Marathon Post

Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, walk the dog, and sit down. It's gonna' be a long one!

First, a million thanks to my Sockza pal, the lovely Adrienne. There was a parcel on the front porch when we got home Thursday evening, and inside was my first Zimmerman book! Since I've not really done much in the way of fitted items, I can't wait to give this book a read. I have been blessed with some fantastic swap pals, and I love it when they broaden my horizons. Thanks again, Adrienne!

That wasn't the only package that arrived while we were away. I finally used my gift certificate from Sock it to Me's prize, and my pretty stitch markers from Zero were waiting for me. First, the "everything" shot. I was surprised at the extras that were included! My gift certificate covered the pearl markers on the right, but there were also two pretty bonuses, and a nice note, tucked into that cute little paper pouch. All of the markers are on TINY rings, per my request. I have a great collection of pretty stitch markers, but most are on medium to large rings, and you know I love my wee needles.

You've gotta' have a close-up of the markers I ordered. The bottom of the card says "jewelry for your knitting" and it really is. That's actually a rather enlarged photo of one marker, but I wanted you to see the pretty pearl and the chunk of gem. (Amethyst? Garnet?)

You also know I'm in stamping and appreciate the little extra touches some vendors add. Here's a great example, on the back of the little padded mailer everything came in. Isn't that great?!

Now, there's also the unfinished report on my not-so quick trip in Knitting Addiction to say "until next time." Here's what I picked up on my way out of town. (I just couldn't help it!) There's the holiday Knit Simple with its convenient section called "going coastal" featuring (swoon!) cabled goodness, shot at a beach. There's also the trunk show preview yarn and its Princess Socks pattern (sure you don't want to do socks, Sharon?). More on the yarn in a bit, because you see the Tofutsies too, don't you? I don't think I'll be stash-satisfied until I own every colorway in that yarn, whether it's one I would ordinary like or not.

I'm in an ornery mood, so here's the Tofutsies first. They're going back and naming all of the colors with foot-related names, but this one looks like autumn maple leaves to me. My mother's paternal side did some maple syrup harvesting, and I have a strong affinity for all things maple. They are my favorite trees, and there's just nothing like real maple syrup on pancakes, french toast, waffles, dry corn bread...

Then, there's the TINKERBELL yarn, by Ellyn Cooper's Yarn Sonnets. The colorway is actually deeper and darker (see the "group" photo?), and is called aquatide. Now, I'm not a sparkly yarn girl, but something about Tinkerbell's merino and silk (sorry Sharon; I almost bought you some until I read the label!) blend with the flecks of silver just called to me. I have 420 yards, and while the Princess Socks pattern was written for this yarn, I think it wants to be an elegant shawl, don't you?? I'm all for pampering my feet, but this stuff is so soft, so lovely...

I'm thinking this is enough of a post for now. The rest will have to wait for another time. I know you want to see FOs and the MJ Jaywalkers, but really folks, I must get to work on the Jays now, because we're suddenly doing her birthday dinner tonight, and I really want one sock done to give her!!

I Won!

One of the many amazing things about our online knitting community is that we actually look for reasons to give prizes/gifts to each other. I know several of you popped by and wished Amy a happy 100th post, but ironically, the old philosophy major won the Philosophers Wool. That's why I love swaps and prizes; there's yarn out there I've never heard of, but can't wait to try, even though I don't know it exists. (Don't laugh. You get crazy over a new to you line of yarn too.)

Thanks Amy, and congrats again on your blogging milestone. I selfishly hope for many more, because I enjoy seeing what you're up to, knitting and otherwise!

Friend-Rich

I am indeed friend-rich. I'm not talking pals to hang out with on a given afternoon; I'm actually without ANY of those, but what I have in the stand by you, true-blue category more than makes up for shopping with Mugsy on Saturday afternoon. (Shhh. Don't tell him. He's a doll, but he can't even go into most stores.)



Etsy has totally changed my shopping habits. I've always appreciated and expected exceptional customer service, but with Mary, Jessi, Amanda and Anita, I have CUSTOM customer service. What's best is that I know you can have it too; just ask! Each of those ladies has a great shop with a revolving inventory, and all are truly craft-artists, and thus, they enjoy trying new things on the way to making a customer happy.



Above are the 8 and 4 row row counters Mary made when I asked if she would be interested in trying her hand at some. Thanks, Mary! They're beautiful. Here are the 10 and 12 row versions. She also made other "sizes" for different row repeats, but as I'd not even used row counters before, I thought perhaps I should pace myself and try them out first. Not even all of these are for my personal use; some are swap pal bound. I hope my pal(s) will enjoy them too!





Now, obviously the dog lover one is staying at my house (sorry Nicole!), so I undid all of Mary's cute packaging (they also ship in tiny resealable plastic bags) so you could see more. Well, yeah, so I could see more too, but at the moment, it's all about you! That's going to make me smile every time I use it. Yes, yes, they ALL are likely to do that, but you know...






In today's mail, dear Anne sent a little pick-me-up. I'm going to have to watch her yarn shopping reports more carefully; that's twice now that she's flashed a Chan gift in plain sight on her blog. Her nails are so near and dear to her well-being that I think I'm going to take a hint and take a couple of hours one day this week and go get my own mani and pedi.



This is a good time to thank each of you for you cards, comments, emails, posts on your own blogs, etc. Each and every one has meant the world to us, and I am sure all of your support is what has allowed us to dry our tears and begin to pick up the pieces. Thank you from the bottom of our collective hearts.





Back to the yarn. On the left, Tofutsies color #733, which is the skein from Anne. On the right, #739, also known as the June Sock of the Month Club limited edition colorway. Rather true representations on my monitor, so I hope for the same on your end.



I'm finally done shopping for my poor Vegan downstream pal. She's figured out who I am, but I'll wait until her package is in the mail before I announce who she is, so that the few still awaiting packages have one more name to ponder until the ship by deadline. I'm also about ready to ship my October package for SP11. And yes Anne, your bag is almost at the halfway point, so it will be ready to go out on time, unless you decide to come up here after all.

Green is the color of Friendship

Okay, really, so I have no clue what green means. Prosperity and good fortune, I think, but I'm in a hurry, so I'm not looking it up. I love green, and you aren't going to believe the green goodness that was on my front porch when I got home!

First - seriously, it was on top - was this. Amanda sent in my way as a thank you for the socks I sent her way. Y'all, my stash is in trouble, because this formerly variegated gal is in semi-solid love. Suddenly, I *NEED* solids or nearly so for my upcoming projects! I cannot wait to settle on a pattern for this soft, 400 yards of beauty. If you're looking for names Amanda, this one wants to be Alwington's Rolling Fields, named after my father's family's farm, which didn't have a single acre of flat field on it, but I still consider what's left (bite me WalMart thru Taylor Jr. High!) some of the most beautiful fields in the world.

I'm going to be a sight at my important meeting tonight, with my NH Kitting Mama yarn in my lap, and my new shawl wrapped around my shoulders on the first day we've topped 75 degrees in nearly a week. This is my prize from Grace's remarkable contest last week. If you thought it was lovely in her photo... I just wish you could all pop over and take turns draping it around your shoulders and fingering the variegated trim. So pretty! It's even more elegant than I aspire to be, but I'm going to wear it proudly and often, and perhaps by osmosis, I'll become a little more elegant and learn to knit lace too. (Shut up. I won't believe that sleeping with my notes under my pillows was a joke either.)

I want a real-life tea party, so you can try the teas that arrived today while you take turns petting my green gifts. (Fred will check you at the door. Don't let those sweet eyes fool you; he's territorial and he knows the yarn, shawl and whatever else you're eyeing stays in his house!) Seriously. Pout. At least I'm missing the standing Officers Meeting at the firehouse in favor of a much classier meeting with a cookbook publisher. Think my friends will drink tea with me if I bring it along? (Two of them would. They humor me. It's what they do, to keep me playing well with others, because for some silly reason, they think they need me on their committee. You know I love House, right? There's a reason...)

You gotta see this trim though. The solid green body of the shawl is lovely and so evenly knitted, but the trim (again, SHUT UP! I know I'm fickle, and at the top of the post, I pledged my love to semi-solid hand-dyed. That was in stuff I want to knit. This is in what I have wrapped around me.) is something else! Thank you again, Grace and Amanda, for making this a great day!

What a Wonderful World

It really is a wonderful world, full of fantastic people. Yes, yes, I do keep saying I won't have time to blog again until after all of the madness that is the next week of my life, but I knew you guys *NEEDED* to see this! I went straight to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix from work (no comments at all, until Anne and Amy have seen it, and I won't comment without warnings first), so imagine my delight when I got home and had TWO packages waiting for me. One was from my semi-local Carodan Farm, but I can't show that just yet, although some of it was actually for me.

The other was a birthday box from dear Devon! See!? That's why I celebrate birth MONTH. Why limit yourself to one day of presents and cake? It was all wrapped up so nicely, in pink and red (two of my favorite colors, you know), but I was too excited to snap a pre-unwrapping photo, so just take my word for it. That's the "group photo" of everything. The book, Knit Fix, is such an appropriate selection, because as Devon noted, our first real chat was because Anne referred me to Devon (Anne's SP10 pal), because Devon had knitted socks before. The rest is history. Who knew!? A friendship was formed in that heel I couldn't turn without Devon's patience and row by row counting. There's imported chocolate there too, on the far left and that brown square on the left of the yarn. Dark chocolate with nuts. My hubby doesn't like dark chocolate, but has eyed them just the same. Now that's friendship, folks. Devon either brought TONS of chocolate home from her trip abroad, or she's cool enough to share!

The tea is some of Devon's favorite. While I'm a loose tea girl, bag tea does go to work with me, and that Earl Grey is going in the morning. I've never had Taoz Earl Grey, so it's time to try it, no? Nor have I had Trader Joe's White Pomegranate, but that will get tried soon too. I love fruity, white teas, but that will happen at home where my precision tea water pot lives. (Long story. Maybe on K1, T2 one day...) Now THAT is how you have a cuppa' cyber style, without losing the spirit of tea.

The card is just darling too. I am trying to learn to make cards, but I'm very much the newbie, so this one gives me all kinds of ideas! Of course, it will also get saved for future scrapbooking, because I am, as Anne calls me, a gooblette. Flip flops, a cool tote, a towel, and a little journal. What more could a girl want for a trip to the beach? When are we going? Oh yeah, not until the end of the month. Shoot.

You want to know about the yarn though, don't you? Well, Devon said she though of me when she saw it, and she should have. It is Jojoland Melody. 100% wool, and 220 yards per ball. I will have to make longer socks than I normally wear, because this yarn is just something else. (Hmm... Devon, do you think it would be nice for those baby cables I covet so?) I'll have to get more photos in natural light at some point, because that hardly does justice to this wonderful rainbow of Chan's favorite colors!