Secret Pal 10 Questionnaire

I'm excited for my first Secret Pal. Its taken me a bit of time to complete this, but here goes...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I'm a sucker for natural fiber and anything with a cool colorway. Right now, I'm in a phase where I love Artyarns supermerino, claudia's handpainted sock yarn and lorna's laces shepherd sock. I really don't like anything with acrilyc or that sheds a lot.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My crafts room is an attempt at organization, but the one rubbermaid tub devoted to needles and various acoutrements has not proved to be the most efficient storage. I rifle around to find things, so I've been eying some of those nifty bags.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting for 22 years, on and off. I'd call myself an intermediate/advanced intermediate, mostly because I really started knitting when I was nine, and nine year olds don't knit all that well. My mom taught me how to knit when I was seven, but I didn't complete my first project until the fourth grade when we were required to select some sort of knitting or embroidery project. Who would guess that my school was known for creating intellectual young women - cause in retrospect, it sounds like an enforcement of gender roles! (however, my husband will point out that they did not teach us to clean...)

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

5. What's your favorite scent?
I'm a fan lavender. Not too big into citrus scents or anything cinnamon-y or musky.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
From the woman who had a candy bar at her wedding (as in a big buffet of candy), yes, I have a sweet tooth. I really like Jelly Bellys!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
My mom is teaching me how to spin, and I'm starting to get the hang of it. I'm also learning how to make hand-made books. I've also done some needlepoint and I love to cook and bake.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I'm not a huge music buff - I mostly listen to NPR...

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Pink, Pink, Pink. But I also love blues, purples, greens, creams, black, grey. Not a big red, yellow or orange fan.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Married with two cats

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes - I wear all of these except for ponchos

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Hmmm, a favorite... Not quite sure. I'm getting into socks right now (working on my third pair) and I'm enjoying mittens and gloves. Nothing gives me more satifaction than finishing something big like a sweater, but there is one sweater I've been working on since 2002.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A few things - top down socks from Simple Socks, Plain & Fancy, some mittens for my dad, and a funky scarf for my mother in law. Always good to have a few things going at once.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Not really...

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular needles - big fan of Bamboo and of the addi-turbo aluminum. Also, big user of dpns.

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
It would be the purple sweater from 2002. Its really nice. Its just taken a back seat.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Turkey day! (Thanksgiving for those not from the US)

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Not actively, but I keep meaning to collect this super cool china pattern from the 60s that I have a few peices of. Not that I expect that anyone but myself would add to that collection.

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 like to go to my LYS and pet the Blue Sky Alpaca. Its all so soft and cozy... I would like to expand my collection of sock patterns. I get Interweave, which I love.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I'd love to learn instarsia. And this is the year of the sock - I want to become a good sock knitter.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes I am! A beginner sock knitter, but a sock knitter none the less.

23. When is your birthday?
February 12th