Prizes and Presents

Today the mailman brought my prize for making buttons (in sidebar) for the Felted Bag KAL Secret Pal 2 (aka Felted SP2). It's easy to win when you are the only one who entered! Lu (aka Maglia!) from the Felted SP2 sent me two hanks of some very cool Viking Gold wool yarn. My mom is going to use a skein of bright blue Cascade with it and make it a felted bag. I think it will work up great. Thanks so much Lu! I believe you can still sign up for this second round of swapping, which will start in January. It looks like it will be a lot of fun. And after much running around and some DH face-time...I finally had some quiet moments to sit down and open my swap package from the Knitting Chicks tote bag exchange. I have been anxiously awaiting the opening. What a thoughtful package! My wonderful swap partner, Debra Ritter, sent me a lovely KoolAid-dyed tote and the ingredients to make one myself. I love the random variations in hand-painted yarns. She filled it with everything I need to dye some wool, complete with illustrated directions. After taking a class in KoolAid dying, I have been wanting to do it at home. I just haven't remembered to get KoolAid and haven't worked up the nerve to do it alone. Now I am ready! I love the Paton yarn and it will match the little sample I did in my class. And the KoolAid colors are just right. Now I just need to carve out a hunk of time. Debra also got me the size 7 wooden needles I've been wanting...now I don't have to finish whatever I have on my needles in order to do the Monthly dishcloth KAL. Perfect! She also sent a tape measure, some sock shaped needle protectors (which I needed) and some beautiful beaded stitch markers. The markers have affirmations on them and are a perfect match for the bigger ones that Mandy sent me. Now I will always be able to fit the word on the marker to the mood, and the size of the marker to the task. It really adds to the therapeutic qualities of knitting. Big hugs and a huge thank you to my swapper. :) Before I get back to all the preparations for the holiday...which of course includes Dad's Socks which are coming along slowly... Here's the scarf I have been knitting at work, while I teach my young students to knit. I frogged it when the girls had to frog theirs and started over with a thinner version that I like much better. I believe this is my first scarf. (I have avoided making any since my step-daughter makes them and I don't want to interfere with her specialty. She only makes scarves so far, and she makes very nice ones.) I love knitting this scarf with this yarn! It is JoAnn's Angel Hair and is so, so soft that I will probably rub it down to nothing before it is done. I think I will have to keep this one...but I never do! Now, really, it is back to work for me. My special gifts have energized me and it is time to get those socks a little closer to Christmas.