LOVE A GOOD SWAP!

A lovely swap parcel arrived this week, all the way from Virginia. It was from my swap partner, Heather, in the BareNakedKnitspot may swap. I was thoroughly spoilt with the most scrummy skein of 'Woolen Rabbit' Opulence. It's a 4-ply, in a 50% merino and 50% silk mix. It's gorgeous! 

Then there were some lovely purple stitch markers, including one cute little dog. Can you spot him? These will be just great for the Purple Passion Club, which starts this month. I've been pattern only for the last couple of Knitspot clubs, but have treated myself to a yarn and pattern membership this time around.

A swap parcel is always made beautifully complete if it also contains something yummy to eat, like chocolate and something yummy to smell, like soap. I was not disappointed!

Mr Snoops' socks are coming on a treat. One is already complete and I've just turned the heel on the second. He's tried the first sock on and was pleasantly surprised. He commented on the goos fit, 'nice' colour and the warm feel. Then he asked how much they cost! cough, cough, cough!

DONE AND DUSTED.....

Somehow, I managed to summon up just the right amount of 'sewing in ends' mojo and before I knew it, it was done and dusted. The pain was nowhere near as bad as I had been expecting (I HATE sewing in ends!). A quick steam block and some invisible seaming and HEY PRESTO! one warm, woolly scarf for one very cute little girl.

The scarf is sewn with the seam going up the centre back, so that both ends are allowed to flare very slightly. It will be lovely and snuggly, being double thickness.  Don't you just love those adorable scottie dogs!

Needless to say, Oscar wanted to be in on the act too. I have had to work very hard to persuade him that a 'Dougie Dog' scarf would really not be practical for winter walks, however much he wants one. He's pretty darn good a turning on the pleading, 'oh please, Mum!' look, but I am sticking to my guns and he will have to get over his disappointment. He really doesn't 'get' the fact that thick wet mud, lake water and general doggy yukkiness, do not mix well with woolly wonders. Neither does he understand just how badly the flappy ends will hinder his efforts, when he is trying to extract six-foot long branches from the water's edge. You've got a lot of learning to do, young Oscar!

Earlier in the week, I had a really lovely surprise. I received my swap parcel from the lovely Maya (selkhet), as part of the first 'Three bags Full' group swap, on Ravelry. I was thoroughly spoilt, with some gorgeous goodies.

The yarn is Kashmir from one of my favourite dyers, Kim, over at 'The Woolen Rabbit' . It's a light fingering, 3 ply mix of merino, cashmere and nylon. I think it will make a beautiful scarf!

Just take a look next at that fab '3BF' bag. How cute is that! I just love Michele's fun prints, especially if sheep are involved too. Then there were some lovely sheepy notelets and a BIG bag of coconut flavoured 'M and Ms'; quite a topic of conversation, at one point, over in the group. Next up was a minty lip balm: just what's needed for the chilly and windy winter days that we are encountering here in the UK at present. In amongst all of those 'lovelies' was a cute piece of snowman fabric. I'll need to make a little bag! ;-) Thanks Maya, I love it all!

So, all in all, it's been an okay kind of a week :-) . Hope yours has been too!

MAKING ME SMILE.......

After a full on week at work we decided we deserved a day out today and headed on up to Snape Maltings and Aldeburgh. It was more like a late summer day than one in mid-November. The sky was blue, the sun was out and it was so warm and still. Just perfect!

I've not picked up my needles very much this week, just a few rows here and there, so not much progress worthy of sharing. I did receive a lovely swap parcel though, all the way across the pond, from   Christine (heidelblogknits).

The yarn is just beautiful and just the kind of colour that I love. It’s Spirit Trail Fibreworks ‘Sunna’ in colourway Winter Sun ( a deep, moody blue black). 

There were some gorgeous little card labels to put in with a gifted knitting project. So sweet and such a good idea. Then there were two fragrant teas, one containing lavender, rosemary, spearmint, chamomile and cloves and the other, a mix of spearmint, lemon balm, hibiscus flowers, dried orange, rose petals and clove. I can’t wait to get going on them! The chocolate caramels didn't last long! I felt thoroughly spoilt, as there was also a pot of my favourite hand cream from Woolen Rabbit. Last, but by no means least, we exchanged an Anne Hanson pattern. I received the ‘Sign of Four’ sock pattern, which I’ve wanted to knit for a while now. 

Wishing you all a great week ahead!

WAITING IMPATIENTLY...........

Whilst I wait impatiently ......I knit........ I write reports........I knit....... I write reports!!!! Before I know it, I have another project ticked off my 'to finish' list, but not too many reports written! I loved knitting these and enjoyed the fact that the pattern was easy to memorise, but still looked good. The Wolmeisse yarn is lovely, with great stitch definition, but there are lots of other yarns that I like just as much and some that I have my eye on, but haven't tried yet: :-). I still have two more pairs to finish before my 'Knit Nation' deadline, so hopefully there may be another finished pair before next Sunday.

Whilst I wait impatiently........ I take a few more pics of my 'Spriteling' to show you, now blocked and gorgeous.

I think you can tell how pleased I am with it!

I am waiting so impatiently.......... for a little parcel to arrive from across the pond. It's coming all the way from Manhattan from my lovely swap partner, Cathy. I'm taking part in the Knitspot 'Fall in Full Colour' clubhouse swap, over on Ravelry. It's just the coolest place to be at the minute and SUCH a good way to waste oodles of time. The clubhouse is full of lovely people!

I posted my little parcel off to Cathy last Monday, after school, at around 5.10p.m. and guess what.... it arrived on Wednesday. How amazing is that! Well done to the old postal services there, I think. Post often takes that long to arrive withing the U.K. never mind going all that way across the water. I picked out a lovely Natural Dye Studio yarn for Cathy and some yummy Thornton's dark chocolate.

I'm so excited! I can't wait for my little parcel to arrive! Then I shall have to decide on which fabulous Anne Hanson pattern to knit with my swap skein. It's definitely NOT going to be socks. I'm pretty sure it will be a small shawl, but I shall wait and let my new little yarny friend help me decide, when he or she arrives.

Pop back to share my surprise!! Have a great week.

SPRING FORWARDS AND ODDS AND ENDS...

The Easter hols have been one long knit so far. I seem to have got loads of bits and pieces finished. The weather has been sunny over the past week, which has led to much relaxing in the garden......and of course, knitting! Here are my completed Spring Forwards, which I made using Natural Dye Studio merino wool. It's lovely and soft and the colours are gorgeous.....remember, fresh spring grass, violets and primroses! It's a very easy to memprise pattern and they fit really well.




I took part in the dishcloth swap over on Phoenix Knitting Forums and received a really lovely parcel from rubyslippers.



I shall use the cute little tin for carrying stitch markers. I loved the colours of the washcloth and felted flower. Thank you rubyslippers!

I've made a couple of lovely jitterbug purchases too. Thought I would show you them as the colours are just fabulous!

This colourway is 154 Rose Garden; sooo pretty........

........ and this one is 152 Paintbox; SCRUMMY! They're nearly too lovely to use, but I guess they may well end up as socks or as 'little person' hats and cardis.