SP parcel arrived

I went out and when I came back, my UKSP had been to my house!!!!! How weird is that? I wish I had been in a I wanted to meet her in person, but I think she comes from Cambridge, so I am hoping I will meet her at a K2TOG meet soon.

She left a box in my porch!!



Check out what was in it... I took the photo in the garden as the theme for my swap was my garden!



Wow, she sent me some lovely things. She made that gorgeous bag at a Debbie Abrahams workshop!!!! Sweeties too, cool yarn, soap, and amongst other things, a Rowan Classic pattern book. I love Rowan designs and have my eye on these 2 so far....




The yarn is to make this sweet bag



I have also had another parcel, from my SP12 but I'll take a pic later, when I take one of my GIANT BABETTE SQUARE

Oh yeah....prepare to be amazed......

Re: Spooky...All is Revealed

OK, I know I'm blonde, but sometimes I can kid myself it doesn't affect me.

When I received the swap parcel, I saw the UK postmark and just assumed UK Swap. What I didn't remember, was that my SP12 upstream is also in the UK and I am thinking, thanks to Rosie's comment on my Spooky post (no, I didn't think of it myself!), that it was from my SP12 pal! Makes sense, right?

Anyway I have emailed her to thank her, and unless she/he emails back "WTF are you on about" then the mystery is solved!!

Thank you, SP, I love the package, and so sorry for the delay in thanking you. UKSP, sorry for panicking you!

BTW, Secret Pal, can you give me a clue who you are? Just one little one? Pleeeeaaaase?

OK, all is sorted, and now relax.

Wait til you see what I'm knitting today! You'll love it!

Spooky......

In my last post, I told you I had received a package from my UK swap pal.

Yesterday, I received an email from Ruth, the swap co ordinator.

She had been contacted by the person who is my swap upstream to say she hadn't sent a parcel to me yet.

So who is it from?

Good Times:
A) I love it
B) I'll get double goodies at this rate!!

Bad Times:
A) Does it mean someone is without an upstream? Surely they would know by now?

Hmmmmmmmmm...............intriguing.............

UK Swap Question 3

Is there a TV programme you watch religiously?
Desperate Housewives
Spooks
Big Brother at the moment!

What TV programme(s) do you avoid like the plague?
Those f***ing awful singing dancing performing programmes like the nancy one and so on. I hate them, they make me cringe. I don't watch a massive amount of tv, but I could watch most things to relax.


Is there a TV programme that you find works particularly well for knitting along to?
I can knit to anything except the singing dancing shit.

What was/is your favourite kids TV programme?
When I was growing up in South Africa there was no tv network so as a young kid we had no tv, but when we got back to the UK I watched Take Hart, the art programme, I loved it!!

UK Swap Question of the Week 2

Which three guests (alive or not) would you invite to a dinner party and why?

Well, this is difficult. I love having dinner parties and I love there to be about 8 people. But if I had to pick 3, first of all I'd chose my mum. She died in 1997 and I miss her so much. There's a lot that I would like to ask her. And a lot that I would like to tell and show her about me that she never knew. Second I'd invite Freddie Mercury. I don't really like Queen, but my mum absolutely loved him and we used to laugh that she would change her name to Chrissie Mercury. I think he would be a really entertaining dinner guest! Lastly, I'd invite Angela Carter. I love her books, especially the way she has rewritten fairy stories into sinister stories and I think she'd be an interesting guest.

If I had another dinner party, I'd invite Sid Vicious , David Bowie and Edie Sedgwick, just because I love them all.

So sweet, maybe mad!

I had my first gift from my UK Swap pal! She saw that I would love to be able to crochet, but that I could only make granny squares. She noticed that the Babette blanket is listed in my Ravelry queue and she sent me the pdf!!!!

She thinks that I can make it!!!! She said if I can make a granny square, I have all the skills I need to make the BB. Now, is she right or deluded?? (Sorry Swappal!) I am now filled with a new love of crochet as I am going with her confidence in me and I shall be studying this pattern and making it click in my brain. I so love the blanket, and if she thinks I can make it, she might be right.

Wish me luck. It may be finished in time for Christmas. Who knows which year! But what a lovely thought!

Thank you Secret Swap Pal!
x

UK Swap Question of the Week

What are you doing to participate in WWKIP day on Saturday?
Not much to be honest. I shall be knitting in a small public gathering of Rob, Lily and Flossie.
What is the strangest place you have ever knit?
Next to the pool on holiday. I would like to lie and say something really exotic, like on top of Mount Everest. But I haven't. Yet. There's always time!

UK Swap Questionnaire..the rest of it!

Part Two: Your Favourites
What is your favourite colour?
Hmmm, difficult. I love greens, mainly lighter, brighter ones also pinks, more muted ones. I also love blues, soft ones and purples but not really lilac. I suppose I love mid tone gentle hues of most colours.

What is your least favourite colour?
I'm not keen on orange or wine/burgundy colours, or too strong colours. Not keen on yellow, although I do love a creamy yellow.

What scents/smells do you like? What don’t you like?
I love vanilla and cinnamony smells, warm cosy wintery smells. The smell of sweet baking. Also fresh citrusy smells. I'm not keen on flowery smells, although I do like rose.

How do you like to pamper yourself? (bubble bath, hand creams, massage, manicure)
Yea, any of those!!! I love to be stroked and pampered... the more cream the better! Especially my hands and feet!

What goodies to you like to eat? (chocolate, biscuits, sweets,crisps etc)
Yea, any of those too!!!!! I'm a Taurean, so pampering and eating and loving nice things are my core essence!!!! I love Cadburys the most, and cheese knik knax which you can only get in South African shops are my top faves! I don't like dark chocolate at all or Turkish delight, or wafery things.


Do you prefer tea or coffee while you knit? Any particular kind?
I don't really drink tea and coffee. Sometimes a nice skinny decaff cappuccino or a straight hot chocolate.

Do you listen to/watch anything while you knit? (TVshow-Along, movies, music, podcasts, audiobooks)
I normally watch tv or I knit in the garden.

Part Three: About you, Living & Past-times
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be (and why)?
I would be alpaca. I'm soft and I love to be touched but if you stretch me too far I become nasty! I also come in a range of lovely colours!!! And in a variety of thicknesses!!!

Where do you live in the UK? (General idea not address)
Cambridgeshire

Have you always lived here, or did you grow up somewhere else?
I grew up in South Africa. In Amanzimtoti.

What is your favourite place in the UK?
Apart from my garden on a sunny day, I would say anywhere that involved the beach, hot sun, comfy sun beds and a good book.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I'd like to visit the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.

What other hobbies do you have?
Gardening, reading, cooking, writing, exercise, cars

Part Four: The Theme

I love this picture. It's my garden and I love the feeling of it, and the colours, greens, pinks and purples and the blue (that you can't see) that is shining above all of this and making it grow. I planted my garden too from a bare patch of earth and I love the feeling of knowing that everything growing in it is because I put it there. Apart from the bloody willow tree that self seeded itself and I can't get rid of!!

Final Part:
Any allergies/preferences (fiber-wise or treat-wise)?
I am proper (!)vegetarian, so nothing edible wise made from animal or fish products. But I do knit with animal fibres.
Anything we missed that you’d like your partner to know?
I'll let you know!!!

UK Swap Questionnaire Part 1

Part One: Crafting

Do you knit, crochet, or both?
I knit. I try to crochet, with little success. I've read the instruction books, to no avail.

What do you like to make?
I like to make all sorts of things, mainly things I love. I have a hard time knitting things for people that I don't like myself. Same with colours. I don't like knitting scratchy things either. I knit scarves, hats, jumpers, I have knitted a toy, but actually I hate knitting gloves.

Do you have a favourite project?
I loved knitting the Phildar swing jacket. It had texture in the pattern to prevent boredom and was a pretty quick knit too, especially good for someone like me who has a limited attention span! I loved knitting the chevron scarf too. And the blankie. There's not much I finished that I didn't love knitting. In fact, if I finish something, it means I loved it. Alot.

Do you have a favourite type of fiber or brand of yarn?
Love anything Debbie Bliss, alpaca yarn, Malabrigo, anything soft.

Do you have a least favourite type of yarn?
Noro. I love it but it smells funny to me and is itchy. Just anything itchy really! Oh, or novelty, eyelash, fun stuff...yuk.

Do you do any other crafts?
I sew and quilt and make cards. Also a bit of felting.

Do you knit in public? If so where do you like knitting and what is your "portable" project?
I can knit in public, but don't often have the chance! I like socks for portability, and scarves and anything stocking stitch that doesn't require keeping track of!

What do you carry your "portable" knitting in?
Ususally just a plastic ziplock bag or just thrown in my handbag (I know, I'm blushing)

Are there any knitting gifts (book, toy, yarn, item, tool) that you have been lusting over?
I would love a proper needle case, or circ needle holder. I would love a knitted toy! I would love any knit picks harmonys too! And sock blockers. I'll stop now, but I could go on...and on!

UK Swap

I'm all signed up for this one and looking forward to it starting. If you want to get involved, hop on over to here and you can sign up until registration closes on Monday 2nd June.

The cable bag body is all finished now and I am knitting the handle. Hope I have something to show off before the end of the weekend.