1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
**Yes I am a yarn snob. I definitely gravitate towards natural fibers. There are some wool/manmade blends that are pretty cool too. But absolutely no 100% acrylic.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
**I do not spin. I wouldn't mind learning someday. But I cannot afford (time or money) to pick up a new obsession. I had a crochet lesson a few months back. Honestly, I just didn't enjoy it very much. Although I ALWAYS have a hook at my side while knitting, they are invaluable for fixing wonky stitches. I would like to give it go again... Someday...Maybe. Eh.
3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
**I keep my straight bamboos (& a few bryspuns) in a "roll your own" needle case that I made. My gorgeous & colorful vintage aluminum & casein needles are in a vase in the living room. My circulars are in the pockets of my sexy vintage folding knitting basket (as opposed to my handsome but not sexy vintage folding knitting basket. I have issues with most of the circular needle cases out there. I detest the hang-y ones, how messy to have all those cords & needles dangling everywhere!! Obviously I haven't been too upset, or else I would have made one myself.
4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
**I signed up for a beginning knitting class last April. A week before the class I bought the first Stitch n' Bitch book & taught myself. When I got to the class I already knew how to cast on, knit, purl, & bind off. The instructor didn't spend much time with me. I took a 3 part sock class last summer; the first session we cast on, & worked on the cuff/leg. We were supposed to come to the second session ready to turn the heel. I went home after the first session & turned the heel by myself, I was HUGELY disappointed by all of the fuss about turning the heel! I was expecting something more challenging. I would stick myself in the intermediate category.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
**yes. Amazon. It is under punkrawkpurl. There are separate lists for knitting books, other books, & movies.
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
vanilla!!!!! Also coconut or cinammonny spice type smells!!! Sometimes cucumber, sandalwood, & almond.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
**CHOCOLATE! I love John & Kira chocolates, which are pricey. Non break the bank but specialty/hard to find chocolates that I covet are Violet Crumble, Salty donkey balls (from Hawai'i), anything chocolate coconut. And thanks to Laverne & Shirley watching, I have been on a life long quest to get my grubby little paws on a box of real life scooter pies!!! Milk & Pepsi just isn't the same without one!
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
**Sew, collage (but NO scrapbooking), decorating (houses, stores, & cats!), painting, cutting with x-acto knives... I am generally open to crafty stuff.
9. 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 & very diverse tastes musically. Fave bands/musicians: The Pixies, The Breeders, Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, T. Rex, The Ramones... I also love The Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens, lounge music, & almost all 80's music, old school twangy country, a little rap & hip hop, punk, etc.
10. What's your favorite color? Or—do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
** This area is where I am most picky, Chris is actually scared to buy clothes for me because of this. I pretty much dig every color, it's the combination of certain shades of certain colors that make my eyes burn. I don't really like pastels, unless they are mixed with stronger colors. Currently my fave palette is robin's egg & peacock blues, chocolate brown, citron/olive/yellow-greens, pumpkin, & ochre. I also love pink (lamb's pride rosado rose is the perfect pink). & red (deep blue reds, not orangey reds) paired with chocolate brown. My flickr sets, "my place" & "knit on sister" have lots & lots of photos that accurately reflect my color choices.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
**I live with my boyfriend Chris & our 2 cats, Otis & Rosco.
12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
**yes, yes, yes, & not so much.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
**Some of my fave yarns are Malabrigo (yumm-meee), Rowan (love the tweeds, as well as everything else from them, except the new rowan spray-eww), Brown Sheep (anything from BS) , Cascade (220 or Pastaza), Manos wool (their colors are divine!), and, ooooh there are so many! Malabrigo is on the top of the obsession list right now!
I do use Lion Brand Wool-ease for what I refer to as "scratch paper yarn", when I am trying to figure out a new stitch pattern, technique, or anything wonky, I use the cheapo stuff (but I have more than enough of this kind of stuff). OTHERWISE... I DO NOT like the yarns that come from mega-gigantic-chain craft stores. I do use Knit-Picks Wool of the Andes for felting, I find it too coarse for sweaters, mittens, or any non-felted project.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
**I do NOT like 100% acrylic, & I develop a very nasty rash when I get too close to eyelash yarns. I used to say that I hated all novelty yarns, but was brought to my senses after working in a yarn shop & being exposed to some cool & non fugly novelty yarns, although I never use any such yarns. Did I mention that eyelash yarn gives me hives?
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
**I haven't done a sweater since my first one, that I frogged because I over-estimated my size, or under-estimated the stretching power of 2x2 rib. I had only been knitting for one month when I dug into that one. So anyway, I feel like it's time to give it another go. I am waiting for a shipment of Malabrigo in Frank Ochre to come in so that I can start the lace leaf swetaer from Loop-d-Loop.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
**anything that challenges me to try something new. I don't know why, but I am putting off fair isle. It's been the one & only thing that I have not just jumped into.
17. What are you knitting right now?
**2 pairs of felted slipper clogs, 1 pair of socks (using actual sock weight yarn for the first time), a Jess Hutch toy, some shop samples, a felted purse, and a couple of secret gifty things
18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
**of course!!!
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
** It totally depends! I do HATE long straights, they make my elbows hurt. I will use a circ to accommodate a larger piece. I do seem to be knitting in the round a lot these day. And I have to mention that I LOVE love love short double points!!!
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
** Again, it depends. I am very partial to my vintage needles, the colorful aluminum & casein needles. I do like my bamboos, & the sweet plastic daisy's. I am obsessed with addis turbos.
21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
**yes & yes!
22. How did you learn to knit?
**With a book (stitch n' bitch) & the knittinghelp.com videos.
23. How old is your oldest UFO?
**This is SO embarrassing. A ladder stitch scarf that I started back in April, I think it was my second scarf. Once I learned the stitch I just got bored. It looks good in a glass bowl in my entryway.
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
**I will have to get back to you on this one. Although I am a fan of Disney & cartoons, etc., I don't really collect or buy things with characters on them. rarely.
25. What is your favorite holiday?
**Xmas. And the birthdays of all my friends!
26. Is there anything that you collect?
**That's a loaded question! Vintage knitting needles & notions, vintage roosters, vintage trivets (a new obsession), vintage disneyLAND (not world) memorabilia, vintage.... Stuff
27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
**I have a subscription to interweave knits.
28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
**Books will be on my amazon wishlist. Swallow casein needles, tortoise shell!!!!!! The lace leaf/bobble leaf scarf pattern from loop-d-loop.com (or the 2002/03 winter issue if interweave knits).
29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
**I suppose that would have to be fair isle. I don't know why, because I don't think I would use it very often. I feel obligated to learn it.
30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
**I have knit socks, I am knitting some right now, but I don't knit socks very often. I am a woman's size 8.5. I have been wanting some knee high socks, not necessarily hand made.
31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
**September 13th
32. Allergies?
**Besides penicillin, it would most certainly be cigarette smoke! I am very very sensitive to cigarette smoke & things that come from the home of a smoker.
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