The new swap info is up and sign ups open up tomorrow. Come to the new blog for information. See you there!!!

The Skinny on the Swap

What great and helpful comments!!! I'm thrilled to see how well liked this swap has become. Don't worry, it will continue!!!! Here's what I've decided:

1. The swap will be once a year, not twice. I think that is one thing that has contributed to my slight burnout. Plus I think fall is a great time of year for a coffee swap. So from here on out, October will be swap time.

2. I need co-hosts. I think this is the best way to keep it from getting too crazy for me but also keeping it personal and open to lots of people. I would like to get three to four people to help me out, with each person handling about 30-40 people. My only question is how many people to open the swap up to. Is 200 too much? Last time I capped out at 112. I'm afraid that if there are too many, the blog won't be as much fun as it gets hard to keep track of people and remember who is who.

If you'd like to be a host/ess, here's what I'm looking for:

Someone who realizes it takes a lot of time to do a good job with it, who will not flake on me! You need to be online just about every day for the duration of the swap.

Someone who has done the swap before and participated in the blog, has a lot of swap experience or a long standing blog. I only say this because I know how easy it is to be excited about something on a blog, sign up, and drop it when life gets hectic. So I really need to know that whoever helps will seriously be on board.

If you think you meet all these requirements, e-mail me at coffeeswap AT yahoo.com

3. I need buttons for "Knitters' Coffeeswap 3" so if you can do that, e-mail them to the above address.

4. I need prizes for the contests. We had a lot of great stuff last time! Let me know if you'd like to donate.

5. The swap will open for sign ups October first and not a minute before. I know you're excited but please don't try to sign up early. I will make you wait and sign up again anyway:-)

I think that's it for now. Keep your eyes out for further announcements. In the meantime, if you're looking for something fun I've got a blog contest going on right now, so come on over to Knittymama for the Sow the Seeds contest!

Updates!

Hey Coffeeswappers!

I hope you've been having a wonderful summer. It's already time for me to start thinking about our next swap, but before I post a few ideas about that I wanted to make sure that everyone is settled from the last swap. I had a few people who needed angels and a few who thought they might but then said their package was on the way. Did everyone get a package? I don't want anyone to be left feeling glum about their experience with this swap.

Moving on to FALL SWAP INFO!!!! ( I know you are excited about this, but don't sign up quite yet:-)

Their will be a fall swap (October) and this might be the last one I do, not sure yet. The first swap wasn't that tough as I limited it to about 50 people so it felt very manageable. This last one was well over a hundred and as much fun as it was, it took my life over a bit for quite awhile and I still don't feel like it is quite wrapped up yet. So here's what I'm thinking of:

-Keeping it open to a bigger group but using Swapbot to do the matches. This would be easier for me but then I can't try to match people up with similar interests, allergies, needs, international, etc.

-Limiting it to 50 again. This means a lot of people get left out and I like to include everyone as much as possible.

-Not being a total control freak and realizing that I should get a couple co-hostesses who have done the swap before, preferable with swap experience. My only worry with this is that someone will volunteer and either flake or just not do that great of a job with it.

Okay people, now is when you bombard me with ideas and suggestions! :-) I know there will be lots!


xoxo
Knittymama

You Missed Out!

For whatever reason, Ida's original partner didn't end up following the swap through to the end, so Ida generously volunteered to be an Angel, and lucky me was her Angel-ee!
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Look at all the stuff she sent: a super-cute, giant tote bag; two bags of coffee from roasters in her town; chocolate; huckleberry jam; 4 bars of jasmine and sandalwood scented soap; coffee-themed stitch markers; and two beautiful skeins of hand-painted merino yarn!

Thank you, Ida - you truly are an angel! And Happy (belated) Birthday!

(Keep an eye out for your letter-carrier... hint, hint!)

What a bunch of angels!!!!

Wow, you knitters rock!!! I had ten people volunteer. We ended up with three needing angels and so I just matched them up in the order people volunteered. So, if you are going to be an angel you should get an e-mail from me today. Thank you so very, very much to all those volunteers!!

Also, if you didn't get your package now's the time to let me know as I'll be wrapping this all up soon. Once I do I won't be checking the swap e-mail that often, so don't get left in the cold! :-)

Package Received From my Wonderful Partner

Cairi sent me this wonderful package well over a month ago! I sent her a personal "Thank You", but I have been in technology purgatory, so have not been able to post about it here or on my blog. Hopefully now, all is back as it should be and I can give her a proper public "Thank You" for my wonderful package of goodies!

She sent a package of local, Melrose Blend Coffee which I absolutely loved (yes, past tense--I drank it all!) She also sent a beautiful skein of sock yarn that she hand dyed, you can find her at www.cazza269.etsy.com and she has more beautiful sock yarns available there! Cairi also knit me a wonderfuly soft self-striping hat which I'm sure will find lots of use this winter, and a cute little wooden sheep she found in a local shop. The card has a beautiful flower, and there was also a set of needles that somehow didn't make it into the picture. Thanks so much Cairi for making this swap so much fun!!

Angels needed!!! (Also titled: "Did You Ditch Your Pal?")

Wow...after seeing all the wonderful packages I am so bummed to have to make this post. The first coffee swap went off nearly without a hitch and this one started out so swimmingly; no problems at all. But as it is wrapping up it seems we have a few members who have had partners who have ditched them, which means we need a few angels. Anyone want to help out? I figure people can either be an angel all on their own, or if there are people who can't be an entire angel, maybe we could have a few "half angels" who work with another member to send off two smaller packages to someone rather than one big one. So, if you'd like to be an angel and help a few of our lovely members who have been neglected by their pals, please e-mail me at coffeeswap AT yahoo DOT com and I'll set people up. Thank you SO VERY MUCH!!!

Now I'll add this: please, please, please....if you have not sent your pal a package please do so now, let them know it's coming and let me know it's coming. Or at least, e-mail me and let me know what the heck happened.

A Wonderful Package

I had a wonderful swap partner, Kathy. This was quite the fun swap, actually knowing who your partner is. We kept in contact and I received my package from Kathy on Monday evening.

It certainly brought a smile to my face when I opened the package.



Once I opened it, I found lots of wonderful treats inside. A wild blueberry scone mix, a container of Hit Cookie, Creme Brulee flavored coffee (creme brulee is my favorite dessert, so I'm looking forward to having some of the coffee soon), a knitting diary and of course, yarn! Enclosed were two skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (in a color I love) and it's so soft. And a skein of Sockotta. This is a cotton/wool/nylon mix and a sock yarn that I've not yet knit with before. The sock yarn is in colors I would normally not choose, but yet I was immediately in love with. These will make a great pair of summer socks!



Thanks again Kathy!

No package

I am glad everyone had a wonderful swap. I do hope that my swap partner has enjoyed her package. I have yet to see a package, and at this point I am not expecting one.

Mary

So Spoiled

I was truly spoiled by my swap partner Angela for this swap. Here's a group shot of all the goodies I received, but if you stop by my blog, you can read all about each individual goodie.
I loved everything in my package. Thanks Angela! You really know how to hook a person up!


Necia

Goodies from the East to the West

Today was a good mail day. These yummy goodies came all the way across country from Necia. What can I say but OMG!!!! I now have no excuse not to try to spin yarn. The learn to spin kit came from Harlem Purls along with the cutest stitch markers. The cute bag came from the Knitting Ewe. Then there is the yarn. Not sure what kind but I love the colors. And of course there were the treats - candies and cookies and coffee. And check out the size of my new coffee mug. So it was indeed a good mail day. Big hugs and thanks to Necia!!!!

Package Received

I received the most awesome package last week from my partner Janee'

The box smelled so good. The larger sized coffee is flavored or called Snickerdelicious (it's delish, by the way) and the smaller bag is French Silk. I also received a pen, stitch marker, key ring, vanilla scented soap in a handmade bag, and vanilla scented hand creme. I also got biscotti, and a limited edition of Hershey's special dark espresso chocolate. I'm waiting for a moment alone to devour this. Lastly, the yarn.... It's Maggi's Linen yarn from Maggi Knits Irish Collection. The color is a deep rich orange. I HEART it. Janee' says she will be checking my blog to see what I come up with. I do... have an idea of what I can do with it and hope to get started on it within the next week or so. THANKS so MUCH Janee'!!!!

Yayness! I got my package from Amanda this week! It contains some super yummy texan coffee, some jitterbug sock yarn and some super sexy roving! (I would post a pic, but blogger isn't cooperating...I'll try to post it later)

Package Received....two weeks ago!

Actually, I received Becka's package more than two weeks ago. She is the best - very thoughtful and creative! I have a post all about it on my blog from June 2nd. Here is the link:

http://www.pancakesfordinner.com/2007/06/a_package_full_of_goodies.html

Thank you again, Becka!

Awesomeness Received!

I've been meaning to post for a few days, but I finally got around to it. My super-awesome pal sent me an awesome package (after a small bump in the road with it being returned to her):

Isn't she great? Thanks Rachel!

Package Arrived!

My package arrived yesterday, from caffeinated knitter. Lovely! More about it over on my blog.

Prize for Still Life arrived!

The prize for my still life picture with coffee and yarn arrived in the mail on Saturday. It made my weekend! You can find more pictures on my blog. I'll be able to use them on my jumper - once I finished this mega-blanket I'm doing now...but I'm knitting my last square. No chance for these wonderful things to sit on a vase on the mantelpiece for too long.

Thank you Knittymama for hosting this wonderful swap/contest and thank you Sunneshine for this wonderful work of art!

Yay! I got my box!

What's in it:
Rowan's Rowanspun 4 ply, Bazic wool super wash in green, and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK in light pink. As well as soft stitch ring markers and Pocky milk chocolate biscuit sticks. I love the coffee! Javana's Caramel Swirl. Mhmm. It's deliscious. I already had a cup!
Thnx Jeanine!

Finally...

I can tell you that I got my BOX!!!
And I love everything thing in it!!!
Oh and such beautiful yarn too!
Thank you Connie really.

MMM....Chocolate.