swapsies!

So, a while ago when the new Norah Gaughan for Berocco booklet came out, I lamented on Ravelry that good ol' Berocco won't ship internationally. Seaanemone came to my rescue, and offered a swap. So here's me thinking it'll be my pattern book plus a few little odds and sods in my parcel... Um, no. I am rather overwhelmed.

First up are stitch markers, with purple pearls and no sharp bits to catch on knitting, all housed in a little acrylic box (I'm really facinated by the box. It's so little, and so perfect... ). This is rather lovely, as while I have a pair of Bib'n'Bub's stitch markers, to date I have not had a set.


Then there was Moda Dea Tweedle Dee yarn. Enough for a wee neckwarmer, I think. Actually, given the colourway I'd really like to make something for Badly Coloured Boy (it'd suit), but I don't think he'd go for 'neckwarmer'. Maybe if I called it an ascot, or a cravat he might fall for it.
Oh, the colourway is called Surf & Turf. For some reason I find that hilarious. I mean, I know it's because the yarn is brown and blue, but I keep looking at it and thinking 'but steak and prawns is brown and pink'.


Ulp. Then we come to the sock-yarn-I-barely-deserve (given I'm on my first pair of socks ever right now). It's Claudia's handpainted, and dear Lord I can't work out how Claudia handpaints this. I'm counting five shades of yellow/ tan. Three of purple. Three greens, two reds, a grey, some black and navy.... just astonishing. It's really, really beautiful. And it comes with little yarn-themed pins too.* And I just noticed it's apparently machine washable. Excellent. Now I just need a pattern to show it off...


No, not done yet (did I mention I was overly spoilt?) I got a needle case in fabbo Moda fabric, and some hairpins (which I will try wearing with my new bookwench shoes - the subject of a forthcoming post). I'm not sure if it's intended for dpns or hooks, but my crazy Australian dpns are a little long to fit. It's perfect for hooks, so my crochet hooks now have a happy home, instead of being flung all about. Nice, huh? And the colours match my regular needle-roll too.


Oh, I suppose we can finally get to the point of the swap - my Norah Gaughan book. 'S pretty awesome. I think I'm going to make Anais, out of O-Wool Balance. Though I'm going to make it much longer (22" is the ideal torso length for me, none of this 20.5" caper).


And to the left is a sheep-shaped, mint-scented sachet of bath/ shower gel. Mint is a really peculiar scent for a sheep, but an excellent scent for me. And I ran out of shower gel this morning. Perfect timing. Tomorrow I will minty fresh all over, not just mouth-wise (y'know, because toothpaste is mint-flavoured, yeah?) Oh! And I just found a little screenprinted fabric square of a geisha tucked inside the cover of the book too! (can you tell I photographed before I even properly explored?)

Conclusion? I rather recommend Ms Seaanemone for swapping with, should you be able to swing it (unlikely, she's very busy right now, so sucks to you all for missing out). I'm rather in awe, and suffering mild swap-anxiety, as I actually can't quite remember all that I sent her. I know there was fabric from Aunty Cookie, and Jo Sharp yarn, and NZ Naturally yarn, and some chocolate... perhaps that was all? *cue swap angst*

* which I am not allowed to pin on a knitting bag. I had one on a bag and recently when I was on the train it flicked off and landed in the door tracks and a casual acquaintance I was chatting to spent some time on his hands and knees digging about in the grimy/ greasy door track to fish it out. He was concerned it would jam the train doors (I personally doubted it...). All very embarassing.