I love Ravelry … always great advice and comments from other hand-knit designers … opportunities for design submission work as well as great self-promotion chances …. wonderful spot to hang out and be with other fiber-fanatics (some of whom are even more rabid about knitting than am I!)

Here’s a case in point — at the beginning of July, the Catholics on Ravelry group opted to run a swap. Basically, the idea was to make your swap partner an item using yarn in your stash and include a postcard/card that you had (couldn’t but anything!) that meant something special to you ….

Here is what I received today from my wonderfully talented partner in Germany:

The doilies are GORGEOUS — shades of blue that really brings out the shaping of the lace … and the postcard is from St. Laurence in Nuremburg from an altar in a Dominican church in the town, circa 1460. I immediately cleared our family altar and placed our Blessed Mother statue on one doily and have our saint-of-the-day book on the other. The postcard has a place of honor in the center of our family altar!

Here’s the shawl I sent her … and hope she likes it as much as I love her gifts to me.

Gotta love Ravelry …. where else could I create a swap with a lovely Catholic knitter in Germany?????