OMG!

Wow.

I mean,

WOW.

Mere words cannot describe how great this scarf is.

The fact that it got my favorite colors perfectly. The fact that it sparkles juuuuuust a little bit. The fact that it's wide but still thin so I can wrap it around me just fine. The fact that despite the dropped stitches it's still warm as anything. The fact that I've been dieing to make this scarf myself for months but I never had the time to work on one.

And the weather just got bad enough for me to wear it all of the time while strutting around campus.

Allison?

YOU ROCK.

(PS: I mailed my scarf to my secret pal a few weeks ago, and I haven't seen it posted yet. Ugh, I hope everything's okay...)

Scarf arrived

My scarf and hat set arrived today. Thank you so much Jennifer. Soft pink isn't normally a color I would choose for myself, but gosh, it's so cute ... it's perfect. The yarn is very soft and the simple rib pattern really shows it off ... I am wearing it now in my air-con study. I can't wait to wear it to the UK, but I already foresee a big problem ... my 10 year old niece will be after me to give it to her ...

Jennifer's posted a picture of the scarf on this blog, and there's one of the hat on her blog. Do check it out, those light saber needles and spindles are amazing, and now I have another interesting blog to add to my reading list.

Thanks so much for organizing this wonderful exchange. I get to try out yarns and patterns that I probably otherwise wouldn't (the little leaf lace scarf I knitted for this exchange was my first true lace project and it gave me the confidence to knit Birch), and someone thoughtfully knitted something so nice for me and at the same time introduced a new color to my wardrobe. Thank you all.

Orange Delight

I am finally done with my scarf! I am pretty happy with the way that it turned out. I did a simple broken rib in Rowan Wool Cotton in the pumpkin colorway. This yarn was squishy and wonderful to work with, and the color changes dramatically with the light. I took this picture at night so it is pretty subdued. In the sunlight it looks more like Cheetos!

I am going to ship this tomorrow to a country other than the United States. Enjoy!

On it's way!

I am DONE! And I mailed it YESTERDAY! So watch out for it, Dani!

There are pics on my blog, if y'all want to see the finished products. Check 'em out!

This was so much fun!

SENT

Its all sent off! I will be checking your mail guys ;-)

Sorry it took so ling jus tbeen crazy around here!

My scarf arrived today!

I got so excited when I arrived home tonight to find a package from the U.S. I knew straight away it was the International Scarf Exchange and I could barely open it as my fingers were so impatient. Thank you Leslie!

It contained a most beautiful alpaca lace scarf, 6 lovely stitch markers and a fun rainbow coloured tape measure. Thank you so much Leslie. I love it all and can't wait to wear the scarf tomorrow when I go to work.It should keep me lovely and warm as it's very cold here at the moment and the yarn is so soft.

Nearly done

I do not have a picture available as I am at work but was wondering if I could solicit some advice. I am nearly done. The mittens are finished and the scarf is 99.5% complete however because of the design I chose it is requiring me to graft two parts together. I have tried and tried again and I do not like the way it looks. Does anyone have any hints on grafting garter stitch that would make the peice look like one and would not show a seam? I really want to get this scarf out to my pal so that she can have warm hands and a warm neck!

Thanks

Scarf on its way

I mailed the scarf last week but forgot to post on the blog. It should be arriving soon though. Wanted to ask you, does anyone have any leftover yarn and what are we suppose to do with them? I have almost none of the scarf yarn left (superfine merino), a tiny ball of the hat yarn (merino angora) but quite a lot left of the coordinating accessory yarn. It's a 100g ball from a local yarn shop which I chose for its color, I am not sure what's in it because the symbols are in Japanese, and it didn't feel very nice to knit with so I didn't send the leftovers out with the scarf and hat but I think there's enough for another 2 or 3 flower pins. Any ideas?

Got My Versatile Scarf!

How wonderful to find a lovely, lightweight, versatile scarf awaiting my arrival home after a week of teaching out-of-state at a conference! It was such a marvelous homecoming gift, and I guffawed loudly when I saw that my pal lived in the same town--Las Vegas! She was very sneaky, when she wrote me, saying, "I understand the temperatures in the winter are in the 50's..." as if she just happened to have that little tidbit of information while living somewhere else across the globe!

This is a very, very special scarf, made by Clara, and it's especially special because it was her very first finished project! To be the recipient of a gift so precious makes me feel very honored. Wearing it, I will feel all the energy and time that went into making it, and how proud Clara must have been to have finished it, sat back, and looked in wonder at what she had just created. Is there anything quite like your very first piece of knitting? I remember mine as if it were yesterday.

Clara's scarf is going to have a great home here in the Mojave Desert. It's so lightweight and soft, so open and airy that I will be able to wear it not only on the outside to keep warm, wrapping it all around me---but also wear it on turtleneck sweaters (it looks smashing on my black cashmere!) as a necklace.

I love being creative in wearing scarves, and this particular scarf lends itself well to creativity.

I also appreciate that it's washable, and that it won't require blocking once it dries. It springs back into shape very nicely, rip-roaring and ready to go on the road with me to the next conference. I can see it becoming a "trip" staple, keeping me both warm ourtdoors and also being able to wear it as a fashion accessory while teaching indoors.

Thank you, Clara, for this marvelous scarf and for allowing me to enjoy the fruits of your very first finished piece of knitted art! I will treasure this.

Scarf and Hat mailed!

I'm hoping that my pal received her scarf and hat that I mailed two weeks ago! Bev in Oklahoma, (Days of Yarn and Roses) would you please let me know if you received your package? You haven't updated your blog in a few weeks and I'm hoping that it got to you okay. It only had to travel from SW Missouri to Oklahoma, so it should have only taken a few days.

ISE hosts, is there a way to contact Bev if she doesn't respond?

Thanks,

Brianne
A Journey Beyond Boredom

Never Fear Queen Maxine! It arrived today!

There I was at work - checking my bloglines - Poor Maxine was worrying about a parcel...hmmmm.

I got home to the BIGGEST BOX with the highest amount of postage known to man (or the UPS) - inside - wrapped in Apple Green paper - a beautifully decorated box with decoupage all over it....with amazing images and messages - I don't know if you can really see it so well - but it so lovely. Even with lovely teal blue felt lining.

The box was so lovely I almost forgot to open it and look inside - but my daughter was onhand to help - to reveal the most beautiful scarf - MY scarf!

OMG! Such lovely colours - and made from Berroco Foliage (Maxine even stuck the label inside the box so I would have care instructions) (She thought of everything!)

Thanks so much Queen Maxine! I love my scarf and even though I have to wait quite a few months to use it - it will be worn with love.

This has been a wonderful experience for me - reading the blog and seeing everyone's scarves arrive and the trouble everyone has gone to. Isn't amazing to think of all these wonderful presents zinging their way around the world - presents that their makers have gone to so much trouble to stitch with thoughts of another person they don't even know in their hearts as they do it!

What a wonderful world - thanks Celia and Cyn Cyn for organising it and thanks to the Queen (Maxine).
I have added other photos (yes I have more) on my blog!

So how reliable is the postal system in other countries?

How long do you wait before revealing yourself? I mailed my scarf on the 18th and it was 4-9 days for delivery. I am sure my pal has not yet received it. What is the proper course of action. I honestly don't know if I still have the mail receipt or not so I am not sure if any tracking could be done. What next?

Proof!

Proof that I am really working on my pal's scarf. The colour is truer in the first picture. I'm making the Short Row Rib scarf from the Feburary 2005 Magknits. The yarn is Malabrigo in the Tuareg colourway. So insanely soft!

Ready to go

The hat and scarf are finished and will be mailed out on Monday. Here is a last photo before I pack them up:

Hi everyone: I love seeing all the beautiful scarves you've made. I finished mine, and will send it tomorrow. I hope my "pal" likes it. I used Douceur et Soir and did an open lacy pattern. I'd post a pic but the camera isn't working.

It's Here!

My scarf arrived yesterday. Thanks so much Marion.

Check out details at my blog, Grin and Frog It.

Now I just need to finish up the scarf I'm knitting.

TaDa!!

I've finished my scarf, to be put in the mail tomorrow for it's intended recipient - wonder who she is?? Now I wait patiently to receive my own ISE scarf - yahoo!