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.

Something to Crow About

I just had to show you the little decanter my mother inlaw gave me for my birthday. I collect roosters (not chickens, not hens, not chicks, just ROOSTERS), and I finally agreed with my husband that I am about maxed out. However, my mother inlaw couldn’t resist this guy, and I’m glad. He’s stuffed with oil, assorted peppers and garlic cloves. Isn’t he beautiful? I couldn’t find a spot to photograph him with justice, so… forgive me. He’s just so colorful and fun, and he makes me smile. And no, I won’t use the contents within, for two reasons. Firstly, because I am a woman who believes sell by dates really mean use by, and use by dates are gospel, so there’s no way I’m using questionably cured peppers and such. Secondly, how could I disturb the beauty? In time, they’ll fade and I’ll be so glad Anne talked me into blogging, because I’ll come back to this post and see what colors he had originally, and the pick my own, with something blue in there, and a greener green, and that strong yellow I don’t like in anything else, because that’s what Mack and Jackie looked like. (Yep. I’m a farm girl and I had pet roosters.)

My husband is still waiting on the toneau cover for his truck, so UPS, please let it come tomorrow, okay? He was very disappointed when UPS brought me another birthday present, but while I’m very excited about my pewter water pitcher, he wasn’t nor did he think you would be. (He didn’t think you’d care about the rooster either, but I already know Devon cares, so he’s wrong. So there!) He actually tossed the padded envelope at me that must be from my No Sheep Swap upstream pal at me, but the Love inside didn’t seem to mind. Seriously folks, I know you’re tired of my bamboo fetish, but this stuff (with 30% silk!) is something beyond soft. It’s the Peter & MaryJane colorway, and you know how I like my cutsie colorway names! I can’t wait to knit with it, so just as soon as I find a pattern, look out!

The grumpy yarn mail tosser did give me a swift and a ball winder for my birthday, and last night, when I mentioned that I needed scales to figure out how much of my Royal Bamboo I had left, Mr. eBay as we call him let his mouse do the clicking, and I’ll soon be annoying you with my precise reports on how much yarn it takes to do each sock in a pair. So, he is a good man, even if he misjudges your lack of interest in pewter and decorative pickled stuff in a funky jar.

And congrats to Sharon, winner of the 100th post contest. I’ll be getting a prize in the mail soon! She’s also one of the hostesses for the very clever Virtual Vacation Swap. If you missed out on this one, bookmark it and stay tuned. I won’t miss the next one (I’m sure this is just the first of many!), and I’ll make sure you don’t either.