Swap Swag

I have been befuddled and deranged (anyone know what I mean?) by things mechanical and technical. Slowly, I've been regaining some control over the machines and want to take this opportunity to thank all of my upstream swap partners.
Lapghan By December Swap #1


Lapghan By December Swap #2

Yarn Junkies #5-Pink

Dog Days of Summer Swap

And my ever helpful swap wrapping assistant checking to make sure that the container is the right size for my outgoing amigurumi (whom, by the way, was dubbed Dimetri, but I can't show him until I know he has been received).

I want to thank everyone who has sent such awesome, thoughtful packages and I hope to be able to stay in touch with all of you! Keep swapping!

Swap Mania

OK, define mania. ma*ni*a [ME, madness] 1. An intense or unreasonable desire or enthusiasm: craze.

Yep, that would be me. To the point that I haven't blogged for 2 weeks, I have mountains of paperwork and am behind at work. 12 Step for swappers???? Anyone??

However, I have to admit that I really enjoy it and have "met" some great people. I currently have an international partner and it makes me feel truly humbled and grateful. To be reminded of all that we have is very powerful. Talk about gratitude.

Sorry, no pictures this time. Oh, I have just tried to download about 53 pictures but it kept saying there was an error on my card, then did consent to download them but now I can't find them. Machines & I- not so friendly. I'll keep trying to work out the bugs.

Anyway, I needed to get this questionnaire posted for, YES, another swap!! I don't care, I'm not listening to my keeper again!

SP11 Questionnaire
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love textured, hand dyed, natural or novelty fibers. Anything colorful. Some of my faves are Prism, Ozark Handspun, Colinette, Schaeffer, etc. I do *not* like black or neutrals, nor 100% acrylics.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Nothing fancy; at home they are in a metal pail (looks kind of like a watering can- the beautiful glass vase I had them in got broken), otherwise, they are stuck in the yarn I am working with.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for 45 years but I am self taught ( mostly books) so I am always correcting my methods. I would consider myself advanced but I have some definite habits that wouldn't qualify me for the Master's Program. IE-I believe in knotting my ends (yeah, yeah, I can hear all the intakes of breath-so shoot me!).
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No
5. What's your favorite scent? I like lavender and patchouli
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Peanut butter cups
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I have tried spinning but it takes too much time away from knitting. I do love to dye yarn (have only done protein fibers), I crochet, bead, sew and work in polymer clay.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like mostly classic rock or rhythm & blues.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Greens & purples are my favs, but I haven't met a color I don't like except: no blacks or neutrals, please.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Married 20 years but no human children. We have assorted animals-1 horse, 3 dogs and 6 cats ( although the horse and 2 of the cats think they are dogs so the count gets rather blurry).
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Unfortunately, Bakersfield rarely gets cold enough to really bundle up, but I do like fingerless gloves and I love wraps and shrugs. No hats, please!
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Anything mitered, I love directional knitting. I try to make things I will wear so, again, wraps, shrugs and unstructured jackets.
13. What are you knitting right now? I am finishing up some swap & charity squares and am designing a moibius and a kimono-type jacket using Ozark Handspun.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Adore them- it is such a precious commodity to have someone put time and thought into a gift just for you.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? No aluminum. I would normally say wooden straights hands down but have recently become converted to Denise & Addi Lace circulars. I would like to try the Lantern Moon circular and sock needles.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Several of each.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? How long have I been knitting? Seriously!!!
18. What is your favorite holiday? New Year's. I always get melancholy at my b-day and Christmas but New Year's is a reminder that there is always a fresh start.
19. Is there anything that you collect? Besides UFOs? Beanie Babies, sci-fi books and hand made designer beads. I am going to start collecting Sonshapes hand made crochet hooks and knitting needles.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I mentioned the Lantern Moon circulars and sock needles & the Sonshapes products. I would like to try Malabrigo, Alchemy, Great Adirondack and a number of other small hand dyed companies that I can't remember right now. I also, somehow, don't own any E. Zimmerman books which I would really like to acquire.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I am practicing lace knitting, I would like to get better
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes, but I get bored and have a definite "second sock" syndrome. I wear a size 8 shoe and my foot diameter is 8.5".
23. When is your birthday? March 16.
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? I have received my invite but haven't had time to investigate it-yet!

Miracles, great and small

Sometimes life seems hard and it gets discouraging.

I am way over extended in obligations so in an effort to make up time, I sometimes try to double book things, or schedule them too close together. But all that usually ends up happening is that nothing gets done properly and I prove that I am no longer able to multitask like I used to. Getting old sucks!

So I have been feeling a little blue and down. But I did some thinking and realize that everyone hits tough patches and making life good should probably be about being grateful. So I looked around and realize how much I have to be grateful for.

For example, who would have ever thunk that I ( probably one of the world's biggest screw ups) would ever have a lovely little yarn shop with talented people working there (1 who has darling puppies!), marvelous customers and more creative opportunities than can be imagined. It is a dream-come-true but I forget that because I get so immersed in paying bills, dealing with cooling issues, trying to keep paperwork from taking over, etc, etc, etc....... So I took some time to appreciate the miracle of being able to create fiber in all the shades of fuchsia, pinks & purples that I could ever want;


This is the result of my dyeing yesterday. The 2 lighter skeins will be used for the felted flowers for the new Noni Market bag. The deeper purple will be used in the Old Shale socks as the solid color. I will use Baywood Yarns sock yarn in Blackberry for the multi. How blessed am I?

I also have to appreciate the interesting things the universe throws my way. We live outside the city limits on some acreage with various assorted livestock all around. We woke up yesterday morning to find a Canada Goose in our horse pen. Now, I don't know anyone around here who has these birds and can't say that I have seen a lot migrating at the moment.
It spent some time communing with the ostriches next door, then hubby gave it some feed and water and it spent some time in the horse trough. When I got home that evening , it was gone. Now this may be too weird to put out there but the only person I know who adored Canada Geese was my Mom and she has been gone for about 1 year and 1/2. I miss her terribly because I always called her when I felt down and I wonder if this was her stopping by to tell me she is still with me and not to worry. OK, maybe not, but it was very odd and it did make me feel better.

I think the miracles are there, if we just look for them.

A Dyeing We Shall Go!!!

Tomorrow is another dyeing workshop. Joy! I have been restraining myself from dyeing all the time, partly because I'm using up all the inventory that is supposed to be there for workshops, partly because I wasn't doing any knitting. So tomorrow I have an excuse to dye!! Wheee!!!
Yeah, like I need an excuse.......

People ask "but what do you need to dye for, there are already so many colors of so many fibers?" (like you can ever have enough). Ahh, I say, but I don't have what I need. For example, I might want to do these "Old Shale Socks" from stitchesofviolet.blogspot.com but I don't have the right solid color so I need to dye a semi-solid.


I definately know I am making the Market Bag and I don't have the exact "fuchsia" shade so maybe I'll dye for the flowers.

Or maybe (hee, hee, hee, hee, snicker, snicker) I'll just have to dye for both!!! Oh joy, oh joy! I so love dyeing days.

And congrads to Cheryl- she won the Summertime Blues Dishcloth Swap drawing today for the skein of Laurel. Hope to see you tomorrow, Cheryl, so you can pick out your color.