Secret Pal Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Favourite yarns to knit with are;
Natural Fibres : Merino, alpaca, cotton, lambswool, silk etc
Self-striping variegated sock yarns [washable yarns only]

Absolutely do not like;
Eyelash, feathery yarns, Acrylics - just not a fan , Novelty yarns, Scratchy wool [guess I am a yarn snob then...] mohair

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Currently all my straights are all in a pencil case style needle holder
Everything else is in varying pencil cases / pouches
All stored in a brown paper bag [very organised am I - its a sorry state of affairs really!]

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
About 3 years
Intermediate - keep trying advanced but I end up frogging most of the time!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yep - here's the link

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Freshly cut grass, cranberry, chocolate, vanilla, fruity scents are nice but not lemon [cleaning products] Nothing too flowery or perfumed

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I'm always eating candy necklaces!
Fudge is yummy, milk chocolate is good
[My migraines mean I have to avoid the following;
Dark chocolate, white chocolate, oranges, aspartame [or any other articificial sweetners - pure sugar all the way!], too many artificial 'stuff' E-numbers and the like]

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I have dabbled in spinning - still go back to it every now and again
Dyeing yarn with Kool-aid - wanting to move onto 'serious dyeing'
Jewellery / stitch marker designing and making

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Favourite music:
Love world music - Chinese, Country and Western, Bollywood, Blues,
Just started to listening to Johnny Cash - and loving it.
Eighties stuff is cool
I have an iPod mini / iTunes - on my iPod
Girl Power: Christina Aguilera, Pink, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna
Soundtracks: Ghost World, Good Morning Vietnam, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
Hip Hop / Rap / Metal / Rock: Eminem, 8 Mile Soundtrack, Metallica, Linkin Park, Marilyn Manson, DJ Format, DJ Yoda

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I'm always buying greens & browns
I like darker tones of pretty much any colours and earthy colours although I love brightly coloured accessories [scarves & hats] - that wasn't a helpful answer was it?
Really not a fan of pinks - or when variegated - too many different colours together - prefer either cool or warm palettes

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Living happily in Glasgow with a boy and a cat [who is never allowed in my yarn room /stash!!] Nae kids - nae thanks!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes [only ribbed plain hats suit], yes, no

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Scarves, jumpers, armwarmers, socks

13. What are you knitting right now?
Really - you want to know everything I'm knitting now!? I have a progress bar at the edge ...

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Sure - that would be fun :)

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Straight [I am a pit knitter], although I usually work on dpns on the round as I can't find any short circulars in the UK - if I could get 30cm or less circulars I would like to try these.
Wood needles: bamboo, birch - current favorite is Brittany birch.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Nope [what's a swift? ...]

17. How did you learn to knit?
My granny showed me when I was a kid then I didn't pick it up again for years.
Then I used a Stitch n Bitch book [and a lot of *blue* words] and managed to make the Hurry up Spring armwarmers.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
About a year - grey and Kool-aid dyed diagonal-striped garter stitch scarf - instead of carrying the yarns up the side I have cut and knotted each stripe - now I have a 'mane' of ends which I can't face weaving in - I want to cry :(

19. What is your favorite holiday?
A yarn shop anywhere!

20. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn
Knitting needles
Knitting magazines
Knitting books
Beads / Jewellery findings

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Stuff in my Amazon wishlist + any magazines / books from outside the UK that I can't get or haven't yet seen.
Yarn I'm dying to get my hands on:
Socks that Rock - wow! esp. xmas colourway
Koigu
Trekking XXL or crazy stripes
Some other wood needles would be fun to try - and circs small enough for socks [do these exist?]

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Intarsia - tried it a couple of times to no avail - the theory is there [much like with my driving lessons ...] but the doing is a different story!!
Crochet - this will be brand new with me - I have a pattern & yarn all ready to learn!

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yep I'm a sock knitter! [yet to finish a pair though...]
Um... can i get back to you on this - I HAVE to post this or i'll never finish!

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
06/06 - bit fearful of my birthday this year - falling on 06/06/06/ *gulp*