Archive for the 'sp11' Category

Marsha
Nov 29th, 2007

SP11 comes to an end

pb288402sp1.jpgYesterday’s mail brought the final package from my SP11. After months of mystery, I finally know who she is: Paula! Over the course of our correspondence, I learned a few things about her, such as her love of sock knitting. After taking a look at her blog, my first thought was, “Wow! She really knows her sock knitting!” (Pop over there yourself, and you’ll see what I mean.)

This collection of bundles garbed in holiday-themed paper, ribbons, and bags quickly transformed into this:

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Tea–four bags in a handmade tea wallet (Paula, did you sew this yourself?), and a tin of Adagio’s candy cane tea (which is just right for the season!).

Two row counters–a small round one to pop onto my needle, and a Kach-Kacha. Talk about a coincidence: just the night before, I was thinking about the Kach-Kacha that had mysteriously disappeared once a certain two-year-old got her hands on it, and I was wondering if I should get another one. Good timing, Paula!

Christmas-themed notecards, tissues*, and a magnet. And a set of mini-ornament stitch markers with bells on the ends. As you can see, Sylvia could hardly wait to investigate those “pretty shiny things.”

A tin of green tea mints (I love these things), a copy of Kim Hargreaves’ Pipsqueaks, and a cute cart rounded out the package. I’ve had my eye on this book for a while (the first Rowan book in my library!) and am really looking forward to knitting up some of the patterns in it!

Thanks, Paula, for sending such wonderful treats and being a terrific SP11 partner!

(Here’s one funny thing: Paul’s upstream SP11 pal was Deborah, who was my downstream SP11 pal!)

Marsha
Oct 13th, 2007

My SP11 spoiler strikes again

pa137918sp11.jpg Another terrific package from my upstream SP11 pal landed on my doorstep this afternoon. The presentation was so nice (garden-motif wrapping paper and a Halloween-themed box and ribbons) that I was almost reluctant to unpack everything!

Again, she sent me a cute tea-themed notecard with a teabag tucked into a special pocket inside. (Where does she find these cards, I wonder? I love them!) This time the tea was from the Charleston, South Carolina, tea gardens, “America’s only tea garden.” I had no idea this place existed! (According to the Great Wik, however, tea has also been grown in Hawaii since about 2003.)

The box also contained more tea, chocolate, notecards, and sticky notes. And a jar of pear-ginger jam. That she made herself. I can’t wait to try it on some scones alongside a pot of tea.

She also sent two skeins of Crystal Palace Maizy, a new sock yarn that’s made of 82% corn fiber and 18% elastic, as well as a trio of stitch markers with little teapots on them. Teapots, people! The cuteness is overwhelming!

Last but not least, she sent a project bag that she made of fabric with pictures of cats, yarn, and knitting needles on it. In her note, she wrote, “When I saw you were learning to sew*, I figured you would not be critical of my sewing.” “Not be critical” is an understatement–this little bag is amazing. I adore it and can’t wait to put it to good use–perhaps for whatever socks I’m knitting at the moment. It’s the perfect size for them!

Thanks for another great package, SP11! Everything you sent it just perfect for me!

(*Sometime in early summer, I mentioned that I’d recently acquired a sewing machine and a book for beginner sewers, and was planning to learn how to sew. Well…I got about halfway through a tote bag when the thread got totally derailed off the bobbin and I ended up with a machine that punched lots of holes in the fabric without actually putting any thread in them. I spent some time looking up “how to thread your sewing machine” videos on the Internet, but none of them were helpful to me. So out of frustration I temporarily abandoned the sewing, but I do hope to get back to it soon–especially when bags like the one I just got make me remember all the cool things you can do with sewing!)

Marsha
Sep 14th, 2007

End-of-summer surprise

p9136744sp.jpgYesterday’s mail brought a box of treats for me, straight from my upstream SP11: a skein of Fearless Fibers sock yarn in a fabulous mauve/gray/dusky-blue colorway (love it!), a set of size US1.5 needles (which, to be honest, I didn’t even know existed!), a stitch holder (not seen here because it’s in the same package as the needles), a card with a very clever pocket for a tea bag (in this case, chai spice black tea–yum!), a set of leaf-shaped stitch markers, and a bouquet of flowers to round off the autumnal feel to this package.

I’m so grateful for everything–what a wonderful set of gifts! And just right for me, too. Thanks so much, SP11!