And the Secret Pal 7 begins!

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I will admit that I am a bit of a yarn snob in recent years. I love nice wool, and adore alpaca. Silk fiber is so awesome to work with.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I do spin, but have only picked that up as a more serious hobby this year. I started out crocheting before I learned how to knit, but I only really do it when I’m on a deadline for a project and can’t take my time with it.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

I am allergic to smoke and some perfumes. I am not allergic to pets, as I have one cat and there are two chinchillas in our apartment (one being mine). Oh, we also have some fish, but I don’t really see how anyone could be allergic to pet fish.

4. How long have you been knitting?

I have been knitting for about 3 years maybe??

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I had an online wishlist at knitpicks.com, but….my family decimated it at Christmas.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I like warm scents for candles, I LOVE let me spell this out L-O-V-E the smell Vineyard from Yankee Candle Co. I do not like fruity smells at all, and so like fresh smells for bath products.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Let me make this clear: I have an ENORMOUS sweet tooth. My husband made the mistake of buying a thing of Ferrero Rocher’s this week. They were gone in 5 minutes.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

As said before, I do spin. I also got a tapestry loom for the holidays this year, so shall be learning about weaving, too. I also do some beadwork and I enjoy painting with acrylic paint.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play
MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I listen to a lot of rock. Things like Disturbed, RAGE Against the Machine, Incubus. To the best of my knowledge both my car and computer play mp3s.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color
family/season/palette you prefer?

I tend to stick to a lot of reds, blues and purples. I like the color green, but when I was the assistant director of a cabaret belly-dance troupe, my nick-name was the Tomato Dancer, because I liked reds. Pretty much the only colors I don’t like that much are yellow, puke green, and pink.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

My Mother and my Father divorced about 5 years ago and are both remarried. I have some 5 step-brothers, 1 step-sister, (all from previous marriages from the step-mother/step-father) and 1 biological brother. I have one room-mate who is very much a part of the family. My husband and I have no children, however, and don’t really feel we are ready for one yet. Our cat is our child.

12. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I don’t really have a preference of brand or anything, but my preferences usually fall in how the yarn is built, what the project is, and is it a good quality yarn that will last.

13. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Acrylic. Although they can make some soft acrylics, since I am really a bit of a naturalist, I feel like I’m cheating, or doing something bad to the environment. Makes me feel dirty.

14. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

I’ve haven’t really had time to have a knitting ‘obsession’ per se, but I have been obsessed with knitting. In general I like making hats and arm-warmers. I’ve been working on some big projects lately, and they are nice little breaks when I have had enough of looking at the same yarn day in and out.

15. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I like hats. Beanie-type hats.

16. What are you knitting right now?

I’m about to tackle Rogue and finish it off. I’m like 6 rows from being finished with the hood, and then all I have left are the arms. It’s been a long time coming, but Aunt-Oletta’s shawl took precedence in the last two months of the year. If I need a break, I will probably make another pirate beanie in black and purple.

17. What do you think about ponchos?

I don’t like them. I think that shawls are more classy, and would rather make a shawl instead. They don’t seem to go in and out of fashion.

18. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Euhhh…ummm….I don’t really have a preference. If a pattern calls for straights, I’ll use straights, but I like circs too. Circs are a bit easier to use in public, however.

19. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I like bamboo and wooden needles for straights, and like metal addi’s for circular needles.

20. Are you a sock knitter?

I want to be, but haven’t had the time given the larger projects I’ve taken on this past year, and although I’ve tried knitting a sock before, the heel and the grafting seem a bit on the intimidating side of things.

21. What are your foot measurements?

I wear a size 6 ½ to a size 7 US Women’s size

22. How did you learn to knit?

Mostly I taught myself and gleaned what I could from the internet. I have taken a couple of specialized classes, however, at SWAK, my fav local knitting store.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

3 years. I made a striped mohair sweater that has so many yarn ends that I have just never messed with the finishing on it.

24.What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I am an ENORMOUS Alice in Wonderland fan, and in general a fan of Disney. That’s a hard question. I LOVE Fraggle Rock, I think it was an excellent children’s show in the 80’s, as most all of Jim Henson’s work was. It’s sad that my children will not get the full advantage of the muppets or the Fraggles like kids growing up in the 80’s got. I feel very strongly about that.

25.What is your favorite holiday?

I love the 4^th of July. I enjoy lighting fireworks, and seeing my husband and my roommate having such fun blowing things up. It’s always fun at my Mom’s farm in Wichita, KS, or at my Aunt Vicki’s here in Oklahoma. I also enjoy Halloween.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

I collect sheepy-type things, and also anything Fraggle Rock so far as dvd’s, and dolls. I suppose I collect pictures, as I am getting pretty into photography with my Father. I have a Sony Cybershot 5.1 that I take with me pretty much everywhere, and just purchased a really nice video-cam as well. Lol…I collect knowledge, I guess. I love to learn. I also am REALLY into manga and anime, as well as just the Japanese culture in general. I would love to learn Japanese someday, as I already speak French decently.

27. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

06/22

28. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I have never really mastered instarsia or fair-isle, although I do enjoy two-fisted Nordic knitting, which is slightly different.

29. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I currently subscribe to both Interweave Knits and Spin-Off

30. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

I have wanted to make a Great American Aran Afghan for awhile.

31. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I own both currently. It was the best purchase that I could have made for my spinning/knitting, and I would recommend them for everyone.

32. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes, I do, but usually find that I am the only one giving them.