Cool Exchanges, Finished Objects, and Crappy Weeks

Without further ado...

I got the sweetest smelling package in the mail this week:



A few weeks ago, I left a comment on Marian's blog. She had been experimenting in dyeing wool with Koolaid, and I had some exotic flavours stashed away that I wasn't planning to use - so we organized a Koolaid for yarn swap. Honestly, I think I got the better deal of it and I am feeling a little guilty! Now why the sweet-smelling comment? Well, first of all, those lollipops (which Miss Priss has laid claim to) are maple-flavoured. Secondly, the yarn smells like koolaid... which in turn sort of smells like Froot Loop Cereal! Thank you, Marian - I can't wait to knit up the wool!

I also have a few finished objects this week - including my Mr. Greenjeans:



I'm quite pleased with it - I think I could have made a size smaller (I made the second-to-largest size), but it makes for a comfortable roomy sweater. Most people will have 3/4 length sleeves... but I am short... with short arms, so they are pretty much full-length on me. The only thing I want to fix right now is the button holes - they are a bit too big for my buttons so I am going to close them up a bit. I have three modifications - two intentional and one unintentional. The accidental one was that I forgot to switch to the smaller needles for the cabling section on the sleeve. The intentional mods were two buttons rather than one (for better closure) and I knit 4 extra rows wide on the button band. I knit it out of Lion Brand Wool-ease which blocks like crap (hence the bit of a ripple in the bottom of the button band), but cost me less than $14 to make and I can throw it in the wash whenever I feel like it!

I also finished these cuties this week:



Sorry, Cristi - I couldn't show off your sock blockers in the case because this picture is nearly life-sized - these socks are intended for someone 2 - 4 years old. I started this sock at Stitches and the nice people at Children In Common let me take it home to finish it (plus some other nice yarns to knit some stuff up for them. I don't care if the Malabrigo isn't for me - I just love the process of knitting with it!)

And lastly (and maybe I should have put this first) - sorry to be away for nearly a week. I had the week from hell between health problems, family health problems, stress at work, Andrew's car being in the shop, etc. Most nights I didn't even turn the computer on when I got home and I was fast asleep by 9pm.