bekswhoknits

Full disclosure

Posted on July 23, 2013August 2, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I was actually pleasantly surprised when I started cataloging all my unfinished objects.
It wasn’t as bad as I expected.

I only have 4 projects unfinished on the needles that I don’t intend to frog.

I have Parcel which has no more excuses because it now has pretty stitch markers.

I also have two more rounds to go on my waves blanket.

I have a pair of vanilla latte socks which I’ve turned the heel on one to discover that it’s too big for it’s intended recipient my dear ol dad. But fortunately it fits the big boofer size 12 feet of HeWhoFishes.
So he’s going to get a pair of socks and I’ll have to make another pair for dad.

And then there’s mini mania.
I love the effect of the slip stitch so much that I keep stopping to stare at it. I just can’t get into a rhythm with the yarn forward, slip, yarn back stitch.
So it’s frustrating and in the naughty corner.

But it’s so pretty!!

So they’re the four projects which I want to finish.
And already I’m thinking about casting on something quick and gratifying for those moments which will probably happen really soon.
But I will be strong!!!!

(I’m fairly sure that this are the only UFOs around. I’m not counting the meerkat I need to seam up because that’s a lost cause. I also have only checked the back of the couch and my yarn storage containers. I haven’t checked handbags or my bed side table or any other random places I could have left an UFO)

Jewellery for knitting

Posted on July 22, 2013July 21, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I’ve been putting off knitting Parcel for the silliest of reasons. The stitch markers I had were annoying,
A while ago, inspired by knitnrun4sanity’s; jewellery making adventures, I bought some supplies.
It was a half baked scheme which was concocted whilst in Spotlight. Ideas that happen whilst in the shop are usually half baked which means that I don’t actually know what I need, but I want to buy stuff now and not wait to research it properly.

So I bought a starter kit, a plier kit, and some pretty things that caught my eye. My first attempt was so unsuccessful that I gave up.

Now I’ve joined My Sisters Knitter’s knitalong to finish off all those pesky unfinished objects I figured I needed to do something about my stitch marker situation.

So I had a look in my big craft book which wasn’t much help. Well I didn’t have the right tools. The Internet was more useful with this tutorial on stitch markers.

I modified it slightly but I ended up with some stitch markers.

Now I have no excuses not to knit parcel.

Look at me playing wire and stuff.

I may have got a little carried away. I had only planned to make as many as I needed. Instead I used all the round things I had.
I think these mean that I can put Jewelry making basics on my new crafts to try list.

Pay it Forward presents!!!

Posted on July 19, 2013July 22, 2013 by bekswhoknits

When I posted the Pay It Forward challenge a year or so ago I thought it would be easy.
Make something for the first three people to comment on a post. Bonus because only 2 people commented.

What I underestimated was just how difficult finding the right pattern and yarn was going to be.
The two people who commented Keri and Caitlyn are two of my knitting idols.
They were two of the first knitting blogs I followed and introduced me to ravelry, patterns, yarns, and turned me from someone who had just learnt to knit, into a knitter.

The more I thought about how much I admired these two ladies, the more daunted I was to knit for them.

So I procrastinated. And procrastinated some more.
Until it struck me, in the middle of the night I scrambled to check the rules of the pay it forward post.
I didn’t specify it had to be knitted, just hand made. Hurrah!

After that the idea came quickly. Embroidered cushions.

Then I thought about cushions being expensive and difficult to post.
So I thought about glueing some embroidery to a canvas.
I was onto a winner!
Then it was a matter of finding the right quotes.

Keri is the one who ~~held a gun to my head~~ gently persuaded me to finally watch Buffy. So I felt a Buffy quote would be quite apt.

Caitlyn had the domain 25dancer for a reason – she’s a dancer.
And late one night I was watching Black Books with commentary and found a great quote.

And so the plan was complete.

And some behind the scenes shots.

And just so no one thinks I’m making these quotes up.

**** it was only finding evidence of both quote I’ve realised I’ve misquoted both of them!!!! Whoops!!!! And I’ve waited until the recipients have received it to put up this post so it’s well and truly past the point of correction.
Eep!
Consider my hand well and truly slapped!
Note to self – always double check before stitching

Whatever Wednesday – heartbreak

Posted on July 18, 2013July 18, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Every Wednesday/Thursday I’ll be blogging about the topic that comes through my email courtesy of Shay & Alissa.

biggest heartbreak

I thought about this long and hard. I have had my heart broken a few times. Ex boyfriends, ex bestfriends, people that I though had my back but when it came to it they didn’t actually.

But there was only one heartbreak that I look back on and wish was different.

And that is something I don’t want to share with the interwebs. So instead I’m going to talk about the last time my heart ached.

I had a day off on Monday. My body needed sleep and it got it. In that state of ‘really don’t want to leave the covers of the bed’ I turned on Netflix to see what I could watch.

I clicked on Orange is the new Black thinking that I’d give it until I got sick of it. That’s my usual plan when watching something I know nothing about.

Half an hour into the 13th episode I fell asleep because I just could stay up any longer.

I was absolutely gripped.
If you know nothing about the series, it’s a Netflix original based on a memoir of the same name. I have since read the memoir and it is very very loosely based. In many ways this makes it a better series because one of the things that I liked most about the TV series that wasn’t in the book, was the many and varied stories that were shown.
It’s set in a women’s prison, with the main character being a pretty white girl whose girlfriend was involved in drug smuggling and she helped out. She then moves on with her life, but 7 years later the case is brought to trial and she is sent to a minimum security prison.
But as dry as the original premise is, the ensemble cast of fully fleshed out characters is the real strength.
Episode 3 was where it really got me. I’m not going to be all spoilery, but these are bad people. They’re all in prison for a reason. But they’re also women, mothers, daughters, friends, lovers, and enemies.
And their stories made my heart ache because for every story there was pain.
I am well aware that these are fictional characters, made up for the screen loosely based on reality. But for me it wasn’t a stretch to think that these were real people and real experiences and my heart aches for every single person who is facing that life. Not the prison life, but the life that led them their in the first place.
Because every episode focuses on a different inmate so we get to see her story, the decisions that were made, what led them to prison and who they are as a character.

I enjoyed this series so much that I watch it all (bar 30 minutes) in one day.

If you have Netflix it carries the Beks Stamp of Approval.

(And because I also read the book I’m totally including it in my books read list)

The theme is by Regina Spektor and was specially written for the show.

You Am I

Posted on July 17, 2013July 17, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I don’t know if You Am I were ever big outside of Australia, but for me they were one of those bands that you couldn’t avoid.
Even though I was never a massive fan they crept into movies I loved, hottest 100 CDs, and high school parties.

They played at the Astor on Sunday night and it was fantastic.

FO 17, 18, & 19 – loose ends

Posted on July 15, 2013July 15, 2013 by bekswhoknits

What a productive weekend! It was all about tying up loose ends and finishing off projects.

I found the perfect project for my Downton Abbey and tea yarn club yarn. This is some seriously gorgeous yarn, but it needed the right project.

The weeble wobble cowl was the answer.
I didn’t follow the pattern. I just did some short rows when I felt like it.

I also finally sewed some buttons on a chunky cable cowl that I finished ages ago but it’s a bit short. So I bought some buttons and sewed it together.

I also finished off a hat for a birthday present. When you immediately get a photo of the birthday boy I think it’s been well received.

I spun yarn!

Posted on July 12, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Last night I put on my big girl britches, went out, was sociable, and learnt something.
I spun yarn (sung to the tune of I Got Burned by the Bamboos if anyone’s curious.)

I met twitter friend and blogger Molly, who was teaching a spinning class at the Artifactory. I hadn’t even heard of the Artifactory before, but it’s an awesome space where creative people can hang out and make things.
While we were learning to spin, there was a band practicing, and there were people working on projects.

Molly showed us the most amazing yarn that she had spun herself! I was absolute in awe and even more determined to be able to do this.

Being the uncoordinated lady I am (so many unexplained bruises) it was an awkward beginning. But eventually it began to make sense. Words like ‘travelling twist’ started to look like something and not just random words.

And I was spinning!
I don’t think my yarn is going to win any awards, but it’s my yarn!

Stay tuned for more spinning adventures of Bek.

Whatever Wednesday – the girl code

Posted on July 11, 2013July 11, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Every Wednesday/Thursday I’ll be blogging about the topic that comes through my email courtesy of Shay & Alissa.

the girl code

I got quite gobby and outspoken yesterday about a twitter account called MrsTweetPerth which professed to be about all things that ladies like. Such as glamour events, champagne, and finding a husband.
Naturally my argument went along the lines of ‘who are you to speak on behalf of all ladies’
And ended with

(Which I now want to embroider on a cushion being the classy lady I am.)

Beks- not conforming to gender stereotypes since 1985.

The one bible verse (yep this post has bible verses and later swearing just to cancel each other out) that I always like was “do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world….” and then some shit about god and stuff.

So I’m not going to write a list of rules which people should follow. I’m going to write a list of rules which I (try) to follow.

1) Don’t be an asshat. Seriously Bek learn when to shut up.

2) Not everyone thinks that marriage is a patriarchal institution where a wedding ring is exchanged for a woman’s virginity. Most people just think they’re pretty. Seriously Bek, learn when to shut up.

3) Guys who act surprised to find a pink haired knitter likes football, cricket, and beer are asshats. Don’t tell them this. Seriously Bek, learn when to shut up.

4) Same as guys who think having a vagina means you don’t have a valid opinion on football. You don’t always need to argue the point. Seriously Bek, learn when to shut up.

5) When you wake up and find a drunk Irishman asleep on your couch, don’t just shut up. Say that this is not ok and you don’t appreciate random guys (which you don’t know) in your apartment. Seriously Bek, learn to stand up for yourself.

6) Don’t give a fuck about what people think. Unless you’re hurting someone you care about then stop. And then apologise. And apologise again. And then knit profusely.

Stuck in my head – Dusted

Posted on July 10, 2013July 10, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I don’t talk about work often, mostly to keep some aspect of my life private. But I do have a full time job, which most days I thoroughly enjoy but always keeps me challenged and engages my brain.

Well yesterday was a tough work day. So I thought ‘what would Leslie Knope do’ and wrote down all my ideas and all my problems on sticky notes.

There were a lot. And eventually I retreated into a conference room to get more space. So no one disturbed me, or distracted me in went the headphones. Open plan offices are good for overhearing work related stuff you don’t get told directly, not so good for overhearing personal conversations and people saying stupid or enraging remarks. Headphones are in a lot of the time.

As I moved around sticky notes, I scrolled through all my spotify playlists, most of which are albums which I’ve saved for future listening.
I come across bands from so many different sources (twitter, radio, street press, websites) I lose track of which comes from where.

So I have absolutely no idea about how Dusted came to be on my playlist, but I listened to their album through three times straight.

Music to shuffle post-it notes to.

FO 16 – a not so lucky cowl

Posted on July 8, 2013July 8, 2013 by bekswhoknits

This cowl has been on the needles for three weeks now. And in all those three weeks my football team have won.
But when I wore it for the first time yesterday, we didn’t win.
I’m still more inclined to blame the players, particularly as inaccurate kicking was clearly an issue yesterday so I’ll give my scarf another challenge next week against the team on top of the ladder.

But enough about football, and onto the knitting.

This gorgeous yarn is from ladybug fiber company.
I was researching for my birthday wish list (which no one in my family took any notice of anyway) and I found the perfect teal, grey, and black yarn.
A quick twitter poll told me to buy it and I obeyed.

The perfect pattern had to be found, and when I stumbled upon this cute but simple rib cowl I was on to a winner.

I made it longer than the pattern indicated because I wanted it to wrap around twice. And I’m super happy with it. Even if Port Adelaide don’t win every time I wear it.

Somehow I managed to get another piece of Port Adelaide merchandise in every single shot (except the back of the boat). Purely coincidence. Or proof that I own a lot of merch.