indieknits

Secret Pal 14 Reveal

Yesterday I went to the post office and picked up the final package from my Secret Pal!

She sent me Sock Innovation by Cookie A (been on my wish list since it came out!), sock yarn, incense, shower gel, a handy crochet hook necklace and some adorable baby booties!

 

Also included in the package was a wormwood plant (great for keeping moths away) and a fab Wilkinet baby carrier!

Thank you Vera, you have been a fantastic secret pal!!

More SP goodies

My Secret Pal is very good at spoiling me - on Saturday I received some lovely stitch markers through the post:

Perfect for lace and socks, they are also removable if I need to mark rows! Thank you Secret Pal :)

Yesterday morning I finished these:

Pattern: Undulating Rib Socks from Favorite Socks

Yarn Used: Natural Dye Studio BFL in Amazon Apple

These socks are super stretchy...although I may not be able to wear them for a while. It takes quite a lot of effort to get socks on my feet these days!

I cast on two new projects straightaway yesterday - the Norwegian Woods Scarf and a blanket for baby!

I won a prize!

Ali from Tripping Yarns recently took part in the Oxfam Trailwalker 2009 and held a prize draw to raise money. I won a beautiful needlecase, handmade by Jen at Where's Woolly!

I am seriously impressed with her sewing skills. It is so well made.

 

Here's a shot of the inside. As you can see she also included some stitch markers (also handmade by Jen!) and Knit Picks DPNs - my fave needles.

 

It's not too late to donate to the cause - just head over Team Geek's Just Giving page. She and her team did such a great job that day.

Also, the other day I arrived home to the best postcard ever! A handknitted one sent by my Secret Pal!

  

Such a great idea. It made me smile lots.

ETA: I'm such a donut! My SP also sent me a lovely bath bomb!! I forgot to take a picture of it, but trust me it was gorgeous. I really enjoyed that soak in the tub!

Secret Pal Package!

Yesterday I received a package from my Secret Pal! She cleverly knew that I had just moved into a flat with a garden, and sent me some plants to get me started!

 

Included in the package was a Moneyplant, an Easter Cactus, oregano, mint, thyme and chives!

Thank you Secret Pal!

Secret Pal Questionnaire

Here's my Secret Pal questionnaire!! SP, I hope this covers everything but please let me know if you need any more info!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love most natural fibres, with the exception of mohair and angora - I find mohair too itchy and angora too shreddy! (unless I just haven't used the right yarns?). Favourites are merino, cashmere and silk.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Currently I have my circulars shoved in a drawer, and my straights in vases.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting for about 5 years now (I think!) and consider myself intermediate. I taught myself using Debbie Stoller's Stitch N Bitch book.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I have an Amazon wishlist here.

5. What's your favorite scent? Oooh... there are lots! Probably easier to say what I don't particularly like - not mad on vanilla or anything too floral.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I definitely have a sweet tooth - especially since I became pregnant! I love pretty much all chocolate and all candy :)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I have tried my hand at other crafts, but right now I am only knitting. I think my head can only handle one craft at the moment!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I love lots of different types of music. My husband has LOTS and is always telling me which albums I need to add to my iPod!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I am open to most colours, but don't like anything too neon for instance nothing that's BRIGHT orange, yellow or green (if that makes sense!). I tend to lean towards reds and purples, as well as subtle blues and greens. I like colours that look really natural too.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married and expecting my first baby on 2nd December. No pets!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I love wearing hats and scarves in the winter, but can't stand ponchos!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Mostly socks and lace shawls/scaves, although I do like to take on the odd garment now and again.

13. What are you knitting right now? Boring stockinette stitch socks!! There is also lots of baby knitting in the pipeline.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? YES! I love handmade gifts.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? If I'm knitting socks I prefer to use DPNs (Knit Pro nickel ones), for lace I like to use Knit Pro interchangeables (nickel again), and for garments I use straights (bamboo) or my Knit Pro interchangeables, depending on the project.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, I have both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? My boring stockinette stitch socks!! I started them about a month ago.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe? I love Christmas :)

19. Is there anything that you collect? Besides yarn? Heehee. No, nothing else!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I'd really like to get my hands on Sock Innovation by Cookie A, Wollmeise Molly (I always miss the updates these days!) or any Mama Blue yarn. I used to subscribe to Interweave Kntis but didn't renew because I am seriously lacking in storage space!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Not right now - I will learn Magic Loop one day!! I have the booklets but just haven't got round to it yet.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I love knitting socks and am a size UK 7.

23. When is your birthday? 26th May (the big 3-0 next year!)

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? YES! I am a Ravelry addict and my username is indieknits.

Secret Pal 14

It's been ages since I joined a swap so couldn't resist Secret Pal 14! It runs from July 1st so I should be nicely settled into the new flat by then. Can't wait to get spoiling!

Move day is tomorrow so I will be offline for a couple of weeks whilst I get my phone line and internet installed. Bye for now!

Swallowtail Shawl and SP9 Reveal!

I've had quite an exciting day. Have come home early from work because of the snow. (Sharon only had a sprinkling at her end of London but North West we had 4 inches! If you ask me that's a good enough amount to warrant a half-day at work.)

I wore my Swallowtail to work. Here are some more snaps:

It's hard to take a picture of your own back

Specs:

Swallowtail Shawl pattern from Interweave Knits, Fall 06

Yarn Used: Jaggerspun Zephyr in teal

Also, waiting for me when I got home were 2 packages from my Secret Pal! Here's what they contained:

• 2 books!  Modular Knitting and Modular Knits. This is a technique that I've wanted to try for a while.
• 2 patterns! Whirly Rib Cap by Wooly Wormhead and Curiously Clever Clogs from Stitch Diva Studios
• Yummy Yarn! Trekking XXL in shade 76, Lily Sugar 'n Cream in American Ombre and some wonderful boucle yarn (that looks hand dyed)
• Also included was a notepad keyring from Muji and a superb mix CD!

  All the wonderful goodies over the last few months have been from Nic! She has spoiled me rotten. Thank you Nic! It's been lovely to have a spoiler who has been reading my blog since I first started it.   

Secret Pal Strikes Again!

This wonderful package from my Secret Pal arrived yesterday:

We have here a beautiful notebook, roving for spinning, some hand dyed mohair, 3 balls of South West Trading Company Bamboo in Fiery Red and a 'ready to embroider' silk pouch. Thank you again, Secret Pal!

Happy New Year to you all!

My Secret Pal is spoiling me!

I received another package from my Secret Pal today!

I think she must be a mind reader - only yesterday I was drooling over the Sloppy Joe pattern over at Woolly Wormhead's. Oh and the yarn is beautiful! Such a wonderful colourway - my camera really doesn't do it justice in that snap, but here's a better one:

Also included were yummy Parma Violets sweets. Thank you Secret Pal!

My plan for the rest of the day - knit, cook a cottage pie, knit, drink wine, and knit. 

First SP9 Package!

I got a package from my Secret Pal today:

2 skeins of Regia Bamboo sock yarn, in a gorgeous colourway, and a copy of Not Your Mama's Knitting by Heather Dixon. Thank you, Secret Pal!

I've also been dyeing recently. This is the result I got using Cherry and Pink Lemonade Kool Aid:

'Proper' dyes (as opposed to a drink) have been purchased from Omega Dyes, so next I think I shall try a grey and pink combination.