ah yes, this is the rogue hoodie blocking (complete with one foot in one of these socks... i'm such a geek). I'm a little unsure as to how to do the hood but i figure if it needs touching up i'll press it with an iron and a damp cloth when it's dry.
finishing the sleeves for the second time was slightly painful but i didnt mind too much - i would much rather have them fit! i also unpicked the hem for the body, picked it up and knit it in rib for a while longer - i had made a very short turn under hem in twisted knit stitch and it was trying far too hard to curl. While it was a pain - ever unpicked twisted knit stitches from the bottom up? awful!- I am glad i made the effort because the bottom hem sits much more neatly now and i don't want any distractions from the delightful cables.

I am quite pleased with the yarn, it has washed up nicely. but anyone knitting in Bendigo Rustic be warned: wash and rinse your finished object carefully as mine bled dye like nobodies business. Took about 12 gentle rinses to come out clearish. But that said, the different coloured fibres are even more gorgeous post wash - do not be detered gentle knitter! just take heed and make rational choices and ALWAYS hand wash ;)

With any luck Rogue will be dry enough to bring along to SnB tomorrow night for a proper, tactile unveiling. hope to see you there too.

Ms Spider

you tell me

I think my brain is broken. let me explain.

My lovely friend Phil recently moved back to Canberra from Lismore. We were pals in primary school (with secret crushes on each other) and our lives have crossed from time to time in the years since. We always have a lot of fun together but the way my health has been lately i really dont have the energy to go out as much as he asks me.
Last night i was vegging on the sofa and phil messaged me to come out for a drink. i said nay. he pushed and i gave in. Phil and his lovely girlfriend Vic and i went up to the local and i had a strawberry and vanilla martini. then we bought a bottle of white and went home. When Sherpa got home from the play i was maggot. Totally. I forgot to have dinner... so yes. insert very late night and disturbed sleep (i wasnt sick but i felt a bit so).

the punchline? Today i had to work. I missed the bus. The shop got egged. The new girl did a runner. AND it was the best day i can remember having ever. I am so happy today. nothing got to me and i just called phil and vic to come and eat thai food with me... and i never get social two nights in a row. hence, my brain is broken.

The Joyous
Ms Spider xo

PS. i finished the sleeves but they seemed very skinny... i stuffed up the increases. starting in row 6. so yeah, the sleeves are still on the go. but do i mind? NO! because i am HAPPY.

PPS. how sick is it that my first assumption was that something was wrong with me because i felt good?

this and that

Hi Ladies, sorry it's been a while.

My first week of prac was good (not just because it was only 4 days long, but it helped). everyone is really nice and my classes are good. i hope. :) i am now on school holidays for two weeks.. then i go back for seven weeks. so we'll see how that goes.

we havent had a great week though. Sherpa's other grandmother passed away last thursday night and we went to the funeral yesterday. it was quite unexpected and very sad all around. so Sherpa hasnt been his usual chirpy self, despite The Wizard of Oz opening on Friday night. As per usual he stole the show... just SO huggable as the scarecrow, i wanted to stand tall and shout "HE'S MINE!!!" especially when dorothy kisses him! (just a cheek peck, but still!)

SnB was good on sunday if a little quiet... and. I had a disaster. i think that i left my one complete monkey sock at starbucks. they havent seen it... and its making me feel quite sick.

this is the rogue hoodie so far. i didnt touch it since sunday night til this arvo because my arm was hurting a bit and i thought i'd be far more stressed on prac if i couldnt knit!

this is the completed body and hood (apologies for the blurriness... and Arabella had to stand in because Sherpa is working or performing ALL the time at the moment).The neck and hood from the front.detail of the hood cables from the side.
pretty, no?
these are pretty close to the colour. (i know i say that a lot... but heathered yarns are SO hard to photograph accurately!

Peace out
Ms Spider xo

Day One

Firstly: Yes, I am alive.

I think (touch wood) that it's going to be ok. My mentor is really nice (so far) and the staff have a really good vibe going on... noone seems to hate each other and in fact... i think they LIKE each other. and they seem to like me which has me knocked down i can tell you!
and i know what texts i'll be teaching next term. Othello with the (gorgeous and talented) advanced year 10s, Romeo and Juliet with the advanced year 8s, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime with the other year 8s and Goodnight Mr Tom with the modified year 7s. two of the classes are fairly challenging in terms of behaviour management... but i think i'll cope.

I'm feeling pretty confident about it all right now... But last night was a different story... as the stress knitting may indicate..yes. that would be the body finished, the shoulders seamed and the start of the hood.
SO MUCH FOR A FRIKKIN WINTER PROJECT!

keeping you posted
Ms Spider

close but no cigar

Ok, so it's not as blue as this... but this is closer.
and thanks so much for all the well-wishing... its a relief to know that even if prac is a misery that is beyond my currently innocent imagination that i at least have the lot of you to bitch and moan to...

mwah!

rogue trading

The last week's been a little hectic. Lots of Uni work and prac coming up this week, easter, house sitting and my work reopening on saturday.
Yet somehow, beyond all reason (especially considering the yarn arrived on thursday), this is where i'm up to on my Rogue Hoodie. That's the whole body knit in the round up to the armpits, and the start of the back part.
I'm knitting it in Rustic 12ply from Bendigo and while it's not the softest yarn in the world my swatch washed up a lot softer and drapier (is that a word?). You may observe the delicious side cables (one under each arm) which incorporates all the body shaping... and stops the easily distracted knitter from becoming bored of all that stocking stitch. The lumpy hem is because i havent sewn the hem in yet.. it will turn out smooth i promise.
a close up of the yarn for more accurate disclosure of colour. ok, so it's more purple than that and slightly lighter, but in this you can see that the colour is made up of many colours of fibre... and its lovely and heathery. Or can you? anyway, take my word for it and i'll try to get a better photo soon. Can we at least agree that its a scrummy cable?

Oh yes, prac starts tuesday and i am a leeeeetle nervous. After the bitch-fest last semester its fair to say I'm a bit on edge... nothing like being the departmental whipping boy to raise the old self-esteem.
i did however pick up a gorgeous Table Eight suit from salvos for $25 which i happen to know is sold as separate pieces for well over $100 each... so at least i'll go in looking good. and you know its good karma to find a suit where the skirt and jacket are different sizes sold together... PARTICULARLY when they both are your optimum size!
As for my hair, skin, voice and general messy appearance... well, there's only so much you can obsess before you become a gibbering mess. If i put on a face and some earrings, my new suit and some killer shoes i might be able to convince my new faculty that i'm halfway competent (because would you give your 'good' classes to someone who looks like they need help buttoning their shirt?)

Having read that again i realise that my pms is glowing through. I rarely get cranky... just a little bewildered and sort of tipsy. well, if I'm honest about it, quite drunk on hormones. Sherpa finds it quite amusing. He makes loud noises because it tickles him that my reaction is to swipe at my ears rather than him. Honestly, he'll be great with babies "Look honey, he screams through his mouth when i hold his nose!"...

anyway, i'll probably show you some daylight rogue action tomorrow. Hope everyone had a nice easter/holiday/long weekend or whatever the PC term is for it these days.

The hormone-happy
Ms Spider xo

PS. Sherpa's show opens on Friday night! I'll be going opening night, tickets at Street Theatre, look here for cute and incriminating photos

compulsive over-blogging

OK, so in between half-arsed study and travel... i finished my first monkey sock.
LOVE IT.
And Bells, my solution to the sock photo issue is to get sherpa to take it (for example) or take it on my sock blocker (which is a wire coat hanger i squished into shape).

ciao!

monkey-love

Ok, this pattern is definitely working out for me. now i just need to remember to put it down so i can do some uni work...It's posing with a water bottle inside to show off the stitch pattern. and yes, i AM loving the yarn, how did you know? and yes Bells, the stitch is heaps of fun...
yesterday i placed an order with bendigo for some of their rustic 12ply in Damson for my Rogue Hoodie... it should arrive tomorrow and i absolutely cant wait.
oh, and i am now the proud owner of two of the barbara walker stitch dictionaries. the woman is a genius. *drool*

off to finish this stupid assignment....

the procrastinating
Ms Spider xo

yarrrniversaries

Hello all.
My anniversary with Sherpa is coming up on the 13th. I just can't believe it's been that long, it feels like no time at all.. and also kind of like its been this way forever. In his usual manner, Sherpa has been investigating gifts for me.. and then getting so excited he has to tell me about them and then give them to me. he's like that.
for example, observe my new shirt. yes, it says YARRRN. am i lucky or what? (yes, thats the pirate illusion scarf and his pirate hat. never let it be said he does things by halves)
This last week has been a bit dramatic. i cant really talk about it here because i dont want to threaten Sherpa's legal standing, but in short we may have to find a new place to have SnB because i might be way to furious with starbucks to ever step foot in one again.

what else? i started a new sock in foxy lady by cherry tree hill... and i'm not sure about it. i think it needs to be frogged unfortunately. its doing that thing where the lace keeps expanding and there's no explanation in the pattern as to how to keep it all pretty. i hate that. as i dont want a ballooning toe i might try something else. Plus it doesnt really do the yarn justice.. I'm liking Bells' monkey so much i might make those (no objections? mine won't be green...)

What else? i worked two very long days moving stock back into the finished part of the shop and i have bruises and sore muscles in places i didnt know had muscles. I. AM. WRECKED. But on the plus side we should be reopening next weekend (am i a bad person.. i'm kind of sad that a rainy day will no longer mean i get to stay home because we have a roof again).

ALSO: Special announcement! The very lovely apparently blogless Ceri is visiting Canberra from Tasmania at the moment and will with any luck be attending SnB on thursday :) She is a long time Happy Spider Yarn devotee and the sweetest person so please come along and greet the yarn sisterhood representative from the apple isle!

Ms Spider