black books

another cushion for another black books fan

Posted on January 9, 2014 by bekswhoknits

We’re everywhere!
And by we I mean black books fans.

If you’ve never watched it, I suggest you track it down (unfortunately it was just taken off netflix – boooo!), pour a glass of red wine, and commit the next 10 hours of your life to laughing.

And then we can be friends.
And you’ll know why I have ‘I’m a happy go lucky scamp’ in almost every single social media profile.

So when Midnite Moose asked me to make a black books inspired cushion for a friend I immediately accepted.

I even imposed a crazy stupid deadline on myself so it would be ready before Christmas.

I love making things for people, and most of all I like making things for people who will totally appreciate, cherish, and love what I make. So I knew that this was going to a good home.

I can’t find a youtube clip of that exact scene so you’ll just have to take my word that it’s funny.

Or, you know, watch Black Books already!!!
(The quote is from episode 2, but definitely watch episode 1 first. Just watch all of it.)

The Elephant and his balloon.

Posted on September 2, 2013September 2, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Oksoamy drew an awesome illustration for the children’s book that Manny and Bernard write one episode.

This is the finished embroidery.

It’s amazing the lengths I’ll go to…

Posted on August 16, 2013August 16, 2013 by bekswhoknits

To not knit a sleeve.

I just don’t want to do it. DPNs are awkward and fiddly and I need to concentrate on the cables.
As I’m currently waiting to find out if the offer we put in on my dream house was accepted or not, I’m easily distracted.

A cabled jumper sleeve is not the answer.

So I’ve been embroidering and the simple motion of putting the needle into fabric and pulling it out again is calming and relaxing.

I’m not a complicated embroiderer.
I trace things I find (I have a tumblr dedicated to thingstoembroideroncushions) using paper and pencil onto a fabric flat. Sometimes I even trace directly from my laptop.
I then put the fabric in a hoop and back stitch around what I’ve traced. Occasionally I’ll dot the I’s with a French knot but I’m not too good at those yet. Although wild olive has the best instructions I’ve found.
But that’s enough to do what I want to do.

Which is embroider quotes. And this week I’ve been obsessed with black books quotes.

These are destined to be made into cushions.

I think I need to go over the second one with another colour. It’s not quite visible, but it says “feng shui is 9/10th of the law”.

I’ve also started my most difficult embroidery to date.
But when I found the perfect image on tumblr I just couldn’t resist. Oksoamy drew an awesome illustration for the children’s book that Manny and Bernard write one episode. And so I’ve traced it. (I actually had muscle soreness after doing 5 tracings in one night. Who says crafting isn’t exercise) and am now working my way through all the panels.

(There’s an A3 piece of paper under the fabric if you’re thinking I’m drawing it. I most definitely am not. I also use a pencil because it’s usually all I can find. )

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