Swaps

I joined the Hogwarts Sock Swap purely on the spur of the moment, having found the blog for it by accident. Since I love all things Harry Potter it seemed a good idea at the time and certainly, as I have said before, I had plenty of time to get my socks knit and shipped by April 15.  Also, I knit lots of orphan socks for the sock patterns I design as well as complete pairs for relatives but rarely for myself so the idea of someone else knitting an entire pair for me was too good to pass up.

The last time I joined a swap was rather disappointing as my package did not come until way after the due date. However a one time miss does not a pattern make so I thought I’d try a swap again.

This one has easy rules and a clear set of guidelines for items to include. As I am a Gryffindor I thought my pal would be one too but the Universe is a game player as we are all supposed to be having fun. I was given a Slytherin as my sockee and the person making socks for me is a Slytherin as well. However since we have been writing I can attest to the fact they are both very nice and thoughtful, so un-Slytherin-like.

I was also delighted to find that the woman who made socks for me lives in Finland. Her English is excellent so our correspondence has been very enjoyable. My only Finnish word is garn, meaning yarn. We also all have HP names to “protect the not-so-innocent”. Mine is Lavender K. and my Finnish pal is Cassandra C. while the person I am making socks for is Selena S.

As we in HP land tend to use HP terms, I will tell this little tale that way too. Today, a large brown owl that looked quite tired from a rather long flight landed on my lunch table and stuck out its leg. I removed a white package, thanked the owl by giving her a treat, then watched her fly away up to the owlry for a well-deserved rest. I could hardly contain my self as I opened the package.

The first thing out was a pair of gorgeous socks. I had thought they were supposed to be knit in Gryffindor colors (dark crimson and gold), which I am not fond of, but instead these are bright cheery fuchsias, rusts and golds, get out of the winter blues colors. They are made from Lorna’s Laces Bittersweet in a modified ribbing with a baby cable center. I immediately took off one of the socks I was wearing and replaced it with the new one. Ohhhhhh heaven and all mine without having knit one stitch. So delightful.

Then I started looking at the rest of the loot gifts. There were 2 balls of Garnstudio’s Fabel Superwash in greens, gold and grays. Oh and now I have 2 more words in Finnish ---sokkegarn and Ull. You probably guessed the first is sock yarn and the second is wool. At this rate pretty soon I can have a whole knitting conversation. OK, not that soon, as there is a free pattern inside the label that I just looked at. I can tell the gauge, needle size, maybe the pattern and to cast on 60 stitches but that’s about as far as my new Finnish gets me. Hopefully Maarit will come through with a translation.

I just heard from Maarit (see quote below) who tells me all those words I have been learning are Norwegian as is the yarn and pattern on the label. So no translation but I do now have some Norwegian to Finnish knitting words to share with you.
<I read your blog just a sec ago (I have it in my bookmarks ;D). Those words you mention there are written in Norwegian (how should you know as I send you "foreign" yarn...), correct Finnish translations are:
garn = lanka (yarn), sokkegarn = sukkalanka (sockyarn) and ull = villa (wool). I so hope you don't mind these corrections>
I most certainly don't mind and actually rather appreciate having the corrections. I apologize for assuming the yarn was Finnish. That was my American provincialism at work.

Also in the package was a set of typical Finnish dpns in plastic covered metal, two pretty beaded stitch markers, some Finnish candy, a postcard, a shawl pattern and a lovely note to me. It felt like a birthday present, but in March.

I have one complete sock and maybe a quarter of the second one done for Selena. Also ready are her stitch markers, a journal, some circular sock needles and some HP candy. Reminder to self: reserve an owl for next week's mailing. Making the second sock is such a trial but after wearing the ones I just received and feeling so good about them I am inspired to get this second one knit ASAP. I am also quite pleased with this swap group, as the experience has been delightful.

When mvos told me she wanted to wear the socks I made for her everyday, I did not really understand even though I was pleased. However I am about to wash these Hogwarts socks in the sink so I can wear them again tomorrow.