The Round Robin Giftbag Exchange

n · The Round Robin Giftbag Exchange

How about this?

SF says it took about 15g. The free pattern is on the link in her post.

n

melody yarns

Oooh I like that!!

n

I thought it was the perfect leftover sockyarn project. Laughing

She says it holds 15 Celebrations!

n

terri

I think thats a brill idea!!!!! Wonder how many I can make this week in my annual leave Very Happy

n

Just think of all the leftovers you'll be using up, Terri.

Maybe we could have them as a forum Round Robin swap.

Knit a bag from 4 ply weight sock yarn.
There would be a maximum number of stitches and rounds.
Fill it with small goodnesses.
Tiny Thisses and Thats.
Send it on to someone else.
Nothing is allowed apart from what fits in the bag. (Including shutting it.) Nothing poking out of the top.
Nothing extra in the parcel.
If it doesn't fit inside, you can't send it.

You keep the bag until the next month and then send it on to someone else.

n

terri

That sounds like a really nice idea!!!!
Would you send the same bag on then refilled with goodies???

melody yarns

I LOVE that idea!! I'd be in on that definitely. Cool

n

I think so...

My mum says that when she was a little girl my Nana and her sister (My Great Auntie Jean) used to have biscuit tin with Bluebirds on the lid. Every birthday and Christmas and other occasion, it was swapped back and forth between them with all sort of stuff inside... we are talking the late 30's and the war years here, when there wasn't much apart from imagination.

I suppose I was thinking that there would be a number of people all with the same sized bag and you just pass on the bag to the next person in the chain. It's not the bag which matters, it's the imagination which goes into the contents. I mean you could get a very small yarncake inside (leftovers?) or some sweets, or a rolled up pattern, or a dozen shampoo and handcream sample sachets from magazines... but you couldn't fit it all in at once, so the limit is the size, and your imagination. It should be free or almost free. Maybe a £2 limit.... and maybe you should have to itemise that as well to make it fair.

Start hunting your charity shops now folks!

What shall we call it?

The Tiny Round Robin Bag Thing?

n

terri

sounds brill!
So you would only knit one bag, and then send your next bag each month, so the one you received the previous month would be refilled and passed on........yeah???

melody yarns

Yup. The TRRBT, or Tribbet, swap?

terri

I'm definately up for joining in on this one!!!!
Who's going to get it organised then??? N???? Very Happy

n

All you'd have to do to join in is knit a bag.
It doesn't have to be secret, because we'd know where the bag was last because of what it looked like, so the idea wouldn't be for it to be secret, the main thing would be to make maximum use of your £2 limit (stash of all kinds permitted). The closer it gets to being a free bag the better.

I suppose the only extra would be a small notebook (say 20p, nothing grand) which didn't have to fit in the bag. This could itemise the cost (for posterity... we could be doing this in ten years time) and the thoughts of the recipient(s) and the sender(s). The notebook gets passed on with the bag so together, they acquire a history.

Anyone who wants to join in after the first round can do so, they just get slotted in at a certain point and they have to knit a bag and add a supermarket 20p notebook to join in.

Everyone would have to agree that £2 is the absolute maximum, and that going over this is not in the spirit of the Round Robin.

We bought my son a mug for Christmas, and I'm thinking of using the box his mug came in as the packaging. Not sure how big the bags are, but we could decide that ourselves... they look to have a circular base, so perhaps no more than mug-sized?

n

jacquie

Brilliant idea, n! Count me in!

Should we set up a usergroup for this?

melody yarns

There's a little gift bag on the Opal sock pattern isn't there?? Does anyone know how big it knits up?? And why do I always use two question marks when one will do?? See, there I go again !!

jacquie

I don't know??

I have taken the liberty of setting up a usergroup for this event with n as the moderator - so now it's official! Hope that is ok??

cazzie

Ooh I would be up for this too Very Happy

Aknita

n

I was just kind of thinking it up as I went along, so I may need help/ideas.

It won't fit into the swap bot mould, so we need to work out a way of sorting out who we send to next, alphabetical won't work because we'd always be sending to the same person. Random allocation is a bit of a job to re-do every month. Maybe I'll just need to come up with new ideas each time. Pets names, house numbers, postcodes etc etc.

Right, we are officially taking sign-ups for the swap.
The first bags will be sent at the end of January.
Everyone has enough to do between now and Christmas, we need to settle on a "standard" bag between now and the end of December.

Off to bed now... I have the weight of responsibilities on my shoulders!

n

jacquie

OK I have moved this thread to the swapa forum.

To join this event please join the usergroup by clicking where it says usergroups at the top of the page and selecting the TRRBT one from the drop down list.

Click on 'View information' and then subscribe or join (can't remember which it says now, but I think it will be clear when you get there!)

It is an open usergroup but n will need to approve your membership because that is how it works.

I guess when a cutoff date for signing up for a round passes the group will become closed but will open again when the next round starts so you all have a chance to join or leave as you wish.

Aknita

Hanne

I'm in! I really like this idea.

n

There are seven of us so far.

n

craftybernie

Have submitted myself to the usergroup. Smile

Libby

I would love to

but???????????????

I hit the garden come the summer and don't know if I can be committed enough to stop gardening. I think I will count myself out and see how much I knit during the summer Rolling Eyes

n

Libby, the fun part of this exchange is that it might not involve any knitting at all apart from the initial bag.

Think of it as a mini Christmas stocking if you like, but bag shaped.

There's yarn (!), beads, buttons, coffee beans, herbs, spices, jam, pickle, fibre, soap, pomegranates (!), nail polish for scarlet hussies etc etc etc.
You could send a bag of tiny new potatoes or carrots if you wanted to...

It's more of an exercise in gathering and imagination than in making.

And if you can't do it for a month then you just sit tight and don't join in for that month. As long as you tell us a month in advance, it's fine.
I think if someone was going to stop completely then they should return the bag, and more importantly, the little travel notebook which goes along with it to the person who started that bag off... they might like to see where it's been, but apart from that it's fairly flexible.
And almost free. £2 per month Maximum plus postage. I will jump from a great height on anyone who breaks that rule and sneaks in more expensive stuff!!!

n

n

I've changed the title of this to identify it better.
I haven't forgotten about it, I just have a Mile Long List to get through before I can start thinking about it or knitting my bag.

n

n

Okay, I'm just bumping this thread to remind everyone it's here.
At the moment there are eleven people in it, including me.

What I will do is make a list of participants on the first of January (or thereabouts).

In January, you send to the person ONE below you in the list.
In February, you send to the person TWO below you.
In March you send to the person THREE below you.

And so on.

Anyone who joins after the first round simply gets added to the bottom of the list, this means anyone can join (or miss a month) as they wish... BUT I need to know that you are IN or OUT at the start of the month, to allow planning time.

The original pattern is here.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS OF THE ORIGINAL BAG
4 inches/10cm high; 3.25 inches/8cm across
at base.

The pattern is knitted top down in sock yarn and on 60sts, 2.5mm needles.
So essentially it's a sock leg with picot edge and eyelets for the i-cord.
The base is circular and looks like the spiral you'd get on a tam.

I was aiming for something no more than Mug-sized.
So the final size will be SLIGHTLY longer than the original pattern... you can make it 4 inches from the eyelets to the base.
If anyone would prefer a flat seam to make a rectangular bag instead then add an extra inch to the length to allow for the loss of the space you'd have for the round base.
If you want to knit it out of DK or something else that's fine, just remember the maximum dimensions are the same, so adjust accordingly.

The next thing is to find a box you can post it in.
If the boxes are sturdy they'll survive a few mailings.
Allow for the fact that you might want to send someone a jar of jam, and the box will need enough space for some serious padding on top, bottom and sides.

Start looking for your notebook too! This is your bag's Travel Journal.

And remember... no more than £2 value per parcel.

The addresses will only be revealed at the start of the month and only to the one person who needs to know it. You can put a Home Address for your bag in the notebook if you wish but please don't write any of the other addresses in the books to protect forum members personal information.

n

I've never done this before so if I've forgotten anything, let me know.

n

Bump.

Please could participants send me pm's with their real names and addresses so I can compile a list.

I will keep a back up as a folder on the address book on my computer (all secure and password protected).

Is that okay with everyone?
I'll set up a master list a soon as I've heard from everyone.

So far we have ...

Aknita
Noo
Binty
Cazzie
Craftybernie
Grannysmith
Hanne
Jacquie
Melody yarns
Mogiebear
n
Terri

This is an alphabetical list.

So at the moment, in the first round you will be sending to the person below you on the list and terri is sending to Aknita.
If anyone else joins in before tomorrow at 18.00 I'll add them to the bottom.

Time to start knitting those bags, ladies.
I'll start a thread for bag photos... remember they can be included in the monthly sock yarn draw if they are made from anything remotely resembling sock yarn.

n

Cathie

This looks like fun, count me in as well,

Cathie

n

Cathie you need to join by adding yourself to the usergroup at the top of the main page beside the log in log out thingie.

Gotcha! Thanks for signing up.

Lovely to have you on board!

n

YarnAddict

Just seen this thread. Not sure how I missed it. Is it too late to join? Will try to join the usergroup and pm n although she already has all my details.

n

Thanks anni. Got you.

n

cazzie

Looking forward to this - putting together an ideas list for contents - just need to start knitting a bag Smile

craftybernie

Thanks for organising this N. It looks like a lot of work for you, but it's going to be great fun! Very Happy

Would you mind just checking if I have understood the rules correctly. I re-read the thread and just want to be sure... Confused

1) I have to knit just ONE bag, which I will fill with goodies and a notebook/journal. I then post this to the person one place below me on the chain i.e. Grannysmith

2) Each month I'll receive a bag from somebody with goodies which I can keep. I then refill the bag with more goodies and write something witty & wonderful in their notebook/journal, which I post to the next person below me on the chain i.e. Hanne

3) And so on, each month, until I have received and forwarded a bag from each member. Eventually my bag will make it back home to me with a notebook full of stories and tales, and some more goodies which I can keep it forever and ever.... !?

Thanks for your help & patience!!

Binty

Sorry girls - I have had to pull out of this one for the moment, but I may try and join later in the year when I know what my time is going to be like.

Hope I havent caused a problem by doing this Confused

n

No problem at all.

I'll adjust the list. And I'll post the FINAL VERSION tomorrow.

n

cazzie

Has anyone else started their bags yet? Very Happy

I've started mine - will post a piccie soon Very Happy

melody yarns

I'd better start knitting mine soon or it won't be ready

Auntie Noo

Cathie

I've not started mine either, I've had 3 orders in this week so I think it's going to be the weekend before I can get onto it I think.

Cathie

craftybernie

Yup - I've started mine. But I'm attacking it from the bottom up. Hopefully it will be the right size! Will post progress piccie soon (or even a photo of the finished thing if I get it done today).

n

The list is up for who is sending to whom... please comment on this thread to keep that one clear for instructions IYKWIM.

n

Auntie Noo

I've locked the other thread to "keep it clean" !!!! - n just PM any of the mods if you need it unlocking to make a post on it.

n

Oooh.... Thank you.

n

cazzie

Thanks n for organising this Very Happy

I am looking forward to it.

My bag is still in progress - I'm knitting mine on two needles - will try and do a progress piccie tonight

cazzie

Progress piccie of my bag:

Knitting on 2 needles - 60sts - Opal Rainbow Sock Yarn - I'm enjoying playing with this Very Happy

n

Oh WOW!!!

*rethinks plans for simple bag*

n

cazzie

sorry

Dont be fooled this is still simple - I dont get on with knitting in the round - the yarn is doing the work and I love patchwork knitting Very Happy

And I needed something to distract me from stocking stitch hats for the kids Very Happy

jacquie

I am going to start mine this evening at SnB - haven't picked out any yarn as yet though! Or any decorative pattern either - will have to see how it turns out.

Yours will be gorgeous Cazzie Very Happy

craftybernie

Wow Cazzie!!!! That's going to be stunning when finished. Patchwork knitting is so effective!

I'd be careful not to make it too pretty though, as it might not find it's way back home. :: wink wink :: Twisted Evil

ETA - I'm goin to have to frog mine back to the base as it's coming out too big. I'm using sock yarn, 2.25mm needles and 60 sts but I guess I'm a loose knitter. Hmmmm

GrannySmith

I don't mind the bag being to big, you will be able to pop more stuff in it Wink

n

You don't need to frog it... as long as it's not santa-sack sized!
It was just a guide really. - I thought if I just said "a bag" then the potential was there for really wild variation, mine will probably be on the loose side too.
Just do 60 sts on sock needles and it will be fine.

n

craftybernie

Too late.. me done it. I frogged it back to the base and realised I had 88 stitches on the needles. Tee hee! All fixed and correct now. Does anybody have an abacus so I can learn to count??? Wink

jacquie

I started mine at SnB last night, but as usual my stitch:bitch brain allocation ratio was too low and I ended up with the wrong number of stitches after the picot row, so I had to frog and restart once I got home.

YarnAddict

Not been on for a few days. What's happening with this? Have we got a list of who we are sending to yet? When does the first bag need to be posted? Are we all sending off our bags at the same time? Am I being thick?? Wink

n

Here is the list, Anni.

n

cazzie

My bag is nearly finished (just need to do a tie) Very Happy

Picture here Very Happy

Cathie

Very pretty, I love the effect of the pattern. I really should get mine finished, I thought it was a bit on the small side but think it might be okay.

Cathie

melody yarns

Oh dear

My bag isn't even started yet Sad

Auntie Noo

Mine isn't started either Debs so don't panic!!! - I really want to finish Mavis first as I've only got one sleeve top and sewing up to do...... I am so much more comfortable with only one WIP so really want to get that done first. Bag is next on the agenda though!....... swiftly followed by a dishcloth!

melody yarns

That's the thing really. I've completed the first sock of a pair for Mr Melody and he loves it!! So I want to get the second sock finished quickly for him as this is the first pair I've knitted for John, poor bloke he puts up with heaps from me Sad

pictish

I haven't read this thread till now Rolling Eyes

but I see Joy said I'd done the little Opal bag on the Opal sock pattern and I did and it took me FOREVER cos it was big enough to get a folded pair of socks in with loads of room - ie quite big!! Probably 6/7" high and 4" across.

craftybernie

n

You know I have been thinking, and if anyone prefers to sew a bag instead of knitting it, that would be fine too.
Make it big enough to fit a normal sized mug in and that will be about right.
Mug-sized is what we are aiming for.

n

Aknita

I shall knit mine on the train when I go to London on Wednesday.

jacquie

I finished mine but now I think it should have been a bit taller - not sure I could get a mug in it - will check later on.

YarnAddict

Thanks for the link n. We've not been given any addresses yet as far as I understand, is that right? I was just worried there was an e-mail I'd missed out on.

When do we send out the first parcel?

On the 2nd month we send out the bag refilled that we received on the first month. Have I got that right?

I'd better get started on the bag this weekend. Got an urgent design with a deadline of the end of the month that I've bee nstruggling with so knitting on that exclusively now as I need to get it finished, but shouldn't take me long to do the bag. Fingers crossed. Very Happy

jacquie

Here is my little bag

I can just about get a mug into it, but it won't do up.

It's made from Koigu kpppm taht I had left over from a scarf I made a while back.

n

Yes, Anni, that's it.
Jacquie your bag is really pretty.

Sorry I have been not very chatty... just feel overcome with exhaustion at the moment for no particular reason. I'll sort out addresses asap. Don't send the bags until the 28th or 29th anyway so it does become an end-of-the-month event.

I'll be back tomorrow when I am more awake.

n

Cathie

I think I'm going to have to make my bag again, I couldn't even get the smallest of mugs or pots of jam in mine. It is only 4 inches in diameter and around 4 and 3 quarters in height when it hasn't been tied up.

Will have another today in the shop if I get a chance, will probably do the same as joy and make the opal gift bag

Cathie

Cathie

Hi,

My bag is finished, I've used aran wool, and its lionbrand wool ease, hope no one minds the acrylic yarn I had almost finished half of it before I realised it was't wool. I will start again if not, DD has been eyeing it up so it will have a good home.

It's slightly bigger than a mug, it has a ball of rowan calmer in (50g) but not quite as tall as I got very short on yarn towards the end. On the bottom I used the pinwheel pattern from the blanket I made.

craftybernie

I finished my bag at the weekend. Made using Opal sock yarn in Petticoat (I think). Ths is the original sock yarn that I bought for katie's unfinished socks a couple of years ago. Thankfully it's been made into something useful...

I followed the 'spinningfishwife' pattern exactly, except when it came to the tie.

I've never made a picot edge before or a knitted 'round' bag before so this project was a great way to learn.

The bag measures about 4" from the eyelets to the base and the base is about 3" in wide.

franney

I love the little waves that the fairisle bits have made, it's so cute!

YarnAddict

melody yarns

My bag is finished too! Very Happy

With help from the wonderful Franney, I managed to make a bag from fabric this afternoon and the pictures are on my blog. I sewed the bag instead of knitting as time is in short supply at the moment!

It's perhaps a tad larger than a jar of marmalade (as you can see in the pics on my blog) but I erred on the generous side rather than making it too small for anything to fit into it.

I'm a lot happier now that the bag is complete! Very Happy

melody yarns

When do we have to post our bags off for this month? Anyone know?

n

I will send out addresses tomorrow, so they can be posted this week.

Sorry for the delay. The tax-man (or woman) cometh, Shocked

, so I have had to prioritise!

n

melody yarns

Thanks n!! Cool

cazzie

I'd better get shopping for a filling Very Happy

Auntie Noo

Me Too!!! - and actually finish the bag!! Rolling Eyes

Aknita

I have my filling, and half a bag knitted.

Hanne

This is my bag

It closes with velcro, but I think the velcro tape won't tangle with fiber inside.

Aknita

It's lovely Hanne.

I've finished my bag too, there are more photos on my blog, but here it is all filled and ready to post.

Isn't it great, again we have such a diversity of bags - I'm so pleased I joined in with this Very Happy

YarnAddict

Finally finished my knitting deadline so starting my bag today. Better hurry up hadn't I? Going for an easy one and using the pattern for Sweet Stranding. Could do with an easy to follow pattern right now which involves not having to think about how to work out the design.

n

The bags are soooo pretty.
I posted mine in the wrong place, so here it is.

Not completely filled yet... still room and I'm off into town tomorrow so I wonder what I'll find?

n

n

Don't forget the notebook!

It's your bag's Life Story.

n

jacquie

Hanne's bag is very pretty - can't wait to see what's inside - I get it first!

Auntie Noo

Here's mine. Blocking round an empty malt extract jar!!! I need some beads or something for the end of the i-cord, but it's done. I have to admit it's not my best ever knitting - it seems quite loose to me. Confused

I'll be going into town either tomorrow or Thursday, so will choose something then, I have a few ideas!!!!

n

Just going to the PO this afternoon to post mine, and the postie came to me this morning too! (Thank you mogiebear). I am being ultra good and not opening until I have a camera to take photos... DH has gone to Birmingham and taken it with him!!!

n

Cathie

Almost got my filling sorted out, not sure what to write in the note book through have a total block on it at the moment

Cathie

n

If it's any help, I just wrote about what I put in the bag, where it came from, a couple of related websites, that sort of thing.

When I open mogiebear's bag I will take a photo and print it off and tape that into her notebook too.

n

Aknita

Natalie, I wrote pretty much what you did, if that helps Cathie.

Mine is a very small notebook though Embarassed

and actually fits into the bag. It would be impossible to fit photos in it. Have I misunderstood somewhere? If so, I'll gladly send another larger notebook off to Noo to replace it. ( I wouldn't be making a special purchase n, I have a couple of unused ones in a drawer )

Auntie Noo

Mine's only a little notebook too AKnita - I'm sure it'll be fine and we'll find something to write in it as it wends it's way around the world!

n

I intended to use a small moleskine one - from my notebook stash Embarassed

- you really didn't want to know that, did you? They make very thin ones called "cahiers".
But when I went to look for it, I found that someone had got there before me and STOLEN it !
The only other one available was a bit bigger... Other notebooks can be added as the bags go around. I would just write as much or a little as you like and when the book is used up, add another one!

n

YarnAddict

Off to town tomorrow to fill my bag although I already ahve a couple of ideas. Heres my bag, finished yesterday.

It's knitted out of my Merino 4ply which is a very soft single ply yarn. I used the Sweet STranding pattern but did my own stripey pattern. Actually I only looked at the pattern for the beginning and the base and because of that forgot to put the eyelets in for the ties to go through. Embarassed

But it looks good anywya. For the photo I stuffed if full of fibre which is why it has a slightly funny shape. Laughing

n

Filling it is fun.
I trawled all the charity shops on Nicholson St yesterday... there are seven or eight of them all pretty much one after another so there was a lot of stuff to choose from... but in the end I got something quite different from somewhere else and the rest is from various stashes, hee hee.

n

n

Don't forget to add the little bags to the January "Knit something with sock yarn" thread...

n

Auntie Noo

Sorry I won't be posting mine til tomorrow, cos I had forgotten to get a box to post it in!! Embarassed

*DOH* - silly girl!

cazzie

Hopefully posting mine tomorrow a well Very Happy

Auntie Noo

I've collected my bag from the post office this morning from Joy.

I've been good and haven't opened it - were we going to wait and open them all on a day together?