Secret Pal 8

I have never done a secret pal exchange before, and the prospect of sending little gifts to people is terribly exciting to me - like Christmas all summer long!

So, onto the questionnaire...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love unusual, exotic fibres (quiviut, silk, bamboo, hemp, linen) in addition to wool, and am tending towards natural fibre most of the time - I am not a fan of 100% acrylic, although I am okay with wool/acrylic blends.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I use a wonderful bag that my mother made for me, without a pattern save the vision in her mind, from fabric woven by one my favourite uncles, which has a myriad of storage pouches and holders - I will post a pic of it in a future entry.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting for about 37 of my 45 years, and would put myself at the advanced level, I think.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No, but what a cool idea!

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I like clean, fresh laundry, soapy smells - also lily of the valley and light florals along those lines.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I wonder if anyone will answer 'no' to this one? Favourite sweet is/are chocolate covered almonds, but my real weakness is salt, especially chips and french fries.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I crochet, have done weaving and pottery, love crafts with my kids, am always do-it-myselfing around the house. I do not spin well, but I love it and am determined to get it.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I will listen to almost anything but loud, harsh, discordant sounds or rap- love old blues, old jazz, 50's rock 'n roll, classical, and then stuff like Green Day, the Ramones - I'm all over the place. And yes, MP3's are my friend.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Fave is Orange - also like blue, yellow, red - have almost no green to my name, but I don't dislike it - also like white.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my two sons, ages 10 and 11, two big dogs, a rabbit, a rat, and several dust dinosaurs that rear their ugly heads from time to time.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Like scarves and mittens, want to wear a poncho very much but haven't been able to picture myself in one yet...

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I ALWAYS have socks on the go, and like to make sweaters - my favourite type of knitting is anything cabled and complicated.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Right now I am working on a t-shirt for me in periwinkle blue cotton/linen, and a pair of socks. I am not allowing myself to start the other luscious projects staring me in the face until at least one of these is done.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Absolutely my favourite type of gift...

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
All I use these days are circular Addis, and occasionally tiny bamboo double points for socks. Interestingly, I was internet searching for rosewood circulars just today, to use with slippery yarns.

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

17. How did you learn to knit?
My grandmother taught me during one summer visit to her home in Quebec - she had seemingly endess supplies of the ugliest burnt orange acrylic yarn, and wouldn't teach me to cast off, so by summer's end I had a long strip of orange that wound all through the house.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
I found a couple recently that are maybe 3 - 4 years old? Misplaced during a move, you know how it is...

19. What is your favorite holiday?
If summer vacation counts, that's the one...

20. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn, mostly, although I have recently started appreciating some of the outrageous labels on bottles of hot sauce - I may start gathering some of the more memorable ones.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Any hand-dyed yarns; Mason-Dixon Knitting; rosewood circ's or small (5") dpns. I subscribe to Knitters' and Interweave Knits.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I would love to perfect, or at least be half-decent at, spinning, and am always looking for new ways to do anything knitting.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Oh, yeah, baby, hardcore sock knitter. I wear a size 10 shoe, and make my socks about 9" long from base of heel to start of toe, like them a little longer on the calf.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
Just tried to avoid it - April 22