Friday 8 January 2016

#stitchingsanta Reveal

I've really enjoyed the swaps I've taken part in this year. The #stitchingsanta swap, hosted by Sheila on her Sewchet blog is a great one for crafters. There were two categories, Sewing or Crochet/Knitting, I opted for the second.

This was a Secret Santa type swap so I was given someone to send a parcel to and someone else sent a parcel to me.

It turned out that Leah from Faith's Craft Box had been given my details and she sent me some wonderful gifts. First of all I must show you the beautiful card she sent. This is Leah's second attempt at cross stitch and I'd never have guessed, it was absolutely perfect and such a lovely design. I'd have thought she'd been cross stitching for years. I'm sure you won't be surprised that this is one card which hasn't gone in to the recycling box, I thought I might have a go at turning the stitching in to a lovely Christmas tree ornament which I can display each year.


Inside the card was this Lizzie Kate Dreaming is Free Believe in Miracles cross stitch chart. Such a lovely motto.


The gifts were wrapped beautifully. They resided under the Christmas tree until Christmas morning when I couldn't wait any longer to find out what was inside.


These are the things I found inside. Wasn't I spoilt? Some luxury yarn, a handmade toadstool which is now residing on my dressing table, a knitted pouch to hang on the Christmas tree containing treasure of buttons, a stitch marker and some brooch pins, a pair of Rudolph slipper socks, a candle in a cute robin candle holder, some snow berry yarn, a wet-bag which is perfect for holding crafting projects, though I'm intending starting swimming soon so this will be ideal for my wet cossie, some fruit tea and some delicious Green & Black's ginger chocolate.


These slipper socks are so cute. I've put them away so that I can wear them throughout the Christmas period each year.


Such beautiful yarn. Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal. It's merino wool and cashmere, luxury. I've been saying that I fancy having a go at knitting a shawl for quite some time and I think this yarn would be perfect for that. It's such a beautiful colour too.


Thank you so much, Leah, I'm absolutely thrilled with everything and you've been a great swap partner.

I was given the details of a different blogger to buy for, Tracy from Mad About Bags and so much more......... I hadn't come across this blog before and I couldn't email Tracy to ask what sort of things she liked with it being a Secret Santa swap so I did a bit of reading through her blog and hoped that I'd bought things she'd like. I sent a few sachets of Tea Pigs so that she could enjoy a brew whilst opening the gifts.


I sent a couple of balls of West Yorkshire Spinners Bluefaced Lecister Aran, a couple of balls of Drops Love You 5, a Crochet Mini Makes book, some wooden buttons and some ribbon.


I also knitted two little stockings to hang on the Christmas tree with some stitch markers and Hand Made charms inside.


This scarf was the only hand knitted item I gifted this year. It was made from Patons UK Wool Blend Aran.


I didn't follow a pattern, I just made up a checkerboard design.


I can't send a swap parcel without including chocolate so I sent a box of Toffifees.


Finally, I discovered through her blog that Tracy is a fox lover, so, even though it was nothing to do with knitting or crochet, I sent this little fox magnet.


I received a lovely email from Tracy thanking me for everything, she seemed very pleased. She'd been away just before Christmas to Lapland and I'm extremely jealous, I'm waiting to hear more about her trip now.

Thank you for organising this swap Sheila, I had such a lot of fun with it.

I think I became a little obsessed with swaps over Christmas, you do have to be quite organised to buy everything and send it all off on time but I've loved taking part in each and every one and I shall definitely be taking part in more this year.

44 comments:

  1. So pleased you enjoyed my swap parcel :) you made me smile with your kind words. Thank you XXX Leah

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    1. I love everything I received in your swap parcel, thank you once again.

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  2. Sounds like fun and some beautiful gifts were exchanged.

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    1. This was a great swap for knitters, crocheters or sewers as there was some great crafty items exchanged.

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  3. More beautiful and lovely swappyness! It really has been a great swapping season hasn't it! xx

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    1. I've enjoyed all the swaps I've taken part in over Christmas, I'm sure I'll be signing up for lots more swaps this year, they're so much fun.

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  4. Those are all lovely gifts, Jo. :o)

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    1. They are, I've been so lucky with all my swap partners, I've received some fabulous gifts.

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  5. These are thoughtful items. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
    Happy 2016!

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  6. I looked at this swap after you blogged about it but thought I had a little too much on my plate at the time. If it's on this year I'd love to take part. What a great selection of gifts both sent & received x

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    1. It's a great swap for crafters. There were so many swaps available to join over Christmas, it's wise to pick and choose which you fancy as they can be quite time consuming buying the gifts, getting everything wrapped and sending the parcels off on time. You do have to be very organised.

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  7. Another fabulous swap. Both the items you sent and received a lovely. The card will be wonderful to have year after year as a little decoration and I love those socks!
    Lisa x

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    1. I love hand made gifts and cards so I think it would be lovely to make the stitching in to something I can keep and display each year. The socks are fabulous, aren't they?

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  8. It looks and sounds wonderful. What lovely little treasures to open. Love that scarf.

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    1. I enjoyed opening so many thoughtful gifts, a brilliant swap for crafters. The scarf is a very easy pattern but I like the look of it rather than just plain knitting.

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  9. Looks a great swap Jo, and those slipper socks are so cute and look very cosy too.

    I was given some super Christmas socks which I've enjoyed wearing ...such fun!

    Have a lovely weekend

    All the best Jan

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    1. I've been thrilled by everything I've received in the swaps I've taken part in. I do love fun socks, I don't think I've got one pair of plain ones.

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  10. Lots more lovely gifts. You really did well this year with these swaps, both receiving and giving. Flighty xx

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    1. I've been really spoilt with all the lovely things I've received. I love thinking of things to gift too so I've thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the swaps.

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  11. What a lovely selection of gifts, again! It looks like all your swaps went really well Jo. You mentioned trying a shawl, Jo, I will be posting about one I've nearly finished soon, that yarn you received would be ideal for it! xx

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    1. I'm really pleased with how each swap went, I received some lovely gifts and my partners seem pleased with the gifts I sent too. I look forward to hearing about your shawl, I've never made one before but I fancy having a go.

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  12. You received and gifted such beautiful things - that scarf is lovely! I received a box of Toffifee in my stocking this year as well - that Santa guy knows what he's doing ;)

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    1. Ha ha, he certainly does. I do like Toffifee but they can be a bit sickly if you're greedy, as I am, and eat quite a few in one sitting. Ask me how I know!

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  13. Wow another swop! You have had so many lovely things from these!

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    1. I have. I got a bit carried away signing up but I enjoyed each and every one and I'm sure I'll be signing up for lots more this year.

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  14. What lovely swaps - such lovely things :-)

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    1. I've been very lucky with the swaps I've taken part in, I've had lovely partners and they've sent such lovely gifts.

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  15. Both the swaps you participated in sound great fun Jo :) You both received and gave some lovely items. I really like the scarf you made.

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    1. I had great fun with all the swaps I took part in, I was so lucky to receive so many wonderful gifts. The scarf is the only handmade item I gifted this year, I just didn't have the time to spend on crafting for Christmas, but now I've given up the allotment I should have more time for other hobbies.

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  16. Hey Jo, after many absences from lots of things including life this year I am attempting to catch up with all my favourite blogs. I was shocked to find that 'a good life' is no more but so happy to find you have another blog that I can read about what you have been up to. After all although I came across your blog due to it's gardening content I have enjoyed your writings and getting to know you over the years so I will happily keep up with what goes on over here!! Such wonderful gifts you sent and received...we kept christmas very small this year and I didn't even partake in secret santa at work...maybe next year I will feel a little more into it...I did enjoy reading about your lovely gifts though...the wool is lovely.

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    1. I'm so pleased that you found me over here. I do think it's a shame to give up writing The Good Life, but just like the allotment, things have to give this year and keeping up with one blog will take time enough. It took me a while to get in to the Christmas spirit this year but we ended up having a wonderful time spending so much time together as a family. I did enjoy taking part in the swaps and I received some wonderful gifts.

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  17. Oh wow, what fun!!! The fact that you guys are all crafty made this swap even more fun than it would have been otherwise because your gifts were all so unique!

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    1. I loved this swap as it was geared towards my hobbies. It's fun to choose and send gifts to people which you know they're going to like and great to get some in return which you know are going to be just what you want.

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  18. What a wonderful, fun thing to do! Lots of lovely gifts given to each other!
    xx
    Shari

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    1. I've thoroughly enjoyed taking part in swaps, they've been lots of fun.

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  19. What fun! Sounds awesome. You received wonderful stuff!

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    1. It was lots of fun to take part in, I received lots of lovely gifts.

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  20. Oh, I enjoyed this swop too! Those reindeer socks are adorable, such fun to pull them out each year. xxx

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    1. It was great fun taking part and I received some wonderful gifts. The reindeer socks are brilliant, I've put them away so that they don't get spoilt before next Christmas.

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  21. Hi Jo,I can't believe I missed this post about the swap, I'm only just getting around to posting about what you sent me now!!! How funny that I was Leah's secret santa and she was yours and you were mine!!! Thank you for all my wonderful gifts, and this was such a fabulous swap to take part in xx

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    1. It is funny that we were all paired with each other. It was a really fun swap, I loved it having a knitting theme, I received some lovely gifts from Leah and I had fun choosing gifts to send to you.

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  22. The checkerboard, or basket stitch, was the first pattern I learnt when I'd learnt to knit. Mum had lots of patterns and there was a baby layette set and part of the layette was a blanket. I made it in soft pink for my dolly Jenny. It has 6 rows of garter top and bottom. A 5 stitch x 6 row pattern and 5 stitches in garter all the way up the sides. I had a red Silver Cross pram and I would show everyone the blanket I'd knitted. Many years later when Peppy cat died, we buried her in the blanket. Best, Jane xx

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    1. The checkerboard pattern is a good one for new knitters to practice their knits and purls. What a lovely story and how special that Peppy cat had something precious from you to be buried in.

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