i was looking for a job and then i found a job....

(and heaven knows im miserable now... as the song goes). like knitabulous, i have been inspired by quiltingmicks idea of using the smiths lyrics for post titles.

i am not actually miserable, but some decisions have been made around the job thing, like opting out of some of the teaching because of the ridiculous conditions now being offered by your nations' institutions of higher learning (did you know i am now expected to teach 25-28 first years in one class and do all that extra marking and extra consultation with NO commensurate pay increase). i dont think so.

also, we have found out that we are in fact on the move to the far nothern suburbs of old sydney town sometime in the next month, and with the two days at UNSW i just cant manage the travel down here twice a week. so i will be putting some noses out of joint by withdrawing right now, but i am afraid i care more for my own nose, so to speak. i have plenty of other work to be getting on with (incl some interesting new prospects which could include a trip to wales UK in the new year) and i need time to do it in.

what made me miserable about work today was that just now trent and i were out in the car and there were people on the radio talking about the knit-in at the abc studio in ultimo and trent asked me why i wasnt there. i wailed that i didnt even know it was happening because i had NO TIME TO KNIT anymore. its true. i have not touched lily in ages and have managed only a centrimetre or two on the madder rib sock one, and have not cast on thuja two. as for the second shawl, aaagh dont even ask....

plus, like i said the other day, i have been a bit obsessed with socks, mostly cos its cold and i obviously dont have enough of them:


and here is a pic of the little detail on the madder rib heel i wanted to show you, it is just what she calls a 'german' heel, and all it is is two purls and two knits at both end of the heel flap rows but it has made a lovely effect and has inspired me to try developing the feature in my own sock design (more to be revealed):

(btw, i apologise if the pics are really big, i am on the laptop and dont have my usual image-tweaking software).

meanwhile in the mail today i got some little goodies. i put in some custom orders at buttontreelane for a slightly larger project bag for the shawl and in her infinite wisdom msquilting-clever-mick decided i would like this one (modelling assistance from miss possum):

and you might remember i brought some lovely japanese fabric at the craft and quilt show and i am so inept with the whole sewing thing it was easier to ask QM to make the kind of bag i was after rather than stuff around with a sewing machine and probly break it. this is how it turned out, and it fits the lily cardigan in there with ease:

so now i have a whole collection of project bags:

the two little ones from amanda are perfect for sock yarn in balls but not yarn cakes, and now i have three from QM. woot.

thats kostya in the background by the way, totally unimpressed by the whole thing.

now i had better get back to the work-that-could-take-me-to-wales thing.

k xx