Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Secret Pal 10... including the questionnaire
So my mom told me about the Secret Pal swap. I love swapping but haven't done any swaps in awhile. I got totally burned on a few swaps last year and rather disappointed on a few others. But the Secret Pal swap seems to be really well organized and sort of "upscale" so I'm excited about participating.
One of the requirements is to answer the questionnaire. I love talking about myself at length so swap questionnaires are always a bonus. Muahahaha!!! (seriously, I'm not that shallow, I'm just snarky)
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Currently in 2 skinny galvanized buckets. They work… but I would LOVE a handmade needle case that I can travel with. Winkwink.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned how to knit in college. It was a combination of figuring it out on my own and my mom showing me. I failed miserably in those early attempts but seriously came back to knitting last year. My mom is proud. I would consider myself intermediate in most knitting skills… I’m getting better every day!
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes! Amazon is my mecca. I love books like I love air. http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/12EDJH5EE3L93/
5. What's your favorite scent? Lavender, hands down! I am of the strong belief that one cannot have too many English lavender sachets. However, I’m not a big perfume, cosmetics, lotion, soap person because I have sensitive skin and a million nitpicky allergies.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Unfortunately for my waistline, yes. Milk chocolate all the way! Plain old Hershey bars or Lindt milk chocolate truffles make me very happy. I will also sell my soul for Vermont Maple Sugar candy. And I’ll commit crimes for See’s blueberry or pineapple filled chocolates (well anything from See’s for that matter!) Other candies are nice too – I love anything in the “blue” (blueberry? blue raspberry? bloo???) flavor variety (hahaha!). Swedish fish and gummy bears are nice too. IMPORANT: Sadly I’m allergic to most tree nuts… some are ok and others are deadly… But really, I don’t expect anyone to have to go to the trouble of analyzing ingredients on my behalf.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I love to sew – I’m a complete fabric whore! I’ve been making things since I was little – my mom is a very talented crafter and seamstress. Outside of knitting I’m primarily a mixed media artist so I love found objects, paper, trinkets, buttons, fibers… anything interesting! I learned drop spindle spinning in college (I have a fine arts degree) and would love to do it again as well as learn to spin on a wheel.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) My musical tastes are somewhat varied and complicated! I have a few things listed on my blog profile & my MySpace page. I can play MP3’s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love retro-y colors. Pink + brown + orange + aqua + lime green…. but I really can’t say there are any colors I don’t like.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Husband of 11 years and a darling 9 year old son. Sadly my kitty died a year ago and we aren’t ready for any new pets just yet.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yep! I look stupid in hats but I wear ‘em anyway! Hehehe!
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I’ll try anything once! I like socks. I also love knitting with the intent to felt.
13. What are you knitting right now?
A hat my husband has requested (nay, demanded!), a baby sweater for my brother-in-law’s impending bundle of joy, 2 pairs of socks for myself.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes!!!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
All of the above? I use both straight and circulars as necessary. I prefer wood and bamboo needles most and plastic the least but I wouldn’t turn away a good lookin’ needle no matter what it was made of. I recently bought a set of Addi Turbo circulars… I don’t hate them but I’m not sure if I like them yet either.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?I don’t but my mom has a winder. I’ve trained the hubby to help me wind yarn the old fashioned way.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? Hah! Are you kidding me??? I bet I have unfinished craft projects from when I was a child! But my oldest knitting UFO is probably a scarf I started for my husband when we were dating… so 12 years old?
18. What is your favorite holiday?
My birthday! Hahaha! I don’t really have a favorite. I like ‘em all, especially if there are presents and/or good things to eat.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
I’m a packrat… so the question is: what do I NOT collect…. But I love vintage sewing notions, old buttons and squirrels (figurines and tchotchkes and such, not actual live rodent).
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
There is nothing I have a burning desire for. I sort of live for the moment and covet beautiful things as I see them. I have a few knitting and spinning books on my Amazon wish list.
I do love Brittany needles (I only have a couple of pairs)… or any wooden needles with the pretty little carved ends. I don’t have any magazine subs but I really like Spin-Off for the interesting info about wool and fibers and techniques, even though I don’t really actively spin at the moment (I know! I’m such a nerd). Otherwise, I only buy knitting magazines when something catches my eye.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Not sure. I’m really interested in lace patterns and I’ve tried a few but I’ve gotten frustrated with dropping yarn overs and keeping track of the stitches. Are there pretty lace patterns for the ADD afflicted??
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes! Love knitting socks! I wear a women’s size 9 shoe – my feet are sort of normal/average…. 9 ½ in length – 8 ½ - 9 in circumference
23. When is your birthday?
September 23. I’m a Libra.
One of the requirements is to answer the questionnaire. I love talking about myself at length so swap questionnaires are always a bonus. Muahahaha!!! (seriously, I'm not that shallow, I'm just snarky)
The Questionnaire
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love plain old sport weight merino because I adore felting… especially when its in cool shades or colorways. I’ve also been known to fall hard for some super soft alpaca. Noro makes some gorgeous yarns and Debbie Bliss does too. I’m not really a fiber snob – I’ll take a classy acrylic any day, I’m just not fond of cheap, scratchy, old synthetic yarn (unless its for the utter irony of it). I don’t especially like knitting with eyelash or really novel novelty yarns – they look really cool but they tend to frustrate me.
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love plain old sport weight merino because I adore felting… especially when its in cool shades or colorways. I’ve also been known to fall hard for some super soft alpaca. Noro makes some gorgeous yarns and Debbie Bliss does too. I’m not really a fiber snob – I’ll take a classy acrylic any day, I’m just not fond of cheap, scratchy, old synthetic yarn (unless its for the utter irony of it). I don’t especially like knitting with eyelash or really novel novelty yarns – they look really cool but they tend to frustrate me.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Currently in 2 skinny galvanized buckets. They work… but I would LOVE a handmade needle case that I can travel with. Winkwink.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned how to knit in college. It was a combination of figuring it out on my own and my mom showing me. I failed miserably in those early attempts but seriously came back to knitting last year. My mom is proud. I would consider myself intermediate in most knitting skills… I’m getting better every day!
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes! Amazon is my mecca. I love books like I love air. http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/12EDJH5EE3L93/
5. What's your favorite scent? Lavender, hands down! I am of the strong belief that one cannot have too many English lavender sachets. However, I’m not a big perfume, cosmetics, lotion, soap person because I have sensitive skin and a million nitpicky allergies.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Unfortunately for my waistline, yes. Milk chocolate all the way! Plain old Hershey bars or Lindt milk chocolate truffles make me very happy. I will also sell my soul for Vermont Maple Sugar candy. And I’ll commit crimes for See’s blueberry or pineapple filled chocolates (well anything from See’s for that matter!) Other candies are nice too – I love anything in the “blue” (blueberry? blue raspberry? bloo???) flavor variety (hahaha!). Swedish fish and gummy bears are nice too. IMPORANT: Sadly I’m allergic to most tree nuts… some are ok and others are deadly… But really, I don’t expect anyone to have to go to the trouble of analyzing ingredients on my behalf.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I love to sew – I’m a complete fabric whore! I’ve been making things since I was little – my mom is a very talented crafter and seamstress. Outside of knitting I’m primarily a mixed media artist so I love found objects, paper, trinkets, buttons, fibers… anything interesting! I learned drop spindle spinning in college (I have a fine arts degree) and would love to do it again as well as learn to spin on a wheel.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) My musical tastes are somewhat varied and complicated! I have a few things listed on my blog profile & my MySpace page. I can play MP3’s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love retro-y colors. Pink + brown + orange + aqua + lime green…. but I really can’t say there are any colors I don’t like.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Husband of 11 years and a darling 9 year old son. Sadly my kitty died a year ago and we aren’t ready for any new pets just yet.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yep! I look stupid in hats but I wear ‘em anyway! Hehehe!
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I’ll try anything once! I like socks. I also love knitting with the intent to felt.
13. What are you knitting right now?
A hat my husband has requested (nay, demanded!), a baby sweater for my brother-in-law’s impending bundle of joy, 2 pairs of socks for myself.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes!!!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
All of the above? I use both straight and circulars as necessary. I prefer wood and bamboo needles most and plastic the least but I wouldn’t turn away a good lookin’ needle no matter what it was made of. I recently bought a set of Addi Turbo circulars… I don’t hate them but I’m not sure if I like them yet either.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?I don’t but my mom has a winder. I’ve trained the hubby to help me wind yarn the old fashioned way.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? Hah! Are you kidding me??? I bet I have unfinished craft projects from when I was a child! But my oldest knitting UFO is probably a scarf I started for my husband when we were dating… so 12 years old?
18. What is your favorite holiday?
My birthday! Hahaha! I don’t really have a favorite. I like ‘em all, especially if there are presents and/or good things to eat.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
I’m a packrat… so the question is: what do I NOT collect…. But I love vintage sewing notions, old buttons and squirrels (figurines and tchotchkes and such, not actual live rodent).
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
There is nothing I have a burning desire for. I sort of live for the moment and covet beautiful things as I see them. I have a few knitting and spinning books on my Amazon wish list.
I do love Brittany needles (I only have a couple of pairs)… or any wooden needles with the pretty little carved ends. I don’t have any magazine subs but I really like Spin-Off for the interesting info about wool and fibers and techniques, even though I don’t really actively spin at the moment (I know! I’m such a nerd). Otherwise, I only buy knitting magazines when something catches my eye.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Not sure. I’m really interested in lace patterns and I’ve tried a few but I’ve gotten frustrated with dropping yarn overs and keeping track of the stitches. Are there pretty lace patterns for the ADD afflicted??
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes! Love knitting socks! I wear a women’s size 9 shoe – my feet are sort of normal/average…. 9 ½ in length – 8 ½ - 9 in circumference
23. When is your birthday?
September 23. I’m a Libra.
// posted by Stephanie Cake @ 2/06/2007 08:43:00 PM 
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