Finished Exchange Scarf #2

 Remember a few weeks ago when I was talking about the second scarf exchange I was taking part in on Ravelry?  Well, my exchange partner received the scarf (finally) last Thursday.  I was waiting until she received it before posting a photo.

I can't seem to find where I placed my pattern. I've even tried looking it up online (Ravelry, Knit Picks, Google...) and don't seem to see it.  I was pretty sure it was called Tide Pool, but searching under that name doesn't seem to be bringing anything up.  I'll keep searching for it though.

The yarn I used was Fleece Artist in the Seafoam colourway.  I remember thinking that this yarn fit very well with the name of the pattern. Oh well, as I said, I'll keep searching for it.  I'd like to provide a link to it

I've been knitting away at the Color Play scarf.  I am on the last section of it, probably about 80% of the way through.  I'll have to block it after I'm finished, and I'll be sure to post a photo of it.

I've also been looking for the next pattern I'll knit, though I'm thinking I might do another of the Irish Mesh Cowl I made when I went to Edmonton.  I need to use the needles I'm using on the Colour Play scarf, so I can't start until I've finished the scarf.

I decided to gift the cowl to my friend Janice.  She's always doing a lot for me and another friend of ours - driving us around to get groceries, going out of town shopping, to/from work, going for coffee.  She doesn't ask for gas money, so when I showed her the cowl and she said she like it and thought it turned out great, I decided to give it to her.  She said she's worn it a couple of times already this past weekend, and I'm sure she'll wear it to work some day as well.

Aside from the scarf knitting, I've been looking into trying my hand a drop spindle spinning again.  The drop spindle I have is back home in New Brunswick.  I've been looking on Etsy, and have seen some fairly cheap priced spindles, and they include some fleece to practice with.  I have been going back and forth on whether or not to get another one. I haven't made a final decision yet, but I'm leaning toward a 'yes'.  It's been several years since I first tried spinning (haven't tried a spinning wheel yet), so I would need to relearn how to do it.  I'll keep you updated on whether or not I decide to try spinning again.

Off to go work on the Color Play scarf again. Happy knitting!

Parcel Received Today

I like coming home to mail. Not bills and junk mail, but real mail. Packages and parcels type of mail.  I've been expecting my scarf from my partner in the Stashbuster scarf swap, and it came in today!

The scarf from my Stashbuster Swap partner

It is so soft and pretty.  I really like the colour of this yarn.  I don't know what brand or colourway this is, but it's nice and spring-like, and it came at the perfect time - next Monday is St. Patrick's Day, so this is the perfect colour for that!

I'm not sure if my partner visits, or has visited, my blog, but if she does, I would like to say thank you so much. I love the scarf. You did such a fantastic job on it - I love it!

Finished Scarf - Not Revealed Yet

I have finished my scarf for the latest scarf exchange (Stashbusters on Ravelry) that I'm in.  I woke up early this morning and decided to work on the scarf.  I now have it soaking in the sink, and will be blocking it shortly.

I think the scarf turned out nice. I enjoyed working with the yarn (Fleece Artist - a Canadian company), and the pattern was pretty easy.  I couldn't memorize it, though by the end I didn't have to look as much at the pattern as I did at the beginning.  I will probably knit this particular pattern again.  I'm going to refrain from mentioning all the other details until my swap partner received the scarf - just in case she checks out my blog.  I do hope she will like the scarf!

I haven't been knitting on anything else while working on this scarf.  I think I'll sit out the next exchange and just work on my own projects for the next little while.  I really want to finish the hat I was working on before starting in these two scarf exchanges.  I've also got a few patterns (including one sent to me by my swap partner from the previous scarf exchange) I'd like to try out as well.

I'm going to keep this post short as I have a lot to do. I hope to have a picture of the scarf and hat to share soon.

Alphabet Swap Partner's Scarf

Flying Home Scarf

My Alphabet Swap partner finally received her package this week (on Monday), so I can share the picture of the scarf I knit for her.  She was satisfied with the package and said the pattern and colours were perfect for her (or something like that).  I'm glad she likes it, because I was a little worried she wouldn't.  I had no reason to believe she wouldn't, other than my own doubts about my yarn/colour choice and the blocking.

The picture here isn't that great as I had to use the flash (it was night and my apartment doesn't have good lighting for taking pictures). The colours are a little bit darker in real life.  In the daylight I think it looks really good.

I used the Flying Home Scarf pattern, a free download on Ravelry.  I really enjoyed this pattern; it wasn't too difficult, and while I couldn't memorize the pattern (it's a 10 row repeat), it was easy to follow.  I will more than likely be knitting this pattern again.

My blocking isn't that great as I didn't have anything to use for my blocking, other than pins.  I've since ordered some blocking wires from Knit Picks and will be able to use them on the next scarf I make - which  happens to be what I'm working on now.

I'll refrain showing any progress on my current scarf or mentioning the pattern for the current project since I am knitting it for my new swap partner in the Stashbuster swap at Ravelry.  This time I am only knitting and sending the scarf.  I like the pattern I'm using, and will likely knit it again in the future.  Once this new swap partner gets the scarf, I'll post a picture and the name of the pattern on here.

Aside from these scarves, I haven't been working much on the hat I'd been working on.  I am on the decreasing at the top of the hat; I'm just waiting until I get these swap scarves completed and then I'll go back and finish the hat, block it, and post a picture of it.  I do like the way it looks so far, though, and I can't wait to see the finished product.

Well, I'd best be off and get some marking done for work so that I can do some knitting a little later on this evening.  Happy knitting!

Scarf Exchange Package

Here is the lovely package I received from my scarf exchange pal! I finally received it. I checked the tracking number of the package I sent to her, and the latest update this afternoon only stated that it was received in the States.  I don't know if it's just at the boarder, or if it's at least in her state.  Hopefully she will get it soon.  I really dislike the postal service where I live; it's not that great.

Anyway, everything is great!  Here is how she used the alphabet (we had to send 3-5 items that used the letters A - E):

A - alpaca yarn in the scarf
B - blue, the major colour of the scarf
C - candy and cows
D - drop stitch pattern used in the scarf
E - Echo Trail Scarf pattern, which is an eyelet scarf.  E is also for eggplant, the colour of the yarn (though the colourway is listed as grape, she thought it looked more like eggplant)

The scarf is so soft, which I like. I don't care for anything scratchy around my neck (or anywhere for that matter), and this is certainly not going to cause that problem!  My pal stated in her note that the scarf is a little shorter than she had hoped, by I am fine with that. I love it anyway!

So, Thelma, if you are reading this (not sure if you read my blog or not), thank you so much for the wonderful package!  I just hope you are just as pleased with what I sent in your package.

I Finished My Scarf

As you might remember, I was taking part in a scarf exchange on Ravelry.   I completed the scarf and mailed out the package yesterday.  I do hope my exchange partner likes everything!  I'm not going to post a picture of the scarf until after she receives it, just in case she happens to visit my blog and sees it.  I don't want to ruin the surprise for her.

I'm not totally satisfied with the blocking as I've not really done any blocking in the past.  I probably shouldn't have chosen a pattern that needed to be blocked until after I had more experience with blocking; however, I did offer to knit her something else if she isn't satisfied with it.

Last month, I got my orders from Knit Picks and The Loopy Ewe (links to their shops on my left sidebar).  The photo to the right shows the yarn from Knit Picks, and includes: 2 Wondermint Chroma Worsted (back right corner), 2 Peapod Stroll (the green), 2 Dandelion Stroll (yellow), 2 Eggplant Palette (dark purple), 2 Cream Palette (in back of the dark purple), 1 Lignonberry Heather Palette and 1 Oyster Heather Palette (both in front and being used to knit my current project).
The photo to the left is part of my order from The Loopy Ewe.  I bought two Cascade 220 in purple hyacinth, and one Alchemy Yarns of Transformation - Juniper Colorways in sugar mountain.  I also ordered  two Cascade Superwash Sport in Christmas green and gifted them to my BFF.

I also ordered a few other things with the yarn, but didn't put them in the pictures.  I got some tapestry needles, since I couldn't find my other ones, some Harmony DPNs (unfortunately I ordered the 5 inch needles and they are a little small for my current project, but I'm making due.  I think I'll have to order them in a bigger size next time as I am enjoying using this needle.), a magnetic chart keeper, and something for my scarf exchange pal (which I'll refrain from writing).

As I mentioned above, I've started on my next project.  It is the Argyle Cap by Amy Munson (from Knit Picks).  I also ordered the Argyle Mitten Collection (also by Amy Munson) pattern as well.  Both the hat and mitten patterns have a few different variations of the pattern to choose from.  I have only just started the hat pattern today, so I don't have much of it to show in a photo just yet.  When I get it done, I'll be sure to take a picture.

The Ravelry group (International Scarf Exchange) is hosting another scarf exchange, and I've signed up for it again.  They are taking a month off from the alphabet exchange and just doing a stash busting exchange.  You can either sign up to send  just a scarf, or a scarf, a skein of yarn from your stash, and a little treat to nibble or sip.  I joined the one to send only the scarf, and I'm already thinking of possible patterns.  We will get matched up with a partner next Friday and then have a month to get the scarf made and mailed.

Time to get back to working on my hat.  We have a long weekend (Family Day) so I hope to get this project completed before heading back to work on Tuesday.

Happy knitting!

Knitting Progress

I’ve mentioned in the previous post about becoming involved in a scarf exchange on Ravelry.  Since joining, I’ve been looking through various scarf patterns to knit for my exchange partner.  There are so many wonderful looking scarf patterns, and that makes it difficult to choose just one.

Yesterday I had the flu so I couldn’t do anything, though I had hoped to start the scarf then.  Today, I feel a lot better. I won’t say I’m 100% better, but the fact that I’m not aching and I have no fever makes me feel a lot better.  Today my cough seems to be what I’m dealing with more than anything, and there are times when I cough so much that it’s hard to catch my breath.  I had an opportunity to go shopping in Dawson Creek today (I had hoped we could check out a yarn shop there, see if it’s open, and maybe get some yarn to use in my pal’s scarf), but I decided to stay home to get better for work tomorrow.

I looked through some of the yarn I have here, which isn’t much, and looked for something that might fit the categories – colour(s) she said she liked, types of yarn she likes, etc.  I decided on a skein (I won’t go into details of what colours, the brand/type, or pattern just in case my pal reads my blog. I don’t want to ruin the surprise for her), and searched the internet for a pattern.

Of course, me being me, I am second guessing my choice of yarn, colour, etc.  If I were doing this scarf for charity, I wouldn’t worry so much because there would be someone “out there” who would like it.  I just want my pal to like the finished product, and not feel disappointed in what I’ve chosen.

Since this is an alphabet swap and we need to choose things to include that start with the first five letters of the alphabet, I’m trying to keep this in mind with the things I’m choosing.  I have something for A and B, and have an idea for C.  Still deciding on D and E – though things could change between now and when I get the package sent out!  I just really hope my pal is happy and satisfied with what I send her.

Yesterday, at some point when I was feeling a little better, I ordered some yarn from The Loopy Ewe. I haven’t ordered anything from them in a long time, and found out I had a credit of nearly $20!  Anyway, since my birthday is coming up in a week from tomorrow, I decided to order some yarn for myself as a birthday present to myself.  I probably won’t get it in time for my birthday, but that doesn’t matter since I’m busy knitting my scarf exchange pal’s scarf.

I have also ordered some yarn and a couple of patterns from Knit Picks a couple of weeks ago.  The patterns were ones to download, so I already have them.  They are for argyle hats (it includes a few different patterns) and the matching mittens (again, it includes a few different patterns).  I’m looking forward to knitting those up – they looked so cool.  The hats and mittens I make from these patterns will more than likely go to charity.

I’ll post pictures of my scarf exchange pal’s scarf once she gets it so that I don’t ruin the surprise.  I’ll also post pictures of the yarn and the patterns, I’ve ordered for myself, when I get them in the mail.

I’d love to hear what you’ve been working on lately.  Feel free to drop a comment and let me know!

Ravelry, a Swap, and Yarn

On the weekend, I was surfing around Ravelry, checking out patterns and the forum.  I remembered taking part in a few swaps and secret pals, and thought I’d look to see if there were any currently going on.  From what I could see, there was no secret pal (it almost sounded like there had been a lot of people not following through on obligations, so they turned it into various swaps), but there were several different swaps going on.

One of the swaps I took part in a few years ago was the International Scarf Exchange. Unfortunately, I ended up losing that scarf (I think one day when I was doing some supply teaching. I either lost it, or it was taken out of my bag – which could have happened at the particular school I was at.  However, it doesn’t look like that one is going on, though there are some starting up in that group – they are just under different names.

Anyway, I joined one that is called the Alphabet Swap.  In the package, we have to send 3-5 items (have to double check if that includes the scarf we knit, or if that is in addition to the scarf), and the items must all start with the first five letters of the alphabet.  So, for example, you might send a skein of Alpaca yarn,  the scarf might be shades of blue, there might be some chocolate, a pattern for an item that starts with a ‘d’ (the name of the pattern that is), etc.

The lady I’ve been partnered with in the swap lives in Wisconsin. Since this isn’t a secret pal type of exchange, we are allowed to contact the other person and ask questions.  We can also ‘stalk’ their profile, questionnaires and posts with regards to things they are interested in to possibly include in the package we send.

I’m looking for different patterns as options to knit for her, but haven’t settled on anything just yet (we only just got our partner names last evening) and I’m waiting for her to contact me before I make any final decisions.  Also, I want to know if there is a specific colour she would like me to use.  Then I need to get the yarn – which might mean I need to order it online and that could take awhile to get to me (at least two weeks).  We have to have our packages mailed out by February 14^th, so I’d like to get started on this ASAP.

About a week ago, I visited the Knit Picks website because they were offering free shipping to Canada on orders over a certain amount.  Well, I surfed their site to look for some yarn, patterns, kits or whatever caught my interest.  I haven’t bought any yarn online for eons (I’ve bought a bit of yarn in the last few years, but it’s been from Michael’s or Wal-Mart), and I thought I would treat myself – sort of a Christmas present to myself.

I ended up ordering a couple of patterns (argyle hat and mittens).  I will post a link to them in the next post and also I’ll take a picture of the yarn I ordered for the patterns as well.  I should be getting that package in the next week, so I’m kind of excited for that.  And, since my birthday is coming up in less than two weeks, I think I might just ordered some more yarn as a birthday present for myself.  This time, I think I’m going to order from the Loopy Ewe, which I also haven’t ordered from in a long while.

Well, off to do some more searching on Ravelry for scarf patterns for my scarf swap partner!