Winter warmth from across the seas

In my pre-blogging-lurking stage I used to think it rocked that relative strangers would exchange home-crafted goodies, especially when it was across generations, countries or languages. Perhaps i'm horribly judgemental, but I find the list of words ending the sentence 'I have little time for someone that's .....' is not as short as I would like. I realise that no one characteristic can or should define your interaction with a person, but I have very chippy shoulders. This is why the idea that you could invest so much care, attention, time, money and creativity into something for someone that you don't know seemed so remarkable to me. It really emphasises the lovely, generous, friendly nature of crafters and a solidarity that too often gets lost in (the endless list of) social, cultural, economic, generational and national divisions. It's a focus on what we have in common over the things that divide.


The whole swap thing is new to me (Bells was my first never-sighted swapee), but I had a fantastic time doing a scarf swap with Melissa. I'd been looking for an excuse to make the mistake rib scarf in last minute knitted gifts. I thought one ball of Noro was impressive, but two is even better (or three, this is kureyon colours #88, #128 and two of #147).


This pattern is easy, quick and brings out the colours in kureyon brilliantly. But most importantly, Melissa liked it and (I think) it looks fantastic on her! Swap success, no?


But I was only half way there. When I got back from Christmas holidays I had such a wonderful package waiting for me. I don't know how she knows (some sort of sophisticated cookie-stalking when I browse online yarn stores perhaps?) but she somehow managed to pick not only a yarn I was bitching that we couldn't get here, but the exact colourway I would have picked. She also included some soap...we ran out the day we left for holidays and the shops were closed when we got back. Freaky hey.


There were lots of other goodies in the package, knitpicks yarn (we can't get this either), chocolate (nasty woman), and a very hilarious 1964 edition of Needle and Yarn (which I will share later). But she also included some of her wonderful home-made gocco cards. I saw these on her blog and thought they were brilliant. I like them so much I don't want to use them. Ever. Get away from them!


Thank you so much Melissa. I'm glad we lost our (International) swap virginity together :).

Edited to add: the yarn is Manos del Uruguay, (of course!)