Itching for a winter knitting swap!

I'll start by showing you what's on my needles today. This is a pair of Alice Cullen inspired fingerless mittens. I got the pattern from Vampire Knits, which has lots of mouth watering winter knitting projects. Bite me. :)

I'm making these for my college friend Debbie, who will be coming to visit me for my birthday next weekend. I didn't get to see her for Christmas, and realized I have never knitted anything for her. She doesn't knit, but I know she likes to stay warm. And the weather where she lives is slightly milder than here, so fingerless may do well for her. At least for spring, anyway, or fashionable shopping!

I have discovered a local yarn store in the next town over, and have been finding excuses to go back and wander around. I picked up a few more skeins yesterday as an early birthday present to myself, as well as some new dpns. The very nice lady at the store answered my questions and was kind enough to demonstrate for me how to knit in the round with 2 circular needles. Now I know, so I may have to pick up some extra circs to have 2 of each size. My circs were not long enough to do that 'magic' whatever it's called method. Forcing it to fit only made my yarn catch and snag where the cable met with the needle. ARG! So I'm using dpns to knit mitts, which is fine with me. I LOVE bamboo needles. They make knitting pure pleasure.

Now that I have gotten into the groove again, I am itching to join a swap! Back in 2008 I participated in a few, and made friends with some wonderful people. Most of us drop a line to one another via blog comments now and then. It's nice to stay in touch. I really liked connecting with people who live in other parts of the world - it really makes the world feel smaller (or closer, if that may be a better word).

Unfortunately, the swaps I joined back then do not have a repeat swap going. I was really looking forward to bumping into some of those guys and gals in another round.

Now I am going to have to seek out a new one to join.

I can knit, I can shop for fabulous yarn to send out, I can spoil my buddy with goodies like chocolate, coffee, etsy things, but I don't sew or do hand-made cards or things like that.

I hope to find something soon with a winter, chocolate, coffee, mystery, or something like that theme to join in on. Too early for spring themes for me. It's not even ground hog day yet.

If you are happily involved in a swap right now, I will try not to be jealous.
Now off to ravelry I go to check things out...