Winter Solstice Swap

Sorry I've been so quiet lately for those of you actively paying attention.
I'm still sucked in the amazing world of Facebook, although I did leave that site long enough to wander over to Ravelry and join in on the Winter Solstice Swap.
I like doing swaps, but I don't think I could do them every month, although I certainly do love receiving the packages.
They can be expensive though, so this is why I try to be selective about which ones I join.
When I saw this swap I knew it was the one for me to break my swapping dryspell, and I am so glad I did.
My swap partner is Gina aka Brownie Knits.
Of course talk about nerve-wracking - this woman works in a yarn shop part time and designs her own patterns!
How to be creative without being derivative - it's a challenge, but I'm putting her package together and trying to make it just as special as she is.
So look at what I got in the mail:



Isn't that Lantern Moon bowl gorgeous?
And all that blue - from the yarn, to the goodies - and what I didn't show you is the pattern she sent me via Ravelry for her Kitchen Sink blanket (the yarn is for this pattern - and you can find the pattern on Ravelry and more pictures on her blog).
The idea for the swap was to send something that will keep the recipient warm, and I can just imagine sitting in my living room watching tv (of course), and knitting on this blanket.




Blue is such a soothing color, don't you think?
And because Gina knows what many good knitters need to get through the hour (day, week, year) is chocolate, so look at what was stashed at the bottom of the basket:



Yummy.
All of it is just so yummy.
Thank you, Gina!

Mythological Packages

I've been immersed in two things lately: Greek mythology and grammar.
Both through choice but one with a pressing deadline.
My Grammar class ends next Thursday. I just took an exam on Tuesday and I have the final exam next Thursday, and I have to turn in my final paper on that day as well.
I do love my class and the people in it are fantastic. We actually have fun analyzing sentences. Sick, right?
Essentially Grammar has taken over my life.
Ergo, this should explain my lack of posting.
I have been knitting on a sock since last Saturday began the Summer of Socks, but I know I do not knit as fast as everyone else so I'm not even in it for the contest. I'm just digging on the socks.
I should have a picture of that tomorrow.
Today, however, I have a picture of a mythological package that I received last week.
It should have never taken me this long to record officially its awesomeness.
Bad blogger.
This is what I got from Jen as part of the Libris Swap on Ravelry.


Sorry the picture is a little dark. I just put new batteries in my camera about a week ago and they are already dead.
How is that?
I can tell you what you would see in if the picture weren't so dark: some yummy chocolate truffles, Almondina biscuits (I love almonds, they go wonderfully with ambrosia), Jasmine Pearls tea bags (ambrosia), Terry Pratchett's Small Gods, Edith Hamilton's Mythology, a bottle of Nero d'Avola from Sicily (the real nectar of the gods), and knitting needles.
Now, for the piece de resistance: a pattern for the Icarus shawl (how appropriate!) and two skeins of to-die-for lace weight Spectrum yarn from Springwater Fiber Workshop.
I wish this blog allowed the readers to reach out and touch because if you could you would love this yarn.
And the colors...what can I say about the colors (look at that incorrect sentence structure - I used a phrase to begin a declarative sentence and turned it into an interrogative sentence - this grammar thing - I can't stop!).
The colors of this yarn are phenomenal!
Purple and red with light greys and pinks - perfect colors for fall knitting.
I'm so excited to use it and I think now that I've become familiar with socks (I won't say mastered) I'm ready to move on to lace.
Who knows, someday I may knit a sweater.
It does get cold up there on Mount Olympus.

Black Yarn Swap Package

Here's the package from yesterday:


And what was in it?
It was my black yarn swap package from my swap partnerDeborah!


There's some Plymouth yarn, enough to make the Little Silk Shrug by Pam Allen, the pattern for said project, a pattern for some LOVELY Floral Lace Anklets, some needles for the project (for the record I LOVE receiving needles with projects, don't you?) and some yummy Sipping Chocolate.
I've been waiting for it to be cold enough to drink it and it doesn't look as if our temps today will get about 60 degrees, so Deborah, I think I'm busting out some hot chocolate for breakfast!
Thank you Deborah for this great package and for recognizing that I love to knit socks and also need a little push into lace. Don't you love having swap partners who really pay attention?
I try, but I know how difficult it is, trust me.
And now I have more projects in my queue which seems to be stretching to about 3 typewritten pages (in Times New Roman 10)!
I think I need to get my queue loaded up onto Ravelry.
It's really the only way to manage it and keep track of the yarn I buy and then forget what it is supposed to be used for.

Summer Solstice is on the Horizon

This Saturday is the Summer Solstice.
Some people call it the longest day of the year because the sun is at its highest point. Others call it the saddest day of the year because after this the sun starts to get lower in the sky and winter is literally just over the horizon.
Well this Summer Solstice is going to be a great one for me.
I'll be knitting socks but I'll also be sipping iced tea in some wonderful flavors courtesy of Ravelry Member Liquid Lace.
This is what was in the box I received on Friday:



Would you look at that lovely sock yarn?
It is scrumptious and I can't wait to use it to make socks, but I'm waiting until the 21st, just to be symbolic and all that.
I have found a pattern that I think might work well, Sweet Socks.
What do you think?
I'm definitely open to suggestions because I love how the colors in the yarn blend together. Oh, I guess I should tell you that it is Aussi Sock Yarns in Faded Valentine. Even the color name is cool.
DN2 keeps trying to grab the cup with the cool straw and then the separate spoon straws.
I was so overwhelmed with this package it was wonderful!
Now I need to get my package off to my swap partner and then work on shopping for one more swap package.
And yesterday this package showed up on my doorstep:

Getting yarn in the mail is a great thing.
You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what is in this package.
And by the way, guess who received an A on their Grammar mid-term?
That deserves a yee haw, doesn't it.

Swap Shopping

It's hard to shop for swap packages.
Well, it's difficult for me, because I want to send just the right thing.
And then I second guess myself and think, No, this is not right, and then I head out and buy something different.
You'd think I have money, right?
Wrong.
Over the past few days we've been to two different LYS' that, with today's gas prices, traveling 25 miles to an LYS hardly makes either of these a "local" yarn shop. (I saw $4.25 gas yesterday - YIKES!)
One LYS is Knit 'N Purl in Brighton and unfortunately they are closing their doors on June 20th. Good sales, but sad they're closing.
Then last night DN2 and I headed to A Knitter's Corner in Medina.
Nice place and their store is very organized because it really is not that big, it is a true "corner."
So now I have completed the shopping for two Ravelry swaps - The Black Yarn Swap and the Cuppa Tea Summer Solstice Swap. One more swap to go.
Now all I have to do is get these packaged and in the mail.
The Black Yarn Swap package is going to Beate in Norway and the Summer Solstice Swap is a surprise!
Swaps are fun!

Black Yarn Swap

I just joined another swap.
This time around it is the Black Yarn Swap, hence the title of this post.


It sounds pretty exciting, don't you think?
Sign-ups are open until May 31st if anyone is interested.
Here are my (lame) answers to the questions:

1. Do you knit, crochet, or both? Knit only
2. What do you prefer to knit or crochet? (socks? sweaters? cables?) What would you like to try to knit or crochet? Just learned how to knit socks!!! I would like to try some lace, but right now I'm digging my heel turns and gussets.
3. What are your hobbies outside of knitting or crocheting? reading, extensively and periodic navel gazing
4. Do you have any fiber allergies? Fiber preferances? No allergies, no preference
5. Do you have any favourite books, music, or tv shows? If so, what are they? Favorite books - so hard to answer - love YA literature, don't read enough contemporary fiction, love watching NCIS, the Ghost Whisperer, Numbers and Ghost Hunters
6. Do you have any pets? my husband has a dog, I have 2 cats, and my daughter has 4 fish which I feed every morning
7. Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks? ssssnackssss - any kind
8. Do you prefer coffee or tea? tea - hate coffee - it makes me crazy
9. Aside black, which colours do you like/dislike? dislike baby blue, not crazy about browns but love reds, blues and purples
10. What is your favourite time of the year? (season-wise or holiday-wise) Fall!!!
11. What is your favourite scent? besides apples?
12. What do you collect? yarn, books, dust
13. If there's anything else you'd like your swappee to know, list them here: I'm excited for this swap!

Swap Packages

I have been totally remiss (aka extraordinarily lazy and bad) about letting you know what I got from my KTS4 swap partner, Peaches. And I should have posted about this immediately because it was an absolutely out of this world package.
Here's some pictures of the wonderful items in my package:

And here's a separate picture of the yarn:
Rowan Big Wool - to die for - in a wonderful shade of pink that I absolutely adore. Can I tell you I don't know how Peaches did it. You put down your favorite color on the swap information and of course what color did I choose? Blue. But somehow Peaches knew about my passion for pink and sent me this yarn. Well I am kind of a pinkaholic - and for the record I look good in pink. Well I think I do because (a) I wear it all the time and (b) people tell me, "You look good in pink." Either there is a conspiracy by EVERYONE to make me look like a fool or else perhaps pink is my color. Blue soothes me but pink suits my complexion. And if I don't look good in pink can someone help me unload about 7 pink sweaters/turtlenecks?
Anyway, this is the funniest thing - I had put on my info sheet that I never mix chocolate and liquor so Peaches picked up on that and sent me this great book called Yarn Cocktails. Okay that's the short title - click on the link to see the long title. The book has some really funky but outrageously cool patterns - and I love the jewelry. Gorgeous. I might pass on making the knickers, though, because there is just not enough yarn in the world to cover a butt the size of the Alps. Don't look too closely - you might see the Matterhorn!
And let me tell you something else about how intuitive Peaches is.
When we lived in Germany you couldn't walk through any store without hitting a Ritter Sport display. The factory is located just outside of Stuttgart and during our 3 years there we lived off of Ritter Sport. I'm sure there's a chunk or two stored in the fat that cushions my butt, but I digress. Anyway, what did Peaches include in my package? Two bars of Ritter Sport. Yum, Yum.
I had to share it with DN2 because she was hanging around when I was eating it.
And people wonder why I'm a closet chocolate eater (I hate to share).
She also put the yarn in this lovely green bag and DN2 looked at it and said, "Dibs on the green bag."
Wait up, hold on - I said to her, "You can't dibs on something that was sent to me!"
These kids, I swear. First the chocolate then the bag. What's next?
All-in-all it was a fantastic swap. Now I need to get over to the KTS4 page and post on there too so everyone will see how wonderful a swapper Peaches is.
Unlike some people who work in a hospital (Sheri) I will be taking the day off on Friday. So send good thoughts to hospital workers and dispatchers (Kristi) and all those who will be working on Thanksgiving and Black Friday as we attempt to rouse ourselves from a tryptophan-induced coma.

I don't have any Exes in Texas

But I do have a new pal there!
This is what Purl sent to me for the Knitters Tea Swap 3.
Check it out:


I actually got this package on Friday and I waited until yesterday to take the picture.
Do you know what that means?
I spent all weekend looking at that chocolate and not eating it.
Will power through pure laziness.
I just didn't get up to borrow DN1's camera.
And I can't find my battery charger.
Laziness and slovenliness.
That's how you diet.
Anyway, I am bound and determined to knit me some socks.
Right after I work on this KAL that I joined (big thanks, I think, to Angelika).
It's my first KAL and I'm kind of excited.
Because it's right up my alley - long and relatively square.
But I promise, oh yes, I promise myself and everyone else, that I will work on socks this summer.
And with all the lovely blue sock yarn I have waiting for me, I need to bust a move.
A knitting move.
Big thanks again to Purl - I can't wait until the thunderstorm rolls through this evening and I make a pot of citrus tea - all for me.

Not necessarily a conventional swap

Nor is it a RAOK.
I asked Kat if she had joined the latest Knit Tea Swap and she said no.
The past few swaps have been rather disappointing to her.
Whereas I was able to swap with, and receive from, some rather extraordinary people, hers have not been nearly as enjoyable.
So I suggested that she and I could have our own swap.
Again, not a RAOK, but rather a swapping of good things (chocolate, yarn, books, chocolate) that we would both enjoy.
And kind of just a nice thing to do, you know, because we did work together for almost 2 years, so we know each other's likes and dislikes.
And even though there will only be the two of us, we still have to name it.
Hmmm....
Well I like to name things, or rather think of names that have a deeper meaning (like, you do know what you're getting when you join the Knit Tea Swap), so I suggested "You Don't Know JaK" for a swap name.
Get it?
Julie and Kat = JaK
Funny, eh?
So I've begun thinking about what to get.
I'm still finishing up my great (I hope) swap box for my pal but I'll start on the "You Don't Know JaK" swap as soon as I finish.
Now if only I knew how to make a button.

A Boomtown Rats kind of day

Honestly.
I don't like Mondays.
I don't want to shoot them away, but they do really suck.
Fortunately I came home and this was waiting for me:
It's only about the third time I've purchased the CD. And I still have the LP in my attic.
But it's a perfect record and I have to have it.
Plus I got some other books from Barnes and Noble.
This weekend was blissful.
Blissfully hot.
Is there such a thing?
It was damn hot.
Almost unbearable.
But life can be made bearable if you sit in front of a fan with a good book.
(AC would be better, but we don't have any.)
I read The Razor's Edge this weekend based upon a recommendation from SN1.
I loved it.
(Kat you'd really like it - I know Mrs. Dalloway wasn't quite what you were expecting -- keep plugging along -- but I think you might like Maugham's voice better so give it a try.)
It made me want to read more American literature.
So I picked up Faulkner.
No knitting was accomplished.
I do have something to rip out, but I haven't got the nerve yet.
Soon - and I'll have photographic evidence too so that together we'll fix it.
Because I don't have the courage alone to give up a bad project. I keep it and justify the errors.
Ever felt like that?
I was reading someone's blog once and they had almost finished this Norwegian mitten - it was gorgeous!
And then she ripped it out because of something wrong with it.
I've never learned to be heartless about my knitting.
And it's not something of which I'm proud.
DN2 and I went to her favorite place this weekend, and then we went to my new favorite place, Parkleigh Pharmacy.
Had to shop some more for my Knit Tea Swap Pal (Hi Purl!).
Alas I can't show you any pictures because this is an open swap, and she can't know.
So shhh....don't tell her I went shopping and I'm almost done.
I owe her an email answering her question about what I like to knit.
I feel like Jack Benny when he was asked, "Your money or your life."
All I can say is, "I'm thinking...I'm thinking."

Knit Tea Swapping

I've joined a new swap and we found out who we are swapping with today.
This time it is an open swap - we know each other - and we have to specialize in local goodies.
Now is there any way I can send her fresh lilacs?
Those are definitely a local favorite.
Hmm....

Off to the post office

Here's my package for my Favorite Color Swap 2 partner.
Today is only the last day to mail your package, and when do I send mine?
On the last day.
It is hard to find the "perfect" package for someone.
So I shopped and tried to create a color theme because she said that she likes jewel tones, like green, red and purple. I went with purple.
Not everything in this package is yarn, because I really only included two skeins of Patons wool, but I did include some pretty purple things, and some are knitting related, so I hope she really likes what I've chosen.
Now, I've just got to get to the post office today!

Please Mr. Postman

Remember that song?
I'm of the age when it's The Carpenters version I think of, but who did it originally?
Anyone?
Well I know that it was The Marvelettes, but I only know that because I looked it up.
So the postman, or the UPS man, or the international mail delivery person delivered a package for me and look where it came from:I knew it was going to be good, because it felt nice and squishy and my first thought was...YARN!!
Look what was inside:
I just don't think my camera took good enough pictures so that you too can appreciate the hand-painted beauty of this yarn:
It is luscious, like a cold Concord grape in the summertime.
Okay, I don't want to eat the yarn, but I do like to rub it up against my cheek, and yes, I will knit with it.
Let me tell you why this package is so great.
Well first of all, it came from my Favorite Color Swap partner Chrissie.
And she's a smart, smart girl, because she is a very good enabler.
She not only sent me the yarn to knit either Birch or Kiri, but she sent me the needles too.
And she sent along a pattern to use with my fourth skein of yarn in order to make lovely lace bookmarks (now how does she know I like to read, I ask you) and she sent along the needles for that project too!
See, she knows I want to knit lace but am afraid.
So she has enabled me.
What a great swap partner.
A big, huge thank you to Chrissie!
Now I just need to get my act together and finish purchasing my goodies for my swap partner.
I hope she likes it -- you know that's what is hard about swaps, you worry that you could be buying more or different things, and you hope that they like what they send you.
Not everyone is simple like me, I'm just happy to get anything.
You know how that is.
And before I came to work this morning I did make sure that my lovely new yarn was put away from these little innocents:
Don't let them fool you.
They're Yarn Cats.