(no subject)
Jul. 1st, 2007 10:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
charloweenKnit-a-dalek update:
I'd been knitting so much for shows or gifts over the past year that I decided it was high time I knit something for myself. I have many scarves, don't have the patience to do a shawl... what I needed was something fun, challenging-but-not-insane and relatively quick to knit. The lovely and talented![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
serrico linked me to this pattern, and I'd found my project. I'd knit a dalek!
This is easily the most challenging project I've worked on so far. I had to learn how to make bobbles (which are hilarious, if time-consuming), had to use i-cord and had my first run-in with intarsia and Fair Isle. The pattern has a really neat bit with a k1 p1 rib where the knits are all one colour and the purls are the contrasting colour. When you're passing the yarn behind for the k1 p1 rib, it flattens and thickens the fabric to a really neat effect.
Pictures:
1. A half-made dalek with all the bobbledy bits. That part took the longest, each row with the bobbles took almost an hour to do (because bobbles are fun but they take forever). This pictures is from a few weeks ago.
2. I had way too much fun with the smoosher arm, running around smooooooooshing things. (Smoosh, smoosh, smoosh.)*
*makes more sense if you're seen the Doctor Who episode "Doomsday", and find the part where the daleks use their smoooooosher arms to smooooooosh the guy even half as hilarious as dopiratefanatic and I. Smoooooooooosh, hee!
3. With appendages sewn on! I still have to buy the batting and stuff him properly, but for pictures, stuffing him with balls of yarn seems to answer pretty well.
4. As I was taking that last picture, my roommate bounded in my room and started squealing at the dalek. She's never seen Doctor Who, but she was keen to wear the unfinished toy as a hat. I took a picture, but I haven't asked her permission so I'm not going to post it.
Tee vee-watching update:
Jekyll is good. (Quite good, actually.) When Jackman is talking to his colleague, and makes the comment about how he can go for a drink because he "has to change", he had a bit of a silly grin, an "oh, my wacky life" rueful smile. Not so much with that sense of humour by the end of the first episode, but that's what's fantastic about shows that are about characters, rather than explosions or forensics or over-sexed teenagers.
Speaking of explosions and over-sexed teenagers (they act like teenagers, okay?), the final few episodes of Torchwood did impress me. [SPOILERS,piratefanatic] More accurately, they redeemed the first half-dozen less-than-stellar eps as the show tried to find its tone, its characters, its purpose... Yeah. But from a rocky start and snerk-worthy backstory for Captain Jack (no matter how evil the fairies really are, you still have a main character who's afraid of fairies) they wrapped up with some nice stuff. Nice, if odd. Owen crying in Jack's arms? A bit over-the-top and strange. Strange in the "where did that come from?" sense of strange. Because nothing says "Welcome back from the dead, boss" like rubbing your snotty face all over his chest in front of all your co-workers. And Jack's face at the veeery end, just before he leaves? YAY!. [/spoilers]
One last thing: the Buffy season 8 comics? Pure gold. I want more, now. Too bad it's Canada Day and the comic book stores are closed. :(
EDIT: I have about 7300 songs on my computer. Sometimes, I toss 'em all on a playlist and hit shuffle. Sometimes, odd things pop up, things I forgot I had. Things like some really happy dude singing "Highway to Hell" in, like, Swedish or some other Scandinavian language.
I'd been knitting so much for shows or gifts over the past year that I decided it was high time I knit something for myself. I have many scarves, don't have the patience to do a shawl... what I needed was something fun, challenging-but-not-insane and relatively quick to knit. The lovely and talented
serrico linked me to this pattern, and I'd found my project. I'd knit a dalek! This is easily the most challenging project I've worked on so far. I had to learn how to make bobbles (which are hilarious, if time-consuming), had to use i-cord and had my first run-in with intarsia and Fair Isle. The pattern has a really neat bit with a k1 p1 rib where the knits are all one colour and the purls are the contrasting colour. When you're passing the yarn behind for the k1 p1 rib, it flattens and thickens the fabric to a really neat effect.
Pictures:
1. A half-made dalek with all the bobbledy bits. That part took the longest, each row with the bobbles took almost an hour to do (because bobbles are fun but they take forever). This pictures is from a few weeks ago.
2. I had way too much fun with the smoosher arm, running around smooooooooshing things. (Smoosh, smoosh, smoosh.)*
*makes more sense if you're seen the Doctor Who episode "Doomsday", and find the part where the daleks use their smoooooosher arms to smooooooosh the guy even half as hilarious as do
piratefanatic and I. Smoooooooooosh, hee!3. With appendages sewn on! I still have to buy the batting and stuff him properly, but for pictures, stuffing him with balls of yarn seems to answer pretty well.
4. As I was taking that last picture, my roommate bounded in my room and started squealing at the dalek. She's never seen Doctor Who, but she was keen to wear the unfinished toy as a hat. I took a picture, but I haven't asked her permission so I'm not going to post it.
Tee vee-watching update:
Jekyll is good. (Quite good, actually.) When Jackman is talking to his colleague, and makes the comment about how he can go for a drink because he "has to change", he had a bit of a silly grin, an "oh, my wacky life" rueful smile. Not so much with that sense of humour by the end of the first episode, but that's what's fantastic about shows that are about characters, rather than explosions or forensics or over-sexed teenagers.
Speaking of explosions and over-sexed teenagers (they act like teenagers, okay?), the final few episodes of Torchwood did impress me. [SPOILERS,
piratefanatic] More accurately, they redeemed the first half-dozen less-than-stellar eps as the show tried to find its tone, its characters, its purpose... Yeah. But from a rocky start and snerk-worthy backstory for Captain Jack (no matter how evil the fairies really are, you still have a main character who's afraid of fairies) they wrapped up with some nice stuff. Nice, if odd. Owen crying in Jack's arms? A bit over-the-top and strange. Strange in the "where did that come from?" sense of strange. Because nothing says "Welcome back from the dead, boss" like rubbing your snotty face all over his chest in front of all your co-workers. And Jack's face at the veeery end, just before he leaves? YAY!. [/spoilers]One last thing: the Buffy season 8 comics? Pure gold. I want more, now. Too bad it's Canada Day and the comic book stores are closed. :(
EDIT: I have about 7300 songs on my computer. Sometimes, I toss 'em all on a playlist and hit shuffle. Sometimes, odd things pop up, things I forgot I had. Things like some really happy dude singing "Highway to Hell" in, like, Swedish or some other Scandinavian language.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-01 04:41 pm (UTC)2nd: Am very glad you put my name in the spoiler warning. I was reading quickly and wouldn't have stopped had you not warned me. Yay! *is staying totally unspoiled for Torchwood*
3rd: Yay for Buffy comics! The guys at ALA had a handful of freebies, but they were all gone by the time I made it over. Alas.
4th: SMOOOOOOOSH!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-01 05:51 pm (UTC)2. Good thing it's a short season and that you're half way through said season. Not like trying to hold my tongue about SG1 s6 or Farscape. :)
3. They're really quite good.
4. How dis?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-01 08:01 pm (UTC)Also, I got two yarns and a brand new set of circular kneedles. Why? 'Cause my beach-knitting project is gonna be ... A DALEK!
Yes, this is probably well past my abilities. But it will be a fun challenge, yet it will!
SMOOOOOOSH.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 10:35 pm (UTC)Man, am I glad I kept the files from the other one. I give you a fast smooshy and a slower smooshy:
What colours is your dalek gonna be? And what size needles are you using? For the one in the picture I used 4.5mm, but for the one I'm doing now I'm using 3.75 on pretty much the same weight of yarn.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 11:32 pm (UTC)Dalek is going to be an inversion of yours- mostly black (http://store.knitting-warehouse.com/064743.html) with grey (http://store.knitting-warehouse.com/067313.html) accents. Smidge of third colour will be a this white (http://store.knitting-warehouse.com/066626.html).
I'm knitting with 8 circulars. Erm, this page tells me that's 5mm. So yeah. The cord thingummy between them is 29 inches (whoa long!) but 'twas the only circular needles the store had. Alas. I'm thinking I'll go for something a bit shorter next time.
Ok, I'll come clean. I've no idea what I'm talking about with all this. But yay!
I suppose I could give you a tutorial... in February! In person!
Date: 2007-07-03 01:13 am (UTC)The 3.75 circular I have is hella-long, too, so I'm pulling the extra cord out through the fabric so there's a huge loop-thing of cord bulging through the stitches. It's a time-consuming bother, which is why I'm probably going to head out to the yarn store tomorrow night to grab a shorter one. It's also unnecessary if you're knitting it flat. If you were going in the round, you'd need double-pointed needles, too.
I actually haven't used single-pointed needles in a few years, 'cause circulars are better even if you're knitting flat; if you're doing something small, you don't need the extra needle do the dbl-ended ones are perfect.
Tip: if your circular's cord is twisty, hold it under hot water to un-twist it. If you've already got knitting on it, try steaming it.
If you google "knitting in the round" you'll find many tutorials to help you get the hang of it. Conceptually, you knit one row, and then keep going in the same direction to that you're not actually knitting back-and-forth but are creating a giant spiral.
*is surprised how much I know about this stuff*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-01 07:11 pm (UTC)And on that note, I'm off to watch more of season 4.
*suckin' too hard on my lollipop*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 10:48 pm (UTC)Oh, season 4. I was talking to a friend about "Hush" the other day. That season had some good eps.
(Fie. Fie fie fie fie fie on you! I'd managed an entire week without the song in my head! Fie!)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-01 11:43 pm (UTC)I am astounded at your Dalek. Astounded, I tells you.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 01:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 06:14 am (UTC)And have you been watching Jekyll, little girl?
*rubs pusher-hands*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 11:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 01:23 am (UTC)...that should be sufficient pimpage.
But also,
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 04:16 am (UTC)How are you at downloading uploaded thingies? I could be persuaded to sendspace you a certain something.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 04:10 pm (UTC)The direct downloads still work (sendspace!), but the torrenty bits pop in and out of existence at the most inappropriate moments. (Currently am downloading the first series of DW with Tom Baker. Must to know what fuss is about!)
Have you heard the DW Cardiff Concert thing? With David Tennant doing intros to the sections with his cute wee Scottish accent?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 04:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 12:53 pm (UTC)I'll make with the finding of Jekyll once I return from work. Hooray!
Also, *friends you* 'cause I keep meaning to and keep not remembering.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 10:44 pm (UTC)I think the Doctor is happy in his fanpants in this icon:
I'm eagerly awaiting my bittorrent to shape the fuck up and start downloading Jekyll. The second episode juuuuuuust finished, and the third? Might take another month if it's going to do what it did last month and disappear for four weeks. *shakes fist of impotent fury at Rogers*
I'm working on dalek (Dalek?) number two. The novelty hasn't worn off yet, so I'm having fun. They're not particularly hard to make - you need to knit, purl and decrease, that's it - they're just complex and the fiddly bits take a while to put together. You should try one! After this one, I'm going to try making a TARDIS. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 04:19 am (UTC)I think I have lost my knitting skillz. May try to pick them up again once the W-B edit is finished.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 04:15 pm (UTC)Woot for regaining skillz! I'm of the opinion that any and everyone can re/learn to knit. Yay for knitting!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 01:00 pm (UTC)And more reason to knit a Dalek:
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 10:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-06 12:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-06 01:18 am (UTC)*shakes magic 8-ball*
All signs point to...
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 03:31 am (UTC)And if you ever wants scans of buffy season 8, I've got them all on my computer (because my love for Joss knows no bounds!). Yay for Buffy! Yay for Joss!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 10:53 pm (UTC)I wouldn't say no to scans of s8! In fact, I'd say a big YES! PLEASE! *grabby hands* to them ('cause these copies I read belong to
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 12:11 pm (UTC)Also, I have begun uploading the buffy scans and I bring you: the first issue (http://www.sendspace.com/file/67w27b).
It's a .cbr which means that it is .rar file in disguise. If you want to unzip it and use the scans for nefarious graphic-y purposes just rename it .rar and unzip as usual. If you wish to just keep the comics around for later reading after
I've actually got a huge collection of comic book scans on my laptop because I like to have scans of every comic I own - this way I can transport them around easily without ever worrying about hurting them! Yay for technology! - so let me know if there are any other comics you might want scans of. ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 12:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 12:25 pm (UTC)One, two, three issues! Mwah ha ha!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 12:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 10:55 pm (UTC)(speaking of awesome? *pets Doctor Who DVDs* Yes, I'm that happy to have them. Oh, eBay...! *snuggles DVDs and eBay together*)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 11:02 pm (UTC)Danke for the scans (whee!), I'm v. happy. :)
In response to your icon, have you see this vid (http://www.last-kiss.net/manoutofyou.wmv)? The link will open the wmv file directly; the vid's on a super-long page (http://www.jaded-paradise.net/imaginary/sweetie-buffy.php) of vids (it's the one to the Mulan song!).
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-04 03:39 am (UTC)That vid gives me a lovely warm fuzzy feeling inside and makes me want to watch Chosen and Mulan. Yay!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-05 05:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 06:19 am (UTC)A dalek shaped tea cozy ^.^
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-02 10:55 pm (UTC)But I bet if I played with the pattern a bit I could make a credible tea cozy that wants to EXTERMINATE everyone... *rubs hands together* Bwahha!
Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but...
Date: 2007-07-03 02:16 am (UTC)The good news (if you've read the first two SPN comics, which you probably haven't since Sammy has them) is that the third Supernatural comic comes out on July 4!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-03 10:52 pm (UTC)I did grab a scan of the first one, but it's not all cbr-ified and so it's a bother to read. I shall anticipate, though. There will be anticipating happening all over the place, let me tell you.