Alice Jean

First of all the Jayne Hat for Dorrit. Just beautiful! Dory loves the pompom. My friend Darcy spoiled us again! Her parcel arrived days ago, my sincere apologies for posting about these wonderful gifts this late. Needless to say how happy Dory was with all the sweets. :-) The sheepy dish cloths are so cute! There was another Jayne Hat in the parcel, knitted by Tom for me. I think he did a brilliant job! And there was more. Knitting magazines, buttons and pins and a book of the Yarn Harlot. Kool Aid, a crocheted dish cloth, delicious coffee and Malabrigo Stonechat, so soft and beautiful! Darcy, thanks so much for these thoughtful gifts!

Some time ago Darcy send me this parcel. The Silky Malabrigo party pink was sent with a purpose, Darcy asked me if I'd test a pattern she made. As there was some cabling in the pattern, a cable needle would be helpful. So she and Leslie Wind decided to send me also a set of two necklace cable needles to test as well. They are just beautiful! Testing is what I did. I started with the cable needle to make the Snowflake , an excellent pattern to try cables. Sorry for the bad photo. I am pretty pleased to work with this kind of cable needle. As I was used to the type with two open ends, I had to figure out a bit how this one worked, but it is really easy peasy. You just have to work always from the left to the right. And because of its weight the stitches keep staying on this needle. If you want to have it more visualized how to work with them, Darcy has put some very clear video's on her blog . My second project was the fingerless mitts, the pattern to be tested. This is a fun ...

A very good combination. So guess what was in the mail today? Correct, coffee and chocolate. Zinzia spoiled me today with this package. I have to say I did not expect the parcel at all, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found it at the doorstep. The chocolate and coffee are in the kitchen now, I want to save this specialty for the weekend. The crayons are in my bag, together with a small notepad. Ideal for a little girl on the road. :-) Actually there were two parcels awaiting my homecoming. The second was not a surprise - well maybe a bit because I only ordered it only this Monday and I did not expect it here this quick. Want to know what was in it? Well, coffee and chocolate goes perfectly well with a good yarn. Three skeins of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, from SandraSingh . Beautiful, just beautiful.

Almost a week ago the Spring Fling package arrived. I'm so sorry for the delay in posting about this. But better late then never, here it is. A neat coffee mug, Surfers Blend coffee beans (in use, delicious!), toffee-chocolate sweets, Body Coffee :-) and 2 skeins of gorgeous Pistachio Nature's Choice Organic Cotton. Chrystal , thanks so much for this lovely package!

When I saw the postman near the village hall today (well, actually yesterday since it is past midnight right now) and he told me he'd left a parcel at the front door, I hurried home. Not easy when having a daughter with a head full of other plans like 'I want to go to the playground, I want to buy some sweets at the Coop, let's go to Chester...' Anyway, the parcel was from Darcy . Filled with yummy yarn, a ribbon pin and some delicious tea. The postcard is just gorgeous! For Dorrit there were tiger stickers and, oh lucky day, she got herself also a sweet! You are looking at Noro, Noro silk garden, Malabrigo Melilla and Silky Malabrigo party pink. And of course the Starbucks tea, the ribbon pin and the cute postcard. Can you spot the three differences? :-) Darcy, I had to take this photo especially for you. The young lady was convinced you'd like that very much, LOL! Thanks so much! I feel truly spoiled!

Thank you so much Lyndsay-Jane for sending me a lovely package! It is obvious you did put a lot of thought in it and did some research. This yarn, these colours. Aren't they beautiful! Two hanks of Blue Sky dyed cotton and one Manos del Uruguay. Soft, so soft! A knitter can never have too much bags. This one is gorgeous and already in use. Along with it a tin of Knitters Little Helper hand balm. Very useful. My favourite coffee: Cafedirect Machu Picchu Peru. Came with a instructions to make cold brewed coffee. I'll try that soon. Two Yarn Forward magazines. No, I don't have them already! The Bobbi Bear pattern is so cute! And here the group shot Thanks again, you have been a brilliant partner.

My BFF Darcy is a sweetheart. She was feeling so sorry for me I had to wait that long for my parcel in the UK swap and decided to step in as an Angel. Of course there was no need to do so, I'd had been contacted by my upstream partner again, she was dealing with some health problems. The angel package was delivered today. The delivery itself was kind of a miracle, a Royal Mail van stopped by when I was walking along the main road in the neighbourhood. The driver asked me if my address was ... and handled me the parcel over. He had been at the door, but as I was out, he took the parcel back again. The alpaca and malabrigo are amazing soft. And the 3 balls of cotton are lovely. A handfelted soap, cedarwood and eucalyptus. Can't wait to take a shower! A sheep with chocolates. That is definitely not mine. :-) Celestial Seasonings, Vanilla Strawberry Rose. Yummy! Will try it this afternoon. Acid dyes. They always come in handy. Okay. This is meant to sew into a knitting bag and sen...

A few things in life I love are coffee, yarn and swaps. So the Caffeine Swap is my thing for sure! This morning I received my parcel from Vicky and she outdid herself! I love everything in it. The presentation was perfect The colours are just lovely and the yarn - Handmaiden Silk Cashmere Amethyst - is so soft, I keep petting it. Helping hands... More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. I've already seen some amazing patterns. The 'Silvestri' mug is gorgeous, I love that bird! You're also looking at Counter Culture Dolok Sanggul Sumatra coffee, Choice Earl Grey with lavender blossoms and Trader Joe's Espresso chocolates. And here the whole thing together. I feel truly spoiled. Vicky, thanks so much!

It took the postal services some time to deliver, but finally it is here. Spoilt again! Christien was my upstream partner in the 'mamma swap' and supised me with the most gorgeous items. First of all she knitted me a pair of wristwarmers/ fingerless gloves. They fit very well thanks so much! I am a very cold handed person, so they will be very useful. And then she assumed I'm a coffee addict, so there were four coffeecup coasters. Very pretty. A book full of stitches and patterns... some yarn for my stash :-) And, if it was not enough already, also some easter decorations and a bookmark. Thank you so much Christien for making this swap special!

Early this morning a box, stuffed to the nose, arrived at our home. It came from Afton , who granted my wish for fantasy books for my sons. 22 of Piers Anthony and 1 of Lloyd Alexander. And as a surprise she sent me also a whole lot of Spinnerin Sheer Delight (95.5% virgin wool/ 4.5% mirlon. Okay, that's it, I'll finally have to knit one of those gorgeous shawls I see everywhere. Thank you so much Afton!

It is always fun to receive parcels, especially when they are the fluffy kind :-). Here I have approx 600 grams of the most lovely and soft handspun BFL/Corriedale from the talented Sarah . I am planning to make a cardigan or jumper with this wool, so stay tuned! She also sent Dory a present, a wonderful purse and a CD 'the Story Tree'. D. is so pleased with it, at the age of nearly 4 she is very into stories. Sarah, thanks so much! xx

Another birthday parcel came in yesterday evening. This one came from Tessa , she truly did spoil me! Hand spun and hand dyed wool named 'Veeler Wolletje' in beautiful colours, a set of lovely hand made stitch markers to add to my collection and a cute notecard. Tessa, thanks so much!

All the way from California, from Darcy . The card is too cute (yes Darcy, I passed up the trip and the million and chose option #3...). The Christmas Blend of Starbucks is to die for, the chocolates will be tasty as will be the tea... and that yarn! Lorna's Laces pale pink. I love it, want to knit it immediately... Thanks so much Darcy!