I will buy pretty much anything if it’s teal, black, and white.
I then found Ladybird yarn did an almost perfect sock yarn. I later found out that she has a custom sports team sock yarn.
So this is the product of this self striping yarn. pattern notes here
Unfortunately it’s getting a bit warm to wear, but it will be ready for next football season.
Wolf and cub kicked some rock and roll ass on Saturday night.
We got there as doors opened and enjoyed the almost-summer air with a few cold bevvies. Amps wasn’t sad and lonely for long.
The first support was nothing amazing, but doctopus who were up second were pretty cool.
Not enough men rock pigtails quite like the doctopus bassist.
And not enough lead guitarists play from lieing down on the stage.
AND not enough Aussie bands have songs dedicated to ice hockey and Wayne Gretsky (hello Canadia!)
Even though wolf & cub only have on drummer / drum kit on stage these days, they totally make up for it.
I think they may have a chance of breaking into the hottest 100 this year. 
We probably would have bought tshirts anyway (you can never have too many band shirts), but as the band members were manning the merch stand we had a chat, a couple of pics, and walked away with a signed poster.
All round tops evening watching a tops band and listening to some tops tunes live.
I want my new house to be full of memories and inspiration, and so I’m intending on filling it with photos.
Posting a picture a day is not a new concept and it’s certainly not an original concept.
It’s something that I’ve tried (and failed) before.
So what makes this different? I’m trying out the theory that if I come up with the prompts I’m more likely to stick with it.
And if I tell all you lovely people about it and then don’t complete it I’ll be disappointed in myself. (Not too disappointed, I mean it’s only a photo challenge.)
So if any of you lovely people want to come along for the ride I’ll be using #bwkpicaday on Instagram, tumblr, twitter, flickr, & Facebook. (So apologies to anyone who follows me on multiple sites because you’re going to see the same photo a few times each day – to be fair I usually do this anyway just not each and every day)
I’ll be saving it to my phone with a daily reminder. If I make it through I’ll post a summary at the end of the month or each week. I haven’t decided yet.
Here’s the prompts.
this little blog’o’mine turned 3 last week!!!
I know right!
I can hardly believe that I’ve managed to talk about myself for that long. But you know what, if I’ve learnt anything from my month off, it’s that blogging is really important to me and helps keep me a semi-productive member of society.
If it wasn’t for this blog I probably would never have learnt how to knit, dabbled with coding, photography and design, figured out who I am as a writer (a mediocre one), and most importantly I wouldn’t have made so many awesome friends.
I probably would never have got around to watching Buffy or Angel but Keri!) gave me the slightest of nudges and and my life is infinitely better because I did.
There are so many amazing people on the internet that I just wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for this blog and for that I am very grateful. I count every one who takes the time to comment on my blog a friend (except when they’re clearly not an actual person and are convincing me I need SEO to be a better person).
And so I am going to say thank you the only way I (currently) know how.
With a cushion.
And what makes a cushion more than just extra padding for couches? Pop culture references.
So please leave a comment with a quote or phrase that you would like embroidered on a cushion.
I’ll choose one at random, and then at some point (I’m deliberately giving myself an open timeframe, and because you’re a friend you’ll understand) I’ll make it and send it to you.
It will require some assembly (ie the cushion filling part) at your end – actual cushions are freakin expensive to post so you will receive a cushion cover.
There are no rules, just get quoting.
Write it down, send me a pintrest / tumblr / picture link, a youtube link if it’s a song lyric – anything goes.
(“I said no rules not anything goes!”)
I’ll choose a comment at random next Tuesday November 5th or when I remember.
And whilst Jack Davenport is not my boyfriend, the below video explains why I’m not allowed any more cushions for myself.
And here’s a cushion I wanted to keep but was sent off to a new and loving home last week.
update
Clareio – I will be emailing you shortly about your cushion.
Everyone else – please continue to leave quotes. The world can always use more people quoting.
I am counting the weekends down to when we move, but I am not putting my life on hold.
It is so frustrating to make things in a small space when you know there’s a craft room bigger than your lounge room just around the corner. But I can’t not make things.
So, inspired by Jesse, (aka oocha and wee pleasures) I dyed some yarn.
And it was so much fun.
I have researched dyeing methods before and wrote it off as something to do once I had more space and equipment. But the chalk legs tutorial that Jesse pointed to is by far the easiest. As I had purchased some Moda Vera Pure Wool in anticipation of dyeing at some point I was able to do everything with materials I already had.
I didn’t follow the instructions very well the first time, and added ALL THE COLOUR at once. Which once I figured out my mistake I immediately took it out and then plunged the wool into cold water. And then I realised my second mistake, pure wool doesn’t appreciate sudden changes in temperature. Fortunately not too much damage was done. It felted slightly but it still ran through my ball winder ok.
All of the dying was done using McCormick food colouring. It comes with a handy colour mixing chart on the back and so I mixed the right amount of drops together in a spoon and then plunged the spoon into the water (or dye bath as it is known!)
It’s all really basic and really a lot of fun. And if the colours all look really hideous together please don’t tell me. They all look rather fetching to my slightly colour-blind eyes.
I did try to be inspired by something, but I don’t think food colouring dye charts are sophisticated enough to capture the Adelaide Crows complex palette.
And of course once it was dry I had to wind it straight away and start using it. Even if I have a billion things still on my needles.
And yes I’m totally counting this as a new craft! That takes the total for this year up to 4!
I managed to well and truly destroy my target of reading 12 new books a year.
Confessions of an air hostess.
I’ll be honest, this isn’t going to win any literary awards. However it is perfect for a sunny day, a glass of wine, and a few hours of some mindless romance.
I consider Little Black Dress books to be the same as the Mills & Boon books I used to judge my dear mother about reading. Well 15 year old Bek is now judging me for reading Little Black Dress books (15 year old me was a judgemental little shit really, but she grows up kinda).
There is a time and a place for great literature, and there is a time and a place for trashy and predictable romance novels
(Best read with – wine and The XX)
I could have sworn I heard about this book from The Hairpin but whilst googling to find the link I couldn’t find it.
So I don’t know how I found out about this web serial turned book, but I’m very glad I did.
And I’m very glad I read it all at once. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, and I became totally immersed in the story I didn’t want it to end.
(Best read with – a gin cocktail and the duke spirit
I have been a Phillipa Gregory fan for ages now, but I think I’ve reread The Constant Princess twice in the time it took me to sit down and finish The White Queen.
I bought this book on our road trip to Adelaide (May 2011) and only just finished it. But it was good because I found the Bradman museum postcard that I bought and had used as a book mark.
It’s not that it’s a difficult read, it’s just I had trouble navigating the different time zone. After spending so long with The Tudors (through the TV show, her previous books, and I actually read some non-fiction on the subject), I didn’t immediately recognise most of the names. That and I found the whole Melusina subplot pretty tedious.
I am looking forward to watching the TV adaptation. Unfortunately I only started recording it at episode 5, so hopefully it comes out on DVD or Netflix soon.
(Best read with – blood orange screwdrivers and The Decemberists)
The Valley of the Dolls
Midnite Moose leant me this one, and I must admit I hadn’t heard of it before.
It took me a while to get into it, but as soon as I had finished I had to watch the movie (thanks Netflix!)
And I enjoyed both equally.
I don’t know how I hadn’t heard of this before. I even followed a blogger called sparkle kneeley sparkle for a while.
I feel a bit like I’m the last person on the planet to read this, but I finally have. A bit like watching Dirty Dancing (yes I’m talking to you Miss Hedgehog) it’s an important part of growing up and being a lady.
(Best read with – malt liquor on the rocks and Neko Case
I finally signed up for a Good Reads account so if you’re on Good Reads look me up – I’m bekswhoknits.
There’s been a lot of paper-rock-scissors in out household recently.
Grand Theft Auto 5, Skyrim, and Final Fantasy XIII-2 have recently come into our possession. I still haven’t finished Final Fantasy XIII and I also know that there’s a new Gran Turismo coming out soon. So playstation time is in high demand.
One night when HeWhoFishes was (wait for it) out fishing, I spent a Friday night playing Skyrim and listening to Villagers.
And something about this song in particular reminds me of the that game.
Like the two fit together somehow if that makes any sense at all.
I like games with quests and dragons and adventure and somehow Villagers has captured all that with a song.
While I was away, I tackled my first proper lace knitting shawl.
The stars aligned and the yarn perfectly matched the pattern.
I could see it in my head before it was even started.
The yarn is from Yarn vs Zombies who is one of my favourite yarn suppliers.
This particular colour is a limited colour way from the Downton Abby & Tea club. It was so much fun to be part of a club I signed up for another. Getting themed yarn delivered to my door? Yes please!
The pattern is dragonfly wings and it’s one of the more popular patterns on Ravelry for a reason. It was very easy to read and had line by line instructions as well as a chart. There was a slight counting issue (counting is hard!) so I did rip back and start again, but I still finished it in a week (and a season of Game of Thrones).
It was also my first time using my blocking mats properly.
It took at least an hour to pin it all out. But I’ve finally witnessed the magic of blocking. The process of something coming off the needles, not really looking like anything, but then transformed by a spray of water and some time.
Its a bit magical.
What. A. Month!
It’s not quite all over, it’s still a really busy time at work and we haven’t moved house yet, but I’ve started to think like a blogger again.
Just as I fall asleep imagining my hands knitting the last knitting pattern I was working on, I’ve started to think in blog posts. Which means by brain is bored and I need to start writing again.
So what’s been going on? Plenty!
Most of the stuff for our new house is done! Except the whole moving in part. We’ve signed our life away several times and have started putting our life into boxes.
Even though the weather is being a bit of a tease, it does feel like spring is on it’s way and there has been a hint of sunshine.
Look! Bare legs!
We finally cleaned up enough of an area for me to sew a cushion cover (with an invisible zip!).
And we found enough space for some blocking mats.
Not much space, but enough.
With any luck I’ll now be back to my usual schedule.
I have so much more to show you all!
But will leave it here for now.
xx
beks
I’m currently on a blog hiatus.
I don’t have enough spoons to do everything I need to do at the moment so I will be back once I do.
(For those who have never read the spoon theory, it is a really good way of explaining chronic pain, or in my case living with depression)
It’s really difficult to say even a temporary goodbye to all my lovely blogging friends, but rest assured that I will return.
“So let us not say goodbye, but as the french say, au-revoir”
xx
beks
ps. if you’re new, please feel welcome and get to know me anyway.
polka-dots & sparkles 