SECRET PAL 12 QUESTIONNAIRE

Secret Pal 12 Questionnaire.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I absolutely abhor Phentex. I never made those Phentex slippers. I am becoming a yarn snob. I love the yarns I can’t get locally, all those indie dyed yarns and would love to try the new flat feet sock yarn. I also enjoy knitting with Knit Picks yarn and yarns from Elann.com. I love sock yarns, wools that can be felted, wools that can’t be felted along with angora, cashmere, mohair, alpacas, cottons, even fun fur has its place as do some acrylics for baby items. BUT I truly love sock yarns and lace weight yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I keep my round needles in a bag since I really use them anymore. I mainly use my Denise needles even when knitting projects that call for a straight needle. At present the ones (tips and cords) not in use are in a plastic clear cosmetic case since the actual Denise container BROKE. The long straights I no longer use are in a big bag with matching sizes rubber banded together and I do use them occasionally but very occasionally if it is a size I don't have in my Denise. The shorter straights are in a basket nearer at hand as they seem to get more use. One day I hope to get another pair of Denise and who knows maybe even the PINK ones.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting ever since I can remember (school age) and I can’t believe how many years that is now but I still consider myself an advanced beginner - intermediate as there is still so much for me yet to learn.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No. I don’t know how to do that. I have a list of some of my books in my library on Ravelry. I have more than those but the rest aren't on Ravelry yet for me to list. I have a wish list of books on my side bar though which needs to be updated.

5. What's your favorite scent?
My newest favorite scent is from LUSH called Karma. I just had to go and put some of the body cream on. I find it very earthy.
Other favorites include lavender, sandalwood oil (from the Body Shop), rose, ocean, fresh scents, some musks (Body Shop has a nice one) actually it depends on my mood. I used to love the Body Shop’s Dewberry but it is no longer available.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I most certainly do, unfortunately. I love chocolate, dark, chocolate, expensive chocolate and "American" Hershey’s chocolate especially with nuts. I also love Jelly Bellys especially popcorn, margarita, garlic, watermelon, and jalapeño flavors. PLEASE no Black licorice YUK YUK!!!! AND I do drink coffee and tea, hot and cold flavored and plain except for Irish Cream flavored coffee.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I would love to learn to spin. I tried using a spindle but wasn’t very successful. I don’t yet own a spinning wheel but certainly hope to one day. I even took a spinning workshop in the hopes of one day getting my very own spinning wheel. I don’t have carders either. I crochet a little as long as there isn’t any or much shaping involved. I sew and quilt and now that I have finally moved into my townhouse I can sew and quilt again. YEAH! I love to sew children’s clothes and bags also. Now I can even check out all my needlepoint, embroidery and ribbon craft which was up in the storage unavailable but now will be easily accessible in my new place. This is all so very exciting.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I love the oldies from the 20’s to the 60’s. I love blues and jazz. I am not a big fan of country although there are a very few songs I do like and I don't care for any Christian music but I enjoy Christmas music. I have a DVD player and a Walkman that play MP3’s . I have a new computer which plays them fine.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I really do not wear orange, yellow or lime, olive or drab green. Some brown is okay. That is when they are a solid color. Those colors mixed in with other is fine especially for sock yarn and they can always be used in items you knit that get felted. I knit those colors for others but I have to force myself. I love pink, red, purple, blue, black, white, dark green and all shades of them. Neon colors are not my favorite shades.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have one feline fur toddler who was two this past March and that is basically it for family.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarves, mitts, gloves and should wear hats. I live in the great white north which has a very cold winter climate and it seems that it is taking forever for spring and summer to arrive. One good day and two not good days. BUT I must add those "lovely" yellow spring flowers have bloomed and blown away so does that mean spring and summer are really on their way?

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks, bags/totes and now shawls. I even enjoy knitting toys and things. I also knit dishcloths since I am in a lot of dishcloth groups and hope to turn them into a dishclothghan one day. I knit scarves, afghans, baby items and hats. Basically in the end I do knit most everything but socks, bags/tote, shawls and toys are number one.

13. What are you knitting right now?
I have just started the Clapotis shawl using some very old stash yarn from Annyblat called NewsAnny. AND I had to frog my Harvest sock which was almost finished when I looked and saw the cables were not only going in a different direction from its mate which was knit for me but those cables were going in different directions from one another. I have a pair monkey socks on the needle also. I just finished a couple pair of baby socks.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Oh yes, most definitely. I love when someone takes the time to make something just for me.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I usually use my Denise circs for straights even when I knit dishcloths as I do more than one at a time but when I knit only one I use either short straights or still use my Denise. I love bamboo (both DPNs and round) especially when I knit slippery items. I have done the 2s2c method but with the cirs ends the same color I find that difficult and didn’t like the painting one set of ends with my nail enamel.
I just received my first pair of Knit Picks Harmony DPNs and can't wait to get more. I also want another pair of Denise the PINK ones.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No but I would love to.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
It is too much of an embarrassment for me to say.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I always loved my birthday (HMMM love cake and ice-cream & pressies of course) and Christmas even thought I am not a Christian. Since I live alone most of my pressies are from swap exchanges although I do receive a few gifts from a few friends. I like the happiness of the season, the lights and the fact that most people are kinder to one another than usual which should be an all year round occurrence but… Living alone does make most holidays lonely. Not only b/c I am alone and these are family gathering, gift giving, food holidays but b/c I love to cook and their is just Solara and I. My next favorite holiday would be Thanksgiving. AH another food holiday. BUT of course there is Valentine Day, Easter and Halloween which are candy holidays.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn, angels, fairies, cat stuff, did I say sock yarn, fabric, books, patterns, magazines, yarn and cooking accessories. I am a bit of a textile, yarn and magazine junkie.

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 currently only have a subscriptions to Cook’s Illustrated which is almost over now. I have no subscriptions to any knitting magazines but wouldn't mind having one to Interweave or Vogue. A while ago I wanted to get myself some Berroco Boho Colors (in Newsprint) so I can make the Talisman bag and I still think I would like to make that bag. There are so many others patterns I also would love to have. I love the NONI patterns and have a couple only so far. Yarns I would like to try include Socks That Rock, flat feet, Tofutsies, Jitterbug, Yarntini, Sundara, Chewy Spaghetti, Sweet Georgia, Cider Moon, Posh yarn, Zen String, Yarn Pirate, yarn made of milk, wood and any yarns I am unable to get here locally. AND to have some Tilly Thomas (with beads and crystals in it) would be like WOW WOW WOW!!! BUT I am not expecting to receive that from any one as it is so expensive. I keep reading about smaller yarn companies that make wonderful hand dyed sock yarns that I am unable to get.I would also love a pair of sock blockers and mini sock blocker key chain, stitch markers and any of the latest knitting goodies that are out. Basically I feel I am very easy to please.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I would love to learn how to read charts.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Most definitely I am a sock knitter. I wear a medium size sock and a size 8 – 8.5 shoe. The circumference of my foot is 9”, my ankle is 9” and the length of my foot from heel to toe is 9” – 9 ¼”.

23. When is your birthday?
Feb 4

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
pennala