Major Knitter

Ego Boost for My Friend

If you want to be amazed and inspired go check out my knitting buddy James' latest creation.  My friends and I got to meet him in person last fall when he stopped in NY/CT/NJ en route from England back to New Zealand (you know - as long as he was in the neighborhood...)  and he was working on a Kaffe Fasset Poppies project for a friend - so I can tell you that I have seen James' poppies and they are breathtaking.  Won't you stop by and tell James how great he looks in his vest?

A Surprise Thank You Gift

Do you ever have one of those moments when you feel that you should send a Thank You gift to your favorite blogger because you really enjoy the hard work they put into their blog?  That's how I feel.  So I selected some special sock yarns in colors that I think this blogger will like; added some of my Knit Notes and a chocolate bar for good measure and am going to ship my thank you gift to said non-disclosed recipient just to say Thanks for all the hard work that you put into your blog and for making me smile.  This blogger's photographs are probably some of the most beautiful shots in all knitterdom. This blogger is a talented knitter, quilter, homeschool teacher, outdoorsy person and more.   Can you guess who this blogger is? 

Maybe I'll send you a little gift if you are the first person to identify this talented blogger.  Maybe you'll stop by and say hello to your favorite blogger today and thank him or her.

Generosity Knows No Limits

Justine and Kathleen came by during the worst of Montezuma's Fury the other day.  Kathleen had emailed me and asked if I would interested in taking some yarn.  Of course I said yes!  I'm always working on the next big charity project and yarn donations always come in handy.  Unfortunately, I was bed-ridden when they arrived (OK - technically, I was sofa-ridden) and it wasn't until tonight when I was feeling a bit better that I saw all the wonderful donations they brought.  I had no idea how incredibly generous they were.  Here's George with the numerous garbage bags filled with yarn.  That's what I call a RAOK.

I haven't had a chance to peruse everything, but I did manage to peek.  I saw Minnow Knit kits, Kaffe Fassett kits, mohair, wool, cotton, baby yarn, and so much more wonderful yarns. 

Kathleen and Justine - THANK YOU SO MUCH.  This good deed will definitely be paid forward and be put to great use! 

I Saw a RAOK

Look what I saw at the elementary school.  RAOKs are everywhere!

I saw a RAOK in my own family.  Primogeniture and Secundogeniture decided to ship our remaining Scout Popcorn to Wounded Marines and their families at Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.

Knitting Survey

If you want to perform a RAOK, hop on over to Matt's blog and learn how you can take THIS KNITTING SURVEY to help out a co-worker's niece.

Thank You!

I got a birthday package in the mail today.  This one got delivered to my front door.  It's a gift from James in New Zealand.  I love getting surprises... especially when they're wrapped so nicely.

I love my new pink/lilac yarn.  It will be perfect for some socks (it suddenly got quite chilly in Connecticut this week and I'm ready to don my socks).  The little lamb candle is just too cute for words... and the chocolate is, well, gone.  I think I'll have to plan a trip to New Zealand just for the chocolate.

Thank you James.  You really made my day. 

Fun Stuff in the Mail

I received so much wonderful mail this week that I am thrilled.  I can hardly wait for the mailman to come today.  Who knows what else he'll bring.  Look at what I received.

Amy sent me this wonderful Koigu arrived just in time for me to knit up another pair of socks (as I'm about to sew the toes shut on my Opal Brasil colorful socks).  The Japanese knitting and crochet magazine has an adorable teddy bear baby blanket that I'm thinking about knitting.

Cara sent me this thank you gift (with a note card, a magnet and a pin from the Spin Out).  I sent both Amy and Cara two sets of my Knit Notes as prizes for their contests.

Finally, I received these crocheted squares to help with my never-ending Warm Up America project.

More Surprises in the Mail

Christmas in July - er - June - came a few weeks ago and I have been remiss in sharing it with you.  Angela sent me the wonderful card and also the adorable handmade snowflake stitch marker.  Isn't it adorable?  Thanks Angela.  You made my day.

Surprise Gift in the Mail

Sethi sent me this amazing and totally unnecessary thank you gift in the mail this week.  I don't know if she did some investigative work or notw, but this yarn is my absolute favorite color combination - blues and purples.  How lucky!  I'm thinking about making a wrap for myself.

She was also kind enough to send a little something for primogeniture and secundogeniture.  Plus there's a little something representing the Marine Corps - the red and yellow M&Ms (red and gold are the Marine Corps colors).  Semper fidelis!

Look at the funky note card she sent.  Isn't it a hoot?  It's from Ad Nauseam and is entitled "Stitched Up - Postcards from Knitting-Pattern Hell".  I know - they're crocheted ponchos.  It's still funny.  Thank you Shanti. What a fun surprise.

Merry Christmas!

My dear knitting buddy James of Fibre Alive sent me this wonderful gift for Christmas.  I'm a bit envious that he got things out so early, but coming from New Zealand, he probably wanted to make sure things got here in time.  Look how beautiful the handknit Christmas tree themed pouch is:

And look at the wonderful treasures that were inside:

Yummy chocolate, a little sheep soap and a New Zealand post card calendar.  How fun.  Thank you James!

Late Birthday and Early Christmas Gift

My dear friend Julie sent me this wonderful surprise in the mail.

Happy Birthday!

My good friend Julie just celebrated her birthday this week.  Julie is one of the original members of the Major Knitting Bee in Quantico, Virginia, so it was right that she should receive a knitting gift for her birthday.  I went to Knitting Central to buy her some yarn and some Lantern Moon straight knitting needles (my new favorite straight needles!) but I was struck with a conundrum when I arrived at the store.  I couldn't remember what color Julie liked.  Since she always wore camouflage utilities to work, I didn't really get to see her personal preference.  I'm guessing olive drab would not be her color of choice.  So I took Julie shopping with me for her birthday gift.  I called her on my cell phone and she told me that her favorite color is BLUE.  In fact, to quote Julie, her favorite color is "blue. Midnight blue, navy blue, blue black, royal blue, sometimes cornflower blue, definitely lapis lazuli blue, almost any shade of blue - but never, never baby blue. Ick. The darker and more contemplative the blue - the better.  BTW, have you seen the shade of blue in Knit Picks - the Alpaca Cloud color Midnight -- now that is a wonderful blue. Blue gives me comfort - but so do thunderstorms and snowstorms. But not tornados. I love to see lightening in the desert too. Isn't that lovely?"

Isn't Julie poetic?

Anyway, I found this lovely denim blue yarn by Blue Sky Worsted.  Happy Birthday Julie.  I hope you have a wonderful day.

 

Great Prezzies!

I received a few RAOKs this past week that I haven't had time to blog about yet. 

Here's the first one from Mariko.  It's a dish soap apron.  She sent it to me as a thank you for all the little RAOKs I've sent her way (a Brazilian apron, some Iowa candies, some Shrinky Dink gift tags, etc)

 

And I received these wonderful 5x7 paintings that I bought from Abby...

...plus Abby sent this surprise bonus painting included in my shipment.  How fun.  I can hardly wait to frame them!

Thanks Mariko!   Thanks Abby!  You are the best!

My Pukeko Pal RAOK'd Me!!!

For those of you who peruse my knitting blog list of links, you already know by the title that it was James of Fibre Alive who sent me this wonderful gift in the mail.

This RAOK includes a Pukeko and Sheep notepads, some delicious NZ chocolate, a gorgeous postcard with yet another New Zealand Bird on it (the Tui), a great NZ pen with a sheep theme, and finally - ARE YOU SITTING DOWN? - a pair of wooden knitting needles handmade especially for me by James' father.  Wow!  I am so thrilled and humbled by this amazing gift.  I've been showing everyone who will look and listen.  I can hardly wait to finish the baby blanket so I can start something using these needles, which are size 10mm, perfect for a scarf.  Here's a close-up of these nifty needles.

Thank you James!

Thank you James' father!

Won't you go visit James and see all his wonderful work.

Two Random Acts of Kindness

Look what I got in the mail today?  Not one, but TWO separate RAOKs.  I am so psyched!  What a great day. 

RAOK #1 - The Kaffe Fassett book is from a B&N gift card I got for Christmas from on of my Cub Scouts - Casey.  Since I was in spring cleaning mode, I just found it and decided to get this wonderfully inspirational book by the master of color knitting himself, Kaffe Fasset.  (Has anyone actually ever met him?  I think I'd faint if I had that opportunity!)  Anyway,  I can hardly wait to experiment with color.  What a great way to clean up the stash, huh?

RAOK #2 - is from Laura whom I met via Iowa Chicks Knitting (a group blog I belong to since I'm a born and raised Iowa Chick).  She wrote the sweetest note, sent me a pink bracelet for breast cancer and made me 8 stitch markers that are absolutely adorable.  I couldn't get the extreme close-up feature to work on my camera, otherwise you'd be able to zoom in and see what I mean.

Thank you for these wonderful gifts!  What a treat to be showered with kindness.

Button, button, whose got a button?

I love these link buttons for the blog, but I don't have one. Can anyone refer me to a person or place that will help me create my own? I'd be much obliged.