Always Knitting

So I have been thinking... why don't I have time to clean my house, why do the small projects never get done? It seems like I don't have time to do them. I've had a few request from some friends and family for hand knit items. Some I would never entertain and some I would love to do. But I don't seem to have time to add to my Queue. I finally figured out where all my time goes. There is something that we knitters do and especially the ones that belong to Ravelry a online knitter-verse.

Swaps, I have been in 5 swaps this year. A swap is a kin to pen-pals when we were young but depending on the group will include, yarn, notions, a hand knit item and assorted candies/edibles. I always try very hard to spoil my swap buddy. I read the questionnaire, whatever post they have written, blogs and surf their queues, projects and the likes.... Then I start compiling the theme to the package. I am a really good shopper so I often find goodies for really cheap like the last two swaps I was able to find knitting books perfect for the themes at 1/4 of the retail price of the books. The swap I'm working on right now is to celebrate the second to last Harry Potter movie. So I have the Harry Potter themed item, I bought the yarn from a small hand dyer. I started knitting the project. It's a double knit bookmark

Hogwarts Double Knitted Bookscarves

My partner and I sort, according to the sorting hat, into Gryffindor. So I started knitting that bookscarf and I really started to fall in love with it. My husband's nickname is Lion so I guess that makes sense. I was getting really sad because I was going to send it away. But it turns out my partner feels closer to Ravenclaw! So I get to keep my Gryffindor one. :)
Double Knit is really kind of fun but hard... You knit a two sided fabric that mirrors itself.