International Scarf Exchange

I received my scarf today. It was so exciting to come home and see the box on my porch. I took the package inside and calmly opened it so I wouldn't possibly cut the scarf while trying to get the tape off the box. Lyndsey-Jane wanted to make sure nothing fell out on the box's trip from the UK to the US. My scarf is a lace scarf made of 100% alpaca in a lovely purple (my favorite color) with red and blue highlights. There were also two boxes of chocolates in there. And I love chocolate.

Thanks so much Lyndsey-Jane for my beautiful scarf.

The Scarf is practically in the Mail

I'm mailing the scarf off to my secret pal tomorrow morning. The chill is already in the air where she lives and I wanted to get the scarf in the mail so it can keep her nice and toasty. I don't want the scarf to be lonely during the long trip (outside of the continental United States) so I picked up some other goodies.

At a local Sheep and Wool Festival I found tiny sheep figurines and some llama roving from a local artisan group. My secret pal not only knits she spins yarn. From reading her blog, she's tried many different fibers but I don't remember seeing llama.

Since I live in Michigan and my pal doesn't, I decided to include some Michigan items. So I picked up a 2007 calendar with picturesque scenes of Michigan, Cherry vinaigrette salad dressing (Michigan is known for cherries), foil wrapped milk chocolate cars (she has children and I live in the auto capital of the U.S.), chocolate covered Michigan cherries (who doesn't love chocolate), and fancy chocolate covered chunky pretzels (sweet and salty) from a local Michigan shop.

And while picking up the tissue paper (a blue, green, and yellow print) which coordinates well with the color of the scarf, I found some stretch gloves in green with cream trim and a matching pair in solid cream. Then in the next aisle, actually a few aisles away, I found some butterfly shaped post-it notes in green and blue. I didn't know if I could fit the scarf in the box with everything else. I couldn't so I had to get a bigger box. And soon it will be on its way to ------. Can't tell, it's still a secret.

I almost forgot. Here are the scarf details:

• Pattern: Farrow Rib Scarf from the little box of Scarves
• Yarn: Cascade 220 Quatro in colorway 9432, 100% Peruvian highland wool
• size 9 needles (I think)
  
• 4 skeins including the fringe, which I included in the package as an option
• Measurements: approx 7.5" x 102" (she did request LOOOONG)
  

ISE3 scarf for my pal

Here's a picture of the scarf so far. It's about 64" long. I want it to be at least 72" long not including the fringe.

ISE3 scarf is so close to being done

It's roughly 62" long excluding the fringe. I just need to bind off and add the fringe and then I'll be done unless I decide to make it longer. Maybe. Maybe not.

[Edited to Add]
I originally wanted the scarf to be 72" long. So I decided to go ahead and knit some more using a fourth ball of yarn.

Yarn Shopping was Fruitful

This yarn is Cascade Yarn's Quattro in colorway 9432. It's a blue and green mix. I'll use it to make the Farrow Rib scarf for my ISE3 pal. The pattern was part of the Little Box of Scarves. Quattro is 100% Peruvian Highland Wool. I hope my secret pal will like my choices for her.




Patons Decor is one of my favorite yarns to use for charity projects. It's 75% acrylic and 25% wool. It feels great and it's machine washable. I'll use this yarn, colorway 1714, to knit the Elaine scarf for the Red Scarf Project. The pattern was found in Sally Melville's Book 2:The Purl Stitch. I chose a machine washable yarn because I was afraid my scarf would go to a young college student who would inadvertently put it in the washer. With a non-washable wool it would felt. And back in college I know I didn't want anything hand wash only or dry clean only.

ISE3 has begun

I woke up this morning and was excited to find my secret pal information for ISE3 in my inbox. In anticipation of the event I had started a scarf. It's a nice one but the color isn't going to look right on my secret pal. So, yippee, I get to go to the yarn store today and pick out new yarn. I love shopping for yarn at the LYS. Today, I'm going to go to ...have you any wool? It's close to my house and they have great staff working there.

Now what can I tell you about my secret pal without giving too much away. She may be reading my blog, ya know. She's a she rather than a he. She lives in a cold climate so I'll make a scarf to keep her warm. And she's got a really nice blog. I can't post the address or everyone would know who I have. Once I pick out the pattern and the yarn, I'll post a pic.

P.S. In the afternoon I received an email from the person who gets to knit a scarf for me. This is so exciting. And she's got the greatest email address "Secret Knitter". I think she may do a lot of swapping. What do you think?