Secret Pal 11

Well, i am SOOOO glad my Secret Pal posted here because my SP info went to my spam folder and I never saw it!!

This is my first knitting secret pal, so I'm excited. And it sounds like she is Dutch since she mentioned that I have lived in her country...or British since I did live there for one little month. I don't know if she is living there or over here, though. I love the Dutch and there are a few items I've missed from Holland.

Here is my questionaire:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I'll knit with just about anything. I think each fiber has its uses. I prefer, however to wear natural fibers. Even in the fall and winter, it rarely gets very cold for very long and we all have central heating. I use acrylic for knitting the baby hats for NIN, or for hats for the troops (Ship Support) or for baby toys, but I don't wear 100% acrylic.
Most of my stash is wool or silk or bamboo or cotton. I use both 100% wool and wool/nylon blends for socks and would like to try some bamboo and cotton blends but just haven't done it yet. I prefer fingering weight for socks since I just don't need heavy socks.
I'm on a bit of a stash diet right now except maybe for gifts. I do knit with 100% cotton because I am making some baby dresses from it, but I have a worsted weight cotton that is killing my hands, although it knits up beautifully. There just isn't any stretch. Maybe the fingering and DK weight cottons will be easier on my hands when I get to it.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I use alot of KnitPicks Options needles, so I have their binder-style storage case for their needles, but right now I have most of my other circular needles in plastic baggies and I don't really have storage for my long straights. I need some more pouch pages for the KP binder. I use a folded crochet hook carrier for my small metal and bamboo dpn's, but it is a tad small and I can't always zip it up since some of my dpn's are just a bit too long. I need better needle storage. I also like Addi Turbos, but for the same money, I can get more Options, which have sharper tips and better joins.

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 2.5 years ago, in February 2005. I saw a beautiful Rogue sweater knit by a friend and I decided I was going to knit come hell or high water, even though I had tried and failed before. The Stitch 'n' Bitch book worked like a charm and within hours I was knitting away on a simple rib scarf.

I'm an intermediate/advanced knitter. My second project was a felted backpack with I-cord trim and crochet edging. My third project was socks. I've knit lace, a little two-color stranded, and never met a pattern I couldn't figure out. I'd consider myself advanced except that I have never steeked and I don't get really even gauge when I knit two-handed stranded. I am best with a right hand hold and have issues getting good tension when I hold in my left hand.

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

Nope.

5. What's your favorite scent?

For perfume, I wear Chanel #5, but it takes me a while to work through a bottle even though I wear it every day. Other scents I like are apple, pear, and I love coconut or tropical scented stuff.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I have a major sweet tooth. My favorite candy is Mr. Goodbar, followed closely by Snickers, but I like just about anything that does not have coffee flavor. I hate coffee. Hate it. I like licorice, but the sweet stuff, not the salty stuff.

Did I mention how I feel about coffee? I like teas, especially a tea called zoethout that I drank a lot of in Holland but cannot find here in the States except by special order on-line.

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

I'm a scrapbooker. I can crochet (just taught myself), but I prefer to knit. I used to do counted cross stitch but haven't done that since I started knitting. I quilt and sew and I don't spin.

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

I don't listen to a lot of music. I like 70's and 80's stuff, mostly. I don't really listen to newer music. My laptop doesn't play MP3s, I don't think...if I try to play one off the 'net, it won't play. I don't own an Ipod, although I am thinking of getting one this week for the Hawaii flight since it may be easier to deal with than the portable CD player I have. I can't sleep on a plane without my Enya music. That Memory of Trees CD is awesome for sleeping.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

My favorite colors are greens. I love a soft, mossy or sage green. I also like rusts, browns, deep purple, blues, reds and most neutrals. I don't really dislike any colors. I even like bright orange and lime green in the right context.

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

I'm married (11 years this September) and don't have any kids, although DH and I are in the process of adopting a little girl or twin girls (if we can get twins) from China. It will be at least two years, probably before we receive our child(ren). No pets. DH is allergic.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I do wear scarves...although my time for wearing them is limited. We only have a couple of months a year that are cold enough. I wear fingerless gloves or mittens, but usually not full mittens or full gloves due to the lack of cold. I don't have a poncho, but would wear one if it wasn't too terribly warm.

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

I knit a lot of socks, but I'm kinda coming off that. I say that as I have three pairs on the needles. Socks are my default knitting. I've found that I like knitting lace and I'm collecting toddler/little girl patterns. I really like small gauge knitting, but since it takes so long I find worsted weight knitting fulfilling because it gets done faster.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Heh. The full list? Let's see if I can remember everything.
-DH's sweater in KnitPicks Andean Silk
-Moebius scarf in Shaeffer Miss Priss
-Toddler dress in Laines du Nord Cleo
-Victorian Ruby scarf in Jade Sapphire Silk/Cashmere
-Beaded rib socks in Koigu
-Victorian lace socks in Lorna's Laces
-Stranded socks in Lorna's Laces and Artyarns
-Baby hat for charity on Bernat baby weight
-Toddler shrug for charity in Caron Super Soft
-2 Oat Couture "cuddle toys" for charity

Hey, that list isn't as bad as I expected, LOL!

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes. I appreciate the workmanship and thought behind them.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Prefer metal, but use bamboo for sock knitting sometimes. Most of my metal needles are circular because then I can use them as circs or as straights.

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

Yep. Love 'em.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

The stranded socks are the oldest...cast on in December 2006, I think. I kinda stalled out on the heel of one of them...I kept not getting it right and had to tink back a few times. Finally put it away for a while to come back to and just haven't gone back to them.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving. All that food. All that family. We don't usually recognize Christmas or Easter unless we are with my family and only do Passover or Hannukah if we are with DH's family.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Other than yarn?
I have been collecting ladybug-oriented things. Ladybugs are considered lucky in the Chinese adoption community.

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've been eyeing that new Eunny Jang Autumn Rose pattern, but it would take me ten years to finish it, I am afraid. I'm just not a long project kinda gal. I keep meaning to subscribe to Interweave Kints since it is so hard to find on magazine stands around here, but I never seem to get around to it. I don't have any sort of stitch treasuries yet.

I'm a total addict for KnitPicks needles and need to order more cables, especially. You know you have too many projects otn when you are running out of cables. And I was going to work on my Victorian Ruby scarf last night, but I would have to hunt down the needle tips in some other project and didn't feel like it, so I need more KnitPicks tips in sizes 4-8, even though I think I already have two of each.

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

I'd like to get better at stranded and Fair Isle knitting. I've yet to try entrelac or intarsia.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yup. Have at least one pair otn at all times. I am a US size 7.5.
My foot is 9 inches/23 cm from heel to toe
The widest part of my foot is 8.25 inches/21 cm
My ankle around my ankle bone is 9.25 inches/23.5 cm around
My calf 7 inches up from the floor is 10.5 inches around
I'm fine with short socks...I don't usually knit my own to be very tall...I usally do 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of cuff before starting the heel.
I don't have highly unusual feet...no high arches, my feet are not narrow.

23. When is your birthday?

November 18th

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

I wish.
Here is my info tonight:
You signed up on June 22, 2007
You are #10518 on the list.
1474 people are ahead of you in line.
15416 people are behind you in line.
34% of the list has been invited so far

So maybe I will get on on the next month or so. I can't wait. I know I will LOVE the database aspect.


WHEW! That was quite the questionfest. Now to go check out the blog of the lady I'll be sending items to!