Awesome swap

I got a package from Ireland on St. Patrick's Day! How cool is that? (Answer: Extremely cool.) It was a swap from the feminist group on ravelry, and was feminist themed.
No one has cooler feminist quotes than Eleanor Roosevelt, so this was the perfect card. The little tin is lavender scented temple balm (like you rub it on your temples for soothing properties).



It spent its time in the package right next to this:

lovely purple cashmere cowl. I was taking pictures of it this morning before work, and I realized it kind of matched what I was wearing. It's kind of a drizzly day, so it's a nice cozy thing to have, and still smells like lavender. Duncan was not quite as amused with it as I am.

(For those not familiar with my blog and/or cat, that is Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod. There can be only one.)
Continuing with the feminist theme, there was this book, which I am looking forward to reading.

Because my swap partner evidently post stalked me all over ravelry (which I highly approve of), she knows I enjoy crazy things from all over the world. So she sent me this, which is so freaking cute. I think he's going to be a zipper pull on my knitting bag, because I don't want him to get dented as a key ring.


But truly awesome, tacky thing is this:

This is no ordinary leprechaun pen. Oh no. It blows bubbles. I was so excited when I saw it for just this reason. But then! I scribbled with it so I could see what color it was and IT LIGHTS UP. Yes, it lights up green when you write with it. I am too delighted for words.
Because no swap is complete without candy, I got an excellent selection of that as well. I love Kinder eggs, especially the toys, and I am really looking forward to the chocolate mint. It's one of my favorite flavors.

But as this was a swap for knitters, there was also lots of awesome knitting materials. There's a UK knitting magazine that I have never seen over here. It has some pretty cute spring patterns in it, and some educational looking articles.
There's a little journal with fully blank pages (not lined, all the better for sketching). There's some pearly purpley stitch markers.


And there's some truly amazing yarn. In keeping with the feminist theme, the yarn is called Scattaich (I hope I came close to spelling that right), who my swap partner informs me was a warrior woman. Maybe she's in my book. I shall have to read and find out. It's really gorgeous sock weight yarn in pink tones. It's dyed by a woman on ravelry who shares some similar interests (coughLSGcough), so it's actually supporting a woman who owns a small business. It doesn't get much more feminist than that. I will have to find something very special to make with it.
All in all, teaandcakes was an amazing swap partner. I'm feeling quite guilty about the package I sent her. Thank you so much!

More Pratchett

Go see what I sent Shirley here. I'm proud of myself, but forgot to take pictures. Luckily, she did a very good job.

For Prachett Fans Only

Um, sorry guys. For the rest of you this just isn't going to make any sense at all. (Don't worry, though, pretty socks coming soon.) However, go to your local library, look up Terry Pratchett, and start reading. I recommend Good Omens, which is a standalone book. The rest of this comes from his parody/fantasy series, Discworld.
So, there's a group a for everything on Ravelry. I don't know why it took me so long to find the Terry Pratchett one, but there it is, the Ankh-Morpork Knitters' Guild (motto: Favete linguis, ego numero. ("Shut up. I'm counting.") )
We decided that it would be fun to organzie a swap of cardboard boxes, The Discworld "I'm just sending this box so my partner can have cardboard for their boots and I was guilted into putting stuff in it" Swap.

My partner was the very cool Shirley, all the way from Scotland. (Also, Pratchett fans, she's assembling the Pratchgan, so go check it out on her blog).

For starters, here's how the box came wrapped - Ankh-Morpork stamps and addresses all over the wrapping paper! Could this be cooler? (Hint: The answer is no.)

Inside, it was filled with all sorts of fun goodies.

Here's a CMOT Dibbler's Genyooine Growe-Thine-Own-Dragon Kyt. It's approved by the Sunshine Sanctuary for Sick Dragons with the warning that a dragon is for life, not just for Hogswatch. Inside is everything you need to knit your own dragon, and the pattern is wrapped separately with a faux lizard skin cover.

There is also sock yarn (and you know how I feel about sock yarn), in a color I can only assume is Octarine. It is hand-dyed Wensleydale, and that is a very fun word to say. Wensleydale.

Great minds must think alike, because I also sent her a dragon (I knit it though) and octarine sock yarn (but being non-magical, our interpretations of octarine differ).

Inside was also a Morpork Mist cowl.

I tried it on, and nearly drowned/ choked in it (whichever it is you do with Morpork Mist - if it's anything like the Ankh, I think it's choking).

There is a very pretty beaded crochet or knitted wire bracelet ( sorry, I can't tell with the beads).

There is also Mustrum Ridcully's change purse (I'm warned to beware of bats if I try to open it) filled with chocolate coins. I actually can't open it as intended. I don't know if this is intentional, but it's very funny either way. I can still get the chocolate out, and that's what matters.

Now, Shirley is also a supreme crocheter. Check out all this. First, a family portrait by Otto Chriek. Look at the Death of Rats! Look at how cute he is! The rest of it is very impressive as well, but is thoroughly overwhelmed by his cuteness.

Also, fingerless gloves in Noro, which I also take to be octarine. I wonder the practicality of actually wearing magic gloves. I imagine a lot of strange things will pop up with the background magic. I'll risk it, though.

And I've saved the best for last. It's Binky! Who doesn't love Death's horse, Binky? I'm so very impressed with this. This was cool enough, but his saddle bags also contained surprises.

There was a collection of funny drink mixes.

And some very cool stitch markers. Magrat would approve. They're going on my Gothic Spire socks almost immediately.

Thanks, Shirley! When she gets her pics up on her blog, I'll link you over there. I'm pretty proud of some of the things I made too.