Blog Hub Swap: Day 5

Kids are at school, washing machine is on, and everything else can wait while I open the package labelled 'Day 5'. Looks interesting, doesn't it ?

Light, box-shaped, has something in it that moves when shaken ... what could it be ? Why wait to find out - a millisecond later all the lovely packaging is shredded, and reveals that Denise's sense of humor is far dryer and a lot more subtle than it has any right to be, for an American:

I put 'tea' into the search box on my blog, and got 6 pages full of posts where tea is mentioned. I guess I drink quite a lot of tea. But I have never drunk Newman's Own Royal Tea, Organic Green Tea blend, from California.

Green tea sent to England, famous as a nation of black tea-drinkers, from the country that revolted against England over a tax on black ie. Indian (not green ie.Chinese) tea. And on the back of the box the instructions for making it not only include microwave instructions (a blasphemy for all true tea drinkers) but say that milk may be added ... oh my. 

Biting wit as dry as Bob Newhart: Denise haz it - in spades. I luff Denise, I luff this gift, and I'll try the tea ...

Blog Hub Swap 2012: Day 4

I apologize to Denise for the lateness of today's post - it was warm and sunny today, so once the household chores were done, we were outside ...

I knew from Denise's introductory card that I was to check my Ravelry inbox on Day 4, and this also was the message in the lovely handmade card I opened today:  so upon hotfooting it over to Ravelry, to my great delight, I found that she had gifted me the pattern for the Late Hours Shawl by Kristina Vilimaite (AnimaKnits on Ravelry), which has been at the top of my queue since 31st July, 2011.

I can't remember if there was a specific reason for me to queue it other than its prettiness: but you will agree, I'm sure, that it is totally worthy of its place. The original took 366m/400 yards of DK weight yarn to make a shawlette size, so I could possibly use the Farmhouse Silk DK from Day 3 - allowing (as Denise reminded me in her comment on yesterday's blogpost, thank goodness) for the blocking and drape of silk/cotton/ blends. But then her message suggests that I may like to use something from my stash instead ... aaaah ... too many choices! 

Yet another lovely gift, and one that I will most definitely use: thanks, Denise !

Blog Hub Swap 2012: Day 3

The whimsical feel of this 2 of Wands from the unique Phantomwise Tarot reflects the contemplation and consideration that is due to the gift that was labelled 'Day 3' in my package from swap partner Denise.

I am sure that even the non-yarny amongst you will recognize what is in this package by its shape; and when I further inform you that it was most delightfully squishy ? What else could it be, but yarn.

The carefully written card tells me Denise thinks I'll love the color and slightly rustic quality. She was right. 

It is 4oz/350 yards of Farmhouse Silk Blend DK in 'Tangerine', which is 34% silk, 33% cotton, and 33% American lambswool: an unusual combination. It has a very textured feel, and seems thicker than most DKs - and on checking the needle size recommended on the label (US size 4-5) which is 3.5 - 3.75mm, I was quite surprised how small the needles were for the apparent yarn weight. The label gauge is 5-6 stitches per inch, which equates roughly to fingering/4 ply  and/or sport weight. Depending on the stitch pattern, I would have thought that this would give quite a dense, stiff fabric with this yarn. But anyway - no need to drag you down further into my musings on weight and gauge, as the real issue is:

What kind of pattern might suit this yarn ? You already have the technical information, and you can see the color. Recommendations, please ...

Denise has so far achieved a hat trick: check back tomorrow to see if her run of good luck accurate stalking continues ....

Blog Hub Swap 2012: Day 2

This Page of Pentacles from the Tarot of the Cat People indicates the start of a new practical project, and the preparation that goes before it:  very appropriate for today, as you will see.

  
I was incredibly restrained - I didn't come to open my 2nd package from my swap partner Denise until not only after I had taken the children to school, but also hung out a load of washing from the machine. But then my resolve crumbled, and so here we are. Baby steps, people, baby steps.

Today's beautifully wrapped gift felt somewhat booklike: heavy, firm and oblong. Opening the handmade card that accompanies it, Denise tells me that it is the 'local' element of the package ...

 Ooooh ! A pattern book ! I love pattern books, I get all miser-y and hoard-y about them, I look at them on  the bookcase and rub my hands like Mr.Micawber. Or is it Uriah Heep ? I never liked Dickens much.

A glance at the foreword shows me that this is the local gift because the authors come from Seattle, a city I am aware of because of grunge music and the TV show 'Frasier'; I think it is famous for the Space Needle, coffee shops and rain ...

But anyway, before I expose my  geographical lack of knowledge any further, let me show you what caught my eye as I leafed through. 

I was intrigued that the book is subtitled 'More Contemporary Sweaters', and going by the colorful cardigan on  the cover, thought Denise might be inviting me to explore colorwork further after my last two (one and two) attempts, as well as dragging me more 'on trend' with knitting fashion ... but you can relax - like I did - because there are some really pretty designs in this book that are modern but at the same time you can visualize a real person might actually wear them. There are 5 patterns that I would definitely wear, and 3 of those involve colorwork, like this 'Tanglewood Pullover'':

 The ''Pink Cabled Cardigan'' and the ''Gioiello Cardigan'' are also perfect for me; and if I cannot find or substitute the yarn, I will be emailing Denise to ask her to send it to me .... I wonder if she realizes what she may have let herself in for ? But it would be unbearably cruel to make me live as Tantalus ....

Denise is batting two for two ...

Woot ! Blog Hub Swap Day 1

This beautiful card from the Gaian Tarot is perfectly expressive of how I feel today; though if I were to dance outside in the sunshine, I would have a lot more layers on, it being seriously winter temperatures today.

And the reason ? Do you remember this ?

Well, having spent 5 days in UK customs (who knows why) today my package from my swap partner Denise at Voie de Vie finally got here !

I was so excited ! In spite of being the swap organizer, I had actually managed to forget that Denise was assigned to me, and I believe it is a sign of my impending grown-up-ness that I was able to not look at my lists to remind myself: it was actually Denise who gave the game away when she emailed me to tell me she had checked the tracking, and my parcel was en route ...she had been concerned about the delay.

Look at all these photos I took for you - I hope you realize the enormity of the sacrifice I made for you, Dear Reader, as taking photos further delayed me opening my parcel and first package !

  


An interested dog, and a cat's butt. Oh ! And a huge box.

The card said 'Open me first'. So I did. Elegantly written in what I call American traditional script, it told me my themes were travel and creativity. I have done lots of travelling in my life - the longest I have ever been in one place is the 4 years I have lived here. But I don't know how Denise could have known any of that.

Yes, there are only 3 packages - but the card says to check my Ravelry inbox on Days 4 and 8. Even so ... Denise enjoys messing with my head, obviously. Because when I opened the large package numbered 1, I found the rest of the swap packages in it: 

There was a slight fresh whiff of wintergreen - Denise had used it to get rid of the smell of varnish, she said. One of the mandatory elements of this swap was that one item had  to be handmade - and this is Denise's. She says it's the prototype for an idea she's had for a while - and this must also be the creativity theme she refers to:  I don't even know how you come up with this, let alone work out the hows and whys necessary. I know my frustration threshold is WAY too low for something like this - and I really admire people who can create things just from an idea.

                                         Ignore the obligatory cat butt. Same cat, by the way.

Lovely shades of red, purple, magenta and pink with the springtime Tulip as a central motif.  I love these kinds of colors - and in fact one of my FO's for tomorrow is in a very similar colorway. It's definitely stiff enough to be a proper hatbox (if only I had a hat!) - and who doesn't love pretty and unique storage that can be displayed ?    

Denise's attention to detail verges on the obsessive is totally amazing - look at this:

The inside of the lid and base are maps ! So very cleverly part of the travel theme. I am totally impressed - thanks, Denise !

Late to the Table

Today is the official beginning of the Lily's Slice of Pi KAL (you can find Chrissy's blog here) and, at one stage, I thought I would be starting it today along with everyone else who is taking part. I have the yarn, the needles, and have downloaded the pattern. What could possibly go wrong ?

However. Circumstances have conspired to thwart me - at least for today, it seems.

Firstly, the yarn: you may remember I took pretty pictures of it in its skeined form:

And having splurged £15 (approx.$24) or so on a ballwinder a couple of months ago, I remembered to try it out while DH was at home so that I had a huge banana fingers on handsome gorilla hands available to act as a swift. And also just in case the technical issues were more challenging than I had anticipated (they weren't, you'll be glad to know) so that after a mere 25 minutes - yes ! I know ! the marvels of the modern age never cease to amaze and delight ! - all 1000 metres of the Yarn Addict Silk Lace in 'Jewel' was beautifully and efficiently wound into a pretty cake:

Tick one box on the checklist. Next - print out the pattern. Usually not a problem as I have an Epson that is not prone to trouble. Unless it has been switched off because Moonheart, Mini Diva's cat, (cue Villain Music) has been walking across the top of it and the 'print' button in particular, and therefore printing random pages of stuff from the interwebz. 

When I switched it back on it told me it had no magenta ink left (but it LIED - I shook the cartridge and sprayed the miscreant cat with it) and it will not work even to just print black if one of the colors is missing. Unionization and solidarity in the printer world. Who knew. But one phone call, and that was sorted - someone kindly offered to print it for me, and drop it off today. They didn't even crack a grin when I said a knitting pattern was urgent, bless their cotton socks.

OK, two down, one to go: the needles. Lovely 3.75mm Addi Turbo circulars, exactly what the pattern calls for. Except. This is what they look like at the moment:

They are 6 rows in, out of 8 in the second repeat of Chart B of the Lady Bertram Shawl. Which I should have been able to complete last night - plus another repeat of Chart A, I think. But no. It was not to be. But - 'let me tell someting to joo': I shall complete the 2nd Lady Bertram tonight and tomorrow. 

Identify the quote for Kudos points ...

Dying Duck in a Thunderstorm

This miserable-looking person on this card from the Legacy of the Divine tarot illustrates one of the occasional consequences of parenting Destructo Boy. He came down with flu last weekend, and now I have it: my throat feels like I have swallowed broken glass and I have lost my voice, which makes me sound somewhat like Mumble from Happy Feet when he tries to sing: