keen on knitter at this stage, later in the book her enthusiasm has dropped;

"Liddy," she said, with a lighter heart, for youth and hope had begun to reassert themselves; … What shall I do to pass the heavy time away?"

"Hemming handkerchiefs is a very good thing," said Liddy.

"Oh no, no! I hate needlework—I always did."

"Knitting?"

"And that, too."

"You might finish your sampler. Only the carnations and peacocks want filling in; and then it could be framed and glazed, and hung beside your aunt's ma'am."

"Samplers are out of date—horribly countrified. No Liddy, I'll read. Bring up some books—not new ones. I haven't heart to read anything new."

This scene does take place at a very trying point in the book for Bathsheba so I'm going to put her remarks down to bad temper and unfortunate circumstances.

 Here is Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba in the recent film. I've included this picture as I like her jacket, and have some half formed ideas of trying to make something like this for myself.