Swaps and secrets

I'm remiss in posting that I went to Michigan Fiber Festival in August. I don't know how I missed posting about that. My husband's cousin, Sue, was in town at the time. The three of us went together to Allegan for the festival. Unlike most years, I brought home more yarn than fiber. Either there wasn't as much fiber or I am getting pickier about what I spin. I can't even find a picture of my spoils. Oh well, they're all pictured in my Ravelry stash folder. LOL!

I did buy a 1 ounce ball of lime green roving to finish a special gift shawl. The shawl is an odd ball one made up of small amounts of fiber I had spun up since I began spinning in 2005. It's a simple top down triangle shawl as the colors were too bright to show well in lace. I spun up the lime green wool and ended the shawl with that pop of bright color. Here it is. It's a little on the bright side. I tried to tone down the pink by alternating it with cream. I gifted this to hubby's cousin Sue as a memory of her trip to South Bend and our trip to Allegan. I had hoped to finish it before she left town but was unsuccessful. Finished and blocked, I mailed it off last week. I didn't want to post about it until she received it. She says she likes it! (at least I hope so). It is a little on the wild side.

I've joined several swaps on Ravelry. I mailed this lot to Jamie, my partner on the Autumn Sock or Scarf Swap. I crocheted the sock nut to hold the skein of sock yarn in an autumn colorway I sent. (I posted more about the sock nut yesterday.) The yarn was to go with the Oak Leaf and Acorn Scarf pattern by Evelyn Clark. Other tuck-ins were a drop spindle, some fiber, spinning instructions, a jar candle with topper, an apple key chain, tea, and cat toys for her kitty. I wrapped everything in tissue paper and added fall leaves. The outside of the box I covered with leaf stickers. I couldn't resist! She really liked the package. She has been spinning madly away since I sent her the spindle and fiber. A second package of relief supplies (more wool LOL!) was sent out shortly afterwards. Jamie is hooked on spinning!

Here is what I sent to Helen, my swap partner on the Amazing Lace Swap. Malabrigo laceweight from my Red Purl (my LYS) paired with my Cascading Leaves shawl pattern. The two seemed to be a perfect fit. She's already cast on for the shawl. Jelly bellies, a lavender soap (double wrapped to keep it from smelling up the entire box), stitch markers, a 2009 page a day chocolate calendar, a pair of my favorite vintage lace knitting circulars, a blank book to record knitting projects, a tape measure, and an emery board. Can't have ragged nails when you're knitting lace! I didn't want to send chocolate as it had been so hot. (A friend of mine had a swap package ruined when chocolate melted all over everything in the box) The cat toys I included in the package had Helen's cats tearing into the box almost before she could. LOL! Kitties knew I had sent something for them too!

I'm anxiously waiting for my swap packages to arrive. I can't wait to see what they are sending me!

Putting these packages together was so much fun that I signed up for two more swaps---one through Threadbear and another one on Ravelry called Color Swap. I'm nuts!