TOT Swap Pictures . . . Finally!

On this day after Thanksgiving, I am very thankful for my patient WhoDuKnit friends, all of you who don't yet know what I received, only that I received it, and especially for very patient and generous Maureen. So now, here are the pictures my son, Bradford, took as I opened the box just after returning from my Utah trip. Thank you so much, Maureen, for making my welcome home so nice, and for making up for my missing Halloween with my family.

Here is the box as I opened it. Whew! I was glad to see no creepy crawly things, though that would have been funny. Instead was a tantalizing array of treats and yarn. I could hardly wait for my son to take the pictures before I unpacked the box.
Here are some of the treats, some wonderful chocolates (Maureen put a note on the See's chocolates that these are the best chocolates ever, and she was right. I loved them.), some red herbal tea, a beautiful mug, some soap from Australia (!), and you can see the corner of a very cute skeleton bag that I can tuck into my purse for later purchases. I think this was very tricky!
Here is the yummy yarn I received, two skeins of Patton's wool that can be felted, one for making a ghost and one for making a witch, and the patterns were found tucked neatly inside each skein, after the photo shoot. This will be fun to try! Maureen included several kinds of chocolates, and several treats, all of which were yummy. I would tuck them into my purse for times I just needed a little something to tide me over, and they were perfect.
Here is another bar of soap from Australia (I do love special soaps, and have my own soap dish in the bathroom for them.), and more yummy treats. My son (age 18, but still goes trick-or-treating) was concerned that I did not get any candy, but then I showed him what Maureen sent, and assured him that I was well cared for. I also received the next book in a series I'm reading, by Ann Purser, called Weeping on Wednesday. I'm really looking forward to reading it.
Here is a picture of all the goodies, posing nicely for you to see. The green bag holding the yarn is a "Stitch-n-Pitch", a folding container that you use for your supplies as you are working. I've seen things like this in use and thought how I would like to have something like this, and now here it is! I've seen them used by cross stitchers, but I've been using this one when I crochet an afghan that uses two colors at a time, and the side pockets hold scissors, my crochet hook when I'm not using it, a pencil, and the like. Also tucked into the side is a little packet of wool wash, which will be just right when I felt the projects. Thank you, Maureen! You really made my day with this wonderful box!

TOT SWAP FROM VALERIE

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to post photos of the wonderful TOT swap package I received from Valerie.

Just check out all these wonderful goodies she sent me.

Knowing orange is NOT a color I enjoy I received PINK and some red yarn instead.

This lovely yarn is called Fruity Toes Sock Yarn from Treasure Goddess and the colorway is called Vampire's Cocktail. Very apropo! There are 460 yds on the skein.
This Deborah Norville Serenity sock weight yarn is more PINK than purple despite its color way mane purple spice.
AND this Regia yarn is more PINK than the Deborah Norville sock yarn.

Heaven I am in heaven with such wonderful colors of yarn

I also received accessories for my knitting.

A sock knitting pattern,

A very cute tin with teeny tiny stitch markers inside.

Here are the teeny tiny stitch markers. I have so few this size it is nice to get more.


A chibi with two gold bent tip needles and some extra darning needles. I love the gold tipped bent needles.


The cutest little project bag.


I also received some delicious edibles.

First a container of flowering tea and an information sheet on flowering tea. Now I need to get a clear glass pot of put my flowering tea in so I can watch it open and bloom as it brews.

Two wonderful and yummy bars of fudge.

AND despite this looking like a pumpkin, it is cheddar cheese molded int a pumpkin shape and covered in wax that is decorated like a pumpkin.


Since this is TOT swap there were Halloween goodies too.


Are these not the cutest little plastic bags. Some of my goodies were in these bags?

A small Halloween TOT bag.

The front of a small deck of cards.


The cards.


Last but not least I also received two books


Again thank-you Valerie for such a wonderful TOT package.

Trick or Treat Swap

Many thanks to Kim in Ontario for this great package. Details are in the Yahoo group but I wanted to post a photo so everyone could see my swag.

Mystery CAL and KAL Revealed

Sherlock's Honey Bee ..........

And......

With apologies to Robbie and especially her DH for stealing this picture - (but what could be more perfect!) here is "Sherlock's Mustache".

Whoduknit 2009 Holiday Swap (member's only)

This Swap is for Whoduknit Members Only

Very funny Maxine - but if you were a knitter you would know that is not true! Who, in this group, wouldn't love to find a handknit or crochet, or any handmade craft under their tree?
And wouldn't it be great if we could all get together and exchange handmade gifts for Christmas? We could all sit around the tree, have an eggnog or two, and open up our gifts together, with oohs and aahs about how creative we all are!
Let's do it! Virtually, that is. For this swap you will be sending your pal a handmade gift. Not something huge and complicated (who has time for that at this time of year?), just something small, handmade and wrapped with love, with a note that says "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 25!" That's right - when you receive your package, you need to put it under your tree, or in your closet, or wherever you won't be tempted to open it until Christmas. I
realize we are all in different time zones and it would be impossible for us to all open at exactly the same time - but you get the picture! In addition to being short of time at this time of year, many of us are also short on finances - so let's keep this swap affordable and place a maximum amount of $20.00 on it. Of course when you factor in the time and love it takes to make a handmade gift - the value will ....priceless! One more twist to this swap - it won't be a secret swap this time, it will be a mutual swap. In other words, you will be sending to the same person who is sending to you. It will be a chance for you to get to know another member a little better and make something small, but special, just for her or him. It's okay to include extra treats in the package, but please remember to stick to the guidelines.
Sign-ups begin today and will end November 9. Pals will be matched up shortly after that and packages should be mailed by December 15 so that they are sure to arrive by Dec. 25.

You will be sending your pal:

A small handmade gift.
A few other goodies may be included - some suggestions are:
A book (used is fine)
A Christmas ornament
Edible treats

Please e-mail me (grammieknits@yahoo.com) with the following information. (Even if I already have your info. it helps me to have it all in one folder)

Name:
E-mail Address:
Ravelry name if you have one
Blog if you have one
Allergies?
Smoking or non-smoking home?
Able to mail international?
If you have any other preferences please let me know and I'll try to accommodate you!

ToT swap..... Thank you Robbie

I am finally over the swine flu so I opened my package the other day. I know, I am way behind in posting. But wow, that flu hit me hard and had me down for weeks. I didn't even play my WoW! Anyway, I want to thank Robbie for an awesome package. It really made my day. I received a knitting book and a pattern to knit with the pretty yarn. A memo pad and a datebook. Some brains, hehe, and candy and a Pez. A cute scare crow that I have to keep away from my Coco, she thought it was for her! And a Steven King novel I haven't read, with a cute bookmark. Always need bookmarks. So many goodies, thank you very much!!!!

I also want to apologize to my swap partner Kim, whom I was sending to. I hope you will enjoy your package when you finally get it.

Laced With Magic Project

I still never got my hands on the book Laced with Magic, but I did knit a project inspired by the title. The yarn is from Alchemy, and the project is a lace cowl. I nearly forgot to post it!

October project

Here's my Octover porjects--felted candy corns and pumpkins! They don't really go with any of our books, but they do go with October!

Joan in West TExas

My Halloween Swap Package

arrived at my door this week. Heather sent me beautiful yarn, books, candy, a Katie Hat pattern, and a beautiful pumpkin decoration and fall towel. Thank you soooo much! What a wonderful surprise!

Trick or Treat Swap

I got a package, I got a package . . .

and if you want to see what I got, you are going to have to go to my blog . . .

trick or treat, smell my feet . . .

and this is a way to get you to come over to my blog . . . LOL

Halloween Swap

Here's my swap package from Nate.  I tried to get the headstone pic when it was lit up, but of course I can't show the light changing colors.  I've started the Batty dishcloth (since it is just too cute - see close up at right) and as soon as my mom leaves I plan to start reading Baby Grand.  That skull is really fun - it's a squishy stress ball and when you squeeze it, the eyes bulge out with the red "filling" of the skull.  Besides the Batty Dishcloth pattern, I also have patterns for a Frankenstein Head dishcloth and a pumpkin dishcloth, as well a a Cleopatra style wig, and then all the yarns to make each.  I put the ghouly bust by my computer, so I am not alone here in the back room.  My mom glombed onto the pumpkin spinner, so I'll have to wrestle that back from her when she goes back home!

Please note those roaches were part of the swap and not residents at my home, LOL.

Thanks, Nate! ~ Valerie K

Thank you

Thanks so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes.

My birthday was grand and I made it back home from

Chicago in time to spend some great time with my family.

Hi, remember me?

Just want to let you know I'm back with you, kind of. I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, which explains where my energy for everything above and beyond work went to (and beginning to affect that, too). I'm doing much, much better now. I can't seem to get my hands on Laced with Magic, but I nabbed the audiobook of The Beekeeper's Apprentice, and because the library was so super efficient I have a jump on all of you with Fleece Navidad (I'm done). I do have a project in mind for Laced with Magic, anyway. Happy upcoming Halloween to all! I'll try to get gradually more involved again. You guys look like you have been having an awesome time.

Sharon C.

Trick or Treak Package

Bonnie wins the award for the speediest swapper in the East! We do both live on the East Coast so it didn't have far to travel - and just look at all the goodies that arrived.

The yarn is Euroflax Linen, which I have been wanting to try forever, and the pattern is for the Ilene market bag - a perfect project for this yarn. And she also included the two pairs of circular needles needed for the project. The book is Where There's a Witch by Madelyn Alt. It looks like a really fun read and I can't wait to start it.

And the Treat - Oh my- a box of Godiva Chocolates! The box is so beautifully wrapped with a fall-colored ribbon that it would be a shame to open it, but then again.......the box will look just as pretty when it is empty and re-wrapped!

This cute little Beanie Bat was also in the package. Love it!

And the trick - a small box with a label on it that says "Beads & Silver" which looked like it probably would contain a piece of silver, beaded, jewelry - and, UGH - a nasty old spider! Well, not really nasty - he's kind of cute actually!

Thank you so much Bonnie - I love everything and I'm so excited to be the first to receive my swap package!

Sept Project

My project for September is socks. I knit one sock so far and the cuff of the second sock. I started with Knit Picks Bare Yarn.

I then dyed it yellow using lemonade Kool-Aid I received in the whoduknit group when I wanted to knit yellow toddler socks for the book by Mary Logue but was unable to find any here where I live. I have to admit I couldn't find all the Kool-Aid packets I had so I added a few drops of yellow food coloring and it still wasn't completely evenly dyed.



These socks will have to be completed by the end of Oct They were done for the 2009 Sock Pentathlon. They are sock #4 of the five.


I know they aren't toddler socks but they were dyed using lemonade Kool-Aid.

Whoduknit Trick or Treat Swap

Sorry! This swap is for Whoduknit members only!


Are you ready for another swap? Here's how the Trick or Treat Swap goes -

You will be sending your pal:

1. A book with a Halloween theme (this doesn't have to be specifically about Halloween - any scary theme will do. Witches, ghosts, monsters, vampires, villains - you get the picture!
2. A skein of yarn, enough for a one skein project, in fall colors.
3. A pattern for something to make with the yarn. (this could be tricky!)
4. A trick and a treat!


Sign-ups begin today and end Friday, the 25th. You will receive your pal's name by Sept. 30. Packages should be mailed out by October 21 so they will get there in time for Halloween.
To sign-up, e-mail me at grammieknits@yahoo.com with:

1. Your name
2. Your e-mail address (one that you check frequently)
3. Your mailing address
4. Your phone number (won't be given out)
5. Your blog address (if you have one.)
6. Ravelry name (if you are there)
6. Your promise that you will fulfill the guidelines of this swap or else notify me if an emergency prevents you from doing so!

Let the Tricking and Treating begin!!!

UPS Truck Yarn Delivery Murder

Hugh Dunnit is back again with a murder mystery to solve and he needs your help!

John Harmony has accused UPS Delivery man, Merlin Granite of murdering his wife. Harmony claims that he had been outside watering his backyard garden for half an hour when he noticed a UPS truck parked in his garage. He went over to investigate hoping that it was not another package of yarn for his wife. They were quickly running out of room to store all of her yarn stash and he had warned her repeatedly not to order any more yarn. He walked through the open door of the garage and into the kitchen where he found Granite strangling his wife with a piece of extra bulky merino wool. He called 911 but the medics were not able to revive Mrs. Harmony. Granite was arrested and taken down to the station house where Lt. Hugh Dunnit was questioning him.
Granite claimed that he drove to the Harmony's house to deliver a package. He knew the package was from Knitpicks and that Mrs. Harmony would be anxiously waiting for it. He had delivered many Knitpicks packages to her in the past. He spent a couple of minutes in his truck filling out delivery reports and then got out with the package. As he walked past his truck he noticed that his front wheels were parked on the garden hose which ran from an outlet by the garage round to the back of the house. Granite claims that he got back in the truck and pulled it into the garage a few feet so that his wheels were not on the hose. He noticed the door between the kitchen and the garage was open and he saw Mrs. Harmony lying on the floor by the stove. He ran over to her and was trying to untie the yarn around her neck when Mr. Harmony came through the door an accused him of strangling his wife.
Which man was telling the truth? Help Lt. Dunnit by e-mail your answer to me at grammieknits@yahoo.com before midnight, on Friday, September 25 for a chance to win a reward!

Angel's Wings

For my September project I made Angel a some wings. I know she has white wings in the book, but she is so little and has been through so much I think she deserves a pair of more colorful wings! This pattern is adapted from the pattern "Gabriel's Wings" (see Angel Experiment projects on sidebar), using leftover patterned sock yarn in-between solid color rows of sock yarn.

WHODUKNIT BOTTLE

Well it seems I am doing an awful lot of apologizing today in posts about being so tardy in putting in photos. I try to make sure I acknowledge my packages when received but I must get better at putting in the full posts with photos.

I received a wonderful bottle swap package from Danielle. She did include a bottle.

BUT the bottle was in a BOX. She wrote she was glad I had won the prize for my handcuffs and chosen what I did as she was not only my bottle swap partner but was sending me my prize. Since she sending me the prize she was able to ship in a box and NOT have to stuff everything in the bottle.

Look at what I pulled out of the bottle.

Here is a close up of this wonderful bag in PINK stripes with cotton yarn.

I also received these wonderful items. YUMMY candies. Can you guess how long the American Hershey Bar with Nuts lasted? AND most of the Jelly Bellys are gone also. There are just a few remaining and, of course, the black licorice are still in the box for anyone who comes to visit and likes black licorice. We won't even mention the length of time it took to eat the Ghiradelli candy bar as large as it was.

Included in my package was a mystery I haven't read yet which is now on my to read list, a case to put my straight long knitting needles in, some fiber wash, tissues with my initial, a notepad, and a lovely card.

BUT that wasn't all I received. Here is more goodies. I found a small Americana emery board which has been put to use already, another note pad, a small 2010 calendar to clip on my bag, Brittany DPNs another favorite brand of mine (I can never have enough DPNs) and then three skeins of wonderful yarn by Twisted Sisters.
Here is a close up of the yarn which is a combination of rayon (52%) and cotton (48%). Just look at the color.

I chose the crossword puzzle book Over 70 Murder Mystery Murder Crosswords as my prize for the handcuffs. It is a very interesting crossword book. I dived right into it as soon as I received it.

Again thank-you Danielle for a great package.