Little Wit Knits – Unplugged

Last week I received an excellent gift from Velvet for the Helper Sekrit Pal Swap 2008. Which was rather amusing since I had sent Velvet a package as well. We both were able to successfully pull off our first international swap. I was quite delighted to recceive my package and I averted my eyes from the package contents label that is required with international shipments. I mean come on postal services, some of us want surprises! Inside I found all sorts of lovely goods.

There was an adorable mug with cocoa and an appropriately sized whisk.

Little chocolate snowmen

Lip balm

Fun stationery

Some handmade stitch markers!

Oh and this? Yeah it’s not much just some yarn handspun by Velvet! She says there’s round about 263 yds there and it probably weighs in at light fingering. I will definitely have to find something cozy to make with this.

Thanks Velvet for putting together such a great package!

I received a swap package today which reminded me that I am a terrible terrible person who forgot to blog her last swap package…from July. Woops! In my defense July was my super busy season. Sooo back in July the Helpers had a “Birthday Swap” where you were suppose to spoil your partner with Birthday gifts. My upstream partner was Sandysays and I received this lovely package:

Lovely Lisa Souza in colourway Aww-tum! This is gorgeous and I can’t wait to knit it up into something awesome for myself Plus it has so much yardage I may make two pairs of socks for myself (or more!) or I may try to make some long socks, like the Pembrokeshire Pathways knee highs.

Cute Sheep project bag It’s currently holding a lace scarf for myself that I should probably pick back up and knit on some more.

Ice cream cone pen.

Jelly Belly jellybeans

A hand set from Burt’s Bees. Love the cuticle cream. I don’t think I could ever have enough of that.

Sorry again for being so tardy in posting this swap package! July was such a crazy time for me. This whole summer was just nuts!

I am in a holiday swap and the following questionnaire is related to said swap. If you would like to know some tidbits about my holiday and knitting preferences read on.

1. State your name and favorite holiday song.
LittleWit. Hear the Call – it’s a piece we sang in the children’s choir at my church written by our choir director. Of the more widely known variety, my favorite song is Oh Holy Night. What can I say? I love the Christmas church music. Ok I was reminded that I deeply love A Mad Russian’s Christmas by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This is the song that makes me want to run off to join the ballet. It’s a truly marvelous song. I loves it.

2. What is your favorite color?
Green, orange, brown, earth tones and jewel tones

3. Do you have any special holiday traditions?
This is my first year in my home with the boy so we’re going to try and make some of our own new holiday traditions. Growing up we always made candies to be given out as gifts to family, teachers and my parents co-workers. The boy and I are planning to start that up again this year.

4. What is your favorite holiday memory?
My favorite holiday memory. Hmm. My mother was a staff nurse while I was growing up so every other Christmas she had to work so we celebrated in the evening. One year when I was probably about 6 (which would have made Mr Ban about 4) he and I decided to go ahead and open our presents as soon as we woke up. Didn’t even bother to wake up Dad and well Mom was at work. Dad woke up to us under the tree with our gifts. We were young enough that I don’t recall getting in trouble. We were stopped and the rest of the gifts were opened when Mom returned from work. That was also the year my Uncle C gave me a mouse bell. Once I get a fancy Curio cabinet it will go on display in there.

5. Any allergies we should know about?
Amoxicillin

6. What crafts do you do – knit, crochet, spin, dye, bead, quilt, etc.?
I knit as well as dabbling in spinning, dyeing and I am beginning to get into quilting now as well. Oh and I magically crocheted a chain for a provisional cast on the day before Thanksgiving. Go me!

7. Any sorts of fibers you particularly love or hate or are dying to work with?
I don’t hate working with anything in particular. I do however love merino and merino loves me.

8. What weight of yarn do you prefer?
Sportweight is my new favorite. I am also finding many more uses for worsted weight yarns. I should probably not get any more fingering weight for awhile. Although I do love it’s siren song the fingering weight bin is overflowing and I am currently fascinated with knitting things quickly!

9. What are your favorite knitting accessories? (i.e.: stitch markers, row counters…)
I love, love, love my stitch makers from AMG. The green one’s that look kind of like Jolly Ranchers. Other than that umm I can’t think of knitting accessories that I can’t live without that don’t already have. Oh! I am trying to decide on whether I want stitch holders.

10. Do you subscribe to any crafty magazines?
I subscribe to Craft. I am on the fence about subbing to VK and IK. I buy both each month but I am reticent to sub to IK because their magazine seems to contain less items that I want to knit.

11. What do you collect aside from fiber-related things?
shot glasses and fabric now. My new goal though is not to start any new “collections” because well then I will have to find a spot to put it!

12. Favorite candy, chocolate (dark, white, or milk), tea, coffee, other treats?
Swedish fish, caramel, white chocolate (dark won’t be eaten and milk will be given to the boy), I don’t drink tea or coffee. I do however drink lots of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with a bit of Hot Damn! Schnapps mixed in.

13. Do you enjoy handmade soap and body products?
Yes I do. I do however have some sensitivities to scents so I greatly prefer subtle scents or fragrances.

14. What is your favorite winter sport/past time?
Hockey! I am also loving sitting in front of our fireplace (with a fire going!) knitting and watching movies with the boy.

15. What is your favorite holiday movie?
The Night They Saved Christmas and Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.

16. What is your favorite: flavor, flower, letter, number, film, artist, scent?
Caramel or Vanilla, Lilies of most varieties, E, 13, The Boondock Saints, Christina Aguilera and Ysolda, Jasmine Vanilla

17. Anything we should *not* get for you?
Amoxicillin.

18. Do you have a blog and or wishlist that are not linked on Ravelry or listed in the GoogleDoc?
My wishlists are linked in my sidebar. I also posted recently on other gift ideas for the boy, feel free to look at that.

19. Anything special you would like your partner to know?
I sound picky but really I am easy to please. I can’t wait!

Part of my package to my swap partner for the yoga swap was a water bottle cozy. It actually knit up pretty easily (once I stopped being a goober). I did attempt to knit it in the round at first, however the pattern doesn’t completely lend itself to being knit in the round. It leaves a weird seam that doesn’t look as good as when it is properly seamed. I finished up all the weaving in of ends while I our power was out on Sunday. Good timing, eh?

Cory’s modeling again – water bottle cozy

Description: Water bottle cozy
Pattern: Lacy Yoga Bags by Alison Green Will in the small size
Yarn used: 1.72 skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic in Colorway 3872 (100% mercerized cotton) 50g (1.75oz)/ 108 yds (100m)
Care Instructions: machine or hand wash, dry flat
Needle Size: US 7 (4.5mm)
Modifications: none, since my initial modification didn’t work out.
Finished Size: Small bag size
Date Started: 9/5/2008
Date Completed: 9/14/2008
Notes: This bag is pretty nice and I would totally recommend making one. It’s cute to boot.

full shot of the bag

I love the detail in the bottom of the bag.

The top of the bag has an eyelet row for the icord straps and has a turned hem. I quite like the technique.

I am partaking in a yoga swap. Yesterday I received my gift from my wonderful swap partner. She definitely took a lot of time and put a lot of thought into putting my package together. For only having written one another a few times she definitely hit the nail on my interests. (Now see, this proves that I am not as hard to shop for as the boy thinks!) Without further ado, a photo montage:

Thank you so very much for my wonderful gift. I hope to start using it all soon. Especially those socks the next time I go on a business trip! (Someday I will have to tell you all about me doing yoga poses at a wedding reception to try and stretch out cause my knee was bothering me…)

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