Sock and Swap News

Well, Camille got her Sock it to Me package, and unless she is so sick she's delusional, she seems to really like them. Hooray! It seems yet again I stressed over socks for a stranger unnecessarily. Whew!

Via email, Adrienne, my Sockza pal, let me know that my socks are world travelers now. Not only did the fly from Virginia to England, but they biked around Europe with her this summer. That should calm my socks for strangers fears, but, erm... no. I'm glad my sock swaps were successful, but I'll not be signing up for more.

My tea swap package is still out there, looking for its home. Perhaps today? I'm eager to see if my pal is as pleased with it as I was when I assembled it.

However, I'm not sitting idly waiting on my packages. (I've lost track of what is on the way to me - things I've ordered and swapperly goodness.) My dearest mother inlaw brought me some chocolate mint tea from her cruise! OH. MY. GOODNESS. It smells like a peppermint patty. Add hot water, steep, and a dash of sweetener, and you have a cup of liquid happiness. It's in a cute little wooden box. It's the same brand she found on another adventure this summer, but that raspberry tea wasn't as impressive as this. Of course, I can't find it locally, and only in a couple of spots online. Figures. Still, I count myself blessed to have such a thoughtful mother inlaw, and I even politely offered her a cuppa' too. We've also decided we need an electric kettle and a teapot for the office now.

Uptown Girl!

My good pal fortune continues. In Sock it to Me, a very light-hearted "Tink" had been emailing regularly. She sent me the mother lode of teaser packages early in the swap, proving that she'd read my questionnaire and then some, and really making me curious. From that package, I knew we shared a Loopy passion, and yet again, I tried to guess my pal's identity. I was dead wrong, of course, and do hereby renounce future hunches! Thanks Ana, although I do feel guilty that it seems knitting socks for me led you to call your blog the Frog Pond.

So, feast your eyes on my Uptown Boot Socks in Cherry Tree Hill, in Cherry. They fit like a dream, and feel like a cloud. I love red, but I'll be on the lookout for more red tops now, so I have every excuse to wear these socks very regularly. (Yes folks, my feet are that short. Lucky Ana, huh?) Oh, and don't tell the Knight, but I'll need another pair of clogs too, because my favorites are brown and a multi-colored felt, and these want a navy and/or black pair.

Even though she'd already sent goodies above and beyond expectations, the awesome Ana sent more. How 'bout that Scout's Swag yarn in "secret colorway"?! I love it! The Godiva is resting up for its big moment, after dinner. I'll have to put both dogs outside, because they can't have chocolate - like I'd share. (I mean, I guess I could, but you're not here, so it's all theory and conjecture anyway.) The cute yellow thingee is the result of an especially strange question Ana asked a couple of weeks ago. Out of the blue, she emails me and lists a very odd assortment of animals and asks which would be my favorite. (No, dogs weren't on the list, nor were horses. Go figure.) It's "Kooly the Koala" a kritter craft case. He's already holding the notions I use the most - my chibi, measure tape, scissors, etc. Isn't he cute?!

Thank you, Ana. And thanks AJ, for hosting a fun sock swap. It's always a little bittersweet when a swap winds down, but I still have three in the works, so I should get back to knitting. Tomorrow? Knitting and shopping. I hope to mail my Vegan Pal 2 swap out next week, and then, you still won't get to see the pictures of the secret project!

No More Monkeyn' Around

With a nod to my Knitter's Knight for the photo, here are the Monkeys. Done. They are a titch big on me, so I hope that means they'll fit with the negative ease my Sock it to Me pal says she likes. I don't mind pooling, so I hope she doesn't either. Sorry for the blindingly white legs, but that's what I have. They brighten up the photo anyway.

The stats: Knitpicks Memories, in the Red Hat colorway. Size 2.5mm/#1.5 dpns, the bamboo Addis. Only a few yards left over. Each size 9 sock took nearly a whole ball. I enjoyed the Monkey pattern, but have decided that for me, toe-up, short-row heels fit better. (But hey! These aren't for me...)

So, the socks and their pals will hit the road tomorrow, along with my tea pal's package, and my portion Jessi's prizes for winning the bingo game. Congrats again girl!

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's past my bedtime.

Sweet Cherry Bag

Can you see the cute little cherries on the ribbon? Squee! I hope my pal will enjoy that little touch. The package is ready to ship out tomorrow, save a note and some tissue paper. But let me tell you, CotLin is the only linen of any blended sort for me. Sigh. It slides on through, comparable to any of the " - & dairy product" cottons, and I bet one wash would find it snuggly soft. I see a fitted item for me in this very color, maybe, next spring. Try it for the extra-special cloths you might be giving as gifts, or treat yourself; you deserve it! I am amazed at how it costs less and feels worlds better, but don't take my word for it. Order some and try it for yourself.

In case you missed it the first time, this is Amanda's "Mandy's Candy Bag" pattern. You can also find it on Ravelry.

So, a little accountability check here. Tea swap - ready to ship out tomorrow. Sock it to Me - half way there on the socks, some shopping left to do, and really should ship by next Saturday to arrive before October 5th. Vegan swap - Do thoughts count? I've thought a lot about what to get my friendly pal, and I do have some yarn for her, and it needs to ship before October 15th. SP11 - Package #1 shipped out earlier this week. I already have one item for the final package, and have "commissioned" something for her with one of my truly artistic/crafty friends, to be a Halloween themed package. Should ship before the 15th too. My Felted Bag package has a personal deadline which the pal should be able to guess, but I think I've already told you I'm not talking about that swap here, right? ;)

Whew. Wow. I'm shocked. After Monkey #2, which should be done within the next week, I will have time to cast on for the Knight's birthday (or Christmas if I miss the first deadline) surprise, my felted bag pal's bag, finish my Summer Daze Tofutsies, and begin holiday knitting. The light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train!

Now, to cast on for that #2.

Monkey Pooled

Sock it to Me pal, we're halfway there. It's a terrible photo, but there it is. It is too big for my sock blocker, which means your foot size is average or better. I will block them when both socks are done, which I hope will improve the presentation. The pooling doesn't bother me, so I hope you'll appreciate it as the way the yarn flows too. (Funny thing about pooling - hate it or accept is as part of the art?) However, I am crazy about the pattern. I now understand why Cookie A patterns are favorites of sock knitters everywhere.

In other knitting news, the yarn for my tea pal arrived Tuesday. Now, the big decision is whether to cast on for the bag for that package, or the second Monkey? I won't have much time for either tonight, or Thursday night. Wow. When I talk like that, the weekend is almost here! Any big plans for your weekend?

Let's Go to Vegas!

Luck is a man. He's hot, and he's dancing with me. I wonder if the Knight would like to skip work and scoot to Charlestown? He's a natural card shark, and Luck is with me.

PHEW. That's me, breathing a sigh of relief. Amanda got her socks, and they fit! It was a great little pattern, and I'll be doing it again when ankle socks seem in season. It does my heart good to know that the second pair of socks made for someone else fits. That means that statistically (did I mention before that I love statistics, the math concept?), I should stop fretting over the Monkey socks for my Sock it pal. They fit me, and I wear very "average" socks, and pal says she does too. The wicked Knight suggested I should keep them, but I won't. With a little luck, by week's end, both my Sock it pal's package and my Tea pal's package will head in their directions.

And speaking of Sock it to Me, guess what?! I hereby renounce my right to pout out loud that I never win anything. Contest #2 simply required me to gush about my favorite yarn. In return, I've won gift certificates to here and here! Thank you, thank you!!


There's really not a lot to report here, but what else to do in the middle of the night when sleep is elusive? Monkey #1 will be done Tuesday evening, and my search continues for just the right things to send with them. I bought the ribbon for my Mandy's Candy Bag Monday night. Those of you who scrap or sew already know you can buy ribbon with ANYTHING on it, but I was still filled with toddleresque glee when I spotted it. No, you can't see, but you'll get a finished object photo soon enough, maybe even in the next day or two!

Froggin, a Monkey, Harmony and a Penguin

Well, after about a dozen false starts, my poor Sock it to Me pal has a sock in progress. Recognize it? Yep. It's a Monkey. I'm really enjoying the pattern, and the way the Knitpick Memories is working up in it. And yes, those are DPNs you see. Turns out I miss the little buggers when I stay away too long. They're the Addi 2.50 mm #1s I bought during the Sockza crisis. I like them too, but I think I'll be buying the lot of the Knitpick Harmony needles. Every size, every style... Seriously.

Guess what?! That color is also as close to accurate as I can get. It's a fun colorway, and I do hope it will please my pal as much as it is coming to please me. (For those of you serving as my confessors, pause for the SNOL at the irony of that statement. You've earned it.)

Of course, I couldn't stay away from Summer Daze. (More irony; it was in the mid-40s this morning. No Indian summer happening here.) If you click on the photo, you can see my happy, beloved Harmony circs. Honestly, had I ordered a larger size (these are wee 2.25 mm #1s), I think I would carry them around and/or wear them in my hair. They're that pretty, even with the diminished colorations in the wee needles. I'm not a metal girl anymore. I suspect my tried and true metal KnitPick Options will alway have their purposes (wool?), but these lighter, warm, little works of art have my heart. A couple of reviews on the Tofutsies group have challenged their use with variegated yarns, and I don't think you can get more colorful than this one, and I had no trouble at all. Now, I will have to set this treasure aside and focus - FOCUS! - on the socks with a deadline.

Friday night, I made an attempt to channel my inner scrapbooker. She wasn't quick to come out, but she did join hands with my not-so-inner shopper and swipe a couple of baby-related items so I can (get this - multi-crafting!) scrap my photos of the babies and blankies I've connected with my gifts this year. She did leap to the front of the bus during this little project. I love to journal in my scrapbooks, so a cute journal box is always a hit. My sweet consultant punched and cut out all of the pieces for each of us, so all we had to do was follow along with the adhesive of choice, but he's a doll. My stepson likes "pingwings" so it will go somewhere on a page about him.

My September Birthday

So, some of you know better. Either way, humor me. The way I see it, any time I get two boxes addressed to me with knitterly goodness inside, it's like a birthday. It just so happens that the first parcel was indeed somewhat birthday-related. See, my dear Anners knows I like getting gifts much more often than the calendar suggests, so... I got a nearly on my stepmom's birthday present. Talk about being worth the wait! The card had me SNOLing (that's SNorting Out Loud for those of you not in the know - meaning all but um... four of you? who were in on that joke), but I'll be honest and admit that the world stopped while I gently removed the Malbrigo from the package and cuddled it. Of course, the Maizy in a colorway that had to be designed with me in mind was on top, and that will definitely move the Maizy WAY up on my to be knitted list. (Like, um, next?) There was also a nice linen smelling envelope, which is going to my vehicle in just a few minutes, when I head out for the scrappin' group for which I am not prepared. (My knitting Mojo seems to have eaten my scrappin' and stampin' energies, so I'm hoping just being near other scrapperly activities will awaken those all but gone notions.)

Thank you, Anne. Your daily support is gift enough, for a friendship that is about to span a decade. (Yeah... we met in junior high. That's my story...) That you could both surprise me and pick the perfect yarns in the perfect colorways is the best gift a girl could get.

But wait! There's more! My Knitpicks order arrived too. You might be shocked to learn that size 2.25 mm (US #1 in the hard to find version) is not the best size to show you how beautiful the new Harmony needles and tips are, but trust me. (And look hard because you can see green on both tips.) They are lovely, and I will be tossing aside the Quicksilvers at some point this weekend in favor of these little (I mean LITTLE!) works of art. There's also some of their Memories merino sock yarn in a colorway called Red Hat, which has none of the brightness you see in these photos. I may change my mind and use it as originally intended for my Sock it to Me pal, so stay tuned for some better photos.

Finally, I remembered to add a pair of #7 Bryspuns straights to my stash before checking out at Knitpicks. It's a happy little box, and is almost enough to send me to the phone to tell my mother inlaw I think I should stay home tonight.

Oh! I also picked up some Lion Brand Organic Cotton today too. Wow. I made Mugsy ride in the back seat so I could pet the yarn on the way back to work. No, no. He rides in the back seat all the time, because of the airbags. I've seen them break noses and fingers on adult humans, so what would they do to my puppers? Plus, lunch was up front, so really, I didn't drive through town petting yarn. Honest. (And Mugsy didn't snort the yarn either.)

Mugsy would come to my defense, but he's zonked out. We had a rather unplanned visit to the vet this morning. The old boy's allergies have moved to a new level, so children's grape Benedryl won't do anymore. Another allergy med from the people pharmacy, an eye salve for his poor, red eyes, ear drops (the Knight administers those; he and Fred developed a rather shake-proof system years ago), and a shampoo that cost more than mine for his itchy skin should get it all back under control. Good grief. He looks pretty cute though, all snoring in the old comforter here in the study. Fred also survived the trauma of being home alone, which is always a minor miracle, so it really is a happy day.

More yarn shopping tomorrow, but note: it is *NOT* stash-building. I have a felted bag pal you know? And birthdays and Christmas, and...

Yarn Shop Therapy

It's been years since I have knowingly and willfully engaged in retail therapy. However, this morning, I found myself with about 20 minutes to kill before my first chiropractic appointment in about ten years. So, I did the only thing I could think of - I stopped in the nearest LYS and petted some yarn. Lest you think I'm cheap and/or easy, this isn't all of my haul. You all must pay the price for the inconvenience of having readers I also call friends. ;)

Everyone should recognize the current copy of Interweave Knits. If not, well, make it so. Get your own copy and get to know the best magazine in the industry, in my humble opinion. I'd heard it said that this wasn't a great issue, but maybe the same apprehension that spawned my fifteen minute spree inspired me to dog ear some dozen pages within... Granted, I think there were only two or three patterns in IK I want to even pretend I want to knit, but there are still articles and ads for so much more.

On the left, we have the answer to my prayers. Erm, well, yeah, that *IS* what it is. It's also Dulce by The Purled Llama, another almost local company! It's a superwash merino, and it will start to become my Sock it to Me pal's socks in just a few moments. Don't you love it when your LYS listens and responds? I asked for more sock yarn, specifically, central Virginia sock yarns, and here it is. This is a custom colorway called "Moonbeam" and I hope the moon will shine on my efforts to knit up some great socks fast.

On the right, we have Nashua Wooly Stripes Tweed, in Tartan Tweed. I wish I could offer you a link, but it seems the site is under construction. I may have to go pick up the second ball in this colorway, because there are only 88 yards of this soft, beautiful stuff, with which I plan to produce a fall handbag...

I also petted the new Louets chunky wool, which is so soft... Again, I can't seem to find a link, but I do have 4 hanks on order in a great green, for a "for me" project to be announced later.

Oh, and the new chiro helped a lot and feels certain he can fix me up again, sans surgery. I'm going to celebrate by casting on for the SitM socks!

Dishcloth Square Blocks

Meet Dishcloth Square Blocks. Or at least, that's what I'm calling him. He's #2 in what seems to be a weekly series of dishcloth patterns, being designed by Anne. He's done in Lion Cotton Red, with #7 straight needles, in my very Continental method. You can find the pattern here, but be sure to note the contest rules for both cloths.



And don't worry. He's not going to live on the tree. The Knight has already claimed him as his own, and I suspect that before the sun sets, DSB will have been called into action.



I was impressed with the Lion Cotton. It was soft! I'll have to see if I can't find some more, since I don't recall where I picked up this ball, but I do remember that it was the only color they offered...



Now, what next?? You're not going to get to see Amanda's socks while she's on vacation. That just doesn't feel right. If she was here to taunt - er, make that see them herself - that might be different, but since she's out in the middle of the ocean enjoying some alone time with her beloved, I think the socks will just quietly head north on Monday, and you can pop over to her blog for a shot of the finished pair. I *NEED* to start on my Sock it to Me pal's socks, but her yarn won't be here until next week. I am going to send my pal a little package next week too, but the socks obviously won't be included. I guess that forces me to figure out what I'm going to knit for my tea swap pal, huh?

Boxes First

I stop for boxes containing yarn. Who cares about planes, suitcases or other little details? I got to leave with the joy of new yarn in my heart (but without a hairbrush, not that it counts, because I figured it out in time to stop and buy one en route to the airport), and I arrived home to find more of the same (both yarn and hairbrushes, but the hairbrushes weren't new). As the Knight was trying to get me to the door so he could get me to the airport Tuesday evening, I was admiring the Vesper Sock Yarn that had just arrived. On the left is Meteor, which is a lovely brown/red/turquoise colorway. On the right is Crew, which is just assorted greens and white. The picture hardly does the yarn justice. I've often admired the Vesper colorways, and now I have two to call my own!


When I got home Thursday night, there was another box waiting for me from Knitpicks. There was another pair of 16-inch circs, as I've decided I like that length best for my sockies, and finally, at long last, there was some CotLin to try. (Center, in Moroccan Red.) It feels softer than the other cotton-linen blend I tried, so I'll give it a whirl. My mother inlaw selected some of the Felici self-striping in Hummingbird (on the left), as she was honest enough to admit that she won't be bothered to hand wash hand-knitted socks. I couldn't help but order some of the Firefighter colorway in the same yarn. I don't know whether I'll make them for the Knight or for me, but I want to come up with a little Maltese Cross pattern for them. (No, I still haven't unpacked. I packed light, so there's nothing but dirty clothes and the books from my workshops in there, and the two cookbooks I purchased, but they aren't touching my soiled laundry. However, the yarn has been fondled and blogged, so don't question my priorities!)

Since I don't think Knitpicks does a great job of displaying their colorways, here's a closeup of the Hummingbird. We really lucked out here! My mother inlaw will love it, and I'm looking forward to casting on for her wee little socks. She wears a ladies size 5 (US), so it won't take long at all to whip out some simple socks for her. I will say that the colors aren't quite as bright/neon-ish as my photo shows, but it's a heck of a lot more than you'll see on the company's site, so I hope it helps. Her birthday isn't until November, so I doubt you'll see these socks much before early November.



Likewise with the Firefighter. There's nothing close to the whitish pale gray I captured with my sub-par photography skills. There's a rather solid, true light gray, a dark gray, and some not quite fire engine red in this one. Heaven only knows when I'll cast on with this, because unless there's a pattern I've not been able to Google, I'm going to have to swallow hard, take a deep breath and venture into the land of writing my own pattern on this one. I don't want anything too lacy or patterned, but I do want a Maltese Cross or two on there somewhere, maybe dead center of the front of the leg, between two twists or something?



In other knitting news, Amanda's second sock is into its toe decreases. Then - of course! - I'll whip out Anne's second, "manly" pattern, and then, with whatever is left of a rather busy weekend, I'll tackle the elusive heel of the toe-up Tofutsie. I also need to finalize my plans for my Sock it to Me pal's sock pattern and yarn selections, because that will be my project for next week, and likely, the week after that. I haven't forgotten about my Tea Swap pal either, so that's the NEXT item in the assembly line. My felted bag pal has a pattern, and I need to make yarn selections there too, but since she reads my blog, that's about all you'll hear on that project. I also need to get started on the Knight's blankie when he's not around, but again, SitM and the Tea projects come first! Once those are safely behind me, I can start holiday knitting.

More Contests

I try not to miss contests for the swaps I'm in. I know how disappointing it is to host a contest and have less than most of your swappers participate, but that's definitely not the case with the tea swap! Those swappers jumped on the first "early bird" contest with a vengence.


Sock it to Me contest, away!




My favorite yarn(s). Sigh. Well, that's easy-peasy... The Wick I gushed about for Cass's contest is right up there, even without the vegan limitations. I just love the stuff, and will knit more with it very soon. It's a bit bulky for daily wear socks, and I truly am hoping they'll come out with a fingering weight version. I love that it "wicks" the moisture away from the body, because my feet sweat, even when they're cold.



For socks, I haven't really knit enough to have a favorite. In fact, I haven't knit with the same yarn twice.






I must have a soy thing, because I also can't get enough of SWS! To date, I've only knitted up my trusty Sidekick in it, but there will be more. Like Wick, it is a bit splitty, but I got the hang of knitting with it quickly. I have more on hand to make another felted bag for fall, so stay tuned... It felts VERY QUICKLY. For me, that's a plus, but if you're using it for the first time, I can't emphasize enough that you must check it every couple of minutes, or you'll end up with a wee tiny version of whatever you were trying to make.




Can you help a fellow knitter/blogger out? She wants to reach 50 comments for her 1st Bloggiversary contest, so pop over and tell her I sent you, okay?

Blankie's in the Lead

The race is on and here come blankie. So far, baby's not even at the track. This pattern has done what no other blankie before it had; I'm still knitting and I'm not hating the blankie! I figure I've just crossed the half-way mark, so with a meeting tomorrow night, no Knight on Tuesday, and no other obligations for the rest of the week, it should be done this weekend, at the latest, all of a few days before the baby is due. If you're inclined to cheer us on, obviously, blankie would feel supported by all things yellow. (School starts tomorrow here. I wonder if blankie will be encouraged by the big yellow bus?)

Evidently, the Knight knows of what he demands. The baby's father has said that if the blankie's ready, all of the hospital photos will be taken with blankie showing. I guess that means I should stop blogging and return to knitting. That, and the roll of thunder that just boomed.

Least you think I've forsaken the sock or something, I have picked out the yarn and pattern for my Sock it to Me pal's socks. Yeah, yeah, I'm going to start more than a month before they're due. Get this - I've even ordered the yarn I'm going to include in her package. (I do require breaks from blankie, thank you.) I also ordered the yarn for a Christmas present, and I'm re-doing my Christmas knitting list.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to order the pattern for said Christmas present too. Of course, if anything else jumps in the virtual cart, that just can't be helped, can it?

Soy, Sharps and Swag

Once upon a time, a new swapper signed up for something called the No Sheep swap. She was contacted immediately by her spoiler, and laughed every time she got an email from said mystery pal. In June, a pretty ball of red luciousness arrived from the anonymous source, and the swapper was delighted. More humorous emails arrived from the secret pal, including a very clever email, describing a shopping trip two friends had taken, ending with the assurance that the friend's purchases were in the mail, since she couldn't carry them all back with her on the plane. The very next day, a cute (see the blue peeking out on the bottom right?) package arrived in the swapper's mailbox! Within was a plethora of knitterly goodness.

A roll call:

The current issue of Knitsimple

A large, gold bag to hold large projects (and vast amounts of swapping treats)

A teeny weeny little project bag for wee little projects, complete with a cute zipper pull with doggy footprints on the charm at the bottom

Addi short dpns (coated metal!)

A Lush bath bomb (the pretty pink and blue flower) and a Lush catalog

Two yummy treats (one with cranberries, sis!)

A knitter's dream of a travel kit (more later)

Knitters Little Helper hand balm

Here's a close-up of the outside of the wee bag. I love it! It's actually a pale, pale celery green, with three shades of pink/red flowers, green and more. There's a little pocket on the outside. (Begins at the black vine-looking print.) It will be great for my cell phone or keys, so that when Mark and I go on a little trip, I needn't take my whole purse AND a knitting bag.

If you're a regular reader, you know I'm not a great photographer, but here's the inside. There are little pockets in there too! The hand balm fits nicely in one, and the little needles stood up so nicely in a corner pocket than I nearly missed them. There's plenty of room for the little kit I'll show you in a minute and a ball of yarn. One ball of the Wick and a folded copy of a pattern will fit in there just fine.

Without further ado, the adorable little kit! It has a tape measurer, a wee little needle sizer, the sweetest, smallest snips you've ever seen, some of those coiled needle holders, and a plastic gripper clip that could hold a seam together or mark a place on a pattern, or...

I realise you're probably tired of this Wick, but I'm not. Not now, not ever. Below the Wick is the very cute polka dotted mailer it all arrived in. (Polka dots! Jamie whose blog link I hope to add soon so you can all visit her and tell her how much she rocks) obviously reads my blog, huh?) The darlin' scissors are on the left, and the I'll never use the wrong US #1s, even when on vacation again tool is on the right. (I want to buy one for every swap and prize I ever send! Am I nuts or do you want one too?)

I'll never fumble for scissors again. The ones on the left are the regular ol' cut the tags off of whatever scissors in my stationery basket. Next, is the super-sharp weapon my Knitter's Knight purchase for me because I couldn't find the trusty pair I'd used for cross stitch (they're in my old needlework bag, and can live there, just in case). Third from the left is the cute little pair my Hogwarts Sock Kit pal sent me, which can now live in my larger red tote or that lovely sock bag my Sock it to Me pal just sent. On the far right are the bitty baby snips Jamie sent in the kit that could stand alone as a cool knitting gift.

Last, but not least, is the needle shot. On the top, the new ittle, bittle Addis, in US#2/3.0 mm. In the middle, the fragile Sox Stix, size #1/2.25mm. Note how much shorter the ittle Addi is! On the bottom is a Knitpicks #3. Look at the sharp tip on that thing. I like 'em that way, but they do lead to splitting if I'm not careful.

Seriously folks, those three Sox Stix would love to come live with one of you, if you have use for them. And I'd like to know what other metal and/or coated metal dpns I'm missing. I have Inox coated and Susan Bates colored aluminum dpns, but they didn't make the photo. I was trying to get the photos taken before the meeting, and the Knight thought I was getting snap-happy as it was.

Thanks again, Jamie. It has been a great month for swapperly sweetness already, and there's still more to come...

More thanks to the ever-dear Jessi, for the date changing info. Lo and behold, despite being unable to see this post last night, I logged in a few minutes ago, and here it is, complete with the labels and everything. Go figure. I'm still mad at you though, Blogger.

Red Package(s) Day

How many posts in a day, right?! I apologize, but Fred matters, the Sox Stix thing has been stuck in my craw for almost a week (I can't believe needles that cost so much can be so... short-lived), and now, I must blog about what I REALLY should blog about, which is the Yarn Mail that was waiting when I got home.



First, the Colorswap package from the very awesome Stacey. Have you ever clicked with a swap pal from email #1? It's a wonderful thing. Stacey is a gem, and I'm lucky that fate cast us together. Look! Even the outside hints of red goodness! And that tote. Can you see the polka dot bows? The card's handmade, and just lovely too. While I'd love to show you the whole process, I have been very wordy today, so I'll cut to the chase. You can already guess that each little bundle was wrapped in red paper, and tied with the same red polka dotted ribbon. (I love polka dots. Have I mentioned that before?)



Within, there was a neck cozy pattern, some great silver and red handles for a felted bag yet to be determined, Knitting Vintage Socks, some Teavana Sencha, and some Koigu KPM. Wow! So here's the question - is the bonus an incredibly generous swap package or the budding friendship? Why do you swap? Is it to get neat stuff, to make friends, both or something else? I'm curious. I initially started blogging to swap, because the whole beauty of the knitting community was too much to resist. Our online community works much like any other. Friends of friends become friends, and a random comment on someone else's blog can lead to another friendship. I hope your swapping experiences are equally rewarding. There will be swaps that don't lead to a friendship, and that's okay too, because in other avenues, we don't always click with everyone we meet, for whatever reasons.



But, I'm rambling, and I have yet another swap package to mention. The mysterious knitter known to me only as "Tink" (Tinkerbell or tink back a row?) sent this grand package. Again, I'd like to show all the photos I took, but we have dinner with my childhood best friend and her family, and you only have so many hours to spend on my blog.

There's a great Moonlight Knitter row counter, in red of course, some Red Rover from Lorna's Laces that I rather openly coveted while Devon was Sockza-ing, a darling sock project bag in red and toile, with polka dots (and I know I hadn't mentioned my adoration of all things toile!), along with some chai and more tea. The world is a beautiful place. So, my Sock it to Me pal has also been paying attention. (That's a tip, for anyone striving to be a super spoiler. Read up on your spoilee. Get to know them. It makes it easier to send packages that they will go on and on about on their blogs.)

Sock it to Me Contest

Why and how I started to knit:

Which time? You see, my dear auntie tried to teach me to knit at least two different summers when I was around 12. I'd get excited, but frustrated, and would come home, where my great aunt would re-explain "left-handed" knitting, and then school would start...

Then, last November, while Anne was visiting, I got infected. I watched her knit. I helped her wind yarn and even wandered into a yarn shop with her. At the time, my inner knitter merely stirred, and went back to sleep. However, when Anne and her sticks and string went back south, suddenly, I was overcome with the NEED to knit. So, I bought some bamboo straights and some cheap yarn, and I tried. Oh, how I tried. It was torture, just as I remembered, until I found this site, where I immediately realized I had found the "left-handed" Continental style much more sensible. Everything clicked, and I have only reluctantly set my needles down to eat, sleep and work since then.

Why? Because I've always liked hand-crafts. I did my first needlepoint at six, I think it was. I am still in awe of how two (or more!) sticks and some string can produce almost anything imaginable. Plus, there's just something soothing and magical about the serenity of knitting.

Sock It To Me Questionnaire

What are your foot measurements? (Please give shoe size, length and circumference.)

I wear a 6.5 or 7 in American sizes. My left foot is bigger, and it is 8.75 inches long. Circumference is 8 inches.

How long have you been knitting? How would you rate your experience? (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced.)

I've only been knitting for about seven months, but I'd say I'm an intermediate knitter.

What is your favorite color? Your least favorite color?

My favorite color changes, but I always like red, pinks, blues, greens, and browns. I'm not crazy about purple, orange or road sign yellow by themselves.

Do you have a favorite fiber? What type?

I'm still trying them all out, but I love bamboo and anything soy.

Do you have any allergies to certain fibers?

No.

Do you have an Amazon, or other type of, wishlist? (If so, provide the link.)

Oh boy. I managed to produce it earlier this week...

What techniques, if any, would you like to learn?

Cable. MUST. LEARN.TO.CABLE! And lace.

Do you have a sweet tooth? What are your favorite snacks?

I have a rotten sweet tooth. My current favorite is dark chocolate covered cranberries. I also like popcorn though, and nuts...

What is your family situation? (Children, Husband, Pets...etc.)

I'm married, and we live to serve our two very rotten dogs.

Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Metal, plastic or wood?

For what? All in all, my Knitpicks Options are the needles I can't live without, but I like Bryspun for discloths, and the Addis my pal in another swap sent are lovely too. OH! Sorry, we're talking socks, right? I like my two, SHORT Addis and dpns. I like Sox Stix and the Knitpicks dpns.

Besides socks, what are your favorite items to knit?

Bags. Dishcloths. I enjoyed making my first vest last month...

Is there a pattern, (sock or otherwise), that you are dying to try?

Several. Basically, anything I haven't already done!

Do you like to read? What are you reading currently?

I love to read. I tend to favor non-fiction. I read cookbooks, knitting pattern books, etc. Right now though, I'm reading Eldest as in the second book in the Eragon series.

Do you collect music? (On an iPod or MP3 player.)

Not really. I'm all about XM Radio.

What kind of music do you listen to?

All of it. Country. Musicals. Pop. Rock. Classical.

Is there anything you collect?

Roosters. Yarn. Books. Regional cookbooks.

What are your hobbies, aside from knitting?

Yoga, reading, walking, cooking, baking, scrapbooking, stamping...

Are you participating in any other swaps or knit alongs?

Yes. The easiest thing to do is look at the side of my blog. There are actually a couple of buttons missing... I'll see about correcting that.

Do you have a favorite scent?

Soft florals. Green tea.

When is your birthday? (You don't have to add the year if you don't want to, LOL.)

July 1

More Joining

Yes, it's true. More socks! Socks and swaps. Does it get any better? (Love that colorway too... I love brown and turquoise together.) This one really gets underway after Sockapalooza, so if you like socks, please join us. Thanks, Amy for keeping me sock swapping!

Now, on that note, Amy and others have finished their Sockza socks. I just got the yarn, and am feeling like I'm waiting until the last minute. It's more than a month before I should ship them off, and I know the pattern will fly off the needles, yet all these early birds are making me feel behind! Pout!

In other knitting news, the back of the vest is finished. I doubt I'll show pictures until it is finished, including blocking. This baby is definitely going to need it. At the very least, it wants to be steamed and pressed before anyone else ganders at it.