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

Ooh. Hard to say, actually. I’m very unpicky. My main criteria is that whatever I’m knitting with be soft - whether that be alpaca to acrylic. If it isn’t soft, it isn’t for me - my skin tends to be a bit sensitive to itchy-scratchiness. :) I am really fond of anything with a hint of silk in it, and I love alpaca and cotton. I can’t think of a single fiber that really makes me upset, unless it’s rough and unfriendly to my fingers.

Here is a list of some yarns I would knock over an old woman to fondle. Anything similar to these are also a good bet. But the buck doesn’t stop there! Oh no. As far as wools go, I prefer merino - softer, of course - and anything machine washable is always a plus in my cat-hair-infested house, but hey, I’ve never superwash silk or superwash alpaca. I ADORE pretty verigated / hand-painted sock yarns. Lots. Have a couple skeins of Lorna’s Laces in a pretty denim blue that I’ve yet to knit up, but that’s mostly because I want to try some plain ribbed socks first, and I’d prefer to have something more verigated and interesting to knit with. Plain yarns want complicated patterns. I cannot yet do complicated socks, so I need complicated yarn.

I like laceweight stuff. Can’t find it around here. Same with sock yarn, really. Must mail order most stuff, but it’s especially impossible to find lace and pretty looking sock yarn.

Of course, other weights are yummy, too. I’d like to do some felting stuff, but never seem to have the right stuff/amount of stuff available.

I give up. My yarn stash sucks. I love it all and need everything. I will be kiss-your-feet grateful for anything you give me, I swear!

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

A dull blue pottery jar I swiped at the end of the school year in 8th grade when its creator never turned up to get it before the day was out. (You may think I’m a thief, and in my heart of hearts, I wish I was sometimes, because my life would be cool then, but I swear to god, I had permission to take it from the art guy himself.) And a drawer for everything that doesn’t get put into the jar. Keep meaning to make myself a needle roll, but I just haven’t gotten around to it (still). Grr. In case you’re secretly wondering to yourself Does this mean she has a plan to make one and would not appreciate one? Is this a ‘don’t send me any needle stashing items’ message in code? the answer is a big ‘no, I definitely don’t have plans’.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

Started knitting in October 2004. :) I’d consider myself an intermediate knitter. I don’t have a lot of problems, but there is sooo much I haven’t done - virtually any colorwork, aside from stripes, for example. Any sweaters or anything large like that… I taught myself from books and the internet, and I have virtually no resource for instruction aside from that, so anything outside of my comfort zone is definitely uncharted territory. With no physical help in sight, I’ve put off new and unusual things a bit. My first and only ‘big’ project was a lace stole I knit my mother. Looooved it.

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

Yep. And the link is in the sidebar entitled All Wishlists. And I’d love anything in it. Anything at all. Honest. From any of the wishlists.

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

Fruity scents, and autumn/wintery scents (cider, pumpkin, spices, etc.), and vanilla-y scents, and foody scents. Not so fond of flower scents, or really deep, perfumey ones. I do like most watery scents as well.

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

Actually, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, thanks to overly sensitive teeth. I love salty stuff, though. Someone sent me a bag of this good cajun trail mix, that was salty-sweet, and it was really good. That’s the kinda stuff I like. :) And I love tea and things that go good with tea. Like biscotti. Actually, cookies in general are a big hit.

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

I don’t spin, though I’d love to learn! I also do a bit of cross stitch and a lot of quilting and generic sewing of random stuff. Considering learning to do some hand embroidery.

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

I like a huuuge variety of music. Celtic, new age, rock, top 40 hits, alternative… Stuff like Matchbox20 & Nickelback & Alanis are great. But so are people like Loreena McKinnet and Midori and other stuff. Not fond of electronica, hip hop, rap, r&b, jazz, classical… Yes, I can play mp3s.

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

I love earthy colors - browns, greens, tans, etc. And most jewel toned colors - purples, blues, golds, etc. I like virtually any shade of blue or green there is. I like a lot of reds. I don’t like neons. I am not so fond of most pastels (except blue, green, purple), or most yellows, or most pinks or oranges, except in verigated/hand painted type yarns, where they aren’t the dominant color. [Note: I am growing more fond of pink these days… *shock!*] I also like verigated springtime colored yarns, or gardeny type colors, if it’s all verigated together pretty. This sounds really picky, but actually, I’m not. *lol*

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

I live alone, and I have three kitty cats who think they own the place. And a best friend who drops over unannounced to raid my fridge and my closet, but, you know… whatever… ;-)

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

Scarves, hats, & mittens are my standard winter wear! I don’t really wear ponchos. Could be because I doni’t have much for them. Or it could be that I’m just not /that/ fond of them.

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

I’ve really enjoyed knitting the hats I’ve knitted. Scarves are quick. Lace is fun - love it, though it’s time consuming. Have started socks, and enjoyed the process thus far, though I’m stalled on my first pair because I made a big mistake I can’t make up my mind whether to just trudge onward, or rip the whole thing out and start over.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Mittens. Though I haven’t knit much since the beginning of the year. Midwinter laziness? Perhaps. But on my soon-to-knit list: Kitty Pi (in hopes that my babies will enjoy it), Backyard Leaves scarf, & two pretty little gift bags from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Of course!

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

I use both straights & circs. I love bamboo, but I also like aluminum ones and use them often. Plastic is somewhat less happy, but I’ve got some I like. Would love to try Brittany needles, or Lantern Moon (my god, they have sock needles now! *dies*). Feel free to ask me about sizes if you’re interested in sending me some. :) Or just send, of course. Can’t ever have too many of anything. Off the top of my head I need the ones on my wishlist page, plus size (US) 10.5 dpns & a size 11 16″ circ.

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

*sniffle* No. Sadly, no. I want them both desperately, but keep putting them off because I always find other things to buy and… well, those aren’t /necessary/…

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Probably about a year and a half old? It’s a scarf that would take me like, a half hour to finish if I’d just /do/ it….

18. What is your favorite holiday?

The winter solstice/yule/christmas combo, without a doubt. I love everything about it, from the chilly air to the wintery spices and the decor to the gift-giving and merry-making! But that’s past now. And I’m really looking forward to Ostara in March! (That’s the 21st).

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Like, besides everything? *lol* I am a packrat. No, capitalize that. Packrat. Yes. Books are a major collection. Computers are another. Haha. Postcards by the dozen… yarn, of course. And fabric. Stickers… tea… Random intriguing scraps of paper and ribbon and BUTTONS… charms… You name it, I love it.

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 have a subscription to KnitScene. Am dying to get Weekend Knitting, and virtually everything else on my Amazon list. I’d love a subscription to Interweave, and may get it once one of my other magazine subscriptions to something else runs out. I don’t care for the latest issue (Spring 07) - most things just don’t call out to me, I guess. I enjoyed Cast On, but haven’t seen it lately. Also, Knitters has had some good stuff, occasionally, but gosh darn, the magazine places suck around here, too.

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

Would love to learn fair isle & cabling. And spinning.

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

My foot measurements… I’m actually not sure how to measure for this. But I wear a US Size 5-6, average width. Slightly narrow heel. Small ladies, anyway, just a smidge larger than most kiddie socks. Grr. Same with my hands. Tiny as heck, but too big for kiddie gloves. I would love to be a sock knitter. But one actually must COMPLETE a pair of socks for this first. I haven’t gotten that far yet, but I will, maybe even by this spring. I looove sock yarn.

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

March 26th!

24. Extra?

I added this question myself. It’s not really a question. It’s more of a place for me to say: Hey, feel free to email whenever to ask anything that’s not on here! Would love to get to know you!