And life goes on (and on)

Well, the best laid plans, eh?
Life has this way of kicking you when you're down, have you noticed?

I continue to faint for no apparent reason.
The job continues to be hard, thankless work.

And then, miraculously and without warning, the clouds part and the sun shines through.

Being a week away from the school holidays is probably partly responsible for my sudden cheer. The husband and I are taking a little trip next weekend - his idea. The theory was that if I get out of Canberra as soon as the term ends, I'll adjust to being on holiday faster.
I do have a tendency to develop what I refer to as a 'stress hangover'. Basically I spend a week swinging between anxiety that I've missed non-existent deadlines and depression. It's really annoying, because most breaks are two weeks, and at best I manage three days of feeling relaxed before I start worrying about the term to come.

Anyway, we're going to a B&B in the Hunter Valley and I'm really looking forward to it. I think I'm closer to burn-out than I ever have been before.

My couch-surfer returned home and things seem to have stabilised. It was amazingly stressful and I didn't fully catch up on work until about three weeks into this term. And the term itself was shitful, for want of a better word. One of my colleagues resigned, someone else went on long service leave and we were all left to pick up the pieces. For the last two weeks I have been taking an extra class to keep everything ticking over and I tell you what - overtime needs to be introduced for teachers. In the last ten weeks I had flu and a baaaaad migraine. So, basically, I need a holiday!

Despite it all, I have been knitting away. I finished my fifth cardigan for the year - Cecilia by Elin Berglund. Ravelry entry here.I used Patons Dreamtime 4ply in cream. It was a brand-new bag of ten and had many, many dye-lot inconsistencies! I've very unhappy about the yarn - I'm a bit of a freak with colour, so it's really obvious to me, but no-one I've shown it to notices it unless I hold it under very bright light and point to the streak. But still! What's the point of a dye-lot if it isn't consistent?
Anyway, I do adore the pattern, and as soon as it warms up a little I think I'll be wearing it a lot.

Since this I've had some ennui, and really want to knit another garment of some type but can't make a decision. Instead I've been knitting a large number of accessories.

This is a Drops scarf, using short-row shaping to create the ruffles. It was a birthday present for a close friend. I used 4ply baby alpaca - it was cherry red but I overdyed it so it was more of a dappled brick colour. She loves it!
This week I knitted up some handspun. I spun it over the last set of holidays. It was a 50g bag of fibre dyversity space-dyed merino. I split it in half along the roving, and spun two bobbins of very fine singles, keeping the colours in order. I then plied then together, creating a sort of DIY two-ply noro! I really love the colours, and the fibre is so soft :) not at all like noro.

And this week, I finished a pair of socks that have been sitting around for a couple of months. My usual cabled and ribbed sock pattern - I've knit many, many different sock patterns, but this is the pattern I always return to. I used Moda Vera Adore in the green colourway. Quite pretty :)

An upcoming project is a reworking of this cardigan for my mother-in-law. It's her favourite cardigan, and she wants another. The original is an acrylic/mohair blend, and I'm making the new one in Zhivago. It's a bit of a chore, honestly. I don't particularly like it, and she's not a knitter so doesn't really understand the work involved. Liable to nag about progress etc. But, ever the matyr I agreed to do it. :p I think, honestly, I think it will make her like me more, which is so pathetic I can't believe myself. Oh well! Ever human, eh?

Anyway, it's my first Sunday for months that I don't have to work through, and I have a lovely friend coming over in half an hour!

Peace out,
Ms Spider xo

feeling hot, hot, hot....

Sorry guys, more weaving! Scroll down for knitting...

Wide stole using leftover sock yarn (10dpi). Was aiming for a sort of rainbow effect - the warp ran from green through blue, purple then pink and I tried a similar thing with the weft. Unfortunately a certain primate bumped the loom while i was warping and somehow it's much tighter on the pink selvedge. It's a nice width though, i think it may live in the loungeroom for guests who need an extra layer in cooler weather (if anyone can imagine such a thing).


A sort of narrow scarf or belt using my self-striping sock yarn in Gothic Princess. (10dpi)
My first attempt at houndstooth (10dpi). I used Bendigo classic 8ply in Blueberry and Spotlight basic 8ply in a sort of deep plum. I'm very pleased with the results!
And the warm weather made me cast on something that's been on my queue for a whild - Shetland Shortie from Knitty.com. At school we are theoretically not supposed to wear sleeveless tops but in this heat common sense prevailed. However, I thought this would be a good way to make some of my tank tops a little more wearable for work by the suggestion of sleeves.
It was quite a fun knit - the lace pattern is really clever and stretchy!
I used Cleckheaton Merino Bambino in cream and used just under 6 x 25g balls. I doesnt make me look quite as... well-endowed as in this picture, it's just to do with the proximity of the only good mirror ;)

School is going well, I have some really lovely kids in my classes. As always there is plenty of drama, but very little is to do with the kids and more to do with admin mix-ups. hopefully most craziness with have calmed down by next week.

Hope everyone is coping with the weather! We had to drag the mattress into the office and sleep with the air-con on last night. I actually slept right through til 7 am for the first time in months! I can't wait for the cool change though! Bring it on!

My birthday went well :) it sucked having to work but my lovely colleagues bought a gluten-free chocolate mudcake so it took the edge off a little :) and now I'm 24! time to invest in anti-wrinkle cream?

Peace out
Ms Spider xo

and more...

You were all already aware that I get a bit compulsive, right?

Wide scarf using Jet bought at the outlet store in an intriguing beige/lilac colourway. This may be for my grandmother.

Wide scarf using Katia Venus in a lemon/lavender colourway. I wouldnt weave with this again, it's basically a fuzzy single and was sticky and resistant.You can probably tell from the pictures that the tension is a bit off.

Skinny scarf using my own handspun (BFL/Soy from EGMTK, colourway forgotten). This was so much fun!

Skinny scarf using bendigo black 8ply cotton for the warp and the same handspun from the other skinny scarf for the weft.

After a couple of days sans knitting (yes, really) I had a break from the loom and whipped up this little guy. He's one of the lovable toys from last-minute knitted gifts and was quite fun. A nice easy pattern with a cute outcome. The other bunnies in my house approve.

Back to school tomorrow, darn it all to hell. I will never get over how quickly holidays run past, I really feel like it was only last week I was tearing out of there... but i suppose lots has happened.
We got engaged, booked a venue, found a dress, booked a celebrant, chose bridesmaids and some groomsmen, a make-up artist (or genius, if you prefer).... I think my plan to 'deal with the big stuff' before school went back was a roaring success, just quietly.
And a fair bit of knitting went on in that time, and in the last four days a great deal of weaving. I watched Gilmore Girls for the first time, all the way through (still sniffing away). I had three boughts of accidental-gluten-consumption sickness. I had my Coeliac's confirmed, as much as i can without a biopsy. I had an awesome road trip with one of the coolest women I know. I spent too much money on yarn. My attempt to eat healthily and excercise more has resulted in a 2 kilo weight gain (go figure) but I don't feel any fatter so I think I can deal.

And in exactly a week I turn 24. it's so odd. I still have to check myself because I always want to say I'm 22... I need to pause and add a year. Now it will be two! I'm also kind of dreading it, I always get a visitation from my black dog on my birthday - and to make matters worse it's the first full day of teaching for the year! But on the plus side, I'll be glad to see all the kids again. I've missed the little buggers (although I had a dream last night that some of them were shooting at our house.... premonition?).

Ok, off I go. Prepare for a sudden drop off in posts, school is a WIPEOUT! (if you do not have 60's surfing music in your head right now, your are either much cooler or much less pathetic than I).

Peace out,
Ms Spider xo

warp speed

Some more weaving pics.

The loom in action.

my 2nd project: a skinny scarf using white merinospun and some of my hand-dyed 12ply singles.
A drapier, wide scarf using a collection of leftover sock yarn.


another scarf using an entire ball of Lincraft Hot Socks - funky tartan!
And I go back to work in 4 days....
eew.

Peace out,
Ms Spider xo

my Knitter's Loom arrived today!

and i found another use for leftover sock yarn ^_^

fail

So this afternoon I went to my Doctor to discuss the results of my blood test. Normal liver, good kidney function, normal thyroid... and yet. Apparently I fail at vitamin absorbtion. Big time.
My Iron levels were half what they should be, my B12 was at a 5th of what it should be and D barely registered at all. Dr was very composed but her micro-expression gave away a good deal, and now i get to have weekly injections of B12 until she's no longer concerned. It was the the most calm and composed internal "holy shite!" I have ever witnessed.

I'm in two minds about all of this.
Mind 1 says: Awesome! Just what you wanted! Something really simple and obvious and easy to fix. It explains the trouble sleeping, the difficulty concentrating, the lethargy, the headaches, the queasiness, the depression, confusion, dizziness. Dr says within three months of high dose supplements I should be a new woman.
Mind 2 says: ... I have been having all the above problems since I was seven. It's gone up and down but these have been my demons. So, how is it that my old doctor never even suggested any of these things? Have I been feeling like crap on a daily basis since I was a small child because my doctor overlooked a few things like vitamin levels? Am I on a reasonable dosage of happy pills that I don't need? Or, is this a mirage and while I'll feel better... it won't be the end of it.
Monkey's mind says: Awesome! This is the best news ever! Also, can we sue your old doctor for a million billion dollars and buy a castle to live in?

I'll get back to this whole thought process when I stop coughing my lungs up (did i mention I have laryngitis again? Yup. I'm just so much fun the people around me can't help dancing)

Current bus project: sock-it-to-me scarf from 101 designer one-skein-wonders in handspun silk/merino (fibre from EGMTK in Alchemy). It is now about four times this length but... well see above, including lethargy, roll your eyes and move on.

Peace out
Ms Spi-er (because I'm all out of D :s)

progress ain't always linear

Why hello! Thanks for stopping by.
There has been movement (besides the whole down-hill slide thing). Monkey has his sights set on a new job. I won't jinx it but it's truly perfect for his geekiness.
I went another whole week without killing or maiming anyone.
My grandmother turned 80. She's so gorgeous.
I bought a spinning wheel from Mandie (She my Ashford pimp, yo).
It's not as frivolous as it sounds. It had been the plan for quite a while. My little traveller, Charlotte (which came to me via the inimitable Taph), was a TAFE cast-off, and while perfectly functional she is a little rickety. There are odd screws that untwist and... well. She's had a good run and she's not going to miss out on use. But...
Thing is, I missed Horace. I loved my traditional, I really did. The classic shape, the size of the wheel. The overall sturdiness that doesn't make me worry when I get a good speed going that I might knock it over.
So when my tax return came through this year i did my research. I knew I wanted a traditional but I wanted a little more versatility. So I invested in a Lace flyer unit and a Jumbo flyer unit as well. And I can yet again direct you with confidence to Mandie should you have questions about any of the ashford range - the lady is a champ.
Yesterday I assembled the new wheel. I probably should have sanded and oiled it then and there but the temptation was too great to give her a spin so I whipped up one of my squirrel EGMTK fibre club packages. Retro-Specto merino/soy 120g, roughly aran 2-ply, 210 metres.
This baby runs like a DREAM. *drool*

This morning I sanded and oiled and assembled the two separate flyer units. Then we went to my grandmother birthday lunch and got kissed and made small talk and tried to ignore the fact that my cousins seem to think 'mid winter sunday lunch with gran' is a good event to wear a mini-skirt to. blech. teenage girls. *

This afternoon I attached the lace flyer and started on the latest offering from EGMTK fibre club - merino/silk Octopus' Garden' (click the pic to truly appreciate the insanity).Now I've spun lace before with the traveller and though it was a challenge, i managed it and was happy with the results.
I had no clue!

See you in the spring?

And apparently I need to mention kniteratti, my school knitting group. It rocks! We are so hard-core, we even share needles! Although the needles supply is seriously depleted so I am running a raffle to raise some funds. Here are a few things I've whipped up for the raffle in the last week.
Devil hat from Stitch n Bitch using panda Woolbale. A short-circuit scarf (that i did finish but forgot to photo off the needles) using 3 balls of Jet. Mohawk Hat from Domiknitrix, using Merino Spun and Katia Aspen (Monkey not included).

Now I seem to be working on another throat infection, which makes me very cranky-pants. It kind of relentless sometimes. Some days I get home, think about all the different ways in which I feel crappy and marvel that I yelled at no-one all day. Hope the little buggers appreciate it.

Ok, I shall sign off. But I should like suggestions for a name for my new wheel. Please? It doesnt feel right til I name her and I'm totally stumped.

Peace out
Ms Spider xo

* You may realise at this point that I spend a good chunk of my time teaching teenage girls and I do like them mostly. I just don't understand some of their behaviours and really didnt need to see my cousins vpl today.

ETA - apparently I suck at Ctrl+C or something. Mandie is now linked properly... sorry for the faux pas!

resuming transmission in 3, 2, 1...

And we're back!

first up, I'd like to say a big thankyou, both for tolerating a post so out of character for this blog and for being so supportive about it. Now I'm not saying I never winge, but that was really... big for me. And I was fully prepared to lose friends over it. But I was going to give myself an ulcer not getting it all off my chest. And I am both surprised and cheered by the general rally-around. Really, I know some amazing women, I really do. Just such a pity that the odd few can leave us all looking petty.

Ok. /shake it out\

Knitting!
First up. Lovely Bec from work won a promotion at another school so I had to whip something up for her. Sadly, the divine creature has a most unfortunate allergy to wool and some other animal fibres... so I had to spike the creative fires. (she faints if she wears wool!)
And I dyed some Zhivago (50% Tencel/ 50% Acrylic) with some cotton dyes I've been experimenting with. And knocked up a 'my so called scarf' with it. She was thrilled. I also made a little flower brooch out of the same yarn but neglected to snap it.
Also failed to snap yarn prior to knitting but did dye another skein so you can perve on that instead. Tis my pet currently.

Also finished my Surplice Bodice Cami from Knitting Lingerie Style. I used Moda Vera Jaclyn (which is basically Zhivago... are we sensing a theme yet?). It fits really well and I love it but it is of course too cool to wear it now. Next spring?

Then in a fit of guilt i thought i ought to recompense my father for being quite instrumental in the transport of large boxes of yarn after previously mentioned attention-lapse on graysonline.com.
So I made him a vest out of Jet. He is very pleased with it (not that you'd know it here) It's for him to wear at the farm while doing all the various things he does (which he really ought to leave to someone younger with two functioning legs). If i were to go by his posing, however, I would assume he does a lot of standing around with something draped over his shoulder. strange man. (Well, I had to get it somewhere).

Then i decided i needed something for me (again) and cast on some socks for bus knitting. Since school went out on Friday I have neglected them but i shall return. They are Oblique Openwork from Sensational Knitted Socks in the Knittery's cashmere/merino sock yarn (Moses Fire). They feel gorgeous and look gorgeous.
Of course my interest in socks resumes after SSoS ends. :p typical. What can I say? I have a short but furious attention span.

I also started the Affair to Remember skirt from Annie Modessit's Romantic Hand-Knits.... You know, the saucy one on the cover? I am using red Zhivago (again, you cry?) and am powering through. I am not wholly convinced that it's a happy chappy. One of those things I wont know for sure until it's cast off, blocked and worn... with the right shoes. Wish me luck?

And not to be bored... now I'm on holiday finally... I'm spinning again as well.
Lush or what!? This lovely merino is going to be plied against some slightly less bright purpley-mauve to make a light 2-ply sock yarn ( i think. So far the fibre agrees but it can become temperamental so be cautious)

Ok, that's enough for now. I've got a skirt to bully.

Peace out,
Ms Spider xo

horses warrant a day off?

not that i'm complaining, but it does seem to be a bit of a wank. especially as it's being called 'Community Wellbeing Day" or something rather than "Everyone calls in sick on Melbourne Cup Day anyway Day".

Nonetheless, it is a gloriously welcome day off. I have to say, working 5 days again has affected my ability to keep house. when i had two days off during the week when Monkey would not be home til 3pm.. i got so much more done. There's just no point cleaning around him, he splutters crumbs and all sorts of things and you cant really vacuum while he's playing on the computer. And it's weird, but i think that.. well. how to put this? most of the housework i do is pretty crucial to the upkeep of the house, our belongings, clothes, carpet.. etc. But it's not the sort of stuff that Monkey notices or thinks of (ie. cleaning loo, bath, vacuuming, mirrors, windows, folding and putting away clean clothes...). And somehow doing it while he's not here, even though i have to point it out to him, is much less irritating than doing it while he's here. Probably because he a) doesnt notice me all red in the face from vigorous scrubbing and THAT pisses me off or b) he DOES notice and can't understand why i'm bothering. This way around suits us both much better.

so i did some serious housework today and now i have fresh flowers and an aired house, clean dishes, no chip crumbs in the office or coffee rings on the tables. it's refreshing.

I have also been flirting with a few new projects since finishing my shawl. Firstly i cast on the Montego Bay scarf from Interweave Knits Summer 2007 using more of my own handspun silk. It's a lovely pattern, but i didnt have much yarn so i only cast on 33sts instead of 43 and i like the size it's turning out. It was a roughly sports weight 2ply from silk hankies.. and it's REALLY pretty. I have another ball in purple.. and i might have to do another. we'll see. i never used to get this into scarves ;)

I also cast on for the Seashell Shrug from Runway Knits by Berta Karapetyan. Yesterday. i think. yes. I decided that with that much 2x2 ribbing i really needed to cast on now if i wanted to wear it next autumn. it's a gorgeous pattern... and the styling in the book makes me want to go out and buy a new vampy lipstick. So good news all round really.

I was good (bad?) today and did no marking. everyone keeps telling me to do work for school only at school.. and i think this is very intelligent. I'm not getting paid as much as everyone else and i have to be around for a few 'available for relief' lines a week and i can do my work then. So far it's all going pretty well. I've had a few run-ins with a few of my kids but nothing i can't handle. It's amazing how quickly a 12 year old boy will miraculously understand why you find something offensive if you suggest they need sexual harrassment counselling...

Peace out
Ms Spider xo

chez spidey

hello all!
i am moved in and blissfull. The lateness of this update is embarrasing really... my camera got packed somewhere and i couldnt find it :p. Lame i know, but as if you didnt know that already. i am hopeless. utterly so.

news:
the car has sold.
i'm going back to work on friday. it's not open for business, as the roof got pulled in, but my boss is too scared to lose me so i'm going in to clean glass ware or something. whatever, i have an income again.
and on saturday the ladies and i are going to Young for cherries and yarn! huzzah!

however, due to not working i have been left to my own devices most days when sherpa is working, and after a certain amount of cleaning and unpacking... i hit the stash.
i have spun all this yarn:
produced this many squares for my blanket (there are more but they havent been seamed):
knit these socks in 4 1/2 days (online sock yarn bought at the craft and quilt fair. pattern was an interweave knits one):
this scarf in 2 days (briar rose yarn i won, Brooke's colomn of leaves scarf):
these socks so far, 2 1/2 days (Lana Grossa Cotton Fantasie, variation on Brenda Dayne's pembrokeshire pathways socks):
this baby sweater in about 8 hours including seaming (Lang Mille Colori, simple raglan sweater from Baby Knits by Debbie Bliss, with enough left over for a little hat too!):
finished little mini-shawl thing:
finished my mini clapotis:

My darling friend Taph also donated a drop spindle to my stash and i've been having fun with that too. dont know if it will ever replace the wheel for me but its fun and portable (and if i want to really annoy my stupid aunt i'll do it at christmas dinner, heh heh heh).


this is, as promised, the house:
Bedroom you have seen and i'm not making the bed to take a photo :p
Office:
Shelf a la knitting et stash! lounge is very fibre friendly

bathroom:
Loungeroom:
Dodgy little kitchen:
garden (front)
garden (back):

the side of the house
My vege patch (which has expanded heaps)
My little flower bed which we bordered with pavers (much work!!)

Hammock (mhuah ha ha ha haaaa)

View from said hammock!!
Well... dont quite know what else to say. dont want everyone to be so overwhelmed they cant comment!

oh and i will have some yarn on eBay again soon, my bulk white wool shipment was delayed :p

the busy
Ms Spider xo