Yarn Therapy
I feed my yarn addictionArchive for swaps
SP13-The Final Installment
My final SP 13 box arrived, and it was very unique. I received a lovely tea set with a tea cup, saucer and plate, some tea, chocolate (!), Burt’s Bee’s Lip Balm, Berroco Soft Twist Yarn, a handmade dishcloth with a tea cup on it, and Amelia’s wonderful monkey slippers! Thanks, Jennifer!
A Belated Thanks to My Secret Pal 13
I don’t blog when I’m in a personal crisis, so a belated thanks and apology to my Secret Pal, who thoughtfully sent me a package that arrived last week.
I enjoyed: two balls of Lion Brand Wool in a soft green, a note pad with green, leafy decorations on it, two packages of cocoa mix and a little box of life savers. A good pick-me-up.
Thanks, Pal! Looking forward to the reveal.
A Nice Surprise!
I received a nice box of goodies from my Secret Pal (13) today. Everything was wrapped and presented so well. It was also more of a “winter” theme than actual xmas, which suits me very well. My friends know I tolerate xmas but it is not my favorite holiday. Amelia “helped” me open the gifts because she heard that some of them were intended for her. I was happy to receive a nifty ball of Lanaloft wool, and a green one at that. There was a cool little bag with a frog on it that said “going green” on it with a little pad of post-its and a pen. A container of little candy canes Amelia will help me consume. A box of Tension Tamer Tea which I already need from work stress this week (clients are all escalating in time for the holiday). Amelia got a Polly Pocket activity book and new crayons! She also got two pairs of holiday socks and two “magic towels.” There was a little 2 year datebook which Amelia claimed and already found her birthday and started writing in it.
Thanks Secret Pal! It was such a treat to get this package.
A Great Swap Haul-FCS3
This might be the best swap package I’ve received in recent memory. It was the Favorite Color Swap, my colors being purple, green and blue. Dee went to town! Cape Cod, to be exact. (I love the Cape, too).
There were cards:
There were Nice Smelling Things (Scented Oil Diffuser Thingie and soap inside a handmade cotton bag):
Sweet things to eat (Dark Chocolate Toffee Almonds and Green Tea Latte candies):
Handmade stitch markers: 
Knitpicks YARN in the most fabulous of colors: 
A pretty tea-for-one set: 
An adorable handmade kitty and its bed (I love this, but Amelia claimed it): 
And my favorites of all! Handspun/handyed yarn, a scarf she knitted out of more handspun in a pretty, lacy pattern, SHEEP and heart buttons and Knitpicks options needles in size 7. I have a set of these needles and I love them. I can always use more because I start so many projects at once. 
Zing the cat is not quite sure what to make of Purple Kitty: 
I am hereby spoiled rotten!
Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire
Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire
1. What are your top three favorite colors?
Green, purple and blue
I like saturated colors, not pastels
2. What crafts do you really enjoy?
Knitting and crocheting, mostly. Have done cross stitch and beading, among other things. I don’t sew.
3. What products do you really covet?
Pretty or novel buttons, hand-dyed yarns, knitting books and patterns, cute stitch markers
4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things?
spending time with my family, reading, listening to music, cooking, working out (cause I have to)
5. Is there anything you collect?
sheep, hearts, teapots
6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol?
Sun sign, Cancer and Chinese year of the Tiger
7.What are your favorite…
…scents/smells?
grapefruit, roses
…types of music and/or bands?
very eclectic musical tastes, like world music, classical, rock, pop, etc.
…authors?
I read mostly knitting books and psych books; nonfiction. Would like to read Friday Night Knitting Club.
…animals?
cats, dogs, sheep, alpacas (I only have cats)
…places to shop?
Sephora, Nordstrom, LYS, Kohl’s, Torrid, Target
…season?
Spring
…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies?
Yarn: Malabrigo, Noro, Koigu, would like to try some indie dyers/spinners.
…candies or goodies?
good chocolate with nuts or cookies
8. Do you have any wish lists?
Amazon (on the sidebar) there is a knitting and a non-knitting one
9. Are you allergic to anything?
SMOKE and pollen
10. Do you have any pets? What are they?
2 funny cats
11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy. Also, if you have a Ravelry ID, please include it here.
I’m yarnmaniac on Ravelry. I think that’s about it!
Great Swap Package
Amelia lurked over the package until I took the photo because she wanted the purple Peeps. Everything else was mine!
For more details, see the Scavenger Hunt Swap blog. It was a really fun swap, so if you are interested, email the leader and she’ll notify you for the next one.
Knitter’s Scavenger Hunt Swap Questionnaire
1) Do you knit, crochet or both? How long have you been doing it?
I have been crocheting for almost 7 years and knitting about 3
2) What is on your needles/hook right now?
A lace shawl, a cardigan and a vest for me, and a sweater for dh. Also trying the Chevron Scarf.
3) What is the most frequently used tool in your knitting bag?
I guess measuring tape. I check gauge a lot. Next would be the Chibi Darning Needles
4) What are your 3 favorite yarns (fiber type or brand)? What are your 3 least favorite?
Faves: Malabrigo, Cascade 220, Noro. Socks that Rock next.
Least Faves: Anything novelty or scratchy or sheddy and don’t prefer cotton
5) What is your favorite color?
purples/greens but I like most colors.
6) If you had a 5 minute shopping spree in your LYS, how would you plan your attack?
I’d list the projects I want to make and take yarn for that first, then just pull everything else I like! I’d probably ask friends what I should get for them!
7) What is your favorite FO and why? (post a pic if you have it!)
My Mr. Greenjeans in Malabrigo! It’s on the blog further down.
What are your favorite things to knit/crochet?
Sweaters for myself and my daughter, especially top-down in the round.
9) Do you collect anything?
Teapots and sheep. I collect mugs, but don’t have any more room for any. Also love any unusual buttons or knitting tools.
10) What are your five favorite things (not necessarily knitting related)?
My daughter
My husband
My cats (2)
Knitting books
11) Are you on Ravelry? What is your ID?
Yes, Yarnmaniac
12) Do you drink tea/coffee/cocoa?
TEA. I prefer flavored black teas and oolongs. I don’t drink coffee and I am lactose intolerant, so cocoa is out unless I make it.
13) Favorite Sweets?
Chocolate and nuts, cookies, cinnamon things.
14) Any allergies?
smoke and milk
15) Do you have pets? kids?
Two cats and a 4-year-old girl. Sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart. They all yell at me.
KTS4
I am happily sipping my Huckleberry Tea while I write about my fastasmic package from Emily in Seattle. She really found some unique items that I would definitely never come across here in Virginia. The teas: besides the aforementioned Huckleberry, she sent some spice tea and some Thai Oolong, which I tried and really enjoyed. (BTW, do readers know you can brew oolong leaves twice?) Also in the package, some gorgeous LP Brown Sheep Bulky Superwash in a lovely green, some nice handmade soap (another nice treat), two boxes of cookies with chocolate which I may not share, some Japanese teabags for putting loose tea in, some cute little teapot cookie cutters, and a journal with a cat inside of a teacup! Wow!
I love it all, and can’t wait to hear her reaction to her package. A fine swap, indeed.
HBTM (Happy Birthday to Me)
Yesterday. The Cold Stone Creamery Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate ice cream cake. Amelia said, “This is the yummiest cake I ever eated.” he he. It is almost too much chocolate. Almost, I said.
Today, I got several knitting books I ordered on Amazon from a gift certificate from BIL Mark.
Must have knitting books, as many as possible. Even more when someone else is paying for them.
I also got a package from my Knitter’s Tea Swap 3 partner yesterday. Lots of great stuff, but my faves are the really pretty sock yarn and a cute pink teapot for one. It has gone to the office. Oh, and more chocolate. Aww!
I won the drawing on the Fitted Knits KAL! The prize came today, it is a $40 gift certificate for Webs. Shopping!!!!! Whoo hoo!!
Semi Ta-Daaaaaa
In keeping with my 2007 Knitalutions, I finished the Sloane vest for myself, as well as the Broad ripple Socks I started I don’t know how long ago. That’s two WIPs done! Using circulars! Made a vest! Yay!
In keeping with another knitalution, I’ve been plugging along on Poppy, with the help of the KAL. It is so helpful to have other examples of the finished item other than just the one in the pattern book, and to hear what others are finding as they attempt the pattern. I finished the bottom panel done in Noro Cash Iroha (love that yarn) in Periwinkle (with random Silk Garden stripes) and completed the top part of the back of the sweater. Now for the front and then the sleeves. The Silk Garden is fun to knit with to see how it will stripe next.
In further keeping with the knitalutions, I started Jaywalker socks, but the gauge is way to big. I will have to keep another knitalution (to frog when necessary). I plan to either start them over, or make Monkey socks from Knitty. I saw some on another person’s blog, and they looked so pretty!
I also made my first mixed CD on my laptop’s CD burner for my Favorite Color Swap partner.
Today, dh had to work, so dd and I made heart cookies and Valentines.
BTW, she is learning about people being married from her fairy-tale movies, but I think she is a bit confused. It seems she thinks people kiss and they are automatically married (I can see why from some of the movies, they kiss and the wedding bells start). She pointedly asked dh and I in a very quiet restaurant recently, “Are you married, Mommy and Daddy?!?”
Ta Daaaaaa!
Courageous, optimistic, and successful.
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