Swaps and the Whole Dang thang

It’s a tricky subject don’t you think?

Standing on the edge of the swap pool looking in, it looks like a good idea.

You just want to jump in, add your name to that list, send the “sign me up” email, add the button to the side bar, and begin to either stalk your pal, stalk the Swap Blog/Ravelry Thread that offers insight into that all important question…..

I wonder who is sending to me? or, if nothing is heard from your Pal, I wonder if ANYONE is sending to me?

When you send off your pressie it starts….I wonder if they got it? or WHEN will they tell me they have it? AND OF COURSE, Did they like it?

Because as much as we like the sending of stuff – we really like receiving stuff, non?

I have always been very lucky in most of my swaps. I think to date I have been in Secret Pal 3, 4 and 5, Favorite Colour Swap 1 and 2, Fibre Frenzy Swap, Knitters Tea Exchange, Knitters Virtual Vacation Swap, Spin to Knit Swap, Whose Lace Swap, Sock Exchange Thingey, Knit Sock Kit Swap, Magic Ball Swap, Ornamental, Dishcloth Swap, International Swap 3 and 4, and Most Recently, The Tea Cosy Swap on Ravelry. (Not including a year of swaps with my wonderful Tribe Buddies).

To date I only had 2 swaps where people didn’t even bother to contact me (Magic Ball Swap) or did contact me after being hassled by the hostess, only to promise to send me 2 scarves…..but didn’t send a thing (International Scarf Swap 4).

So really.

Great odds non? 18 Swaps – 2 Flakes.

But this isn’t about the flakes – Really.

I have to say I have made some fantastic friends through these swaps, including Glacia, Rox, Danielle, Shannon, Kim, Nicole, Allena, Eva, Delly, Ramona, Jae, Janet, and Marji.

Some are people I sent to, some are people who organized who I sent to (or who sent to me), some are people who sent to me. Some have been involved in a swap and we have just clicked, and kept in touch. All in all swaps have been a great way to meet new people and give and receive lovely stuff to all and sundry. And boy I do love me some presents in the post.

BUT. Other swaps not-with-standing – I want to shout out to Cindy2paw.

She was matched to send to me in the Ravelry Tea Cosy Swap. She actually played spy for me as she knew who I was sending TO and helped me taper the gifts accordingly without saying a word about being my pal. (Cindy is a good and treasured friend of mine, via the Tribe)

Until.

A few days before Christmas when she unmasked herself as my pal, and confessed to forgetting to send the tea cosy with the parcel she had just sent me.

Toooooo funny.

BUT THEN.

Tragedy struck.

Her parcel never arrived.

We waited. And waited. But it didn’t come.

So she set to making me another parcel. I felt AWFUL. But no matter how many times I asked her to abandon her quest she would not be swayed.

And so she kept me updated. And updated. And updated. And all the time I kept thinking “MY GOD! How intricate IS this tea cosy”. And I felt bad.

AND THEN. She sent the second parcel. Overnight express. Asked her friends to cross all crossable bits.

And it arrived Friday.

OMG.

This was a TEA COSY SWAP.

But what did I receive?

Check it all out. She knows my yearnings for snow covered mountains. Read further though – this is only a starter photo.

1. A lovely blue cabled teacosy
2. Tassie shortbread (already eaten)
3. Tassie fudge (already eaten)
4. A Tassie stencil set (daughter has nabbed it)
5. A little Tasmanian devil (Son has nabbed it)
6. A little thong notepad
7. Some yummy boiled lollies
8. Tassie Tea (YUM) (all shown above)
9. ONE HAND SEWN SOCK BAG TOTE
10. ONE HAND SEWN CARRY BAG
11. ONE HAND SEWN AMAZING TOTE BAG with “Knitting for Snow” hand stitched
12. ONE UBER COOL APRON IN MY FAVOURITE COLOURS WITH WHITE SPOTS FOR SNOW. – ALSO HAND SEWN

This was for a TEA COSY SWAP! A leeeeeetle Teeeeeeeeny Tiiiiiiiiiiny Tea Cosy.

Cindy. You rock.

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~ by Donyale on February 24, 2008.