Secret Pal 11 survey

ssssshh! I'm at work- don't tell! :)

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I don’t really have a favorite yarn. It depends on the project that I am working on and what would be best for it specifically. I do gravitate towards wool and wool blends a lot- especially if its superwash- but I haven’t got to try to many different ‘exotic’ fibers (which is my mind is cashmere, angora, silk… anything other then wool and cotton) The only thing I don’t want- NO MORE FUN FUR/Novely yarn! It’s coming out my ears… literally.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? a plastic Rubbermaid container- but I need to find something better. I’ve saved a couple pringles containers to decorate but haven’t ever gotten around to doing that.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I’ve been knitting for a couple years I guess. I’d call myself an intermediate at this point since I’ve started branching out and trying new things. I taught myself to both knit and crochet from watching other people do it (across the room) and then looking through some step by step beginner books that people bought for me. It was frustrating at first but I figured it out.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Not yet but I’m going to make one. I’m sure I’ll put a link on the page when I get around to doing it. Why does life have to be so crazy?!?

5. What's your favorite scent? Lavendar and/or vanilla. And my fiance’s deodorant :) And I just bought an air freshener plug in thing from Yankee Candle that it Lemon Lavendar and I love it in my office! On the same trip, my future sister-in-law and I discovered Bath Junkie and their 200+ different scent options. I didn’t buy anything yet, but it might be a new obsession.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Every now and then I want something sweet although usually my cravings are for ‘real’ food. I’m not a big chocolate person but love peanut M&Ms, snickers, peppermint patties, carmellos, ect (most don’t ship well…) and other things that are part chocolate but something else as well. I also like fruit flavored candies. I always have gum in my purse (unless the boy stole it). I don’t have any allergies as far as I know.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I so want to learn how to spin! I keep saying I’m going to try but haven’t done it yet. I enjoy hand dyeing yarn and making my own knitting notions. I like to cook/bake. If I can get my hands on some old furniture I like to restore stuff like that. We are in the middle of renovating/updating our home so it’s a lot of hands on stuff. Oh and I love to garden! Whenever I see seeds on sale I try to grab them all up- just watching plants grow is so fulfilling.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have an iPod and usually listen to podcasts on it but as far as music goes, I’m usually listening to country and also right now trying to pick out songs for my wedding so listening to a little bit of everything.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I gravitate more towards aquas/teals/blues/greens and natural earthy tones (browns, tans). I also love deep jewel tones like burgundy and deep purple. My wedding colors are wine colors- super pale yellow (pretty much cream) and deep red with a little bit of a pinky tone. There really aren’t any colors that I can think of that I don’t like.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I’m one of six kids to my parents but not really close with much of my family. I’m soon to be married to my wonderful fiance- October 13, 2007 at which point I will take on another family! We have no pets currently and probably won’t for a while if ever. There is this one neighborhood cat that has adopted our yard as his own, but Patrick won’t let me feed him…

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? If it’s cold. Really, I’m not big on mittens because I like to have fingers, but I love gloves! And I don’t own a poncho but I’m sure I would wear it if I had one because I’m always cold.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks are fun! I’m only on my second garment and the first one was kind of a flop.

13. What are you knitting right now? Josephine Top from Summer 2007 Interweave Knits and I hope to cast on the “I love Gansey” socks from the Six Sox yahoo group soon.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Of course! Its like getting a little piece of someones heart, knowing that they put time and effort into it. Being a crafter, I know how frustrating it can be to make some things and I hate to see someone who is unappreciative.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Depending on the project I switch between straights and circs. I have a set of circular interchangeable needles. They are the Boye needlemaster set but I want to eventually get a set of the KnitPicks options. I like my needles pointy! Most of my needles are made out of aluminum but I have a few bamboo needles (straight and circulars) and after getting used to the different feel, I love them too. I’m not really a big fan of any of the plastic needles I have tried thus far.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Nope. Well, unless you count using a piece of PVC pipe as a ball winder and my PVC niddy noddy. I asked my dad to make me a swift but he’s a slacker.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? A couple months. I started a beach wrap when we went down to FL back in May but since it wasn’t done in time for me to use it at the beach I just stopped working on it.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving… Yummy food!!!

19. Is there anything that you collect? Umm… yarn? I really can’t think of anything. I used to have tons of collections but not so much anymore. I guess you could say that I collect seeds- I’ve been buying packets any time I see them in the store to save for next planting season.

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 don’t have any magazine subscriptions- I usually wait until I see something on the shelf that looks good and pick it up. I don’t have many knitting books either although I did just order Domiknitrix, Favorite Socks, and Charmed Knits. The one pattern I know I must have eventually is the Sahara top from Stitch Diva Studios… and Rusted Root from Zephyr style… things like that… As far as yarn goes, theres some newer stuff made from corn that I have just been drawn to recently... don't know why by I'm itching to try it.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I’m not sure. I’ve tinkered a bit with stranded knitting but haven’t got that quite figured out yet.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I have started knitting socks and love it so far! I don't know the exact measurements but I wear around a 9 1/2 in shoes... I know, big feet...

23. When is your birthday? December 12, 1984

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Indeed I am! Though I still need to set it up more- it’s sylverstarz17