Swap spoiler alert...

April, if you're reading this and you want your package to be a surprise, stop reading now!

So... through Ravelry, I signed up for a Christian Knitters group, and they set up a dish cloth swap right away. I've been looking at dish cloth patterns for a little while and have found many I'd like to try, so I signed up!!! We were to knit a dish cloth and send it with something encouraging for our swap pal, and we are to do it by October 5. Um, I'm mailing it tomorrow.

BUT - I didn't just make one dish cloth. I made a pair! See?

I modified this pattern, as my pal asked for dish cloths no larger than 5 inches square. I actually think these are 5.5 inches, but I hope that's OK. I think she told the moderator that set up the swap that her hands are small, and she likes smaller cloths. Sounds good! Her favorite colors are lime green and chocolate. I love those colors together, and I really wanted to put them together in the same dish cloth. The yarn is Sugar 'n Cream, and I'm so glad I found the colors she likes!

I then poked around looking for fun things to put in the box... I didn't find any fun knitting things - I forgot the one time I went into a LYS while I was doing this - and the larger craft stores just didn't have anything fun. So I found a devotional book of Beth Moore's that I hope will bless my pal's socks off... and I added 2 new skeins of the Sugar 'n Cream yarn, plus the leftover yarn I had from making the dish cloths.

I also had purchased some chocolates to go into the box, but then I re-read what was sent to me, and since it's still hot out here in RVA, I agreed with my swap pal that chocolates may not be the best thing to send, especially if the box has to sit in her mailbox all day. So I'll be eating the chocolates. But I topped off her box with other yummy stuff, so I hope she won't be disappointed.

This was fun! I'll have to sign up for more swaps after the baby comes. I'm concentrating on my baby knits right now. I still am working on the Petal Sweater - I am such a slow knitter on this one! I've timed it, and it takes me a full hour to do 2 rows - knit and increase across, then purl back. I'm afraid I'm not going to finish it by the time I have the baby! But to give me confidence, I started a quick knit - a pair of baby socks. So much fun...

I forgot!

I was tagged by Sherri while I was gone - and I forgot I needed to post my 7 random things...

1. I have gotten hooked on Facebook and finding old friends from high school and college, even though I vowed I would never do a networking website (mostly because I think that MySpace is scary).

2. I hate doing laundry. Period.

3. I cut Hubby's and Big Boy's hair at the same time tonight. Pretty much! I wanted to use the clippers on Big Boy, but I was pretty sure he'd freak on me - so Hubby held him in his lap, and Big Boy watched while I cut Hubby's hair for a while - then I started in on Big Boy. He did really well with the clippers - he didn't start freaking until I tried to finish up around his ears with the scissors. Hubby and I are going to go in and try to finish that part up while he's sleeping... He looks pretty silly with all this hair hanging over his ears right now!

4. I love fall and winter. I love the cold weather and being able to bundle up in front of a fire, wearing a lot of clothing.

5. I have 2 tattoos and would love another one. I don't think it will ever happen, though.

6. I almost became an insurance salesman. In Colorado.

7. I love scrapbooking - not as much as knitting at this point, but I've always put my pictures in scrapbooks, even before it was a big craze like it is now.

I tried to make these different ones than I've done before - it was kind of hard thinking of 7 more random things about me. I almost put in there about my feet being asleep right now, but I think that's kind of cheating.

Since I've done this before, I won't tag anyone. But if you'd like to do it, please do and let me know!!! I'd love to learn some random things about you!

FOs from the road!

Our "ocean-view" from our balcony - not bad, not bad...

I meant to post something after I got back from Myrtle Beach (which, by the way, was a blast. No diapers, no schedules.... ahh, heaven!). But I blink, and time flies!

I got some major knitting done while at the beach. It helped that Hubby and I are home-bodies, and not at all interested in the "night-life" of wherever we are. So after the sun went down and dinner was done, we sat in front of the TV and I knitted! And then on Wednesday and Thursday, it rained - so when we weren't trying to figure out what we could do indoors that did not include draining our bank account, I knitted again! I took 3 projects, and got 1 and a half done!

A rainy day at the aquarium... Hubby watching the shark swim over his head...

YES - I FINISHED THE COACHELLA! Finally! I actually even had a friend try it on for size - and I have a problem.... Apparently my bind-off is way too tight. My friend is tiny-tiny like my cousin, but the waist was pretty tight. I have to figure out something - and I think I have an idea, but man, I'm nervous. What do you think about steeking 2 side slits? Am I crazy for considering that? I know no other way to bind-off - are there looser ways? Should I tink off the bind-off and re-do it? Or would I be OK with the steeking?

Thanks to my friend, Kelly, who did a bit of impromptu modeling for me...

Then, I did something I never thought I would be able to do - knit in the car. I get sooooo carsick if I'm not looking straight ahead with cold air blowing on me, so looking back, I was silly to even try. But I had just finished the Coachella, and wanted to get something else done while I was gone - and a 5 hour car trip seemed like perfect timing! I have no pictures of me doing it - or of the finished project. I knitted my first dishcloth for a swap I'm doing in a Ravelry group, and I don't know if my pal is reading my blog - so no pictures until I send everything off. I am proud of myself, though - not only for the car-knitting, but also for modifying a pattern to fit my pal's request for a small dishcloth - a 5 inch square to fit into her hands without being too bulky. All I have to do is gather some goodies and send my package on the way! This is my first swap, too, so I'm excited about that!

I have one other quick little knit I want to finish up, and then it's on to baby knits! Did I mention I am really excited about football season? I love football anyway, and the fact that now I have knitting I can do while rooting on the 'Skins - life is good! We're teaching Big Boy how to say "TOUCH-DOWN!" He's got the arms up in the air, but he gets so excited he forgets to say anything.

I lied.

OK, well, I didn't lie. I just changed my mind. I started knitting the Petal sweater (using the K1C2 Cotonade I got a while back - remember?). I want to be able to wear it while I'm still pregnant. You know, I thought that would be nice. Neither the Coachella or the sock are done. The Coachella, though - I am making progress. I'm done with most of the pattern - now it just says "Knit until piece measures 22.5 inches." I haven't measured yet, so I don't know how much longer I have to go. Then I put some trim on it, and it's done!

I'm taking it and the Petal sweater to North Myrtle Beach next week. I anticipate some good, quality knitting time, as the Big Boy is not coming with us. Yup, this will probably be our last child-free vacation for a while. I think it's harder to leave 2 kids with someone than it is with one... at least until they get a bit older and are more self-sufficient. That's my theory, anyway...

So while I wasn't going to start knitting anything new, I still needed to get the yarns for upcoming projects.... that way I could start as soon as I finished one thing. So I went shopping. See?!?
Two shops, one chain, one LYS... almost the same exact amount spent at each. I really couldn't have planned it better if I tried.

The top photo is from the chain store. I hit a great sale - 30% off all knitting needles. So I got ALL of the needles needed for upcoming projects - 3 circulars, 3 straights, and 1 set of dpns (I stocked up on a bunch of those a while ago). Everything I got there is for baby knits, except the Sugar 'n Cream - that's for a dishcloth swap I'm doing.

So the next picture is from my LYS... again, everything is for baby knits, except some yummy yummy sock yarn for me, and the PillowBot pattern. That's a planned Christmas knit for my brother, who is robot-crazy and really hard to shop for.

Next time, I'll show you some details of the yarns. Or maybe I'll talk about football. I don't know....

I've decided...

...I'm not going to pick up any baby knits, or even Stefanie Japel's Petal Sweater (which, by the way, I found the perfect yarn for - in my stash!!!), until I am done with the Coachella and one Breeze sock. Period.

Now, if I could only pick up the knits and work on getting them finished.

I'm back!

Ok, so I've been back for a full week now. It's hard to recover from being here....

Real hard...

Knitting? I am 3/4ths of the way done with my sock. I have 1 and 1/2 more repeats to go of the pattern. I am now convinced I am all about the quick knit. This is taking way too long. The speed with which the heel was finished deceived me into thinking I'd whip out the whole pair of socks while I was vacationing. But who can knit when you're sitting here?


I mean, really?

I think I'm going to start a new blog - one for my family. Look at this. It lets you print books of your blogs. I love it, and I think I'm going to do this. For prosperity. Maybe one day I'll do one of this blog. As a gift to myself. One day.

By the way.... it's going to be a BOY!!!!

There is a heel!

So my very first real sock. So pretty... So nice... Now I know why so many people knit socks. Why so many people swap and knit and knit and swap. So fun! I may be addicted... shhh - don't tell Hubby!

I'm taking my socks to St. Thomas this weekend. Sock knitting on the beach, with no Big Boy to run after, no time tables - I'll just go where people tell me to go! The Coachella isn't done for the birthday girl, but I think 12 people showing up for her birthday will be a nice big surprise. I'll mail her the Coachella when it's done, and beg for pictures of her in it.

So I'll be back to blog about my first trip to the Caribbean next week. Pray that Tropical Storm Dean doesn't really hit anywhere near where I am - or else I might be blogging much later next week than anticipated!