Surprise!

What a great way to start the weekend! This morning when I got up (which was around 10am because I don't have any classes today, and can sleep in), the mailman/woman had already been to the house. I had mail! I love getting mail (as long as it isn't a bill or junk mail)!

The first thing I read was the post card from Toronto, from my SP10 pal! So, I am thinking one of two things: either she lives in or around Toronto, or she has visited there. The package was mailed in Canada (could tell because of the Canadian stamps), so I am going to assume she is a fellow Canadian!
Ok, so after reading the post card (which is awesome), I opened the package. Inside was a pattern from the Lion Brand site's weekly stitches. It is a drop stitch pattern, which looks cool.

Next, in a little sheer pouch (I'm not sure what you'd call the fabric, but I love that little pouch...I wonder where one finds cute little pouches like that!) was a set of 7 stitch markers, each with a letter from my name! How cool is that?! I would never have thought of making stitch markers with someone's name. What a cool idea!

My SP 10 pal seems to be awesome (and I'm sure she is, and doesn't just 'seem' to be that way). I've had a few emails from her that brightened my day, and now this surprise package - what a great way to end the week. I've got a 3000 word term paper to do for Tuesday, but how can I concentrate on that when I have cute new stitch markers waiting to be used, and a cool pattern to try! I'll have to do some knitting when I take breaks from working on the paper this weekend so I can use them. Thanks so much SP10 Pal!! You rock!

Now, not only did I get an awesome package from my SP10 pal, but a couple of weeks ago, Chrissy over at Knittin' Mom had a little contest. She and her family had gone to Japan (way cool!) because her husband was running in a marathon there. While in Japan, she visited some yarn stores (which is what any good knitter would do) and brought back some Japanese yarn.

Anyway, her contest was to just leave a comment saying that you wanted to be put in the draw for a skein of any of the yarn she brought back, and a needle case with three needles (the ones used when you sew up the toes of socks...darning needles or embroidery needles...someone please put me out of my misery and let me know what they're called...my mind is going blank right about now).

So, to make a long story short (if you call this short), she drew my name! I was surprised because I never would have thought I'd get picked because this is the Sock A Month KAL lady, and I think she gets TONS of people visiting her blog (even when it's not home to the KAL).

The yarn is Alpaca, which is what we assume since that is on the tag. I have no idea what the rest says because it's all in Japanese (which one would expect since that is where it is from). I've got a closeup of the yarn so you can see it. It's pretty close to the true colours (at least on my computer), though it might be a smidgen lighter in the picture. The first pic above is probably closest. It's 40g adn 112m, and I'm thinking it might make a nice scarf in the One Skein Wonders book I got not long ago. There is a pattern I had my eye on in there, and this might be the yarn for it.

The yarn content is 80% something (assuming alpaca) and 20% of something else. Ok, I just did a search typing in Alpaca Rimisto (which is on the yarn label, maybe the brand name or something - it's from Puppy Yarns), and this site (or blog) has a sweater done up in this yarn. They give the contents of the yarn as being 80% alpaca and 20% wool, and they used a Japanese size 6 needle, which is recommended on the label, which they have converted as being a 3.9mm needle. I don't know if 3.9mm even exists, but I would think you would just round up to 4.0mm.

The yarn is sooooo soft, and I can't wait to see how it looks all knit up. Of course when I do get it knit up, I'll post a pic of it! Thanks for your contest and in offering your new yarn and the needles as a prize Chrissy!

I'm planning on possibly getting out this afternoon to look for something for my SP10 person to spoil, as well as some yarn to use for my International Scarf Exchange pal's scarf. I've contacted her and she sounds excited to be a part of this (as am I). I just hope that she'll like whatever I make for her - that's the scary part, making a scarf and your pal not liking it. I've yet to hear from whoever has my name, but I'm sure he/she has a reason. If I don't hear from him/her by next week, I'll contact the organizers to see if there is any problem.

Well, must be off to get started on my paper so that I can get closer to completing it, and get a break to use my awesome new stitch markers and yarn! Happy knitting!