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.)

Color Swap Questionnaire

Being the swap-aholic that I am, and loving red, here’s my latest:

Color Swap Survey
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
I am not a yarn snob, not so much anyway. Lion Brand has some yarns I like – Cotton Ease, Wool Ease – but I do tend to buy natural fibers.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
‘Fraid not. I want to learn to crochet, but can’t put my knitting down long enough to learn.
3. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
Rubber stamping, scrapbooking, cooking, baking… that’s about it.
4. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Today? Bamboo! But check my blog, because that’s sure to change as I broaden my horizons.
5. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Novelty yarns. They’re more trouble than they’re worth for me. I’m not much on acrylics either, but they are good for baby items, which I need to do more of, and soon!
6. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Socks. Bags. Learning to cable.
7. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks. More socks.
8. What are you knitting right now?
A sock. With another sock waiting in the wings. And a secret.
9. Are you a sock knitter?
Oh yes. Can’t you tell?!
10. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Are there any colors you hate?
Today, it’s red. I like greens, blues, pinks, teals too. Even browns. I dislike peach, orange and highway department yellow.
11. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I have a separate knitting wish list on Amazon, but it might be private… dunno.
12. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
Not really.
13. Do you have any religious prohibitions or restrictions?
No.
14. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Gardenia. Lily of the Valley. Rose. Soft florals. Green tea.
15. Do you burn candles?
Yes.
16. Do you have a sweet or salt tooth?
Both.
17. Do you drink coffee, tea or cocoa?
Yes, but I’d say tea, tea, coffee, cocoa.
18. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my wonderful husband and our two precious pups.
19. What are some of your favorite things?
Aside from knitting, tea and my dogs? Yoga, walking, reading…
20. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn. Roosters. My husband collects those smashed pennies imprinted with local sites or whatnot.
21. What is your favorite holiday?
Good question. I’m not feeling very festive at the moment though.
22. What is your birthday? (You don’t have to tell the year)
July 1.