mondays

A cardigan in a weekend

Posted on May 31, 2013June 1, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Well I started it on Friday night and finished it on Monday night. That’s a pretty quick turnaround!

It helps that this is knit with super bulky yarn (I used modavera shiver) on size 10 needles.

I found out about this pattern from the electric sheep podcast and had to knit it immediately.

It was not without it’s difficulties though.
First one was when the cable became unglued from the needle.
Not a big problem. We had superglue in the house so I just glued it back together and left it to sit for a while.

It was only when it was dry and I started to use it again that I realised I had glued the needle in the wrong way.
Instead of a nice smooth needle I had a groove where a cable should fit.

I persevered. It slowed progress a bit, but was still manageable.
Then came the sleeves.
I realised I didn’t have size 10 double pointed needles. I probably could have gone out and bought some and made my life easier, but I had a size 10 hat sized circular. It wasn’t ideal but I managed to do magic loop on it. Eventually the sleeve stretched enough to be knit from the circular no magic loop required so that turned out to be an acceptable problem.

When it came time to attach the sleeves it took me two attempts to figure out the pattern. I was meant to have put 4 stitches on holders not 3 but maths saved the day and I picked up extra stitches under the armholes and changed the yoke decreases.

So I finished a cardigan! The sleeve length is a bit awkward on me, so if I make it again I would change that, but overall I’m very pleased.
I also want to make this into a jumper pattern. By increasing the number of stitches between the pattern repeats I think it could quite easily be done.

I really need to learn how to take better photos though.

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead + Sincerely, Grizzly

Posted on May 29, 2013May 29, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I promised knitnrun4sanity that this Wednesday I would post some photos about my CD wall. But I’m going to delay this promise for a week because I went to a gig on Saturday night.

…And you will know us by the trail of dead (or Trail of Dead for short) is a band which my partner introduced me too. They’ve been to Perth before and they’ve been song of the week before, and one of their songs is in my top 20 most listened to songs. (that was in 2010 and it hasn’t changed too much.)
I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m a fan of this band.
It’s one of the bands which my Bloke and I double up on (as in he and I both have a copy of the same CD). So I was a little shocked when he called to say that he was staying up north on his fishing trip rather than see this band.
Best Friend to the rescue!!

Having never heard this band before (I’ve obviously failed as a friend by not previously lending her any of the 4 albums we own), I’m pleased to report she had an awesome time.
She was the one who convinced me to get a photo with the lead singer after the gig. Unfortunately I only remembered last night (way too late) that my camera has a flash which you have to pop up for it to work. So two of them were just darkness. But the third I was able to save with the magic of photo editing and over exposure.

We were impressed with the support art Sincerely, Grizzly so we both bought their EP. The band were at the merch stand so we chatted to them for a while. The lead singer was a massive Doctor Who fan which was very cool.
The only pic I have of that is Midnite Moose looking mid “woo!”, which is for her eyes only.

Sincerely, Grizzly were definitely influenced by Trail of Dead, which made them a pretty good support act. I would definitely see them if they came to Perth again.

Trail of Dead played Source Tags & Codes in full before skipping their scheduled break and playing a set from the other albums.
Overall it was an awesome show. I got home with my ears ringing, and a grin from ear to ear. That’s always a sign of a great gig, and a great night out.

Stuck In My Head – Pissed Jeans

Posted on May 22, 2013May 22, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I’ve been a CD buyer for a while now. I’m a collector by nature and always a music lover so it’s a natural fit.

My latest CD haul all arrived at once which is a surprise as usually I place am order and they just trickle in. I love getting presents in the mail. Particularly if I’ve bought them myself and I know I’m going to like them.

So judge me as you see fit!

But apart from the two soundtracks (Buffy and Smash [very disappointed Smash was recently cancelled]), the album that’s getting the most air time is Pissed Jeans.

Sub Pop is one of the few record labels that I pay attention to. They’ve had some really good signings over the years and so whenever they sign a new band I hop on the band wagon pretty quick.

FO #12 – I found myself a hitchhiker

Posted on May 20, 2013May 20, 2013 by bekswhoknits

What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?
The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy says that the answer to the Question, is 42.

The number 42 has since become its own popculture reference with 42 towels, this 42 shirt that my little bit geeky boyfriend wears, an entire episode of Doctor Who, and the hitchhiker shawl which has 42 little notches.

This is the only true hitchhiker I’ve made. The other two I stopped before I got to 42. Mostly because of time constraints, but also because I’m pretty selfish and wanted mine to be the only true 42 hitchhikers.
Plus neither of the recipients of the other hitchikers would care about the reference.

So here it is. You have photos of work-Bek today because I finished it only minutes before I was due at my friends place to watch Eurovision.
Time restraints = terrible selfies.

Surrounded by UFOs

Posted on May 17, 2013 by bekswhoknits

All around me is unfinished objects.
Currently on the needles I have
– hitchhiker shawl #3 for me
– 10 stitch blanket
– mini mania scarf
– parcel jumper
– ripple crocheted afghan
– blue cabled hat (in no mans land)

So what did I do this week? Cast on 3 more projects.

I’d like to introduce my team bee socks

A zigzag hat

And a cabled scarf

I think I need to buckle down and maybe finish what I start.
Or I could search ravelry for more pretty patterns!!!!

Stuck in my head – Still Corners

Posted on May 15, 2013May 15, 2013 by bekswhoknits

My day leading up to this blog post.
– Stumble out of bed, find clean clothes, walk to train station
– Train ride to work, check twitter see what’s going on in the world.
– Get to work, check work email, check bloglovin (formerly google reader), set tasks for the day, make tea
– Remember the federal budget was announced last night because coworkers are stating misinformed opinions as facts.
– Put headphones in and play mclusky loudly.
– Mclusky is making you more angry and is affecting work productivity (as much as coworkers are). Make tea.
– Seek calming music. Check twitter. Find out Still Corners just released a new album
– Day is looking up. Make tea.
– Work
– Find out The National are streaming their new album too. Can’t find link to stream. Day is looking down again.
– Work
– Check twitter. Find a number of horrible news stories. Tweet about horrible news stories. Find solace in lovely twitter people that are not horrible racist, sexist, transphobic bigots.
– Renew concentration on work tasks. Computer malfunction. Make tea.
– Coworker reignites conversation about Australian politics.
– Listen to Still Corners new album again
– Realise it’s Wednesday and decide to blog about new Still Corners album

If you don’t take pictures did it really happen? (FO 12 & 13)

Posted on May 13, 2013May 13, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I’ve failed as a blogger this week.
Only after I had three packages of knitted goods complete with care instructions all wrapped up in tissue paper did I think about photographing them.

The mittens I already had photos of because I’d blogged about them before, but I’ve just sent two hitchhikers into the wilderness without any proof they were here.

Well that’s not entirely true, but it does leave me at a bit of a blogging loose end.

I do think the hitchhikers were a success. The colours I chose matched what they were wearing when I saw them (always a good sign).

The hand knitting process gives you plenty of time to um and ah over colour choices so I was a little frazzled by the time I had finished.

So in absence of good pictures, I have the ones for my care instructions.
I use the Phonto iPhone/iPad app which makes putting text over photos very easy.
I use that app to make personalized cards too. My mum is always requesting photos of me and my partner so I find a decent photo, add our names to it and put a fridge magnet on the back.
Next time I think I’ll crochet a border for something different.

FO #11 – British Morning Socks the sequel

Posted on May 10, 2013May 10, 2013 by bekswhoknits

A while ago now I made some bed socks for my most favourite girl in the world.

Since then they have been well loved. As they were so well loved I had no issues with making another pair.

Only problem was I don’t quite know where that pattern book is. Maybe under the couch somewhere, but it’s lost at the moment.
So I did a bit of research and found nothing I really liked.

I did find a really cute mitten pattern which is only in Swedish but I thought I could figure it out and make it into some socks.

Using size 7 needles and Moda Vera Jet bulky yarn I cast on 8 stitches using Judy’s magic cast on
Then increased every second row until it fit my foot.
Then I switched colours and did a few rows of purling, switched colours and did a few rows of knitting.
There was no heel so I just kept trying it on until they were long enough.

Alternating the colours whilst doing two at a time is something I like doing a) because it creates odd socks that match and b) because it means you don’t have to wind the yarn into two balls. You just start with each colour and then swap. You do end up with a lot of ends though.

I’m hoping that with use the heel will magically appear and they’ll look less like woolen condoms.

Suck in my head – Yo La Tengo

Posted on May 8, 2013May 8, 2013 by bekswhoknits

It feels like winter has just hit. I walked home from work in the rain with my feet squelching in my shoes, and immediately donned my trackydacks.
It’s the sort of weather where I want to curl up with a nanna blanket, and mulled red wine. I crave music by The National, Still Corners, Portishead, Zero 7, Silversun Pickups, and they greet me like old friends.

Yo La Tengo is my newest cold weather friend.

FO#10 – Summer sky half socks

Posted on May 3, 2013May 3, 2013 by bekswhoknits

It was pointed out to me once that calling these ‘socks’ was a bit misleading.

Calling them yoga socks is also misleading because I’ve never done yoga.

So I’m calling them half socks.

These half socks come in really handy with my tiled floor.
I am a clumsy girl. I usually have unexplained bruises. My bed frame in particular attacks me.
I have sustained injuries from hair ties, cereal boxes, and Nutella jars. (The Nutella jar incident required 8 staples. I still eat Nutella though. I’m such a trooper.)
So walking around my house in slippery socks is a recipe for disaster.
I also have cold feet all the time so I need socks.

These are an OK answer. They still don’t stop my toes getting cold, but it’s better than no socks at all.