And so on.

Hey look. A sock.

Stepsock121122

and a half…I’m behind a little bit. It’s starting to be a little monotonous. (Really Steph? You don’t say…) I’m beginning to get the urge to knit this, or this, or this or this or……Never mind. Socks are us. All socks. All the time. Sigh. I’m trying to take comfort in wee things. Like a really beautiful heel.

Steponeheel1122

More Q&A? (Has anyone caught on yet that I’m using this Q&A thing to add interest to the blog when I’ve got nothing to say? Is it completely transparent.?) Tracy wrote:

I’m curious about what order you will do your step outs in. You know, each stage is further along in progress and takes longer. Will you do longest to shortest, so it gets easier and easier to get each one done, or shortest to longest, to count completed ones faster? Or will you do them at random to keep it interesting? Dumb question, but I am curious, it tells something about one’s personality and way of thinking, you know?

I have decided, in my infinite wisdom (stop that laughing. You, in the back. Get up off the floor.) to do the longest ones first. I labour under the delusion if I do the biggest job first that then, as my interest wanes, I shall have less and less to do with each sock. The folly here of course, is that my interest waned about midway through that first sock. I have now developed a couple of strategies to take the edge off of the rest of the identical socks.

First line of defense: A series of rentals from the local video joint. I have watched every episode of every season of Six Feet Under, I have seen Mission Impossible one, two and three and I am stalking the place waiting for season one of Deadwood to turn up. (I want this one really badly. So far my rental guy has refused to tell me who has had it for weeks, perhaps suspecting my plan to “procure” it from their private home. I am not through with him.) I have knit my way through Pride and Prejudice (the BBC one) Other suggestions for entertainment during my internment are appreciated. I hear good things about Firefly.

Second line of defense: I have reserved a few of the “example of a variation on a theme” socks to break up the monotony. Admittedly, they are still socks, but at least they are socks of another colour or style. There are only a few of these left to knit – since I did the lace one and the cable one and the small one while I was waiting for my yarn to arrive, but the option to knit a pastel sock when the green ones begin to erode my tenuous grasp on everything I believe to be real this process is a lifeline I’m looking forward to.

Third line of defense: Cleaning. That’s right, there’s nothing like scrubbing out a bathroom or taking a swing at whatever that sludge behind Sir Washie may be to make you think that sitting on your arse knitting green socks is really not such a bad job. It’s all about perspective my friends.

Fourth and final line of defense: Lay’s baked chips, Strong drink and cookies. I’ll be drunk and fat (and likely that mother the other mums whisper about at the parent council)…but I’ll have the damned socks done.

355 thoughts on “And so on.

  1. Love the socks! Another question: Do you plan on finishing all the step outs when you’re done (or save them for a period when you need lots of gifts … you could call it “Harlot’s Green Period” a la Picasso)?

  2. Mmmmmmmmm, Hate to point out the obvious, but aren’t the posts for the 21st and the 22nd the same?

  3. Oh that yarn is pretty! Very nice stuff. Though I am sure you will be crawling the walls when you get done with it.
    Did you realize you have posted this update twice? I think you are repressing how excited you are to knit bunches of these green socks!! 😉

  4. Steph, try watching a couple seasons of The Office. My favourite show, although that might be because I work in that kind of office, but it is good for a laugh. Now go, laugh at Dwight and knit socks.

  5. I’d recommend the Prime Suspect series from England with Helen Mirren. Mind you, Mirren’s character wou,ld NEVER, NEVER be caught dead knitting a pair of socks, but she is a wonderful, bright, flawed character who smokes and drinks too much! Get you vicissitudes vicariously!

  6. I listen to P D James while knitting. Brilliant writer especially her latest book something something Lighthouse. Since I last wrote, i decided to make gloves instead of socks, and am halfway through the first glove. I know you would want to know that bit of info. Great socks.

  7. May I recommend The Wire, Seasons 1-3? My husband and I rented them and we watched the entire first season in one day. It’s truly one of the best TV shows of all time – the characters have depth (even the bad guys have their good points), the plotlines are interesting, the dialogue is witty and intelligent, and the whole show is thought-provoking. We haunted our video store stalking season 3 like you are doing with “Deadwood.” You will not be sorry. I knit half a queen-size blanket while watching it. It’s so interesting, you will forget the endless stockinette of your socks. I promise.
    Or if you want comedy, try season 1 of “Weeds.” Mary Louise Parker is brilliant and you will laugh until your sides hurt. I can’t wait for Season 2 to come out on DVD, as I live in Nova Scotia and it doesn’t come on until 11pm on Showcase … unfortunately too late for me.
    I can’t wait to find out what you decided to watch!

  8. I understand the tediousness of socks…that’s why I have yet to do more than 2 pair for myself.
    BTW: On the advice of your book Knitting Rules, I made my first shawl (the Shetland Triangl actually) and I am now addicted to lace knitting. I have several projects in mind for my next lace, including a shawl to wrap my baby (due in April) up in when she or he comes into the world. Thanks for the inspiration!

  9. “Deadwood” is soo worth it – my husband and I have been on that recent obsession, and it is really hard to resist. I have been getting some great knitting done. You might have to find the *@$! keys more often for your blog, as I find that I have started talking more like Calamity Jane, as a result…
    On a related note, big talk in my Knitting Circle (alas, we have yet to come up with a catchy name)these past few months has been Netflix – I have one mate who has quite a system going. Saves you from dealing with annoying video store employees, and therefore does not take away much precious knitting time (though you might like the break in the monotonoy that visiting the video store provides?)
    I would also recommend HBO’s series “Rome” – also quite addictive. Enjoy, and good luck!

  10. I am right now knitting my way through Queer as Folk the british version and then Queer as Folk the american version. I’m thinking of getting North and South (with patrick swayze) to get me through to christmas….

  11. Firefly is an excellent show, and you can follow it up with Serenity (the movie finishes the story). Or you could go a different route and watch all the Katherine Hepburn / Cary Grant / Jimmy Stewart you can find.

  12. Well, if you have to knit several of the same sock, at least you have a GORGEOUS yarn with which to knit them. So you can at least pretend to be interested in how the colorway might vary slightly with each sock.
    It could be worse. They could all be plain, boring grey…

  13. You might look for Season One of “Northern Exposure”, which is available on DVD now. I’ve found that looking at people shivering in the cold always makes me want to knit them something warm.

  14. Maybe you need more interpretive dance to lighten up the mood a bit? I’ll make sure and have a margarita tonight in your honor… mainly because that’s going to make all the folks at Chimi’s peer at me like I’m the odd one.

  15. Absolutely Northern Exposure. But why only Season One? It doesn’t jump the shark until after Season Four. That should be plenty to finish up the socks…expecially if they become anklets. (Well, they didn’t specify kilt hose, now did they?)

  16. My favorite movie for knitting is The Princess Bride. I also love Arrested Development – there’s some visual funniness, but I figure you’re knitting socks, how often are you going to have to look away from the TV? All three seasons are out on DVD. And I’m addicted to Grey’s Anatomy, if you decide you want some drama.

  17. HURRAH! Socks are looking great. I’ve found your blog recently and am already hooked (sorry, but I do crochet as well – dark side I know) on learning from you. I treated myself to all 3 of your books on Sunday afternoon – needed something good to read, especially during Grey Cup! I’m through the first two already and halfway through Rules. I’m getting one or two of them to give as Christmas gifts also. Thanks for inspiring me as I’m going to try my first pair of socks (for my granddaughter) in the next week or so. I’m trying to be very disciplined and get all my current projects done before I start that. I have a feeling I could easily get addicted to socks! Looking forward to seeing more socks pictured here – GO HARLOT!

  18. I usually go for The 10th Kingdom, Dinotopia or The Lord of the Rings, or any Halmark made movie (Merlin and Alice in Wonderland pop in mind) when I need lots of time to knit. I’m less likely to remember something or other that I ought to do.

  19. Speaking of Helen Mirren, how about Gosford Park? Alternately, I’ve had some of my most productive fibre moments (I’m so embarrassed to admit this actually) watching dvd’s of 24. It’s so trashy, but you don’t have to deal with ads when it’s on dvd and, because I was spinning, I “wasn’t really watching”. And you gotta love Kiefer.

  20. You can do it! And remember. Knitting with friends is a great way to stave off monotony as well. Good Luck with all those socks!

  21. Have you watched season 2.5 of Battlestar Galactica yet? Northern Exposure, great for knitting. Especially since Marilyn and Maggie can occaisionally be seen knitting in this or that scene.

  22. Well it looks like Dani beat me to it, but I can never pass up an opportunity to recommend The Office (American version, thought the British one is good too), which is my absolute favorite show of all time. It’s funny, clever, awkward, and there’s a little drama thrown in here and there. I’m currently on a mission to get as many people addicted as possible, so it doesn’t go down the wayward path to cancellation, as did Arrested Development (which I also highly recommend).

  23. Don’t forget Serenity (it’s Firefly:the movie!) after you finish Firefly. And all the Harry Potter movies, of course, and Calendar Girls, hmmmm. Since you can knit without looking, you can watch anything with Alan Rickman, too – I have to stop knitting to watch him be glorious…
    By the way, there are always argyles, fair isles and intarsia socks, if you need more variations on the theme. YOU TOO can have bowling socks!

  24. Firefly is excellent although I’ve never tried to knit through it. I usually knit through the Masterpiece Theater’s Jane Austen Collection. The Wire in the Blood series is also good to knit to. It is similar in theme to Prime Suspect.

  25. I’m sure I’m not the first to say this, but can’t you contract out a bit of this work? At least the soul-sucking stepouts, if not the actual socks.

  26. Another vote for Northern Exposure. Unfortunately the “seasons” in some cases are only select episodes. Still, it’s such a quirkily funny series. I have yet to start it, but 24 gets big thumbs up from many and since there are 7 seasons with 24 episodes each, I figure this will be the big series to get me through a month or two of winter knitting (let’s see….7 x 24 is 168 hours or factor the hours down for commercials, at least 125 hours of viewing time!). I think Season 3 is supposed to be not as good, but it picks back up.
    I also like audiobooks and absolutely swear by (hold the laughter folks) the Potter series (read by Jim Dale). With the 6 books, that’s almost 90 hours of listening time and I’ve been through it several times while knitting or quilting.

  27. While all this may be monotonous for you, it has inspired me to try sock knitting. My very first socks in a beautiful purple/gray Lorna’s Laces yarn. Yay. A note about Deadwood: I’m not sure that is knitting material. The dialog goes by so fast and is so layered that I had to watch with subtitles on and REALLY pay attention – and that was without knitting.
    If you haven’t watched season 1 of Veronica Mars, I highly suggest it — and Firefly is very good although short.

  28. Whoa! I think you need to lay off the caffeine or get a little extra sleep. (tough to do, I know). Doubled blogs are a sure sign that you are losing it.
    I loved Firefly! So sad that it is no longer on the air. One of my favorite movies is “An Ideal Husband.” Witty, entertaining, and not terribly complicated. I would have suggested “Pride and Prejudice,” but it looks like you’ve covered your bases. I would avoid such things as “Fantasia.” Brightly colored, dancing, singing inanimate objects are likely to put you over the edge.

  29. I don’t think I’ve commented on here before, but here is goes. I wanted to tell you that you’ve inspired me to start my first adult size sock in actual sock yarn. To this point I’ve stuck with knitting kid socks in worsted weight (for children in common). I’ve decided that if you can do a sock a day, then I can do a sock a week (if I can manage not to get completely distracted.
    I’ll add another vote for Firefly, it is an awesome show. The Scarlet Pimpernel, the A&E, BBC version, is another favorite of mine. There are three movies in the set, and it is a good movie for knitting. Pride and Prejudice is definitely a great choice. Another TV show you could watch on DVD is House MD. I know that at least season one is on DVD.

  30. I’ve been watching Gilmore Girls to deal with my inability to do much after the surgery. It’s pretty good (Lorelai sews but doesn’t seem to knit, while Mrs. Kim belongs to a Christian crochet group they mention every once in awhile).
    Podcasts? I’ve had fun knitting through the Cleveland Celtic podcast. Good beat and fun to listen to.
    You’re doing great!! Not so many now.

  31. I also nominate “Firefly” and raise it a “Serenity”! There’s also Monty Python, Vicar of Dibley, Father Ted, Corner Gas, Ballykissangel, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, etc.
    And may I suggest hitting the library as well? Not only will they not charge you for borrowing videos, they might even let you put them on reserve so you’ll be called when they’re returned.

  32. Wow. I want to knit a couple of those things too. Lucky for me no one cares whether or not I knit socks. (to prevent smackings later, I’m bringing cookies tonight. Store bought. I decided it wasn’t right for a woman who’s favourite recipe is ‘heat and serve’ to inflict a baking test run on her friends)

  33. My entertainment suggestion:
    Curb Your Enthusiasm (I think you’ll enjoy the comedy of folly.)
    Buffy (Firefly is excellent, but Buffy is even more so.)
    Scrubs (A quality sitcom. What a rare and beautiful thing.)
    For a less frivolous suggestion, can you get your hands on a copy of the “7 up” series? It’s a British documentary series following a group of people from the age of 7 to, now, the age of 49, at 7 year intervals. It’s fascinating, and they just came out with 49-up, which I’ve yet to see. The set is a bit pricy to buy (my mom bought it for me, fittingly, for my 28th birthday), but if you have a quality rental place nearby, maybe they’ll have it.

  34. My recommendations are……Movies: Joy,Luck Club, Mr. Hollands Opus, My Fair Lady, all the “Bond”…..T.V Series “House” Books on tape are also good….”Patty Jane’s House of Curl,” “Beach Music” Happy Knitting

  35. Firefly is good, but there’s only, uh, twenty episodes? Less?
    What you need to watch is Stargate. Seasons one through NINE are available on DVD.
    And of course Buffy the Vampire Slayer in all it’s majestic seven seasons is available for rental on DVD. Though, uh, I’m not sure you want to see what she does with sharp, pointy, wooden sticks. It might give you ideas.
    No. Stick with Stargate. You can’t get ray guns.

  36. Definitely Firefly! That reminds me… I want to watch it again! Maybe that can be the solution to all the socks and potholders I’m knitting for christmas. I’m up to 1/2 a sock per day (that is with a full time teaching job and a night job) I’m aiming for 3 socks, 2 potholders, and half a skirt over my 4 day thanksgiving weekend. Wish me luck!

  37. (Okay, I’m up off the floor and have stopped laughing.) I can see the very real possibility of these socks sucking the life out of you. And then what are you going to do with all the unfinished step-out socks? Finish each and every one of them and have lots of pairs of matching socks? (I hope there’s an even number of step-outs!) Rip them back and create something else? Swear off socks altogether? Enquiring minds want to know.

  38. I strongly suggest getting the first season of Wonderfalls if you can find it. It’s deliciously funny and absurd (and some canadian pride, the main actress is from Montréal!)… As for your sock motivation, well, you could try to motivate yourself by a good thought : finish all the socks later and auction them to charity! Who wouldn’t pay to get fleece artists socks knitted by the yarn harlot herself?
    I would

  39. Only because you can knit without looking at the socks am I suggesting that you have a Depp-a-thon….All Johnny Depp, all the time!
    Start with his early movies and work your way through them! You’ll wish you had more socks to knit!

  40. I have to second the previous opinions about Firefly! Excellent series with lots of humor. I miss it. Lately I’ve been occupying myself during late night sewing stints (I keep knitting as a backup for and salvation from too much sewing) by catching up on the new Battlestar Galactica series. Oh, and Monk. I love Monk.
    You’re probably sick of the greens by now, but I love that colorway. May have to get me some of that.
    Good luck. You can do it, I know you can.

  41. Old Masterpiece theatre; Jewel in the Crown or I Claudius.
    Just think if you finish up all those socks, you will have several Christmas presents done. They are such good looking socks. If I were you I’d consider getting photos, video and making your own sock video in addition to your books.

  42. Firefly is FANTASTIC.
    After you watch it, go in on the last DVD and watch the extra features, and the deleted scene. I love the scene where River declares “I’ll KNIT!”

  43. And your entire family will have matching socks at the end, right? Right? You’ll like Deadwood, but I found a certain word started creeping into my vocabulary (one that I can’t type here for fear of being censored) after watching it. You’ll understand which word if you ever get to watch season one.

  44. oh! oh! firefly is fantastic but yes, sadly only 12 or 16 episodes i think. if i was in TO, i’d gladly lend it to you and seasons 1 and 2 of veronica mars. both cracking good tv shows and joss whedon (buffy, firefly) says veronica mars is the best show on tv. and joss would know.
    and i’d also second scrubs. very funny.
    good luck with the socks.

  45. I’m quite fond of Scrubs, myself. And then there’s Dead Like Me, which made me cancel Showtime with extreme prejudice when they cancelled it. Dark and yet often really disturbedly funny 🙂

  46. If you like period pieces try “Room with a View”,”Sense and Sensibility”, “Emma”, etc. You should also find BBC/PBS series of Austen and Bronte classics with lots of dishy British ACTORS (vs. celebs)at your local video store–try them, I think you will like.
    If you like spy/suspense, there’s a wonderful (again, British) series called MI5–can’t remember if there was only one, or two or three seasons.
    In the police/crime drama category I heartily second Gail’s vote for “Prime Suspect” –deliciously flawed main character and if you start with the first show you’ll have a giggle over the hair and clothes as it was made in the early 90’s. And then there’s the “Cracker” series with the delightful Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane.
    As for “Firefly” haven’t viewed it yet but have checked the link and all I can say is what about “Star Trek” (for the laughs)or “Star Wars” series???
    Also really enjoyed Robert Downey film “Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang” –sort of film noire-ish.
    Sending soothing (or would you prefer energetic?)vibes your way for dealing with the socks, we all KNOW you can do this!!

  47. Watch Firefly! Ohhh, watch Firefly, watch it and I promise there will be no regrets. Best knitting-viewing hands-down. Well, also best regular-viewing, come to think of that.
    The socks are gorgeous, even though I confess I have no idea what “step-outs” means. *sheepish*

  48. Firefly/Serenity is my go to TV watching material for boring knitting projects. I’ll also put in my vote for the new Battlestar Galactice and Doctor Who DVDs 🙂

  49. What everybody else said, and A Room With A View. Beautiful Tuscany, beautiful Kent, beautiful lacy Belle Epoque costumes, beautiful naked Julian Sands…
    and not naked Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis…one of my all-time favorites. Also Amelie. And Frida. And Labryinth.

  50. I have to agree with kaela – while I cheer at the thought of your watching the 1st season of Deadwood whilst knitting, you really have to pay attention to the dialogue to get the most understanding/enjoyment out of each episode. But don’t let that stop you – just understand you’ll wanna watch them again when you aren’t knitting.
    And it goes without saying, when the kids aren’t within earshot. Or within 50 feet of earshot.
    Best hour of TV. Evar. Just the mere mention gets me to delurk. It’s that good!

  51. I can just picture everybody getting together at Lettuce Knits after the show, everybody picking up a partial sock, and sitting down and finishing one apiece. Then handing them to you and declaring your Christmas knitting finished for you. Book me a plane ticket, I’d do one of them.

  52. You need some East Coast movies. Rent “New Waterford Girl” and “Rare Birds”. Both funny enough to make you forget how mind-numbingly bored you are.
    The cookies and chips and drink sound divine. To make the most of that part of it you need Nanimo bars (the recipe from the back of the Bird’s custard powder), Philadelphia Cream Cheese Whipped Dip (onion flavour) for the chips and a really cold Smirnoff Ice. Ok, maybe it isn’t to your taste but it sounds like heaven to me. I’d knit a lot of boring stuff with THAT combo.

  53. I second Firefly, it’s good stuff. The pilot ep is a bit clunky, but it takes off from there.
    And there are knitting references! Well, kinda.

  54. Does Canadian TV show the Thanksgiving Day parade and football games? Those are always prime knitting time for me.

  55. If you like Firefly, try Battlestar Galactica! It’s one of my all time favorite shows. I must admit it’s a bit darker than Firefly at times, tho.
    I am also Pro Buffy and Pro Veronica Mars too. Excellent shows. VM’s first season is fantastic.

  56. You will indeed enjoy Firefly, especially if you’re the kind of person (as I recall you are, I think?) who enjoys Battlestar Galactica. Also, The Office. I cannot say enough good things about the comedy and quality of the American version of The Office, especially the second and third seasons.
    Also, as a person who seems to be voluntarily knitting almost nothing but socks these days, I have yet to be disinterested in the “hey, more socks” theme that’s been cropping up.

  57. Hi Steph, I’m enjoying the ongoing narrative of the step outs. Very entertaining.
    Speaking of which, I’m amazed (maybe I shouldn’t be so amazed considering how long you’ve been knitting) that you can watch a screen and knit simultaneously!. When I sit down to a DVD and some knitting…it ends up being one or the other (and usually ends in frogging!). And you can forget about subtitled films! Although the incomprehensible melifluous tones of german/italian/icelandic is somewhat condusive to knitting..like a talking book that you can’t understand.

  58. Another vote for Firefly. Buffy, if you’ve a taste for vamps. Stargate: Atlantis for eye candy if you like Sci-Fi. I suspect you’d also like Veronica Mars.
    Socks are pretty. I’m finishing the 4th pair in a month.. . Love socks…

  59. Second the motion about NetFlix. They seem to have everything. Certainly they have almost every old BBC and US TV show that has ever been produced!

  60. If you want something with a nice surreal edge to it to complement your state of mind as you knit sock after sock, I highly recommend Patrick McGoohan’s ‘The Prisoner’, a wonderful British tv series from the 60’s. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/prisoner/intro.shtml
    It may not be easy to find at a local video outlet, but I know the Toronto Public Library has the series in circulation.

  61. I’m going to second the recommendation of Cracker – the British series with Robbie Coltraine (Hagrid from Harry Potter). It’s fabulous! Also, I must add the entire mini-series, The Pallisers. Based on Anthony Trollope’s 6 books about early Victorian lives in the UK. Starring Susan Hampshire. It was done in the 70’s and is wonderful! Drama, humor, romance, intrigue, politics and even murder! It’s 22 hours worth, so it should get you through several socks. (which are beautiful, by the way)

  62. Firefly is AWESOME, although a sadly short series. I highly recommend it! If you haven’t already seen Serenity (the movie version of Firefly, and its conclusion, I suppose), you should see it after you’ve watched the Firefly series. (Good, but not as good as the series.)
    So, I know you’re making good progress on all these step-outs (a particularly apt name it seems when referring to socks…), and that there’s no question that you’ll get them all done, but in order to save yourself from acute sock monotony, perhaps a trusted knitting friend or two might help? Give them some yarn and the pattern with a nice bar/box of chocolate, saying “there’s more of *this* in it for you if you bring me the sock by…” Just a thought.

  63. Maybe you should sign up for the ‘two week free trial’ of Netflix?
    I second Veronica Mars. If you like British TV, then rent or netflix Father Ted and the new Doctor Who series; both are very fun! Deadwood is great too. *hrrms* I love Babylon 5, too, if you’ve not seen it yet. And Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, and History of the World Part 1 are great movies for when you want to stick yourself in the eye with a dpn.

  64. Firefly. Absolutely. Without question.
    Sooner rather than later.
    Could affect your gauge, however 🙂

  65. Firefly, YES! If you like Firefly I would also suggest (like others have) Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I would caution that season 6 of BTVS is DARK, just so you know. Other suggestions are The Dead Zone, the new Dr Who, and if you haven’t seen them in a while the Anne of Green Gables series.

  66. Not in a house, not with a mouse
    Not in a box, not with a fox
    I do not like green socks and heals, I will not knit them but…. you will.
    Happy knitting
    PS love the socks

  67. I like your third line of defense, there. And, hey, at least it’s a lovely, multicolored yarn, so you have the amusement of watching the colors change.
    Have you tried watching House? One of the reasons I like pairing it with knitting or spinning is that I can look at my fiber/yarn when the show gets icky. (I work with cells. They don’t bleed.)

  68. My suggestion for something to watch would be the first 2 seasons of Gray’s Anatomy. I bought them because my daughter who had knee surgery Oct 10th is a big fan & I thought they’d be something she could watch while recuperating. Well, I spent most of the first 2 post op weeks at her house, fetching food & ice for her knee machine & drinks whilst she lay on the couch & mended. So I watched the 2 seasons with her & now I’m hooked too. Great ensemble show – snnappy writing & good acting.

  69. Firefly is a must if you are a fan of telefantasy. I would also suggest Wonderfalls without a hestitation. Sending you many sock-knit-happy thoughts from BC!

  70. Firefly is my favorite TV show ever. Really, all of the shows Joss Whedon created are really good (Buffy and Angel), but Firefly is ALL good, where the other series have their ups and downs.
    Another fun TV show that didn’t last too long is Wonderfalls. The main character is hilariously oppositional, smart, and snarky.
    Oh, I’m also a big fan of a British comedy from the 70s called The Good Life, but I think it’s released in North America under the name Good Neighbors. It’s about a couple who decide to dropout of society by becoming self-sufficient, but they don’t want to leave their house which happens to be located in a respectable London suburb. It always makes me happy when I watch it.
    Your socks are totally great, and I’m not at all bored by reading about you making them.

  71. You know what I want explained? Halfway Done Syndrome. It doesn’t matter WHAT it is. Halfway through, I start getting…distracted. First sock, I’m all fired up. Second sock? Must…work…up…enthusiasm…
    Front of sweater? Wheeeeee! Back of sweater? Whee. Sleeves? …hey! is that sock yarn?!
    It doesn’t matter what the project is. Halfway through, I hit a doldrum.
    Hang in there! We are counting on you to prove to the world that we CAN focus, stick to it, and…
    …ooooh, is that a Fun-sized Snicker bar?!

  72. for my first comment ever to your blog, I will suggest the series Monk, and also the British series Cold Feet. Enjoy!

  73. Steph – You should definately try out Firefly and Serenity. My hubby got the TV series last week and we have been working through the episodes every night since. I swear that my knitting as improved! 🙂

  74. I love Firefly and Serenity. A good movie to knit by is definately Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea. I watched them so much as a kid that I don’t even have to look up, I can just knit. It’s really what I watched over and over through the knitting olympics.

  75. I’m having fun learning all of this TV lingo. Step-outs, a hero, etc. I keep asking Sonya, what the hell does THAT mean!?
    And I can’t decide if I need to have everything shipped so that the airlines doesn’t think I’m trying to build a b-youknowwhat-omb. I mean, rubber gloves, powder-dye, plastic bottles, etc. could look slightly suspicious. Could you imagine that interrogation? I’m going on TV to dye YARN! Really! I am! I swear.
    Oy. Cold meds are taking over my brain.

  76. Pride and Prejudice? The one with Colin Firth? (God–I love that man!!! I don’t even care that his characters are all the same) Have you thought about what is going to happen with all the step outs when the show is over? Do you think you will finish them, rip them back, look at them and laugh hysterically? Maybe you could raffle them off for charity or something?

  77. If you like the Kids in the Hall, then I recommend NewsRadio, which is one of the best sticoms of all time (and it has Dave Foley!). Seasons 1-4 are on DVD, and you get hours and hours of entertainment…
    Good luck with the socks. I’m finishing my first wearable pair, using your sock pattern and Lorna’s Laces yarn. They look amazing!

  78. ack! so tempted to vote for Firefly–LOVE LOVE LOVE it. But one of the fab things about it, especially on the first viewing is the unspoken “dialogue” via facial expressions. Knitting to the soundtrack ROCKS. For actual viewing while knitting, I’ll have to vote for tried and true, know ’em by heart (or nearly) The Princess Bride, Blackadder, Are You Being Served, LOTR, and Dead Like Me.
    and Steph, the socks, step-outs and other socks will, of course, be awesome!

  79. BBC/PBS/A&E Mysteries – Poirot, Midsomer Murders, Foyle’s War, Rosemary and Thyme
    The A&E multi-disc “Shackleton” set – movie starring Kenneth Branagh, and 2 or 3 documentaries about the Shackleton and the movie
    The Muppet Show & Fraggle Rock
    I totally agree on your logic of doing the longest ones first. Do you think you’ll eventually finish all of them, or will they languish forever after you film the show?

  80. Yikes! Admittedly, socks are a smallish project, but I know the “drudgery” of “required” knitting…my eyes are glazing and my head nodding just thinking about the same stitches over and over and over…not helping, am I? I know I need a break from that kind of knitting when I start drooling. Keeping the temperature cold in the house and a really uncomfortable chair can help. Although they do lead to sorer hands and “arse”…but that does give you something else to think about!

  81. Another vote for Firefly!
    And someone turned me on to “Veronica Mars” which was better than I thought it would be. Might want to watch the first one when the girls aren’t home to decide where it fits into their “have we discussed this” schedule (i.e. the “don’t drink something someone hands you at a party or very bad things can happen” talk.)
    Currently I’m watching something called “Decalogue” where a Polish director (yes, there are subtitles) did a 1 hour movie on each of the ten commandments. They’re pretty interesting, and he used a different cinematographer for each one so they wouldn’t get monotonous. I don’t know if a corner video store would have that, though.

  82. Well, I don’t watch much TV, so I can’t help you there, but I do like knit while listening to the radio (NPR). I keep telling myself I should get some audiobooks too. Hmm, how about podcasts?
    Good luck!

  83. So here’s my burning question. Unfortunately, my cable provider does not have DIY. Do you (or anyone) happen to know if there is somewhere online where the episodes can be seen?
    For the distractions, I’d suggest podcasts. I’m still new to the podcast thing, but there are some pretty good knitting ones out there. Lime and Violet seems to be a favorite, and best of all they’re free! You can play them on a computer, so you don’t even have to have an ipod to enjoy them. Good luck with the socks and the show!

  84. I’m gonna forty-seventh the motion on Firefly, though I’ll caution you (and Angela) that Joss Whedon has only (to my knowledge) endorsed season 1 of Veronica Mars, which was brilliant. Season 2 was interesting but dodgy, and for season 3… I weep.
    Don’t’cha just love how this TV talk brings out all the fangeeks? I do. Maybe that’s just me.
    I am also interested to hear about what will happen to the step-out socks–how many partial pairs of green socks will you have, when this mess is over? And do they *really* all have to be the same size, or could you… y’know… start making them smaller as you go on? Just by a couple stitches. If you were actually knitting them for someone’s feet, I see how that would be a bad idea, but if it’s just for TV, doesn’t the camera add ten stitches anyway? Or something like that.

  85. one more thing in reference to the Jayne hat–not the genesis of my knitting obsession, but yup, it was the first HAT I made (and a DAMN FINE one!)–special for a very special someone for an event known as the Big Damn Movie opening. Most unfortunately it turned out to have The CURSE on it before I even knew what The CURSE was. I hope the rat bastard suffers untold agonizing guilt and remorse every time he sees it or puts it on his stupid head now. Hate therapy is doing wonders for me. 😀

  86. Well, most everyone has mentioned the shows I’d recommend (Firefly, Stargate SG-1, Doctor Who, Ballykissangel, Northern Exposure). How about La Femme Nikita, Babylon 5, Charmed (when you see what these three sisters get into, you’ll be glad you’ve got your daughters!), Midsommer Murders?
    *considers running time of all recommended shows* Sheesh, that might be enough to take you through NEXT year’s holiday knitting!

  87. I’m with all those folks who recommend Firefly. I also like the suggestion of Blackadder. Come to think of it, why not Mr. Bean, too?
    Course, I may not be the one to be suggesting boring-knitting-TV. I can’t — can not — knit and watch TV at the same time. My knitting starts to look like an episode of “Tink, the Frog”. Know what I mean?
    Beautiful, if monotonous, socks ya got there, Hon! You’ll get ’em done. I know you will!

  88. If you like British humor – other than Benny Hill & Monty Python – try “Coupling” – hysterical with British accents, miserable when copied onto American TV. It’ll make you laugh before you realize why you’re laughing.

  89. ‘Dead Like Me’– Showtime show about a newly-deceased girl who becomes a grim reaper. FABULOUS show. Mandy Patinkin… need I say more?

  90. Two things: Firefly is the best! Absolutely the best. I have a friend who’s even made a dozen or so Jayne hats!
    And second, I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, and I am inspired to no end by your life. (Secretly I want to be you when I grow up.) Whenever I’m having a moment I try and think of how the Yarn Harlot might handle things, and it helps me get through. Thank you soo much for each and every post (even if it is just more socks).

  91. You have no clue how jealous I am that you get to knit socks. I’m doing Harry Potter scarves. 9.5 inches wide, knit in the round. Over six feet long. Something like 45K stitches per scarf. Eight of them. For the holidays. When I get ahead I get to play with a sock a little bit.
    Do you listen to any podcasts when you knit? Cast-On with Brenda Dayne is really good and she just started the fourth series. Definitely good stuff to listen to while knitting.

  92. I really like that first line of defense. Here are some suggestions that I didn’t see in my quick skim of the other comments:
    TV Series:
    Babylon 5
    Alias
    Gilmore Girls
    Movies that don’t get old:
    Monsters, Inc
    Shrek
    Kate & Leopold
    Breakfast at Tiffany’s
    or you could try a different Pride & Prejudice… maybe even ALL of the P&P versions.

  93. I heartily endorse the Firefly watching to ease the sock-y pain, and it’s movie, Serenity.
    (of course, there is that one episode with the hat that I am sure will try to tempt you away from your socks… but hats are simple quick things, it won’t be that bad 😉

  94. Yes you will love Firefly as much as you love The Princess Bride..I take it back.. more.. well then hmm ok it’s a toss up!
    The episodes with WAsh’s sweater will make you.. well want to knit the sweater.. it’s on my list!

  95. All five seasons of “‘Allo! ‘Allo!” are now available on DVD.
    ‘Nuff said.
    Well, maybe not *quite* ’nuff. “I, Claudius” (pronounced, of course, “Clavdivs”) is also well worth revisiting in sequence. (And speaking of revisiting – no, on second thought maybe “Brideshead” is not such great knitting material – Anthony Andrews is just too distracting.) As is the complete “Pallisers.”
    And I for one can get a hell of a lot of knitting done during repeated (and repeated and repeated) viewings of “The Big Lebowski” – I find it really pulls the room together. Then again, I’m a bit peculiar that way….

  96. You should have friends over to knit. You’d have company to break up the monotony and maybe coerce a row or two on one of the socks out of your guest.

  97. Oo, if you are into weird and odd, Boston Legal is good. I thought it was stupid, until I sat and watched it. Season One is out on DVD, and Season Two is either coming out very soon or already released.
    Hm.
    I need to go check out Amazon now…

  98. Have you seen ‘Dead Like Me’? Completely additive as is ‘Weeds’ and if you are going for BBC series ‘Bleak House’ is awesome.
    All of these have several discs/episodes, the time passes O so quickly

  99. I totally recommend the series Dead Like Me. Also, it’s a bit more obscure, but I <3 Wonderfalls. So. Much. Caroline Dhavernas is a doll. I also never tire of the movies Clueless and The Princess Bride. Good luck…if anyone can do it, you can!

  100. It’s not just us that calls it “I Clavdivs” then, with a very young Patrick Stewart. I cannot think of anything to relieve the monotony of knitting so many identical socks. Next time sign up some of us to help out.

  101. Hey. Wait a minute. Don’t you have teenagers who could help you….errr, who you could force to knit some of your items??
    Oh. I’ve not seen Firefly, but one of my friends wants the Jayne Cobb hat and his wife only crochets, so i’ve offered to make it for him. It’s cute.
    I tend to just pop in one Harry Potter movie after another and then when those are done i switch over to anything with Sandra Bullock but, that’s just me.
    Happy kitting! 🙂
    ~Suz~

  102. yes on Firefly
    yes on Stargate
    yes on Alias
    !!!!!!!!!!!HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!
    YES on La Femme Nikita
    how about Dark Angel? the heroine wears combat boots.

  103. I think I’m the 54th or something person to recommend Firefly, but it is really that good. I also liked the ideas of Buffy and Angel (currently working my way through theose), LOTR (if you get the extended editions there’s positively weeks for fun, and the cast commentaries are really great), I’m kinda suprised that I’m the first to say Love Actually (so wonderful), and then Monty Python, Battlestar Galactica, and Movie Musicals (they tend to be longer than normal movies). For a change of pace I really like books on tape or CD (the library is your friend on this one), they take forever and can be realy great.

  104. Seriously Stephanie, is there any reason why both of us are not knitting step-outs in children’s sizes? It’s too late for either of us, of course, but next time . . . small sock-wearers rule! They could always get Knitsters with tiny feet, like you . . . or bring in child prodigy Knitsters. And if you run out of needles, just replace them with bamboo shish kabob skewers and slip the real ones in when it is that step-out’s turn to step out and be filmed.
    And don’t forget to take along “the sock” to the studio so it can have a cameo in the show. And do hand your camera to a camera guy and get him to take a photo of the sock on the set with you. The camera guys are great. When I filmed the last show on the Moebius, towards the end when we had to do a retake, and the camera guy had to rewind, he suddenly paused and said, “Hey, I think I’ll just go forward until I get back to where I was!” He’d been listening and watching and had grokked the Moebius beautifully. So expect to have fun. You’ll have a great time – will come home with a mountain of blogging fodder – and I am sure you will be absolutely wonderful.

  105. Firefly is a good choice. I personally have found great success with the X-Files, there is no second sock syndrome with the gentle drone of David Ducovney in the background. I would stick with seasons one through five only though, six is o.k. and seasons seven through nine are really best for the die hard fan or the very desprete knitter.

  106. I’m cheering you on! I’ve got sock madness in my future. Yes, denial over here, too.
    I’ve not seen the Firefly shows, but still loved the movie. Grey’s Anatomy has a couple of seasons out on DVD now, I think. What about House? Are you watching along already? If not, you might like it. And there’s always Red Dwarf.

  107. Grey’s Anatomy…a must since the characters take up knitting in season 2! There is even a webring that “knits with Grey’s”. Not to mention Patrick Demsey…HELLO!
    If you want humor and mindless viewing I suggest the 10 seasons of Friends. To me, that is good, clean, interesting, mindless entertainment.
    Another one that I LOVE is Everybody Loves Raymond. There is something about that show that absolutely makes me feel like the writers are writing about me! Watch it, you will find it totally funny!
    As far as fantasy goes, nobody has mentioned the Star Trek Series, both new and old. That will definately take up a great deal of time. And once, you get done with the tv episodes you could watch the film versions. Oh, imagine the fun 🙂

  108. Socks, Socks, Socks! I know you havn’t seen Knitty Gritty so you might not know this but, the last woman to knit socks on the show only made ankle length socks, used worsted weight yarn, and size 6 or 8 dpn. She completly copped out of making for really reals socks. Not to mention she had no previously finished socks to show any variations of the pattern she gave to the viewer. Leave it to the Yarn Harlot to demonstrate on REAL sock yarn with REAL small needles and show us a variety of socks using the same simple techniques.
    I salute you Steph!
    P.S. Thanks for sending me the email…you made my day!

  109. ok, i don’t know how you feel about trashy british drama, but i spent a good while absolutely addicted to this bbc show called footballers’ wives. betrayal! passion! manslaughter! naked bums! it’s like a soap opera except it’s exceptionally well acted. the first season is great but it falls off a bit after that.

  110. The new Agatha Christie’s Marple Series 1 and 2 are awesome, Veronica Mars is great, Firefly is a must see…

  111. Another vote for Firefly/Serenity and Stargate and most of the Star Trek shows (never got into DS9). And Dark Angel. But no one has mentioned Pretender! Only 4 seasons but all good to my way of thinking. Great socks and you will probably be knitting at least one Jayne hat before Firefly fades from your TV screen if for no other reason than it is NOT A SOCK. Enjoy all the shows. Me, I’m headed to check out Deadwood.

  112. I hear good things about Firefly.
    YES! A feel good, comfort series. Sad. Funny. Hysterical. An amazingly good series. ‘Serenity’, based on the Firefly series, is also very good. It will give you something to watch, while dreaming up new tortures for the video rental guy.
    d2 (who has a Jayne hat, but not a brown coat)

  113. I second the motion for the Pallisers – done by BBC in the 70s, it has plenty of episodes, with great costumes, if you are in the mood for something historical.
    How about Cold Comfort Farm?

  114. I really enjoyed Deadwood. I watched it during the Knitting Olympics. The language was vulgar and the scenery got me hooked. By the way does Canada have Netflix? It can be a real lifesaver during marathon knitting.

  115. gorgeous yarn…what is it, where do I get it..don’t make me read thru the whole comment listing to find out. Miss marple is good..with Joan Hickson (the original Miss marple) BUT….
    RENT THE “MIDSOMER MURDERS”…ALL THE SEASONS…THERE’S 7. THEY TOTALLY ROCK. THE Englishe countryside will blow your little green socks off!

  116. Hello! Long time lurker, first time poster. I took up your “Q&A Challenge.” Here’s my question…toe up socks, I’m working on my first pair of socks and toe up just seemed to make the most sense to me. The toe is done and I’m very happy with it, now I’m trying my luck at the heel. I’m using a heel flap of sorts but keep getting holes (kind of looks like yo holes) when I try to attach the flap to the rest of the sock. Any ideas! Thanks a lot, and great blog, keeps me entertained over here in Iceland.

  117. Well, maybe It’s just me, but I knitted my way through every season of The Shield. I also knit through an hour of Scrubs every night. Oh, and Band of Brothers is incredible (but I always get distracted from my knitting…)

  118. I vote for firefly too. It is one of the few shows that all 3 generations of my family from grandparents in their 70s to teenagers all agree is a must see:)

  119. Actually, I like to knit to The Sopranos – I guess because their life is so anti-knit-like. I would knit to Seinfeld, but when I laugh, I forget my place (this applies to paternwork only). Good luck, I am prone to sock singles, myself. I hate to even do the second one most of the time!

  120. I’d go for the Gilmore Girls. There are six seasons out (I think) and there are some funny characters on that show. Plus, they talk fast, which makes me knit faster. I’m just sure of it.
    You’ll never knit another pair of green socks again, will you?

  121. If you finish all those step-outs when this is over, you will have a great chunk of your Christmas knitting for next year (I guess, depending on when you go on the show) done and ready to be tied up with a bow.
    I am finally finishing up my husband’s sweater (the single largest thing I’ve ever knitted) and I’ve started the mumbling about “fiddly bits” and threatening to locate some Screech before I start picking up stitches. The only thing is, I don’t think we have that in the States, at least not in the South.

  122. Stephanie, in response to your post a few days ago when people were wondering if it’s reasonable to knit a sock a day….
    I recently made a pair of socks for commission. I timed each one, just for the heck of it. The first sock took 6.5 hours and the second took 7.5 hours. These were sport-weight and somewhere between anklet and crew length.
    Knit on!

  123. i have been using ‘six feet under’ as laundry folding and knitting distraction. everyone tells me if i like that one, i’ll LOVE ‘weeds’. and then there is ‘desperate housewives’, ‘gilmore girls’*, michael pain’s PBS travel shows, etc.
    i don’t have cable so i’m watching all of these for the first time.
    good luck with the socks and happy US thanksgiving.
    *our 5 year old daughter is named rory and when we told people the name they said ‘like in the gilmore girls?’ and i said ‘wha???’ not having any idea what they were talking about…

  124. You haven’t seen Firefly yet? Dear God, woman, what are you waiting for?
    That said, I also recommend all of Joss’s other works (Joss being the genius behind Firefly, of course): Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I know Buffy has a reputation of being really…um…silly, but if you give it a chance I think you’ll see that it’s actually quite well written and it covers more diverse and difficult issues than almost anything else on TV.
    If you’re looking for yet more to keep you interested (Buffy is 6.5 seasons, Angel is 5), there’s also Grey’s Anatomy and House, if you’d like fun Hospital shows….

  125. I’d suggest Perry Mason. Season 1 is out in2parts. Also Hart to Hart (seasons 1 and 2). Of courseif you want a story that goes on forever, there’s the original Dark Shadows.

  126. I vote for Firefly. Awesome show, though unfortunately only about 13 episodes. But there are extras and about half of them can be watched a second time with commentary.
    If you haven’t seen LOST, the first two seasons could get you through a lot of socks.
    If you like comedy, Mad About You is a fun show, with quite a few seasons…the first few are the best ones. I’ve also been watching Gilmore Girls lately, if that’s out on DVD. Nice mother-daughter comedy.
    We’re all rooting for you.

  127. If you’re wanting British shows, I would highly recommend Mr. Bean. That was the cult show of choice in my circle at college.
    And then there’s Yes, Prime Minister; The Princess Bride; Contact; The Incredibles; My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding; What’s Up Doc? with Barbara Streisand (this one is the kind that takes two viewings to find funny, but you’ve got the time, right? :o); and if you want really funny, try What About Bob or The Man Who Knew Too Little (both Bill Murray).
    Good luck!!!

  128. My household loved Firefly! Get the series and the movie. We laughed, cried, and were profoundly enlightened. Can’t wait to see you on Knitty Gritty! I am seriously envious of your wool!

  129. Hi! If you like six feet under, you might try Dead Like Me. It’s a little dark, but funny!
    Sorry I can’t add more to the knitting content. If you have to knit that many socks, at least the color is pretty.

  130. SOAP. They have 3 seasons on DVD. I watched it the first couple of days after jaw surgery and actually forgot to take my pain meds during the day.

  131. so I have a sock question (if you don’t mind….I mean, if you do mind, I suppose you could just ignore my question)…..
    I jut finished knitting my first pair of socks and the cuffs don’t stay up very well. Embarrassingly, one sock has 1×1 rib….but then I read in Knitting Rules! that 2×2 stays up better…..so, um, I made the other sock with 2×2 rib (I mean….nobody can see the tops once your pants are over them, right?). But neither of them like me very much (as in, they slouch). The socks you’re posting have nice tight cufs. Do you use smaller needles on the cuff? Do you use some kind of elastic? Do you know any secrets for fixing loose cuffs (I thought about unraveling and re-knitting the cuffs….but I knit them cuff down, so I don’t think you can do that, can you?)?
    Happy sock knitting! (and American Thanksgiving!)
    -Carissa

  132. Another vote for Firefly!!!!! I also enjoyed “Carnivale”, a tv series from HBO. Only 2 seasons, sadly, but very weird in a historical kind of way.
    The socks are looking great!

  133. Firefly rocks and I think you’ll love it. Everyone in my family loves it, from my mom and dad to my younger brother. I can watch it over and over and be a happy camper.

  134. I love Marilyn Munroe, and have done a lot of knitting while watching her old movies. The Seven Year Itch is my favourite. There’s even a scene where the main character’s wife is making something that looks sort of like knitting, except there’s a lot of things dangling down from it…maybe it’s tatting? Has anyone seen that movie? Anyway, I think if you put on sunglasses, it would make your yarn look a different colour, and you could pretend it’s a different sock.

  135. My suggestion for knitting entertainment:
    PLAY. ALL. DVDS. TWICE.
    The second time you watch them, listen to all the commentaries. Brilliant stuff!
    How about a Robert Altman festival in honour of his passing? Nashville, Gosford Park, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, MASH, The Player… The library will have these if the store doesn’t.

  136. Firefly followed by Serenity definitely. Season 1 of Everwood. Any and all Gilmore Girls. How to Marry a Millionaire. Desk Set.
    I admire your fortitude…

  137. I often knit while listening to books on tape. The Potter series, as Tracy suggested, is well done, and I love the humor in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.
    For TV series, I suggest the irreverent humor of Boston Legal. I’ve never seen Firefly, now I’ll have to check it out.

  138. Okay, first off – FIREFLY. You will love the comedy. They’re funny folks. And River’s crazyness is priceless – be sure to pay attention, eveyrthing she says has meaning. Include Serenity (aka Firefly: the movie).
    I second the Gilmore Girls vote. They’re very amusing ladies. And most of it is about the language, so listening is the most important part.
    Personally, I watch CSI while I knit. There’s what, 12+ seasons between the three cities now? That’s PLENTY of time for knitting – and you can avoid all the gross autopsy shots by concentrating on the socks. : )

  139. I’ve been lurking for a long time, but have never felt compelled to delurk. Well, now I just can’t take it anymore!
    Firefly is the most amazing television show ever made! It should be next on your “to watch” list. I’ve never had anyone I’ve pushed/shoved/goaded/tricked into watching Firefly dislike it. Plus, there’s a really awesome knit hat in one episode (The Message), so that makes it a knitterly show, right? :p

  140. Firefly is a great series. The humor is great, and there’s a really neat knitted hat in one episode. After the series the made a movie(Serenity). That’s a good 15 hours of knitting time right there. Right now, Season One of Highlander is getting me through my knitting (mostly because I’m laughing at the early 90’s fashion) but whatever works. Good Luck!

  141. The socks are looking lovely! Although, I don’t blame you for looking for something else to knit. I have knitter’s ADD too.
    My recommendations for DVD watching:
    Firefly (1 season)
    Buffy the Vampire Slayer (7 seasons)
    Grey’s Anatomy (2 seasons)
    Charmed (6 seasons on DVD)
    Dinosaurs (Season 1 & 2 are on the same set)
    Boondock Saints (if you’ve never seen it)
    Rent
    Also, if you like the animated films:
    Madagascar
    Over the Hedge
    Ice Age 2
    Hoodwinked

  142. Ok, seriously, I agree with all of the above about Firefly. It is an AWESOME series! Someone at FOX seriously dropped the ball when they pulled it! If you do watch it though, watch the movie they made after it (due to the cult-like following that the series produced) since the movie does explain quite a few of the leftover holes from the show.
    What are you waiting for? Go! Go watch it now!
    And for those of you who have watched the show…
    Bullet in the brain-pan….squish!

  143. Firefly has the advantage of having the greatest cheesy knit — Jayne’s hat. But it is short. Go with Buffy, so much fun, pretty men running about, a soap opera with pointy sticks. And there is alot of it.

  144. Quirky choices to reinforce your suspicion that Americans aren’t quite right: Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou, Grosse Pointe Blank and Fargo. All funny but in dark, strange, or off-kilter ways. If your knitting can’t be wacky or adventurous, at least your viewing can be.

  145. You haven’t seen Firefly? Oh, lady. You really should. But be careful! If you’re at all like me, you may find yourself on Knitty Gritty saying things like, “And then you take this gorram heel flap and pick up the stitches along this here edge of it like so. See? Shiny, ain’t it?”
    Which would certainly be entertaining, but perhaps not the image you wish to project. 🙂

  146. Wow, you sure have some Firefly nerds on this here blog 😉 And I’m one of them too! I’d throw my hat in the ring for Firefly, it’s a good show. You’ll just be sad when it’s all over because you’ll want more, and it’s not coming 🙁
    The socks are looking good. I’m not sure the whole cleaning as knitting motivation would work for me, because I absolutely love to clean. It’s sick I know, I’ve considered counseling…

  147. I’m loving your socks. I’m craving Fleece Artist merino, now. But I can understand the feeling of tedium.
    I haven’t watched all the Firefly episodes, but I loved the movie, Serenity. There is something about the old-fashioned language in a futuristic setting that really grabbed me.
    Someone mentioned the library – yes! Check out your library for dvds. Free!! And you can keep them for three weeks! When I want to get cosy with some mindless knitting I turn to the British series’, Hettie Wainthropp, To the Manor Born, Absolutely Fabulous, As Time Goes By, Keeping Up Appearances, Wallace & Gromit, Vicar of Dibley, Good Neighbours,…
    When I was in the hospital earlier this year I took a portable dvd player, (and a sock, of course!), and caught up with some of the Sex & the City episodes I never saw.
    The first couple seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are on dvd, now, I think. And I’m becoming addicted to the new series, Brothers and Sisters, on Sunday nights.
    Oh, and the new Dr. Who, Monday nights on CBC. I don’t know if it’s on dvd, yet.

  148. I recommend “Dead Like Me” to watch while knitting………good series, only two seasons tho…………
    Go to the library and get some good books on tape!
    Diane Gabaldon’s series would be good…..nice long books…….hunky Scots men running around in kilts! First book is The Outlander
    KNIT ON!

  149. I completely agree with knitting to Firefly, BSG, Northern Exposure and Gilmore Girls. Another show with great writing (and one that wasn’t given enough of chance) is Sports Night. Lots of fun!!!

  150. Some great DVD suggestions, but I don’t see Farscape…awesome show, from the SciFi channel. 4 seasons & a movie.

  151. Firefly was great. I also like The West Wing alot. (I have seasons 1-5.) Interesting characters, good stories, and it doesn’t revolve around people dying! Also, Northern Exposure. Oh, and Alien Nation.

  152. Yes, watch Firefly. I also discovered the new Battlestar Galactica, though it’s not a happy show by any means…
    I must get my hands on that yarn, Steph. For serious.
    I always wonder if you actually make it through 181 comments, or if your eyes glaze halfway down the page. 🙂

  153. Well I rushed off and listed all my favourites and lo and behold, everyone else has been suggesting them already. Midsomer Murders, I Clavdivs (we call it that too!), Marples, Blackadder, The Good Life, all of them. Never heard of Firefly though – guess what I’ll be watching next then!
    Nobody has suggested Coupling (british series) which is much funnier than Friends although fewer series. I love to knit to this, although probably not wise in tricky bits. The dialogue is so good you could just listen though.
    Keep up the knitting, you’re going great churning out all the Soon To Be Famous socks.
    Isn’t crochet starting to look good right about now..?

  154. Here’s a list, in order of knitting compatibility, most compatible to least:
    Firefly — despite having some seriously fabulous cgi work (and good costumes and set design) a lot of the fun of this show is in the dialogue. Good for knitters! Don’t miss the episode where Jayne gets a hand-knitted hat from mom!
    Battlestar Galactica — the miniseries that kicks off season one isn’t as good as the show itself, so feel free to look at your knitting as needed. For the episodes, work on stockinette stitch so you can keep your eyes on the screen. Katee Sackoff’s Starbuck is…well, if she were a nice Canadian knit blogger, she’d be you, she’s that kickass.
    Rome — oh, this show will rock your world. Everyone in it is fabulous, and the relationship between two soldiers the show follows, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo (characters based on the only “regular dudes” Caesar mentioned in his books) is just awesome — like “the Odd Couple” plunked down in the middle of Caesar’s army. Except way more awesome than that.
    Deadwood — Timothy Olyphant, how I love thee…You need to get netflix. Your video store is preventing you from having one of the best television experiences of all time! Somewhat difficult to knit to, though — this show is so compelling I rarely knit while watching. Al Swearengen, by the way, is in one of the best characters created since Shakespeare headed back to Stratford and retired.
    The Wire — This is probably the best television show ever created, which often makes it very hard to knit to. While Dominic West (who plays detective McNulty) is dreeeeaaaaammmy, the main character in this show is the city of Baltimore — and what a flawed, broken character it is. The cops aren’t often, or even mostly, “good guys” — though many are “good police” as the characters would say. The drug dealers are far too human to be “bad guys.” And did I mention Dominic West is dreamy? Very dreamy. Mmmmm, Dominic West…
    Ahem. Anyway, I think most of the previous commenters would agree with this list — go for it! We can’t wait to see you on Knitty Gritty!

  155. Just got my first batch of Fleece Artist. WOW! is all I can say. I love the colorway you’re using. 🙂
    As for entertainment, I would second (or 3rd or 4th….) the suggestions for X-Files, Northern Exposure, 24 and Grey’s Anatomy. All kind of quirky in their own special way and it would combat any boredom if you switched ’em up a bit. 😛

  156. Here’s a question for you: do you think it takes a “certain” kind of knitter to knit lace? I know, it isn’t about socks or movies or TV series, but I have been thinking a lot about it lately (as someone who can tackle just about any kind of knitting no matter how complicated but I can’t seem to manage the simplest lace pattern). It makes me think some people are good at math, some people are good at lace, etc. What do you think?
    (something to think about while you churn out those socks!) Good luck!

  157. Things that I recommend you watch:
    1. Qing Shen Shen Yu Meng Meng. Practice your Taiwanese Mandarin. There’s probably something there with subtitles.
    2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yet again, with subtitles and practice your Mandarin.
    3. Love Actually. Alan Rickman + Hugh Grant + Kiera Knightley + Colin Firth + Emma Thompson = much love.
    4. V For Vendetta. We all know that Natalie Portman is awesome and V is awesome. The dominoes falling scene is t3h win.
    5. Lost. I’m told that it’s good, my brother likes it, but he also didn’t like Love Actually, so I don’t know what to do with him.
    6. House/Grey’s Anatomy. We like our doctor/hospital shows.
    7. Ally McBeal. If you can find it.
    8. Failure to Launch. We all know that Sarah Jessica Parker is awesome. And that other guy is “the sexiest man alive” when the movie was made. I’m not sure about now.
    9. Wallace and Gromit. They are classics.
    10. Mr. Bean. If you can still find those, you have to watch. They are awesome. But you have to look, I don’t think there’s dialogue.
    11. Bleach/Naruto. They’re Japanese cartoons, but you have to watch them in Japanese with English subtitles, the english version is… terrible. And that’s being nice too. They both have around 200 episodes. Think of all that time. This should only be used as a last ditch option. I’ll be back with more.

  158. How about Bleak House (Masterpiece Theatre) or Homicide: Life on the Street? I also love, love Weeds, Veronica Mars, and Prime Suspect.

  159. Who knew so many Harlot commentators are also Firefly fans? Yes, absolutely, Firefly and the film sequel Serenity are top-notch, as is Buffy. Veronica Mars is pretty entertaining.
    But really, start with Firefly. The actor who plays Captain Malcolm Reynolds (aka Mal) is Canadian. You should be very proud.

  160. Recommendations:
    The Office (both the American and English versions are hysterical)
    Grey’s Anatomy (its funny and dramatic and you can end up easily hooked)
    I second Deadwood
    The Sopranos
    happy knitting!

  161. Yet another chime in for Firefly (though I do like Serenity, because of the thing concerning a certain leaf on the wind… it bothers me). Deadwood is awesome, here in Pittsburgh we have these stores called the Record Exchange where you can turn in old CDs, DVDs, VHS, videogames, etc in and get cash/store credit… we stalked all 3 of ours in our area for 3 weeks. We scored Deadwood 1, and then just gave up the ghost and bought Deadwood 2 at Best Buy. We are currently stalking Deadwood 3. ROME is awesome… the only thing is…. how Deadwood is with cussing, ROME is with freaky naked sex scenes. Its got Kevin McKidd (hot!), Ray Stevenson (also hot!), and James Purefoy (HOT HOT!).
    Scrubs is awesome (The Janitor! Love the Janitor!) Harry Potter (come on, Mrs Weasley the mad knitter) and my new favorite CSI:The Original… I have a crush on Grisham.

  162. I love the colours in the latest sock (and a half).
    I’m feeling really out of the sock…er, loop…but what is this step out thing?

  163. I bet you’d like Battlestar Galactica. And not just because everyone loves it. It’s brilliant, it’s unexpected, it’s got strong hints of political commentary but doesn’t hit you over the head, and it’s the best kind of Sci-fi: not one single alien. None. No stupid muppet aliens, no bad-CGI tentacle aliens, no why-are-all-aliens-humanoid-with-odd-faces aliens.
    Also, and I may have said this already: it’s brilliant. And when you run out of discs to rent, the rest is all on iTunes, right up to the most recent episode.
    Also try House MD, the aforementioned Buffy (it’s a lot smarter than it sounds, promise), and, I don’t know, how about MacGuyver? Knitting’s more fun when you imagine Richard Dean Anderson building rescue equipment out of your notions, I feel.

  164. I vote for Doctor Who–the new series is just fantastic. The first series with the 9th doctor is out on DVD in the US.
    I will out myself as a total geek by also recommending the series with the 4th doctor. He wears a crazy 8.5 foot long striped scarf (hand knit!) and often uses it to trip up aliens and measure things (“this brick is 2 stitches shorter than the others, it must be the button for a secret entrance”). Awesome.

  165. After your Wedding Shawl, you should just takes these to be with you & knit them while you sleep 😉 Dontcha just love Six Feet Under?

  166. ‘Dogma’, it would have to be one of my very favourites, all 4 Harry Potter movies,’The Story of Us’ I am a sucker for that one, and of course Greys Anatomy cant be beat.
    Dont worry too much about being the Mum they all talk about at Parent Council, they probably do that already! Besides if they are talking about you they are leaving some other poor soul alone!
    Good Luck…..

  167. Chiming in on the Firefly, and especially Buffy and Scrubs. All three are great! Best of luck with the step-outs…if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been thinking of trying my first sock for a month now, and watching you churn these out convinced me. I bought striping yarn, which is so amusing it worries me. Am I that easy to please? Problem is I can’t stop knitting it, and I have six hats to make for christmas (we won’t talk about those). Thanks for the inspiration!

  168. Good luck with the socks. I would suggest you wear color filters on your glasses to vary the yarn, you see.
    We don’t have cable TV, so I can only recommend from network and PBS. But I’ll agree with House and Scrubs. We love Monk – seasons 1 & 2 are out on DVD. For feel good, I never get tired of As Time Goes By with Judi Dench. Prime Suspect.

  169. Wow. Gosh. I still haven’t made it through the first sock for Mr. Size 14 feet. Reading about how many socks you have to knit in such a short time makes me feel like a wimp for getting discouraged so easily. I’m almost inspired to pick it up again. Keep posting the socks- maybe “almost inspired” will turn into “inspired” and I’ll be able to give him a completed sock for Christmas.
    DVD suggestions (both movies and TV series): Alias, Gilmore Girls, JAG, Gone With the Wind (its long…plenty of sock knitting before you even have to switch disks!), Firefly & the movie that was created after the series (don’t remember what it was called…), Wives and Daughters (Jane Austin-ish), Scrubs, NOVA

  170. I have a suggestion! I know it’s already been suggested, but here it is again Arrested Development. It’s hands down the funniest comedy ever. Plus, they just put the whole thing… all three seasons online here (online = no fights w/ rental guy):
    http://arresteddevelopment.msn.com
    Even if you’ve already watched it, it’s definitely worth watching again.

  171. I recommend Jeeves & Wooster with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Wonderfully funny stuff. And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with watching Henry Ian Cusick on Lost over and over and over again…
    😉
    Good luck with all the socks and half-socks and quarter-socks!

  172. I wholeheartedly endorse Firefly, except that it might make you want to drop the socks and make a Jayne hat. But don’t think about that, just watch the show. And when you’re done with the show, you can watch the movie!

  173. Definitely watch the Firefly episodes. They are amazingly fun. And then rent the movie Serenity to watch after it. 🙂

  174. Well, I personally love to watch The Sopranos while knitting. It’s not for everyone, though.
    And I have a question. What are you going to do with all the step-outs once the show is over? Will you finish all of them? If so, then what with all the identical pairs of socks?

  175. FIREFLY!!! What a great, big, damn series that was tragically cut short. I ::heart:: Joss Whedon liek whoa. You must watch. If only to see what sparked the whole “Jayne hat” thing. See?! Knitting!
    Please tell me you’ve watched Buffy and Angel?

  176. If you are in a BBC kind of mood, Our Mutual Friend and Bleak House are excellent. Jane Austen mood? We love Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson), Persuasion (Ciaran Hinds, Amanda Root),Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Clueless. Fantasy? X-Men and Lord of the Rings, also Willow. Let’s hear it for the blockbuster series when there’s a dull patch to be got through. Love the pink lace socks, and the Fleece Artist is lovely too. You can do this!!!

  177. Firefly is great. Consider Battlestar Galactica (the new one) and 24. Both are good to have pointy sticks in hand for then the dramatic moments.

  178. Shows:
    X-Files
    Firefly
    House
    Lost
    Law and Order
    Movies:
    Finding Nemo
    Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    Speaking of the Firefly Hat, a friend of mine made one just like it this summer while we worked at a camp. Only took a few hours.

  179. when did mr washie get a promotion? did the queen mum come through when i wasn’t looking?
    and i’m with you. get the longest part done first. which is why i always do sleeves last.

  180. firefly the series, very good. firefly the movie… extremely distressing.
    battlestar galactica? wicked good.
    harry potter? the series?
    my all time favorite… books on tape. the sky’s the limit.
    the socks look incredible, no matter how many you knit 🙂

  181. Oh Rent the Firefly! Then the movie Serenity. My #1 son says “Weeds” is a blast, too. Then there is the new Doctor Who series #1 out on DVD. Season #2 with the tasty David Tennant is out on January 16th. Got a big project to complete after the first of the year? This is the one for that! Speaking of David Tennant, if you can catch Masterpiece Theater’s production of “Casanova” with Tennant and Peter O’Toole sharing the role of Casanova, that is three hours of quality entertainment and knitting time. And it doesn’t really end the way you think it will, either.
    Oh and if you haven’t seen Munich, yet. Do so. It will show you why Daniel Craig was chosen to be the new James Bond.n I am in LOOOOVE with him, now.
    Break out those DVD’s, sign up for Netflix (do they have that in Canada?) and KNIT ON!

  182. Definitely Firefly (I’m almost finished the series and have Serenity lying next to it). Dead Like Me, if you haven’t already seen it. As for Deadwood… Well. I tried watching it, really wanted to, had heard such excellent things about it and just… couldn’t. It’s so much about life being nasty, brutish and short that I simply couldn’t handle it. Yes, I know. I’m a wuss.

  183. I believe that I’m the 6th to say it, but please watch “Arrested Development” (good things bear repeating). All three seasons of it. At times you might be laughing too hard to knit, but they’re good times.

  184. firefly rocks. i was so sad when it ended, though, and glad that they followed it up with a movie, although it wasn’t the same.
    some of the lines are very relevant to knitting. such as, “curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.” so appropriate for gauge swatches.
    i’m churning out the most boring knitting ever– a stockinette tube 6 inches wide and 6 feet long (yup, an extra warm scarf) and i’m relying on alias to help me get through. not the best tv show, not the best lines, but enough cliffhangers to make you sit in your seat and knit for a long time. plus no one really dies, everybody lies and has a secret, and you’ll be utterly paranoid at the end. great times.
    good luck with your sock(s)…

  185. I second the “Weeds” recommendation. Also loved “The Yes Men” (about guys posing as WTO officials… sort of intellectual anarchy) and also “A League of Ordinary Gentleman” about the rise and fall and rise from the ashes of the American Pro Bowlers Association. Just your kind of quirky, I think. Both of these are documentaries, and both are a stitch.
    Don’t rent old episodes of “Laugh In.” They say “Sock it to me!” a lot. Might get on your nerves given your present circumstances…
    I included my web site address, but please don’t bother to look. I haven’t posted in weeks. Can’t find the camera charger. Lame, I know. I’m more interested knitting than taking pictures of my knitting right now. Oh, and helping my 4yo son discover the magic of reading. The neuropathways are almost connected! It’s like he’s on drugs — staring at random signs and mumbling to himself, puzzling words out everywhere we go. What a thrill.
    Cheers!
    .

  186. Totally de-lurking to give a shout out for Firefly. Definitely one of the best shows ever and I don’t even like westerns or sci-fi all that much. You will completely fall in love with Mal within the first few mintues. And you get to see his bum in one of the later episodes :). Not that that’s why I watched…..
    Good luck with the socks, they look great so far!

  187. Firefly is brilliant to knit to, as is the movie. I loved the BBC “Pride and Prejudice”, and had great knitting (possibly the best knitting) to all four seasons of “24”. It’s tense, and alarms me a little politically (it does after all condone torture and once portrayed an ACLU lawyer as the “bad guy”). However, it’s great for knitting. Deadwood is bad for knitting as it’s such a wonderful series that I quit knitting entirely to watch it. Your sock a day, btw, is inspirational!

  188. I recommend Veronica Mars and Good Eats rentals for knitting time…though with VM, you may get too lost in it…very involving! Good Eats is a lot of fun and easy to watch casually. (Also drool-worthy, if Alton Brown strikes one’s fancy as he does mine.) Oh – and any Kevin Smith movies, though if you were to enjoy his stuff like I do, you may be laughing too hard to knit.
    At any rate – sock away! Show the world It Can Be Done!

  189. You must try Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Wait… I know, you don’t have to tell anyone that you watched it. Buffy is definitely a guilty pleasure. It is a great show though, especially when watched in order. Enjoy!

  190. I’m going to suggest something truly obscure, but we spent much of the summer addicted to Emperor of the Sea and then the fall with Jewel in the Palace. Ok, so they are in Korean, but read the subtitles! We don’t watch much TV, but dang those captured us. Nothing like watching Jang Bogo standing on the deck of the ship (which is mysteriously traveling in no wind and with no sailors on board….never mind! Willing suspension of disbelief, people!) and staring wistfully at the island where he spent a few happy moments with his beloved yet unobtainable Miss Jung-wa. And the evil Lady Jami plotting their demise…..AH! That’s entertainment! And something like 50 episodes long. Made for some decent knitting hours for me.
    Oh, and if that doesnt’ work, try Lovejoy or Stargate or Men with Brooms.
    Off to knit mittens!

  191. Chiming in here:
    Buffy (there’s a lot of Whedon fans that read this blog I’m noticing ;))
    LOTR (esp the extended versions)
    Monty Python and The Holy Grail
    Highlander (1st movie… tv series was okay)
    Pirates of the Caribbean (since you like Johnny Depp)
    Bond movies – pretty much any of the Connery Bonds, most of the Moore Bonds… The Living Daylights (Timothy Dalton was an okay Bond), Goldeneye (Sean Bean! Yum *g*)
    How about some musicals? The film version from last year of Phantom of the Opera kicks ass… The 10th anniversary dvd of Les Miserables is amazing (watch for the parade of Valjeans from different countries at the end – Can You Hear The People Sing in at least 10 different languages)
    Dr Who dvds from the 80s (Tom Baker happens to be my favourite Doctor, might be a bit biased in this one)
    Concert dvds from bands you like (I love love love my U2 dvds)

  192. Arrested Development. the office (both american and british)
    i never tire of those dvds!
    oh and rockford files is a good one too because that show went on forever!(and they are usually at the library)
    anyways long time reader, first time writer!

  193. Oh definitely, you have to check out Firefly! It’s on my wishlist to buy…I could watch it over and over. You might also have to check out Season 1 of Prison Break……

  194. Man, are you gonna be dreaming of green socks. However, at least they’re gorgeous, multi-colored green socks, neh?
    Entertainment recs? Have you ever tried Highlander: The Series? (Not the movies. They’re ok, but the series is much better. And 6 seasons, too, although the last one is only half of one, really. But if you like ’em, that’ll hold you a while.) The first season of The Sentinel, at long last. All 10 (!) episodes of it. 😉 Intriguing concept, and both Richard Burgi (Susan’s ex Karl on Desperate Housewives) and Garett Maggart are to drool over. [eg] For cheesy-but-good classic buddy cop shows, there’s Starsky & Hutch, all 4 seasons out now. Or Silk Stalkings – ditto, but buddy into romance. Good for at least partway through season 5, when Rita and Chris left. 🙁 Then we stopped watching, weren’t too keen on the new stars. The BBC Manor House series, or the American Colonial House, or any of the ‘let’s try living like our ancestors did!’ shows. If nothing else, it’s hilarious when the people realize how hard it was. [eg] And although surely you watched it – at least I hope you did – what about Due South? I just love the way they skewer *both* our countries. Not to mention the eye candy. 😉 Oh yeah on The 4400, too.
    Movies – If you’ve never seen Hallelujah Trail, go, grab it immediately. Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick and umpteen others, totally hysterical. (And people thought Blazing Saddles was funny? Hah.) American Dreamer. The Bourne Identity & Supremacy – the Matt Damon versions. Noises Off! Jersey Girl. The Incredibles, including the bonus materials on the 2-DVD set. Seen all the Die Hard movies lately? Any samurai films starring Toshiro Mifune, especially The 7 Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Chushingura, and the 3-movie story of Musashi.
    I’ll stop now. I mean, you’re inundated anyway. ::snerk::

  195. Try “Spirited Away” as a movie. “Rome”, the HBO series, is GREAT…but VERY adult. Very sex and violence, and I know the grammar there is wonky, but accurate!!!

  196. Holy crow your comments need some Canadian content… We don’t have Netflex in Canada there is a service called Zip.ca http://www.zip.ca/SignUp/land01.aspx I’ve never used the service so no idea how it works or the cost.
    Canadian funny: Corner Gas
    Not Canadian though British funny is good too: Fawlty Towers (TV series)
    Keeping Up Appearances(TV series)
    ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (TV series)
    AS TIME GOES BY (TV series)
    Bean (TV series)
    Saving Grace (movie)
    Someone mention The Plum series by Janet Evanovich
    The books are about a ‘bounty hunter’ called Stephanie Plum… she has big hair too.
    http://www.evanovich.com/novels.html#plum
    If you can get them on tape be forewarned the books are super funny… snort out loud funny.

  197. I’d recommend watching all Five seasons of “Babylon 5” – that should take the edge off!

  198. If you like Pride & Prejudice, why not rent Bride and Prejudice – the Bollywood version that came out last year. Very funny & enjoyable.

  199. I heartily recommend Firefly, as well as the movie it spawned: Serenity. I love to flip on Serenity and knit away. Too bad networks seem to have a complete inability to ever let Joss Whedon finish a storyline. Truly, anything Joss Whedon’s hand has touched is excellent (Buffy, Angel, Firefly).

    The Operative: That girl will rain destruction down on you and your ship. She is an albatross, Captain.
    Mal: Way I remember it, albatross was a ship’s good luck, ’til some idiot killed it.
    Mal: [to Inara] Yes, I’ve read a poem. Try not to faint.

  200. My knitting favourites are “Jeeves and Wooster”, “Gilmore Girls” and “Green Wing”, although with GW I am sometimes too busy laughing / drooling after lovely Dr MacCartney and forget to knit. BTW, that green yarn is SO pretty!

  201. Firefly is amazing – so disappointed when there wasn’t more episodes to watch. Also recommend John Doe – loved it!

  202. I TOTALLY recommend Firefly and the feature length film Serenity. SO AWESOME. Joss totally rocks.
    If you like SciFi/Drama, I would also highly recommend Battlestar Galactica, the new incarnation. There’s a miniseries and two seasons on DVD to catch up with. Great stuff, I’m totally addicted. Its got great scifi stuff but its also a very human drama.
    Warning, season two is in TWO sets. There’s a 2.0 and a 2.5. I don’t know why they did it that way but they did.
    Also, NETFLIX. Er, if they do Canada. I love them and their inventory is massive.

  203. Watch Firefly! You won’t regret it. Seriously. Then rent the movie, “Serenity”, based on the events AFTER they canceled ‘Firefly’.
    Wonderfalls cracks me up. Inanimate objects in animal form talk to her and tell her what to do.
    ANY Doctor Who in any form, Veronica Mars, or Dead Like Me!

  204. Farscape! You may not be into sci-fi, or muppets, or hot guys in leather pants running around and getting beat up by women and puppets, but it’s a totally cool show and I highly recommend it.
    After that, I’d watch Lord of the Rings, or listen to a podcast. I do a lot of my knitting to episode commentaries of episodes I’ve already seen.

  205. Dear stephanie,
    where do you get the time to see any film at all??
    I’m always knitting along while reading all the responses from your blog and one hour later…hee see a lot off sock is knitted.
    By the way (ok i can’t understand all) do you also knit sneakers??(do you call them like that? short socks for sport shoes?)
    I think it’s an idea?
    [url]http://www.wolhalla.nl/kadootjes.php[/url]
    look here there are some free patterns for you and i’m sorry that the sneaker pattern is in dutch but when you would like it i’m glad to translate it for you i make them with a nice heel not dutch.
    Well stephanie if you still want some tips for films??
    I suggest for richer and poorer with kirstey alley and tim allen. I think they’re so funny.
    And for a great laugh i would take ice age2. That really cracked me up.
    take care,
    Valeria

  206. I’ve been inspired by the posts of this week to try other needles made out of a variety of other materials and it’s been an interesting experience that I have learnt a lot from. I am currently knitting some gloves on needles made from dried milk protein!
    I still prefer metal though for the simple reason that the cold steel keeps my hands cooler and stops them from getting sticky.
    On the DVD front have your tried Fortunes of War with a young Kenneth Branagh? Its a good one to knit to as much of the story hinges on what doesn’t happen and what isn’t said so doesn’t take up all ones attention.

  207. Watch Firefly – its fab!!!
    Then when the socks are finished you can knit a Jayne hat…

  208. Poor Harlot, you’re going to be knitting socks in your dreams! You’ll have knitting nightmares! Take heart, you are an inspiration to the rest of us. I’m knitting a pair of socks with lacey cuffs (my first!) for my Mom for Christmas, and I’m really hoping that I finish then in time to mail them to her before New Years! Man! You have such knitterly determination! If I knew all the fabulous knitters you did, I’d be borrowing their best socks to use.
    As for Firefly, as one previous commenter said, watch it once and then watch it again. Yes it’s that good! Then after you watch the series, you can watch the movie Serenity. It’s just a shame that the show was canceled. It’s one of my absolute favorite shows since Babylon 5. Very cool.
    Have you tried books on tape or CD? They are wonderful. Man, give me a quiet house, a good book on tape from the library, fresh rechargable batteries for my personal CD or tape player, some great knitting or spinning fiber and I’m happy for hours and hours. Two years ago during the Christmas knitting rush, I made it all the way through the unabridged version of Dickens’ Great Expectations! What bliss! Happy knitting. Just think, after all the socks are done you can reward yourself with a really scrumptious piece of knitting! Happy American Thanksgiving!

  209. Firefly gets my vote too. Additionally, if you like charming and witty: Dead Like Me and Wonder Falls are both excellent. Both were, like Firefly, totally under-appreciated when originally aired. And I only dream of being able to make socks like you.

  210. Yes, I know you’ve heard it about 80 times now, but Firefly is the best! As others have mentioned, there are only 16 episodes (1 season) but there’s a movie after and those 16 episodes last for 675 minutes! I also highly recommend Grey’s Anatomy, both season one and season two are out on DVD, and although it takes place in a hospital, it’s more of a drama and it’s not gory at all; they don’t show it like ER does.
    Happy watching, whatever you choose!

  211. I also vote for Firefly and the movie Serenity which takes place after the series. It helped me survive a summer of learning Greek!
    Thanks for all of the knitting inspiration.
    Good luck with all the socks!

  212. Firefly! Love the series and the movie Serenity. Beware, however, for it is very addictive and then they brutally cut you off!

  213. Suggestions would definitely include Firefly. You will be disappointed that there were only ever 15 episodes ever made, but watch the movie AFTER you watch the series. Trust me on that one.
    Also, Corner Gas is a great series that I personally find really funny. And it’s Canadian, so well…ya know.
    Enjoy!

  214. Nine seasons of X-Files, all on DVD, plenty of knitting time. It took me 2 years to work through all nine years’ worth, but I wasn’t doing socks and socks and socks (not that there weren’t a few among the sweaters, hats, and Christmas stockings).

  215. While I do agree that one sock after another can get quite tedious and everyone else has recommendations what to watch, I just want to add: Oh, come on, you secretly enjoy knitting those socks immensely…I mean, it’s FLEECE ARTIST you get to knit with, and you don’t have to finish all of them, so how bad can it REALLY be? (Which, incidentally, reminds me of all the half finished socks I have lying around. I bet those would be enough for a TV show, at least.)
    Love the colour, BTW.

  216. Scrubs, Scrubs, Gilmore Girls and Scrubs. Having never seen Firefly, alas, I cannot vote on that.
    I also have been “reading” books on tape while I knit. That gets me through some books that I have wanted to read but have pushed aside to knit. You know – killing 2 birds, etc. A great series to “read” is written by Diana Gabaldon. It’s awesome! But, beware, there are parts that might make you drop a stitch or two!
    Good luck with the socks!
    Connie

  217. I very enthusiastically second the Battlestar Gallactica suggestion. i know this may sound trite, but truly, It is my favorite television show of all time. Gripping. It is sci-fi, but if you’re not into that, I wouldn’t let it scare you away. The characters are of substance and the story line is well-written. It’s really more a commentary on human nature and existence than aliens and star ships. It keeps me thinking about things long after the credits have rolled. And hey, it can be nice to have something to contemplate while scrubbing behind Sir Washie! 🙂

  218. Y’know, I like to wrap xmas presents while watching ‘Pulp Fiction.’ Maybe that’ll help pass sock-knitting time as well.
    Keep up the fabulous work.

  219. A thought for green sock incentive….
    Raffle them off at the end (finished or not– your choice and sanity level…) and put the money towards Tricoteuse Sans Frontieres….
    Hey, they will be celebrity socks that have been on TV — with you!!
    Wishing you good persistence….
    Cath

  220. I hear good things about House. I’m working my way through all 5 seasons of Babylon 5, as my kids LOVE them (I like them too. Good, evil, interesting aliens, what’s not to like?). My 10 year old has taken to writing short stories about the Narn.
    I’ve also found the first season of “The Muppet Show” and “Taxi” out recently. And I’m watching Studio 60 and Hereos on the nbc web site, and waiting for the DVD’s of those. Studio 60 is especially good for listening to– the language is wonderful.

  221. Let’s see…..movie options. I will add my voice to the Firefly & Serenity contingent, if I had a strong enough trebuchet, I’d lob them over the lake to you.
    We just watched Ice Age: The Meltdown last night and it was side splittingly funny, what will that sabre tooth squirrel do next….
    Also: Black Adder, Red Dwarf, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I’m surprised no one seemed to mention Angel . Hey, how abotu Benny & Joon, with inventive ways to make grilled cheese sandwiches???
    Take a deep breath and don’t throw yourself on your needles!

  222. BBC– the Forsyth Saga, I love mysterys so it Pirot, Mrs. Bradley mysteries. I do love firefly but if you have never seen it, it might not be a good thing to watch while knitting socks. Secondly, they cuss in Chinese to get pass the censor here in USA, that to me is funny, and they don’t exactly trust the government. Interesting take given American politics at the moment….
    Patty

  223. It may not be high-end TV, but any season of 24 is highly addictive and good sock-knitting viewing. If you haven’t seen Prime Suspect, any series of that (there are seven of them, I think), with the wonderful Helen Mirren, is TV at its very best. Good luck!

  224. Another good bit of tee vee is the one and only season of “Freaks & Geeks”. If you can’t find it local, I could send it GPM. And, one that I don’t have but Would pass the time, “Northern Exposure”…
    & Indeed cleaning the bathroom makes sockinsanity look like a dream job.
    Hang in there!

  225. Definitely Firefly (I’m holding off on Serenity because I like the thought of all the characters going on just as they were at the end of the series), Ballykissangel (the first 3 seasons before it jumped the shark), House MD seasons 1 and 2, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Alec Guiness is freakin’ amazing!), Beverly Hills Cop 1 and 2 (not so much with the 3) and the commentary to Pretty Woman – seriously, Garry Marshall is a hoot. And French Kiss – my all time favorite chick flick.

  226. Monk. First season or all five. Fun. My sister quilts to the audio Diana Gabaldon, but I don’t think I could do that.
    Good luck!

  227. Thaaaaaanks for the links to stuff I now deeply want to make…does Laura have her pattern ready for that cardigan yet? Do I have any right whatsoever to be lusting after making a Sea Silk scarf with my one skein (and it’s in the Nova Scotia colourway…luscious) when I’m supposed to be making the Interminable Pink Hooded Kitty Scarf? Do you have any extra Lay’s chips?
    Got the strong drink right here. Hey, they already whisper about my hair and the black v-necks…I may as well go all out, eh?
    And now I must have the first season of the Muppet Show. God, I love your commenters. Though that Rachel H, she really should learn to bake…

  228. Look I have my very own blog now!
    Anyway, good luck with the sock a day thing. I think once you get to the shorter stepouts you’ll be soo glad you started with the longest first.
    Anyway, about stuff to watch:
    Absolutely Firefly, followed by the movie Serenity.
    Stargate SG1 (don’t forget Stargate Atlantis)
    Battlestar Galactica
    Lord of the Rings (extended)
    and of course any Jane Austen novel made into a movie. (BBC Pride and Prejudice is my fave also)
    Happy knitting!

  229. I think you are wonderful! I appreciate all your words and your sock trauma is inspiring me to make my own (not quite as quickly as you – but I’m trying!).
    My show votes are:
    Buffy (thank goodness for all the Buffy fans above)
    Angel (you’ll want to after you get hooked on Buffy)
    Gilmore Girls (I wish I could be that fast and bright!)
    Roar (just listening to Heath Ledger’s voice is like eating chocolate)
    Wonderfalls (an amazing gem)
    And of course, Knitting Podcasts and books from Libravox
    Good luck to you – we are all rooting for you!

  230. Firefly – my favorite.show.ever. I didn’t learn to knit to make a Jayne hat, but I have to make some for Christmas. And you can learn to speak Chinese – where else can you learn to say “stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey” in Mandarin? 14 episodes and a movie was not enough.
    Have you watched the Christopher Guest movies? A Mighty Wind is my favorite, but there’s also Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and This is Spinal Tap (although he didn’t direct that one). For Your Consideration comes out at the theater soon.

  231. At our house, it would be all six Star Wars movies, plus the two animated videos of the Clone Wars (which fit chronologically between Episodes II and III), preceded by a spirited discussion whether to watch them in the order they were made (IV, V, VI, then I, II, III) or in numerical order (I-VI). We’re kinda geeky like that…
    Note to self: Must get a life… *sigh*

  232. Oh, yeah, if you’re going to listen to books on cd, try “our” very own stories from the Vinyl Cafe. The library probably has those. Required Canadian content, and all that!
    A few skeins of Fleece Artist sock yarn I bought had the pattern for Tilting Blocks Socks, by Marian Bell. I’ve made two pair for myself. It’s a lovely pattern, though the second pair I made with a longer heel flap and did 1×1 ribbing on the cuff. It looks pretty with the way the tilting blocks patterns goes. Just, you know, if you’re looking for another pattern to try, and if you haven’t tried it already. I found this pattern knit up fairly quickly and looks so impressive.

  233. RENT FIREFLY! GO NOW! RENT IT AND WATCH IT IN THE ORDER IT WAS MEANT TO BE WATCHED! If you’re anything like me, you’ll be cursing the stars that Fox canceled it.
    Good luck with the whole sock thing.

  234. Okay, I didn’t read through all the comments to see if any of these were already suggested, I have my limits with reading blogs. And not reading 281 comments is one of them.
    1) Firefly is a must to see, it’s just that good.
    2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer- if you liked Firefly you’ll like this, it just takes a lot of serious knitting to survive season 1 after that its all good.
    3) Arrested Development – Funny, funny, funny. All three seasons!
    4) Twin Peaks- I loved this series. Very good.

  235. I agree, Firefly and Serenity are awesome. Rome is excellent and addictive. Oooh, Stargate Atlantis, I think there are two seasons on DVD. I’ve just watched the Season 3, mid-season cliffhanger. I love Jane Austen while I knit, even the new adaptations …Bridget Jones, Bride & Predjudice… but that’s just me.
    Okay, I’ll stop now.
    Corinne

  236. Keep going! You can do it! I have made one pair of socks in my knitting life, and vowed to do it again only under extreme duress. Yet, I am really enjoying reading about your sock adventures. Maybe with the right combination of wine and tv, you can fool your brain into thinking it’s working on just one pair of socks. I also am looking forward to seeing Knitty Gritty. I’m not fond of the host, but suspect your hair is secretly planning something new and exciting for the show! P.S.-I passed the test and now I’m an official Certified Lactation Consultant. Think way back to Ann Arbor when my boys, Drew and Larry came in my place.

  237. My reccomendations are Firefly, Stargate: SG1, and Dead Like Me. All are definitely available at your local Rogers (since not only do they have no late fees OR restocking fees on movies, and have way more TV selection than a place like Blockbusters). The nice thing about those series, particularly Stargate, is that they’re interesting enough to do knitting you can do in your sleep to (since I’m sure you’re at that point with socks) and they’re also easy enough to follow that looking down for your dropped dpn, dropped stitch, etc. won’t mean you have to rewind!

  238. Yes – Bethany got it right – listen to Vinyl Cafe – books on CD, on CBC Saturday morning and Sunday noon – whatever you can find. Stuart McLean is sooooo funny. The Dave and Morley stories, especially the Christmas Turkey, are the best. And if you can get to see him live, the show is always great. Mind you, if you laugh as hard as I do over these stories you might drop a stitch or two – better be careful. Kint On!

  239. Wow, so many Whedon fans! Ditto on BTVS and Firefly. I’d also recommend 24. It’s very addicting. Each episode ends with a cliffhanger so if you need to stay up late, you won’t have a problem watching “just one more episode”. (Kinda like knitting “just one more row”.)

  240. Hi Stephanie! I find myself wondering what you’ll end up doing with a slew of partial socks, all in the same yarn. Something tells me you aren’t going to feel like finishing them!

  241. Have never seen or even heard of Firefly before but after all these recomendations I have to look it up!

  242. Seriously, who knew there were so many Firefly fans out there? How on earth was it ever cancelled?! My recommendation would be Weeds – seriously funny with some very adult themes and scenes. Loved it and the guy who plays the main character’s brother in law (I’m hopeless with names)is very, very hot. And you can’t get the theme tune out of your head.

  243. I highly recommend Firefly, it is one of the best shows ever. Also currently playing on Mondays, not sure if you get it up there…but Heros is awesome. After Firefly don’t forget to watch Serinity, which is the movie after the Tv series. You can watch it before, and it stands alone but it’s better if you watch the Tv series first and then the movie.

  244. I vote for firefly (and then the movie Serenity which is like season 2 of firefly). Battlestar Galactica is good. I also like to knit to House and My Name is Earl.
    Catie

  245. Firefly, for sure. Knitting daughter who knows all, turned me onto that one.
    The Princess Bride. Repeatedly.
    The BBC (i.e. Colin Firth) version of Pride and Prejudice. Repeatedly.
    Muppet Treasure Island.
    Bull Durham, and Field of Dreams (and I don’t even particularly care for Kevin Costner).
    Local Hero.

  246. If you liked 6′ Under, get your hands on Big Love, if you haven’t seen it already. That HBO—it is WAY better than regular TV!
    Also, Arrested Development is extremely funny. Although it may cause errors!
    Happy socking! 🙂

  247. Two words of advice for finishing all the stepouts: Stunt Knitters. Don’t all the other big TV stars have them? Surely you deserve the best – there have to be many Fleece Artist sock knitter artists who would be happy to lend their skills gratis to meet the deadline. Can’t have you risking a pointy needle hand accident doing that many repetitions, you might not be able to blog, and where would that leave us multitudes of addicted readers?
    Another knitter-friendly movie recommendation is Enchanted April.

  248. “Firefly”!! Yes, watch “Firefly”, and then “Serenity” to continue the goodness. Keeping with the Joss Wheadon theme “Angel” is good or “Buffy”

  249. I have to put in another vote for Firefly and Serenity. Quality entertainment right there! It’s not even a genre I usually go for and I’m not generally a Joss Wheadon fan either, but Firefly is awesome.
    I’m on a big Scrubs kick lately as well.
    I spent last night knitting a surprising amount of lace and watching random bad movies on cable. It was quite enjoyable. I don’t envy your current situation though… I’m avoiding all my Christmas socks at the moment due to sock burnout. Can’t let it last too long though.
    Good luck with crankin’ out those socks!

  250. I’m casting the umpty-eleventh vote for “Firefly” and also for following it up with “Serenity”.
    I’d also suggest “Buffy” (7 seasons!) and “Angel” (5 seasons!).

  251. Too many comments for me to see if I’m being repetitive, but: What if you auctioned off the step-out socks, once they’re all done, for charity? Lots of people would pay good money for hand-made Yarn Harlot products, right? Seems like there’s got to be some payoff for the monotony you’re enduring.

  252. Yep, yet another ringing endorsement for “Firefly”. Plus, I think the guy that plays the captain is Canadian! There is also a BBC mystery series called “Heat of the Sun” set in 1930s Kenya that I get a lot of work done with, and the “Nero Wolfe” series that ran on A&E a few years back. If you’re looking for something lighter, any season of “Third Rock From the Sun” will produce a gigle. A lot of the other women in my Sunday knitting class are hooked on “Grey’s Anatomy”, but I’ve never seen it myself so I can’t personally recommend it.

  253. Firefly is wonderful (and I am not the biggest SciFi fan). I watched all dozen or so episodes and then Serenity (the movie). Then I felt bereft when it was over.
    My son and I are working our way through Buffy (and now Angel). They are also good fun and quite feminist (it is obvious Joss Whedon likes strong, smart, independent women).
    Speaking of strong, smart women, I also recommend Sports Night (all three seasons), the series that Aaron Sorkin did before West Wing. You really, truly do not have to be a fan of televised sports or sports news shows to love it.

  254. Sports Night–Felicity Huffman before Desparate Housewives, and so much more. Not to be missed.

  255. Firefly is excellent. And after the series, there’s the movie, called Serenity. If Battlestar Galactica is out on DVD, it rocks. The first season of Rome is also great.
    And I’m pretty sure the other moms already talk about you. 🙂

  256. Your librarian/knitter fan (no comment!) says try checking your local library’s DVD collection. Maybe you’ll find Deadwood or Firefly on the shelf, for free! I get to buy the DVDs for my library and I’m pretty sure we have everything you mentioned. Outside the sci-fi realm, I suggest Tales of the City, More Tales… and Further Tales… about a naive midwest girl who moves to San Francisco in the 80’s. Curb Your Enthusiam also fun. I’m still in awe of the white shawl, a true work of art!

  257. I have dubbed you the Sock Queen. I am making some socks and found as I was knitting that the yarn at points was split or thinned out. Why does it do that especially after I pay good money for it! Makes me kinda nuts!!!! Is it just the yarn or does it happen because the yarn is fingering weight?

  258. Yes yes yes,
    Firefly and Serenity (although don’t get near Joss Whedon or the Fox executives with those pointy sticks of yours after you’ve fallen in love with the characters only to have them ripped away from you! 12 episodes, grumble grumble…)
    The new Dr Who, definitely.
    The latest Battlestar Galacticas definitely hold up.
    How about Scrubs if you need a laugh? It’s out on DVD now and always makes me laugh, often makes me cry. Dharma and Greg (from the same creator) was good too.
    Also, for laughs, Jeeves and Wooster (with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry) and always Blackadder. (Gave this to a friend recourperating from cataract surgery and she scolded me, since she wasn’t supposed to laugh that hard!)
    Coupling (UK version) is surprisingly good, too, given the premise (really good writing).
    And for films you might not have come across: The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (Judi Dench, Iam Holm) is good.
    Enjoy!
    (Of course, reading these comments is going to eat up a fair amount of your TV time….)

  259. I’m probably missing something, but couldn’t you knit one sock to the final step out stage, film that bit, then unpick to film the previous stage. Or is it filmed live?

  260. Grey’s Anatomy
    Grey’s Anatomy
    Grey’s Anatomy
    Grey’s Anatomy
    Oh so good… oh so addicting…

  261. Grey’s Anatomy Grey’s Anatomy Grey’s Anatomy Grey’s Anatomy
    Oh so good… oh so addicting…

  262. In a story that may be relevant here, my BF who is an electrician has been doing some work in a mental institute. He reports that many of the ‘patients’ are knitters. I think he was trying to imply something, but whatever. So, which came first, the knitting or the insanity?

  263. I have to agree with Tasha on the Grey’s Anatomy thing. Great knitting entertainment (esp. in season two, there is an episode where Meredith gives up sex and takes up knitting!) Also, Fawlty Towers. John Cleese is hilarious!

  264. Do you get the SciFi channel? A Eureka marathon is on at the moment and the 12 yr old is watching it nonstop, before that it was House. My fav is Firefly/Serenity. Fox really screwed up when they canceled that one. Hum…I think I’ll look for Dead Like Me (Love Mandy) and I always enjoyed Buffy too. Perhaps I’ll ask for some of these for Christmas:)
    Know that at least 2 of us in this house are cheering you on as you knit these “step outs”…can you hear us?
    Viki

  265. do NOT watch anything Marx Brothers while knitting; it is the source of much frogging!

  266. Ok, I’m confused, why do you need to knit more than 8 socks in different stages? Maybe I need to read some of your posts again.(not like 8 socks isn’t enough)I had the impression that you needed multiple pairs in different stages.
    Well if you can read and knit there is another option. Or maybe surf the net!

  267. I vote for anything with John Cleese, Firefly and Serenity and if you can find them….any episodes of ‘Dead Like Me’. We get them twice on the Sci Fi channel on Tuesday nights, then nothing for a week. Good luck. Try not to be hung over for the taping of the show. Happy Thanksgiving.
    ps. Is it too late to tell that you are colorblind and thought that the socks WERE all the same color?

  268. Holy COW! Never heard of “Firefly”, but as One Who Knits Toques to Film I’m going to check it out tomorrow (after a nosh on Thanksgiving leftovers, which is one thing we’re thankful for). If you haven’t seen “Cold Comfort Farm” and can knit and laugh, get that: “There have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm” . Books on tape are also an excellent recommendation from my colleagues ahead of me (“Cold Comfort Farm” on audio tape is among the best non-knitting fun I’ve ever had). Finished 1-1/3 toques today watching “The DaVinci Code” (book’s better, what else is new?) Meanwhile, I’m knitting to “Smoke Signals” tonight and looking up “Firefly” when I return today’s batch of Blockbuster tomorrow! This bunch of comments is GOLD!

  269. I don’t really comment on your posts that often (even though I’m an avid reader), but I felt the urge to today; *definately* put Firefly on your “to watch” list. It’s amazing.
    And my heartfelt sympathy for the sock-monotony. (I can’t believe you had to start over…that’s gotta suck…)

  270. I don’t really comment on your posts that often (even though I’m an avid reader), but I felt the urge to today; *definately* put Firefly on your “to watch” list. It’s amazing.
    And my heartfelt sympathy for the sock-monotony. (I can’t believe you had to start over…that’s gotta suck…)

  271. Firefly is *THE* best show. Ever. Also really amazing to knit to. Buffy is also amazing. Both by Joss Whedon, who rules; the dialog in both shows is the best I’ve ever heard, and works its way very quickly into your everyday vocabulary. Sadly, Firefly is only 13 episodes long (stupid getting cancelled), but it does have the movie Serenity as a follow-up.
    Reading through everyone else’s comments, I can see that you probably already know this….
    Seconding other people’s reccomendations:
    – Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang
    – Dead Like Me
    – House
    …I’m kind of loving how many knitters are Firely fans…. (Yay, Browncoats! XD )

  272. Late as my vote is, it has to be for Babylon 5. First season is a bit slow but by season 3 it is ripping along. It builds on itself. I often am amazed by how some of the stuff in it seem to mirror what has happened in the US over the last 6 years…
    I second Catherine’s idea of Aussie comedy. If you can get “The Castle” do so. It is fab-ul-ous.
    I also got a signed book. I bet in your next writing life you will be Pat Cook or something really short to write 😉

  273. I vote for Nip/Tuck. Three seasons’ worth of shows to watch, and when they get to the gruesome parts you can completely engross yourself in your knitting until it’s safe to look up again. Enjoy! 🙂

  274. Yay Deadwood! It’s a crime that HBO canceled it after it’s 3rd season. There was so much more to explore! But I will say this, you will be feeling free to use your full range of expression after viewing it. Heh. And if you want to read the dialogue to fully grasp it (it does help, it does get rather flowery in a good way) I’ve transcribed all the episodes from all 3 seasons. They can be found here:
    http://members.aol.com/chatarama

  275. I’m a new sock knitter. What pattern are you using? What size needles?
    If you like quirky (and I suspect you do)rent “Happy, Texas” and “Best in Show.”

  276. Yep yep, Firefly is fantastic. Do watch the series before the movie, though. Lately I’ve been enjoying Dead Like Me, nothing like undead humor and good acting to get you through another heel. Also, if you’re a Princess Bride fan, you could listen and try to learn the whole damn thing by heart through repetition. I used to listen to the soundtrack over and over and over and over again to the point I could visualize the scenes from hearing the music. But enough about me. 😛

  277. The Chicago Public Library has audio books which can be “checked out” online and downloaded. I have knit my way through many, many books — from clasics to kids books, with everything inbetween. I think my favorite to date is “Inkheart”, read by Lynn Redgrave. I’m right now 20% of the way through Bram Stoker’s Dracula…and a little bit more than 20% through your “One Row Scarf” out of an emerald colored aran weight tweed my brother brought back from Dublin.

  278. I whole-heartedly endorse Firefly as knitting entertainment. It’s marvelous. It’s a cult classic. It’s a way of life.

  279. I’ll add another vote to the pile for Firefly/Serenity. Also try: Twin Peaks (season 1 and the first half of season 2), The League of Gentlemen (the British Comedy series, not The League of Extrodinary Gentlemen which is the really awful movie with Sean Connery), Scrubs, The Usual Suspects, and, if you like odd British television, The Prisoner. I like to do a Bond marathon every now and again, too.
    Question for you: How are you going to get all of these step outs done and get your Christmas knitting done in time, too?

  280. Wince you’re into the Q&A thing, I have to first comment that you pick the most beautiful colors for your socks. The second thing (and here’s the question for your next posting), what are your favorite sock yarns?

  281. Now you’ve done it, Steph! The Knitting Browncoats come out! LOL!
    There’s a joke out there that Firefly is a virus. It spreads like wildfire!
    Seriously, though, it’s very good watching. Enjoy!

  282. I must be one of the very few in North America who doesn’t have cable…what is Firefly? Anywho, if I could, I would watch: Reilly, Ace of Spies; Passage to India; Gone With The Wind; Out of Africa. Other favorites have been mentioned by others before me.

  283. Everyone talking about “Firefly” and I’d like to know if you can rent it at the vidio store or was it just on T.V.? If it was on T.V. well then sadly ,apparently, I missed it. Keep on Treking Stephanie –Oh that should be Fleecing, GL we are all rooting for you.

  284. Everyone talking about “Firefly” and I’d like to know if you can rent it at the vidio store or was it just on T.V.? If it was on T.V. well then sadly ,apparently, I missed it. Keep on Treking Stephanie –Oh that should be Fleecing, GL we are all rooting for you.

  285. I swear I’m not trying to mean, but I had a bad thought while looking at your green thoughts. There isn’t going to be a green screen or anything behind you is there? You know like if the weather people where green then they blend into the background and you can only see their face. Again, not being mean just looking out for your best interest.

  286. hmm… “Firefly”, “Farscape”, “Eureka”, the first 4 seasons of “Charmed” (the last few were rubbish),”Supernatural”, The first four “Harry Potter” movies, “Love Actually”, “Wallace & Gromit”, “The Lord of the Rings–Director’s Cut” (Yes. All three movies. Why do you ask?)”Ferris Buehler’s Day Off”, “Clueless”, “Serenity”, “Medium” (first 2 seasons), “Lost” (First 2 seasons) CSI (any season you can get) The original “Star Trek”, “STar TRek DS9”, “Star Trek The Next Generation”, “Star Trek Voyager”, “Star Trek Enterprise”, all nine seasons of “Friends”, ER (any season) and beyond that I don’t really have any ideas. I don’t really watch that much T.V. (Make them stop laughing at me Steph… please?)

  287. The Forsyte Saga (either the 2002-4 version or the 1960s version, which is much longer) and The Pallisers are great for knitting. British drama and lots of it.

  288. Oops, how could I have forgotten my latest obsession, Monarch of the Glen? Five seasons so far out on DVD in North America. And Ballykissangel is good too.

  289. My suggestions for knitting videos. Arrested Development (of course you’ll be laughing so hard you may drop a stitch or two!) and Nip/Tuck (insane story lines that make you feel oh so comfortable with what creation gave ya!).

  290. Don’t forget to check your library for movies and tv series. It’s free! (And mine has a great selection to choose from.)

  291. The first four seasons of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” are great. Skip Season 5 and go directly to the musical episode in season 6. And I concur with everyone who’s recommended “Firefly” and “Babylon 5.” Oh, for a ripping good time and lovely man-flesh eye candy, you can’t beat the “Horatio Hornblower” series from A&E and anything in the Orlando Bloom ouvre.

  292. Firefly is amazing. Watch the series before you see Serenity, because it makes the movie that much better. Trust me, I don’t like sci fi all that much but I love Firefly, and all my husband’s sci fi loving friends love it, too.
    PS Your sock knitting inspires me. I’ve only been knitting a couple of months, but I’m psyching myself up to do socks.

  293. “Poirot” is great…especially for 30s/Art Deco inspiration. The dressers for that series are just brilliant, and the sweaters they’re given to the characters are gorgeous. I’ve even spotted some Schiapparelli influences.

  294. Firefly is quite good. I’d also recommend Dead Like Me (though not straight through) and The Dead Zone – provided that you enjoy scifi television shows. Which, if you do, I’d highly recommend The Outer Limits.
    Happy Knitting!

  295. I don’t know if you have watched Alias yet but it’s a great show – hard to knit during it though because you won’t want to miss something.
    Since you’re answering questions: Where did the “Tuesday’s are for spinning” mantra come from?
    I am a new mom and I just found a way to work knitting into my daily life again. I used to spin for hours on Saturdays when my husband was working in his woodshop but I can’t do that now with a 6 month old. I can’t imagine getting everything set up do spin for anything less than a couple hours. Maybe I’ll have to buy a drop spindle and learn since it’s more portable than my big wheel . . .

  296. I’m sure somebody in the 300+ comments has mentioned: iTunes. No need to wait for that guy (’cause it is a guy) to return the first season of Deadwood (or whatever). Just download it. OK, so renting is cheaper. Just in case you get really desperate.

  297. The recent BBC “Bleak House” is quite good. I loved the first season of “Joan of Arcadia” and want the second season to come out. Funny and thoughtful and with teenage kids. You don’t have to believe in God or a god to enjoy it. If there is Netflix in Canada, you should go for it. I know it isn’t shopping locally and supporting independent stores, but there are no overdue charges. But, I guess at the rate you are watching things, you don’t have to worry about late charges.
    The socks look great and I will have to figure out the station for the DIY network and Knitty Gritty.

  298. allow me to jump on the “recommending good tv shows” bandwagon (since i just came off a 24 hours marathon in which i knit two pairs of baby socks, parked in front of the tv):
    “firefly” is indeed good, harmless fun
    “house” can get gory, but Hugh Laurie is worth it
    “Eureka” is a pearl coming out of the sci-fi channel (i don’t think it’s on DVD yet, but it’s on the itunes store and is SO worth it)
    and of course – “scrubs”.
    enjoy!

  299. You could always rent Lost, which has a stunning knitting needle tracheotamy (I have a suspicion that’s misspelled) From my understanding it was a really long susan bates, probably a size 5. But aside from the knitting bit, it really does have a good plot line nice frequent twists.

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