and we're going to... live!

Wow.
Yes. Yes I'm still here.
Unbelieveable.

So.. hi! Thanks for all hanging in there with me. It's been a rocky ride.
Obviously i got through. I've finished prac. And i'm in the process of writing my application for the next round of teacher recruitment. which is very odd. i'm nearly a teacher. In fact, as of the 23rd July i could be teaching relief as an intern. which is SO awesome, i cant wait. I love teaching. I do, i really do. I was made for it, it just hums through me. Being at an awesome school in a really supportive faculty helped heaps.. but when I'm in the classroom with the kids... its just like i'm pure me. All the things that are quirky about me like my retention for weird facts and my quick reflexes and my empathy... they just make it perfect. I got work out of kids who hadnt done anything else all year. good work. i cant explain how good that feels.

So, in the last three weeks (yes I've been slack...but i did have 5 classes to run all by myself!) our new housemate Vic moved in. That was pretty awesome. She just left for Japan for 3 weeks... but before she left i taught her to knit. And she completed a pair of thrummed mittens in 3 days. (just discovered i deleted the photo). drat.

i of course got jealous of the thrumming so i spun some chunky grey yarn... and knit a thrummed slipper. now i have one warm foot. the second skein of handspun is drying ( i had to wash some grease out of it.. natural merino, mmmm)

I've also been spinning a lot. I'm striving for quite fine 2ply yarn for socks or scarves or whatever... basically i just think the yarn is prettiest at that guage. I include a pen to help you determine the fine-ness (totally a word) of the yarn.

What else? I finished the handspun sweater - no pic as yet. It's really very flattering, not at all itchy and the drape is wonderful. I got away without using shaping by using a stripe of slightly finer guage wool for the waist - it fits like a dream :)

Also, I will be participating in the Knit 1 Blog 1 exhibition and will be running a workshop on basic sock techniques. Jejune and i will also be running a workshop on fixing your knitting disasters. more information to come.

Ok, back to my application. I'll let you know how it all goes :)

the overworked and underpaid
Ms Spider

PS plenty of Spider Yarn on eBay at the moment :)