It’s been along time since I’ve done a swap. My last swap was Secret Pal 7 in 2006 when I finally said enough is enough. My bad experiences were never due to my swap buddy, the person sending to me that is. They always were great. Actually great is not a strong enough word, they were like totally awesome (why yes I’m using my valley girl voice). Many I still keep in contact with, and their generosity and thoughtfulness will never be forgotten. My problem, odd though it seems, was always with my upstream partner, the person I was sending to.

I had the worst luck with my upstream partners! I’ve had ones that you don’t hear a word from and you have to email repeatedly after each mailed package - did you get it? And when you finally hear from them it’s like, yep, thanks. I’ve had the ones that basically given me a shopping list and then have threatened that if I stray from said shopping list that they will bad mouth me and get me on the black list. Oooh scary. Then finally, the straw that broke the camels back, was the last one. All she wanted/needed/desired was this one over the spending limit item, but if I could get her this one item she would be good to go just with the one package and nothing else from me would be required. I ended up sending her one box of goodies of things from her original questioner, and then finally broke down and got her that big ticket item. I had just received my tax return, was feeling generous, and I aim to please :) Sent her the gift certificate so she could customize all the details and then never. heard. another. word. I finally heard from an acquaintance, of a friend, of the receiver, that she did in fact receive the certificate, spent it, and is enjoying her new toy. I still for whatever reason felt so let down. No relationships were ever made.

I love the idea of swaps. Being a total shopoholic I so enjoy the hunt of trying to find that perfect item for that certain person. And I have this strange trait, in that I have no problem getting a little luxury or going slightly over budget for someone else, but for me forget it. My thriftiness gene totally kicks in, for whatever reason I can not buy myself the same gifts. I too love the receiving end. The anticipation of it all just drives me over the edge. The high of opening a mystery box of goodies I can’t even put into words - but oh what a rush. Then the actual getting to know a new person, the blossoming of a new friendship, so called strangers that totally “get you”, blows my mind - every time.

So why am I talking about swaps? because I finally broke down and signed up for another one, and I’m so happy I did. My faith has been restored :) Way back in October, in the Loopy Groopies group (on Ravelry), I took the plunge. It was just too fun to resist. We were to knit an item with yarn purchased from the Loopy Ewe of course, and then include something that represented where ever you call home. It was so much fun!!

Both ends of the swap were unbelievably wonderful. The buddy sending to me, once again generous beyond all means. Better yet the one I sent to is, normal :), responsive, and gave me enough *thank-yous to cover all previous swaps.

Enough blather, on to the goods :) Amy, aka MsKnitSox on Ravelry was the one sending to me. Amy rocks! Don’t let my lousy pictures fool you. The scarf, Palindrome, she made me is scrumptious, totally scrumptious. It’s made from All things Heather superwash merino in the colorways chocolate and brownie. Those who know me, know that chocolate brownie reversible cables around my neck would excite me to no end. She could not have picked out a better pattern, and her color choice, yes - spot on. :)

She also sent some wonderful goodies. Representing Kansas I got this wonderful home town cookbook: Marnece’s Collection of “Out of this World” recipes. Flipping through this book is enough joy, I can’t wait to actually try some of the recipes out. It’s a great collection of old fashioned recipes with directions like “simmer for hours” after listing the ingredients needed to yield 1½ gallons, 4 gallons, or 110 servings. Vegetable soup has never sounded more fun :) Amy also sent some salt and pepper shakers to add to my collection, and a sunflower shot glass all to represent her home state of Kansas. Like myself, the state in which Amy calls home is not the state she is actually living in now. She’s actually in Virginia, where they must have a never ending supply of Jr. Caramels because she had no problem finding them and sent 5 boxes (I still have four left). Amy also added some Chewy Spaghetti superwash merino in a wonderful color called decadent. Oh yeah :)

Now for the other side, I sent items to Emily, aka ChiknGirl, aka swap faith restorer. She was a wonderful swap buddy, and a joy to knit (and spin) for.

The idea of knitting socks for another was a bit to scary. Her feet, much smaller than mine, I was scared of fitting issues. I would do socks if that was what she really wanted but she mentioned she loved lace, and just had no time to actually knit a lacy item for herself. Lace, with no fitting issues, sounded so much easier to complete than socks. Crazy, but true :) So lace I did. The details can be found on Ravelry because this post is getting crazy long.

She was happy, I was happy, it was an all around happy joyful experience :)

Finally

Thankfully

It’s not the thank-you I’m after, although they are very nice, and it does feel nice to be appreciated, it was more the actual act of responding at all finally, that pleases me to no end. Correspondence, and getting to know a new person are the parts I love the most.

Cascade.

Specifically Cascade 220.

I found this fitting, since it is the day we proclaim our love to others…

Too much?

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I’ve been for a walk
On a winter’s day
I’d be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.
California dreamin’
On such a winter’s day

That’s what I’m calling this finally finished sock yarn. It’s to be part of my loopy ewe swap package. We are supposed to add a taste of home element and this is mine. The colors remind me so much of home (California) but it was spun in New York, where I’ve been living the past 14 years, so I have both places covered. Yes I realize I’ve been here for 14 years and I still call CA home, but you know what, it still is :)

Overall I’m happy with it. If i get down and dirty when looking all I see a comedy of errors. I had such a hard time plying for the first time that I think I now have jaded eyes. I just hope my swap buddy gets some enjoyment from it, she does like blues and greens.

The yardage may be a little short for a large pair of adult sized socks, but she does have kids so I’m thinking it will still be useful. I got either 235 or 245 total yards (yeah I’m technical like that) at about 18 wpi, so a good fingering weight for myself. It’s Sakina Needles superwash merino in Bioluminescence that I acquired from the Loopy Ewe of course :)

On this gray, and very, very cold winter day, I really am California dreaming while hankering away on finishing the actual knitting part of this swap package. I’m this close.

I’m still knitting away on my lace and the end is in site. This excites me to no end. Never before have I remained so monogamous with a project. Could be that it’s a gift with a deadline, but still so not me.

I can’t wait to start something new! I even have a few wayward UFO’s calling out my name. My fingers are just itching to work on anything but this lace. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving it, but still need for it to be over and done with.

Project Spectrum is in full swing again so I’ve been thinking much about fire, the first element we are working with.

Oh the possibilities….

Is that not what the day after super Tuesday should be called? I like it. It makes me giggle. Yes, I’m easily amused.

The above is just a sampling of the yarn I have acquired this past month. Can you say crazy lady with a fiber fancy. The last of the to good to pass up local yarn sales happens tomorrow,( Colorful Stitches, the idea of scoring last seasons Rowan colors at 50% off is just to much for this wanna be Rowanette to handle) then I’m claiming no more yarn.

First there was the Wonderful Things sale where all was 40% off. Then the Warm Ewe had their sale. Most of the store was 20% with a bit of the selection up to 50% off. Then there was the initiation of Tina to Webs. Then, well does there really need to be another then? Please no more thens. Forget about last nights purchase during the sneak up at the Loopy Ewe - that totally doesn’t count.

For once it all was planned purchases, and most (notice I did not say all) has been acquired for a specific project. The webs trip did put a couple of wayward skeins into the stash. But now, when I look at it all, (because most of it has not been put away because it’s waiting to be photographed for Ravelry) I shudder a bit.

Sometimes it’s a happy shudder, oooh (in super high squeak), look at all the pretties. Let me just give a quick smoosh to my new smooshies (Smooshy is my new favorite sock yarn). Then other times it’s an oh my shudder. As in, Oh my, look at all that yarn. All. that. yarn. Am I really going to photograph it all and add it to my stash page? Should I not just put it all away and get the bags out of the living room? Then there is still at least one more type of shudder. The oooh, (lower, with more of a w sound at the end) that skein is so calling my name. Must start a new project now. No, I can’t. Yes you can. No I can’t, I really can’t. I have crazy mass quantities on the needles now - I must finish something. Oooh, what am I going to start first? Maybe I’ll start two, one big and one little project.

Yes, it’s a bit crazy in my head.

Now for the letter “B”. Not only have I been buying a bit of yarn but I’ve also been on a crazy button binge. Try as I might, I could not get a good, decent shot of them, so I’m going with my original one which was blue and brown. My new favorite colors together.

This picture was taking a couple of weeks ago, but boy is it deceiving. It looks like a beautiful here comes spring soon day. Look at that sky! But it was not, it was like less than zero out there.

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