SP10 Questionnaire

OK, Here I am.  I'm going to shoot for no short answers.

I love swaps.  I love shopping for other people.  I like being the hidden fairy godmother.  That, alone, is enough of a reason to do this.  But I like being pampered, too.  Here is my questionnaire so someone may get to know me.  Maybe the rest of you will see this and head over to http://secretpal10.blogspot.com/ and join up!

K.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I'm a self proclaimed yarn snob, but it's a really good world to be a yarn snob in.  Every yarn really has its place.  Soft acrylic?  Baby clothes!  I don't care for boucles, eyelash yarns (with exceptions, always exceptions), or anything that melts or squeaks.  I adore yarn that is soft and supple (Cashsoft), practical (220 Superwash) and colorful (cherry tree hill).  I have yet to meet a fiber animal I don't love.  I'll pass over the cotton for something else, most usually, but I have had occasion to wrap myself up in it.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

For my straights (which I very rarely use anymore) I have a milk pitcher that they look really posh in.  For my circs (I use magic loop, so I have a 47 inch addi for just about everything) I have some three ring, zip up pencil cases, kept together by large rings.  Yep, back to school shopping can be good for the knitter, too.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting for maybe four years.  I started after I was diagnosed with MS.  I lost feeling in my hands one day and it really, really pissed me off.  I taught myself out of the first Stitch n Bitch, and I would consider myself a fearless knitting.  There is nothing that I can't do.  Where does that put me on the scale?

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I do.  Amazon and I have a Froogle, but it's looking pretty sparse.  I have to wonder what happened.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Oh my god, that's a huge list.  I make soap, so I've got a lot of fragrances that I love.  I like lilac, and apple, and autumn leaves, and chocolate, and almond, and lavender, and bubble gum, and burnt sugar.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Yeah, guilty.  I love Cadbury chocolate (Milk chocolate, almonds are great) and I really like hard candy of most types.  I like really chewy gummi bears.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I spin on a spindle and a wheel.  I make cold process soap.  I cook, like obsessively.  I have a three pound cheese cake that has made me many friends.  I can crochet and I love it for lace, toys, and blankets that need to be done yesterday.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

This question always cracks me up, because if you're running a souped up toaster oven, you should be playing mp3s ;)  So yes, my computer does play MP3s.  I'm not much for the twang of a steel guitar, but you'll find me swaying to just about anything.  Angry White Women is my favorite genre, but I also love jazz, classic rock, and things I haven't heard before.  I listen to wfnx, if you care to dig that deep, so that flavor of music is always good.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I have a confession to make.  I love red.  Deep, dark, blood red.  I own very little of this color.  Its a dare I need to put myself up against.  I also love bright, vibrant greens.  I have lots of green.  I also wear a lot of browns.  I'm a study in earth tones.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live with my fiance who also knits and is the best thing I can ever hope to happen to me.  He and I have been together for two and a half years (we've known each other for about a decade) and we're gettin' hitched in October!  We have three cats together.  Each cat suffers from a different diagnosable mental illness.  This is more speculation than anything else, but I could compile case studies.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves, hats, and mittens are loving and warm, and incredibly necessary in New England in the winter.  I wear all three.  Ponchos do not exist on my level of reality.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks, hats, mostly socks.  I need to knit more.  What the hell am I knitting right now?

13. What are you knitting right now?

Shit.  Don't laugh, it's really not funny ;)  I've got a sock on the needles for someone who didn't get a sock from Sock Wars.  I have two of these pair to make.  No Sock Wars commentary from me, but I think everyone who played should get  a pair, so I'm doing that.  I've got a sweater for my sister that slowed down when I hit the sleeves.  Hiss sleeves.  A pair of breast cancer socks for my aunt that were dismissed as I was knitting them.  I'll pick them up when my bitchiness has worn off in that respect.  Of course she's still getting them, I just think they'll be the last pair for her for a bit.  A pair of Eunny Jang's Anemoi mittens for me.  I'm almost to the thumb on the first one, but other peoples' knitting keeps budging to the front of the line.  And I'm spinning.  That takes a lot of time that I could be knitting with.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Of course!  I think any crafter does.  We just understand.  And the non-crafters who also understand?  Elevate them on high.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I've phased out pretty much anything but addis.  I like wooden needles, but the joins on wooden circs leave much to be desired.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes.  Birthday present from the fiance.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

We don't really talk about it, but I've got a lace bed jacket that is waiting for either a giant frog or a giant change of heart.  It's got to be getting close to a year, now.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween.  I love dressing up!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Shot glasses.  I try to get one every place I visit.  And people bring shot glasses to me from places they go to.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Well, I wouldn't say dying.  I only subscribe to Craft Magazine, which isn't knitting, per se.  I haven't passed a Vogue up in a very long time.  I love Interweave.  I'm waiting for the new Interweave sock book coming out, and Eunny Jang has a book coming out this year that I will pounce upon.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'm going to sit down and figure out double knitting.  Both the double knitting that would give you, say, two socks, and the double knitting that would give you reversible color work.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I have a size 7 and a half foot, and I love knitting socks.

23. When is your birthday?

Dec 1st, the day of mirthful liscense.  I am a Sagittarius, which is a mutable fire sign. ;)

So there I am.  Chris just came in and I discovered that I'm a bit cranky, so I should probably head to bed.

Comments

[Heather]

Great read -- no wonder we get along so well! I can't wait to see who we get. And don't be cranky -- Wed. is knit night and we've missed you!

[Gina House]

I agree...a great read indeed! It's nice to get to know you...again! Looking forward to seeing you tonight and hope you liked the blurb I did on your soaps on my podcast : )

[Nichole]

I "third" that - great read! I think its fun to get to know everyone a little bit better thru the SP10 questions too... maybe there ought to be a ManchVegas question of the month or something for us all to put on our blogs???

[shhh, I'm a secret]

You had me at "shit"! Yay! I'm your secret pal for 10 and I'm stoked to get started. I am also a sock knitter - I'd love to hear more about what kind of yarn you like:) I'll be in touch!