Vintage Knitspot – Juerga

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Over the holidays my parents got me, along with Matt, hooked on Downton Abbey. We had never watched an episode and in days we finished Season 1. Holy cow were we missing a lot of fun! Then came the tears because Season 2 wasn’t on Netflix. My parents had all ready watched it, but Matt and I were sunk. ah…but then I found Season 2 on Amazon Prime. We got all caught up in time for Season 3 to start on PBS. Before Season 3 Episode 1 aired in the States, my parents were lucky enough to score tickets to watch it in the theater!

They said it was amazing and they wished they could watch every episode that way. The event was sold out and mom said it was a blast to have a room full of people laugh at the funny parts and gasp at the shocking parts together. I bet.

I am in love with the every bit of the show – the drama, the time period, the English accents, the clothes, the food, the table settings… I could go on.

For Christmas my mom bought us skeins of Lorna’s Laces Sportmate in colorway Christmas at Downton. Could it get any better? I labored until last night about what pattern I wanted to knit. I wanted a small accessory. I wanted a simple yet sophisticated stitch pattern that would look gorgeous in variegated yarn. I decided on Juerga.

This pattern is just adorable! It knits up very fast in sport or DK yarn. Don’t believe me? Look closely.

The mitts don’t have thumbs! They’re just cuffs. Is this not a fun pattern? Couldn’t you see cranking out tons of Juergas as gifts?

The largest size only takes 215 yards for the set. Such an economical gift. I know LOTS of loved ones that would pass out if they got this set. Yep, call the paramedics. I predict a good bump on the head after suddenly finding themselves horizontal from this beautiful handknit.

Christmas at Downton is a gorgeous colorway. I only have four rows of the neckwarmer done, but I know it’s going to be beautiful!

It’s the perfect combination of all my favorite colors. My plan is to keep watching episodes over and over this weekend until the new one airs Sunday night. The anticipation kills me, but I get a kick out of hearing the dialogue of past episodes as I knit. I am always surprised how I missed a funny line the first time around. Plus, I never get any knitting done during a premier episode. I plan on it, but when the credits roll on the screen I realize I’ve just been holding my knitting the whole time. I guess this is why I usually knit to old Law & Order episodes or my fave movie Rear Window.

I’m curious…do any of you watch TV series as you knit? Or movies? Or listen to audio books? Tell me all about it in a blog comment by 11 pm EST on Jan 21. One of you commenters will win a $10 gift certificate to the knitspot pattern shop.

234 thoughts on “Vintage Knitspot – Juerga

  1. I watch previously seen TV series too – Star Trek TNG, DS9, and Downton Abbey at least twice so far!!

  2. DUH DUM. That sound always gives me the “permission” to knit away for a long while, especially on marathon “Law and Order SVU Tuesdays”. I have so many old fav movies that I can knit to, that it’s almost embarrassing!! But I am thoroughly enjoying Downton Abbey, so much so that I have watched the seasons several times while knitting away! Great blog majordomo!

  3. With my earphones on I watch NCIS DVDs on my computer while I knit. It is not as comfortable as sitting on the sofa in the living room, but there are less distractions. I can always go back if I think I missed some of the action.

  4. That set looks absolutely perfect on you. I have to think of someone just as lovely for whom I could make a set.

  5. Oh, I’m so glad I’m not the only one who gets so into Downton Abbey that I forget to knit!!

    And I know what you mean about catching dialogue the second time you watch it. I spent 8 hours at my son’s chess tournament yesterday, so I took a bunch of knitting and my iPad with me. The venue had wifi, so I re-watched the first two episodes of this season while I knit a sweater for my daughter. (I have no idea how I would have survived If I wasn’t a knitter!!)

    After getting hooked on DA last winter, I checked out the Masterpiece Sherlock series this summer and got hooked on that, too. I also love Doc Martin, another great PBS series.

    I’m also a big fan of audiobooks. A few years ago, I got on a classics kick and listened to the complete works of Jane Austen, as well as some Dickens and Shakespeare. I wish I could have listened while knitting in school; I probably would have appreciated them much more back then!

  6. I knit watching the nightly talk shows that my husband records and watches later. Letterman, Leno, the daily show

  7. We like to catch up on episodes of Dr. Who while I knit. Between the help I get from the two Boston Terriers “sitting” beside me and the concentration it takes for me to read even the simplest chart, I often look up from my knitting in time to see London destroyed…again. 🙂

  8. I’m a Law and Order fan too plus NCIS, Dr. Quinn, and movies. Over the holidays there was an old Matlock marathon during which I got lots of knitting done.

  9. I “watch” TV or movies as I knit very often! I like that when I pick the project back up, I can reminisce about what I was watching when I last worked on the project. The only thing is–I need to knit mindless projects during hockey games!

  10. Yep. Love to watch movies while knitting. Old movies, new movies from the library, the occasional Red Box. On the rare occasion we do go to the movies, I usually take something, but don’t get much done due to the lighting.

    I prefer watching movies at home, with lights, and closed captioning. And somehow I typically still get a lot of knitting done!

    I’m such a visual person, I have a hard time with audio books (hence the closed captioning preferred on movies….).

  11. On Christmas holidays I’ve seen Season 1 of Downton Abbey, knitting on the Nightingale Wing – and fell in love with both :).

  12. My husband and I love to work our way through a favorite series from the beginning, once it’s got upwards in seasons on tv. Right now we’re watching old episodes of Psych. It’s so funny and since I’ve seen them before I don’t worry about missing something big. We also re-watch Firefly or I am working my way through Dawson’s Creek… that’s my biggest guilty pleasure!

  13. I knit to old familiar movies. Sometimes I’ll knit to new shows and realizes haven’t watched any of it. Thankfully I have a DVR, and catch up on my shows later.

  14. I always knit while watching TV series, however, stop when something very exciting takes place, so I can really focus on what is happening! Then, it’s back to my knitting.

  15. I knit A LOT with the television on, and I am often rewatching series I have seen before (Lord Of The Rings, Pride & Prejudice-1995, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones). If it’s not a series, it’s period drama, anything on PBS, cooking shows on Food Network, or real estate or remodeling shows on HGTV. (sheesh, it sounds like I am glued to the tv! LOL) I dont do well with audio books, except for the books on CraftLit, but do great with podcasts (faves: Wait Wait Dont Tell Me, The Moth, This American Life, or any knitting podcast).
    My guy and kiddo think I’m nuts when they find me watching the same stuff over and over again, but I tell them it’s like knitting with old friends!

  16. I rarely watch TV or a movie without knitting. Last night, it was Downton Abbey. Afterwards it was the Blackhawks game. The only time I don’t knit is if it’s such an intense program that my palms get too sweaty!

  17. Yes. Knit with the tele on. I’ve watched all sorts of things. TV series mostly. The House of Eliott. QI. Jonathan Creek. Bob and Rose. Jeeves & Wooster (there’s a bit of a theme here). House M.D. Lately though, I’ve been watching knitting podcasts. Love them!

  18. Hah! I usually knit with an old sci-fi series going or to my husband playing video games on the XBOX 🙂

  19. After I get home from work, I knit while watching NCIS and Law and Order. Later, I am still knitting but watching Frasier.

  20. I know what you mean about knitting to tv — my best tv knitting is baseball. It’s like listening on the radio, but you get to see the great plays on the instant replay. Plus I am spending time with my husband. Need to find an equivalent winter show….

  21. If I am watching t.v. chances are I am knitting. I usually watch Law and Order: SVU and Syfy marathons.

  22. My husband and I watch a lot of tv and movies, and I ALWAYS knit while I watch. I have to actually be very intentional about taking some time to put my knitting down and cuddle with him so it’s actually kind of together time. Sometimes I actually get really into this episode or that of something, but after maybe a season of a show, I start to realize that I’ve “watched” almost entire episodes without looking up from my knitting! I think the only movie in the last year that actually got my full attention at home was Thor. That was excellent. I’ve been meaning to start Downton Abbey for months now, too. I’ll have to put next on my “tv to watch while DH isn’t here” list.

  23. Downton Abbey, NCIS, Castle, Top Chef – all are good TV/knitting shows. We always watch them recorded on Tivo so if I find I have missed some crucial development, it is easy to rewind and catch it again.

    Movies I have knit to lately: Mrs. Henderson Presents (with Judi Dench) and the old French Chef episodes with Julia Child. She was a hoot!

  24. I watch TV, movies AND listen to audio books while knitting (not all at the same time!).

    I love old movies, and new movies (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is my latest favourite to knit to). And listening to audio books while knitting is the best way to work through the old classics (Bleak House by Charles Dickens is currently in the CD player).

    And yes, I too watch Downton Abbey while knitting and admiring all the wonderful details of the costumes and scenery (I’m English, so the accents don’t fascinate me so much!).

  25. I love to knit while listening to old movies or television series. Thank goodness for Netflix and audiobooks from my local library. It makes you feel like you are multi-tasking when you can knit and listen to something enjoyable.

  26. I usually listen to podcasts or video casts or If I’M caught up I will listen to books on tape. I listen to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings every year.

  27. Knitting time for me is at night while my husband and I watch tv. I have some knitting that I can’t do while watching subtitles, but mostly it is okay. We are watching older seasons of Eureka right now interspersed with Life on Mars.

    And yes we are big Doctor Who fans. My knitting should be better now that Fringe is over because you really have to watch that show closely.

  28. I watch anything & everything while knitting. With my friend TIVO, I can rerun anything I have a question about. I do love to listen to audiobooks & knit while in the car. Just when riding though. I can’t seem to master the other.

  29. I love to knit while I listen to audio books. I’ve “read” lots of books that way. I used to knit while watching TV, but the patterns I’ve been trying lately are more complicated and I get too frustrated with trying to keep my eyes in two places. Listening is great.

  30. I am glad you are loving Downton Abbey, too! I just watched episode 3 of season 3 last night while knitting my Rockefeller shawl. I love to watch movies or listen to podcasts and audiobooks while knitting. My favorite podcasts are: Craftlit, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Stuff You Should Know, Backstory with the American History Guys, and Freakonomics radio. If you are looking for something fun to listen to while knitting, you might want to check them out.

    Enjoy your new yarn! 🙂

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