Secret Pal 11 - Questionnaire

I'm taking part in "Secret Pal 11" -- an exchange for folks who knit and crochet. One of the requirements is to post the questionnaire to our blogs -- that way our partner can read it and learn more about us. Here we go.....

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Soft natural fibers.

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Acrylics. Eyelash yarn and other similar novelty yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have several vintage needle holders and I store my needles in them grouped by their material (all bamboo together, all tortoise-shell/casein together, etc). These are then bundled together into a big Rubbermaid storage container.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I taught myself as a child. I picked it up again as an adult. I've been knitting off and on since then -- a little more rabidly for the past 5 years or so.

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes, but it's for the whole family. You'll have to wade through the listings for Bob and Tommy -- sorry! I promise to get it updated.... http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3LB8X4RDFSDSG/ref=cm_reg_rd-upd/104-9527015-1585553?ie=UTF8&msgid=updated

5. What's your favorite scent? Green tea, lemon.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yes. Favorite candy? Dark chocolate, maple.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Lots of other things: paper crafts (ATCs, artistamps, mail art, papier mache), hand-carved rubber stamps, sewing. I especially like working with recycled materials such as felted wool and recycled paper.

Do you spin? Not at this time.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Almost anything. My least favorite styles of music are hip hop and heavy metal. Yes, I can play MP3 files on my computer.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Red, especially dark reds; greens (sage, deep greens, chartreuse), interesting blues (cobalt, periwinkle, Swedish blue). I also like black, brown. I especially like colors put together in interesting combinations.

Any colors you just can't stand? I think all colors have their place. My least favorite are kelly green and harsh yellows. I often end up with way too much pink and purple and would really only like them in moderation.

10. What is your family situation? My household includes me, my husband, and our teenaged son. We may also have one of my son's friends staying with us soon.

Do you have any pets? Yes, a 3-year-old Golden Retriever named Winston and 5 cats: Little Bit, Violet, Charli, Alex & Henry.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes -- I'm in Michigan and need all the help I can get!

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

13. What are you knitting right now? An adult version of the Harry Potter baby hat (from "Weekend Knitting") for my son. A tote bag for a "brown + another color" swap.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes! They're my favorite.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Circular, but I will knit with straights under some circumstances.

Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? 1. Casein (fake tortoiseshell - vintage plastic), 2. Bamboo, 3. Wood

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a swift that I purchased at a church sale for $2. It doesn't lock well, but works ok. I don't have a yarn winder.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Do I have to say this out loud? Ok, about 3 years, I think.

18. What is your favorite holiday? I'm not a huge holiday person but my favorites are Christmas, Halloween, and my birthday (used to be anyway, see below).

19. Is there anything that you collect? Kitchen stuff from the Depression era: bakelite, vintage linens, Fiestaware, other Depression-era china such as Hall. Cook books.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Hmmmm, I'll think about this and update it as I come up with ideas.

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? At this time I don't subscribe to any knitting magazines. I occasionally buy Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting @ a yarn shop.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Aran/cable. Nothing else I can think of right at the moment.

22. Are you a sock knitter? Not really. I made one pair of socks and didn't love it.

What are your foot measurements? I wear size 9 shoes and have chunky ankles (ok, that was harder to admit than the UFOs!).

23. When is your birthday? September 11. Hence the lack of celebration lately.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Not yet -- I'm currently on the list. I'll update as this changes.