Secret Pal 7 Questionnaire

Okay, time to write my heart out…

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
I admit to loving the higher quality yarns and natural fibers, and try to knit with them as much as possible. I was at a LYS where the person helping me said “I am a definite yarn snob, but I love getting great yarn at a bargain even more.” That is my mantra on yarn. 🙂
I prefer using Red Heart and Lion Brand for blankets that will be used outdoors and abused.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
crocheted for years, would like to spin someday

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
received a straight needle Abra 2-fold case from Rich for my birthday; I have a great Levenger leather pen case that holds 85% of my crochet hooks; the dpns and circulars are in assorted nooks and crannies in different bags; the very fat needles and hooks are displayed in a tall rectangular Pottery Barn crystal vase my buddy Paul gave me 2-3 Christmases ago.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
one year exactly I have been knitting
an advanced beginner since I can read and adapt patterns to my taste, am starting to knit lace now, and socks intrigue me to try different cast-ons

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
not on Amazon, but I did create one for my hubby to use (see right menu list)

6. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
favorite is vanilla
gardenias and honeysuckles are a close second

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
oh boy… good dark and white chocolates are a weakness
chocolate – toss up between Toblerones and Merci
non-chocolate – Bit of Honey and those straws filled with honey

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
gardening (does that count?) crocheting, planning on learning how to spin when I find time

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
too many likes in music, but no pop please (Brittany, Kelly Clarkson, etc)…
love Fiddler on the Roof (saw that years ago when I was just out of college) and Phantom of the Opera (already have soundtracks to both theatrical productions!); Chopin and Mozart; Tom Petty and Clint Black; The Clash and the Psychedelic Furs; and one of my all time faves, The Eagles.
btw, MP3s are my friend!

10. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can’t stand?
hate/loathe pale baby pink: color of my prom dress when 1st boyfriend dumped me… ’nuff said
color palette: neutrals (blacks, browns, greys, creams) with punch (deep red, green, violet)

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
a husband of 1-1/2 years and 4 house rabbits
(future dog hopefully in a couple of years)

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
scarves and mittens are a definite yes in New England, a maybe on hats (need to find a pattern I like first), but no ponchos!

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Hortia’s Maulbeerseide-Schurwolle (mulberry silk – new wool): for wrist-warmers and scarves
Sirdar Breeze (70% cotton, 30% acrylic): makes great baby clothing items
Malabrigo kettle-dyed merino: perfect for a warm Clapotis!
Schaefer and Cherry Tree Hill: both are a pleasure to knit

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
completely acrylic yarn and anything like Lopi wool (scratchy due to the short hairs in yarn)

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
the urge to knit lace shawls and to make socks/booties is killing me
**latest urge: Scandinavian knitting of all kinds (Norwegian specifically)**

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
wrist-warmers and mittens: because you can be as creative as who they are meant for

17. What are you knitting right now?
Fuzzy Feet slippers, my Clapotis, and Namaste bag from Knitty; hats of my own patterns, a scarf for a co-worker in India… do I have to list them all?

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I love seeing intricate patterns and textures, so YES.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
circular due to speed and lack of sewing, but I really like the clean lines of straights

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
love my Plymouth bamboo circs, SRK bamboo straights, and Brydspuns

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
no, I prefer to wind the balls myself so I can make sure the tension is not too tight (unfortunately, a couple of women in the knit group have stretched out some nice yarn I have into thread when they balled my hanks)

22. How did you learn to knit?
With a friend I was teaching crochet, we sat with the Thursday night knit group at RA Yarns. After 4 months, one weekend I decided to learn how to knit from the Teach Yourself kit.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
lol… I just started knitting a year ago, and I do have one that I need to frog and redo because I did the stitches all wrong

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
animated character: Jerry the mouse
animal: toss-up between a rabbit and dog
bird: phoenix (fell in love with them as a kid when reading Greek/Roman mythology)

25. What is your favorite holiday?
toss up between Easter (spring is here!), Thanksgiving (around my birthday), and Christmas

26. Is there anything that you collect?
besides yarn… 😉
almost anything related to my 1970 Ford Mustang fastback

aged copper bunny garden items (with 4 rabbits in the house, no surprise)
love cookbooks (I like making bread)
and last, a very large model train collection that I should thin out

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Vogue Knitting, and Creative Knitting

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
La Luz Multi from Fiesta yarns (I can’t stop petting the Chinchilla and La Luz at RA Yarns!)
Fleece Artist’s Handmaiden Yarns from Vancouver would be interesting
as for needles, the short Brydspun double points so I can make socks (see #30)

29. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
Provisional and Turkish cast-on,

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Does making Fuzzy Feet count? I am a very new sock knitter, as in have sock yarn, but not the time yet to sit and knit them. Foot would be US-7, EUR-38.

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
11/25th (I am an American Turkey baby!)