adventures in tv watching

stuff and things and nonsense

Posted on April 24, 2014April 24, 2014 by bekswhoknits

There hasn’t really been much going on in the world of Bek lately.

Shoulder is still preventing quality knitting time.
Most of my long weekend was spent watching Greys Anatomy (or ugly crying because that show makes you care about people and then terrible things happen to them.)
I went to watch a football game and we won. That was pretty awesome.
I’ve made a few pairs of earrings.
It’s finally cold enough in the mornings for me to wear scarves again.
I dyed my hair.
I ate an orange that was from our tree. It was a little tart though.
My best friend is becoming a real-life teacher and is moving to the country (and hopefully she will eat a lot of peaches).

Ok so maybe stuff has been happening I’ve just been too busy to notice it.

Jewellery inspired by gifs

Posted on April 4, 2014 by bekswhoknits

Whoop! Jewellery inspired by gifs.

Now if only the gifs came to life and we could put them on our walls and then everywhere would be tumblr.

Also a quick update on the Liz Lemon hat. It is now pompomless. The pompom decided that it no longer wanted to exist and so unravelled itself in a fit of rage.

FO5 – a Liz Lemon hat

Posted on March 27, 2014March 27, 2014 by bekswhoknits

I’ve been watching a lot of 30 Rock lately and I’ve been very distracted by the knitwear of Liz Lemon.

The lady rocks the knits.

(this one is even on ravelry

And so I knew I needed a kickarse slouchy hat with a big pompom. So I found a suitable hat pattern, borrowed some moda vera marvel soft from my blanket stash, and even made a very poor pompom.

Bitches get stuff done.

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.)

my weekend in numbers – FO 25

Posted on November 18, 2013 by bekswhoknits

12 – the number of sleeps remaining in our apartment.

2 – the number of invisible zips I sewed
1 – pair of shorts I successfully shortened
1 – curtain I was meant to sew up but that is lost somewhere in the abyss that it the spare room.
4 – the amount of times I couldn’t find where I left the scissors
5 – how many pairs of scissors I put away after I had finished.

48 – the number of stitches to cast on with DK weight yarn on
3.25 – mm needles for a pair of socks
3 – days it took these socks from start to finish
8 – the number of times I oohed and ahhed at the way the hand dyed yarn was knitting up
20billion – the actual number of times I marveled at my hand dyed yarn.

5 – the number of fat quarters I bought at Spotlight
0 – how many balls of yarn I didn’t buy because none of it took my fancy

2 – the number of friends who have birthdays in the next 2 weeks
2 – the number of presents I have finished for said birthdays

16* – the number of Bobs Burger episodes I watched on the weekend
7* – the number of Leverage episodes I watched
6* – the number of Parks & Recreation episodes watched.

3 – the number of bands I saw on Friday night
1 – the number of songs that I knew well enough to sing along to.

4 – the number of tacos I ate last night
0 – the number of tacos I made for myself

3 – the number of mosquito bites that I can’t stop scratching.

*I don’t know exactly how many episodes I watched. These numbers are estimated guesses.

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. )

Whatever Wednesday – TV!

Posted on August 15, 2013August 15, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Every Wednesday/Thursday I’ll be blogging about the topic that comes through my email courtesy of Shay & Alissa. If you want to join in the fun, email Whateverwednesdays@yahoo.com to get a heads up on the topic for the week.

top 5 favourite tv shows

There were strict instructions for this one. Which sucks because usually I take a left turn when approaching these topics. Specifically we were told “… that doesn’t mean your top 3, or your top 7, or I don’t watch TV because I’m too cool and do things like art projects, I MEAN YOUR TOP 5 FAVOURITE SHOWS”

Yup message received agonisingly loud and clear.

1) Doctor Who
Surprise surprise.
I first started watching the 4th Doctor and Romana II. And then came the reboot and Eccleston and fantastic. And then David Tennant (swoon) and then tumblr and fangirling and squeeeee!!!!

2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Considering I had never watched this until 2 years ago, I am completely hooked and could probably get more of the lyrics from Once More With Feeling correct if I was forced to sing for my supper.

3) Black Books
I will get messages from my brother at 2 am quoting black books.
I have also spent a night, with my bestfriend on the recliner, me and my boyfriend on the couch and him getting black books quotes not just from the tv, but from both of us, with bonus cackling.

4) Parks and Recreation
I have a bracelet which says awesomesauce, so that probably qualifies Parks and Rec to be on this list.
Both April & Andy, and Ben & Leslie tie for cutest couple on television.
Actually this show is just bad ass. All the relationships in the show have

5) Pride & Prejudice the 1994 tv series
This was the first tv show that I ever fangirled over. Wet white shirt Colin Firth.
Mum & I would stock pile the ironing to watch this together. Oddly enough Dad and my two brothers would find something else to do.

And unfortunately this was the biggest gif of wet shirt darcy I could find.

Honourable mentions:
Firefly, Coupling, Downton Abbey, How I Met Your Mother (although just finish already!), Fawlty Towers, Black Adder, Mad Men, 30 Rock…. and i’m going to stop now before I agonise over this post any more.

Here have a video of the doctor who credits in the style of the Buffy credits.

Whatever Wednesday – something for granted

Posted on August 8, 2013August 7, 2013 by bekswhoknits

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

something or someone i take for granted

I’ve always had an overactive imagination. Most books, movies, tv I consume I imagine what life would be like in that world.
I just started watching Breaking Bad and so my thoughts have been about how I would handle cancer, or losing a loved one, or having a drug addiction, losing a house, living on the streets, and struggling to eat.

At any given moment the absolute worst case scenario is flicking through my head. Almost like the flashbacks in Scrubs except in a flash I’ve fallen over, broken my wrist, unable to work, and selling my body for crack.

So I don’t think I take anything for granted.
I know how quickly things can change.
It doesn’t take much for me to imagine this life I have, this life filled with love and comfort to all come crashing down.

And so I am grateful. I am grateful every single morning that I can get out of bed.

I’m young, in love, buying a house, have some amazing friends, a career which not only do I enjoy most days but also pays for bills and yarn.
Even though my family and I don’t always agree on everything they still support me and my choices.
I can vote, own property, have a degree and access to good medical facilities.
I have the internet at my fingertips to teach me how to knit, let me watch doctor who that hasn’t aired in australia yet, and communicate with people from all around the world that I would never have known otherwise.
I have clean air, running water, access to public transport, food in the fridge, and electricity to run the multitude of appliances we probably don’t actually need.

The feeling of gratitude is almost overwhelming.

I’m grateful everytime I go to point out how nice something smells and realise my boyfriend can’t.
I’m grateful every single time my little brother comes off his motorbike and gets back up.
I’m grateful everytime I hang out with the two most important people I have in my life, that they still choose to hang around me and haven’t given up like so many other people.

I don’t think I take anything for granted because I always imagine that the second that I do, it will be gone.

Pockets!!!

Posted on July 26, 2013August 2, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Unlike Donna Noble I always try to have pockets.
I don’t like not having my phone on me at all times (I was in a fire drill once for an hour without my phone. Never. Again.)
So I sewed some pockets in my work skirt.

I measured out the fabric, folded it in half and then sewed it together.
I then sewed it to my skirt.
I used embroidery thread to reinforce it.
It’s not elegant but it works.

While I was at it, I did the same thing in my new bag.
I’ve become a bag lady. I fell in lust at first sight with a green beauty but my keys and phone kept getting lost.

So I did exactly the same thing except I sewed the one piece of material in half.