Little gifts

Over at Knitting and Tea and Cookies we did a Valentine's Swap, an activity I must say I love in spite of various nagging worries as some packages are delayed crossing the border between Canada and the US. We keep the price limit low - $10 including materials - which breeds a lot of creativity.  I made an apron, a felted wool tea trivet, and a little pin to go along with a few bought items I sent to my buddy, who lives too far south to really benefit from a woolly hat as far into spring as February. And here is the deliciousness I was sent (by a different buddy - we do a round rather than a direct back/forth) :

Not to worry about not quite seeing that bag of Lindt chocolate hearts - they were gone by the end of the day anyway, heh.  Apparently the pattern for the froggy bag is popular for lunches; I immediately tucked my super fluffy mohair socks into it, but I can see how copying the design for a few little bags of my own would use up some stash fabric and be handy for lots of little things, future gifts included.  Meanwhile, the frogs make it super easy to find my socks on a cluttered desk, and I love them for it.

That milk chocolatey yarn? Baby alpaca.  Yes.  I know exactly what I want to use it for too - a lacy shawl, yum.  And crocheted medallions?  In theory fab embellishments for other projects but in my case, totally a big start on my goal of handmade tree decorations for next Christmas. You can't feel how soft they are but if I tell you the fiber mix includes bamboo, you'll have an idea won't you.

Then a little while later - aforementioned border issues - along came this unexpected Valentine treat from another friend:

I have a tea cosy for my big pot but not for this little sweetie, my two-cupper with the china insert for loose tea. It looks so hip with that button on it.  And I love the colours in this yarn, don't you?  I find I keep looking at it and touching it and wanting more tea as an excuse to use it.

I do love sewing and making things for other people but whoa, is it ever nice to have other people make and sew things for me!