The Questionnaire
Here are is the questionnaire for SP10. Please be sure to post it in a spot on your blog where your pal can easily find it. Since your pal will use this to help create your packages you'll want to have it posted to your blog no later than the last day of February.1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm a total sucker for alpaca - it's my absolute favourite. Anything hand-dyed makes me go all wobbly, but I like a lot of "regular" yarn too (Patons Classic Wool and Shetland Chunky for instance). As for *not* like - well, I did have a brief fling with Fun Fur and Vespa, but really I'm not keen on novelty yarns, especially anything disco-shiny.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A toolbox. Straights in the bottom, DPNs and circs in their pouches (or a ziploc bag) in the divided top tray.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Self-taught from the Lion Brand/Boye "teach yourself to knit" kit, on the August long weekend 2005. Wow, a year and a half already! I think I'd say intermediate - I've done two whole sweaters (1 pullover, 1 cardigan) and have another in the works, socks in various gauges, cables... haven't tried lace yet but have a few patterns and yarn waiting in the stash for that.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I have an Amazon one for my upcoming wedding, but it's all CSI dvds - no fiber content!
5. What's your favorite scent?
Cookies. Or really, anything homemade cooking. As far as scents that can be sent (ha ha), I think probably vanilla is a safe bet - I also adore sandalwood but hubby's not keen on it. And chocolate always smells good!
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I am a walking sweet tooth! Favourite candies would be ju jubes (I keep a HUGE jar in my living room), anything chocolate (especially with nuts!). So the dream combination would be chocolate-covered ju jubes, but I've never seen them.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I am resisting spinning - if I spun I'd have even less time to knit. :) I read a lot and write (two novels in the works), and love to cook and bake. I'd call baking my main non-knitting "craft."
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Anything but rap and opera. Really, when it comes to music there is no such thing as TOO diverse for my taste. MP3s are awesome, I love my iPod!
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Hm. I am usually drawn to earth tones or "neutrals" (black, blue, brown). I love red but it's not one of my best colours. Not a fan of orange or pastels.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with one adult male human and two formerly female cats (one elderly, one young). None of them get into my yarn. :) The human and I are getting married in a little under three months' time.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes to all but ponchos, although I am going to attempt the Very Harlot Poncho as Peter thinks it will look good on me.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Judging by what I've made the most of, I'd say probably hats. And shawls are my default "comfort knitting". I like socks but am bad about finishing a pair. Lately I'm in love with cables. Oh heck, anything but baby/kid clothing.
13. What are you knitting right now?
A zip-neck pullover for my honey, a pair of socks for my honey, and I have about 20 UFOs in the bin. Socks, shawls, scarves. Soon I need to start a new cardigan for me, because Spring is coming and that means they'll crank the air-conditioning in my office.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes. Even more so now that I really understand all the hours of work and love that go into them. I treasure them very much, but if they're wearable, they get worn, not tucked away in a drawer!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
All-time faves are Addi Turbo circulars, which I use probably 60% of the time. I have started using bamboo circs and DPNs for hats and mitts and I like them also. I use metal DPNs for most of my sock knitting. Hardly ever use plastic - only a couple of large-gauge circs. Aluminum straights if I don't have an Addi of the right size available.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Winder yes, swift no.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
About a year. I started a pair of socks for myself last year, knit one, started the other and got all the way through the heel before I found some major errors in it. Frogged the second sock and the pair (one knit, one un-knit) are marinating in the UFO bin as punishment.
18. What is your favorite holiday?
I'd usually answer "Christmas" and probably still it is, but I'm starting to enjoy the August long weekend more - there's usually more relaxation and less stress. Plus, that's when I learned to knit!
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn. :) Books - we have a complete wall of bookcases, stuffed to the brim. Cookbooks I like and don't have as many as I'd like - I especially like the "community" kind with favourite recipes from all over.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I could really use a good stitch dictionary - I don't have one at all. For yarn - well, I would love to see what the fuss is about for Socks that Rock, and I *adore* any and all Fleece Artist or Handmaiden yarns. And any alpaca (see #1!) I don't subscribe to any knitmags because I can buy them at a discount at work.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Reading lace charts. They boggle me.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am, but a slow one! My foot - hang on, I need my sheep... ok, heel to toe 10", ankle bone 10", calf muscle 14.5", floor to widest part of calf 12". Those look REALLY big - I wear a ladies' shoe size 8.5 or 9 (North American). If someone knit socks for me I would love them forever - really, you'd be in my will. Really. I mean it!
23. When is your birthday?
August 19. I'm a Leo!
Ok, so the idea behind this is that some incredibly kind and generous person will read the above, and send me surprise package(s) in the mail and I will do the Dance of Joy at the mailbox. In return, I do not send this lovely person package(s). I send a totally different but equally lovely person package(s), and they send package(s) to yet another lovely person, and so forth. It's an exceptionally cool idea, and I salute the lovely people at Secret Pal who must put in a whackofalot of work to make it all - work. I really hope I get in. Happiness by mail is among the best kinds of happiness.
Oh yeah, I'm totally over the crankies from yesterday. Can you tell? :) Today was lovely and sunny and +2 degrees (celsius), which is "I don't need to zip up my winter coat" weather. JOY! Spring is coming, oh yeah. Even the fact that I need to do a pile of laundry AND a pile of dishes this evening does not diminish the happiness of Spring coming. Plus I've got nearly half the foot of Peter's sock done - there might be a finished sock by the weekend, all going well. Good times.
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