All I Want for Christmas...

I figured it was time to share my yarn related Christmas presents with you - I was very excited and I've had plenty of time to play with them too (yay).

This year I decided to be very blunt about what I wanted. The first thing I did is decide I needed a swift and a ball winder. I consulted with the experts (read as: my friends from yarn group) and got the low-down on the best items for a lowest cost that would work wonderfully.



For the swift, I dropped the hint on a phone call with my  mother. I told her about my telling the Man that I needed a ball winder and swift. She asked "What's a swift?" So I began to tell her how important it was, especially when you get hanks of yarn from really nice yarn places. I told her I had some hanks already and I couldn't really crochet or knit from them because it was such a hassle to wind into a ball within impeding on someone else's time - ya know, need their arms to hold up my yarn....

(c) The Knit Store on Etsy

So, she inquired a little further and I told her "Oh, I know where you could get one for 20 bucks" - and she asked me where. So I told her to go to Etsy, specifically one from a shop called TheKnitStore (link to shop). Within a couple minutes she asked "What is your address again?" and a minute after that she said "Watch for your Swift. Merry Christmas. Wrap it for me?"

BOO YAH!

Ok - a review on that bad boy coming soon.

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Anywhoozles - I knew I had the swift on its way so I had to get the Man to buy the ball winder. That was easy enough - one link via email and an explanation THAT is what I wanted for Christmas. I explained I didn't want the electric one - I wanted this one. This one in the picture... This one from KnitPicks.com... and within the week I saw the charge hit the bank account.

I knew THIS ball winder was on its way!

I was SET!

On Christmas Day, I got the set I needed and was swifting/winding balls by evening. Now my extra balls are all organized and I'm currently knitting away my scarf with a nicely wound center pull ball. They both work fantastically.

In addition to the two items I really was blunt about, my brother and Sister-in-law nailed my gift as far as project bags are concerned. They got me a large utility tote from ThirtyOne (link to the tote - mine is in 'Minty Chip' with my initials embroidered on the side). I love love LOVE it - the only large bags I have are grocery bags from TJ Max... I didn't have anything quite that big that was sturdy... well, I didn't - I do now! I really like the bag a lot and its my first official ThirtyOne bag.

I also got a gift certificate to Joann Fabrics.... which I will be headed to once I get my next coupon via text message.

I didn't get a yarn related present from Rabbit, although I told her I wanted yarn or yarn accessories. That lil scamp bought me a fire pit for the backyard. Now, while I really love the fire pit, what got me is her reasoning ... "I got you yarn and yarn accessories last year, ma - I couldn't get you that again this year!"

I just don't understand that reasoning at all! ...although... I will definitely enjoy knitting or crocheting next to the fire on brisk spring and fall nights.