Thursday, March 01, 2007

SP10 ~ I'm In!!

I'm SO excited to be able to say I joined SP10 . I'm so excited and so nervous at the same time! And this questionnaire was so hard for me, I'm not used to talking about myself so much, and will probably end up adding a few things since I feel late in getting it up I kind of rushed through it.. won't change it more than once more though, I wouldn't want to confuse anyone. :c)

Anyway, here it is in all its glory!

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

I am SO into sock yarn right now! I don't really have a favorite since the Trekking and Lornas Laces on my blog are my first and I haven't even started on the LL yet. I don't usually use bulky yarn, but there are a few scarfs I wouldn't mind trying, and I would love to try some lace and some sweaters (adult ones, I've done baby/children's). I really prefer superwash wool/blends, although with lace and bulky I know that can be hard. I don't have much on my "want to do list" that involves acrylic, but I suppose there is always a pattern to be found that you just have to do..

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

Right now a zip lock or in my knitting bag. Bad I know. I'm working on my very first felt project, we'll see how it goes and if its not bad I'll post it, if not I know I have a pattern saved somewhere for a felted case done with cables that looked really beautiful, now I just need to find it again, I think I'll try and find it and post it to see if anyone had done it before and if they liked it.

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 active for about a year now. I'm self taught and I knit totally backwards. From my right needle onto my left...I'm left handed and its just easier on my brain..lol.. As for skill, I'm not sure how to answer that. I still consider myself a beginner, but I have done baby socks, almost done with a pair for myself, cables, fingerless gloves, and baby sweaters...right now, its all about socks and hopefully a few adult sweaters will be in my future.

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

I don't, but I've been thinking about doing an Amazon list for ages..I'm an avid reader when not knitting or studying, my wish list isn't that long but I have one. :c)

5. What's your favorite scent?

For perfume I'm an Estee girl..beautiful to be exact...and for all natural, wow, that's hard. I love vanilla and lavender...like the new downy fabric softener that's out...I love getting into bed at night and smelling that fresh smell. Mint, gardenias (sp?), tea roses, lily of the valley and ohhh my very fav herb kind of scent is patchouli...its just smells so earthy to me..

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

Does anyone remember when jolly rancher had the fire sticks?? Not the little candies they have now in small cubes but the actual "sticks"....can't find those anymore..darnnit... I don't eat a lot of candy, but don't turn down chocolate when offered either. When I read I eat salted sunflower seeds, I can crack those faster than none other, or at least that's what I'm told..I don't prefer dark chocolate or white, I chew a lot of gum, usually a spearmint flavor, I love, love, love chocolate covered coffee beans..wow, were those made in heaven or what?? LOL

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

No sadly I don't spin, maybe one day I will learn, it has always fascinated me. The one time I looked into it in a previous state I lived in the store had closed not a week before, It was sad. I do like to cross stitch and will do a few rows when I can pull myself away from knitting..

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

We are big music lovers here. DH plays guitar, mountain dulcimer, banjo, and mandolin and I sometimes pick at the banjo a little bit. My computer, portable CD Player and Ipod all play songs. :c) I listen to EVERYTHING, almost literally. Bluegrass, country (from current to older..I'm talking old, like flatt and scruggs to the carter family for the old at least), rock (mainly new stuff, I like some of it, and what I don't like I'm at least trying to keep up with what my oldest daughter listens to, so I know..lol).. I like rap, classical, blues, and I'm not much of a jazz person but I would never turn down a new musical experience. I also listen to some new age'y' type spiritual stuff, chants, Indian flute music, meditation type music, ohhh and best not forget an almost weekly sound in this house...bagpipes, Irish melodies and stuff like that...

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

I'm not much of a yellow/orange/bright green person. My favorite color is nice deep purple, you could probably look at the Lornas Laces on my blog to see the colors there. The trekking sock was bit out there for me, but I love it. Right now I seem to be running towards the neutral colors, dk purples, tans, browns, beige's...but the more I knit and the more I learn about color the more I've learned I know nothing about color at all or how beautiful it can be in different combinations that I would never have thought of.. So I'm always open to stepping out of my comfort zone and having others show me how beautiful life can be with wild and lovely color.

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

Okay, to make this short..lol...We have 3 children that live with us full time, and three that don't. Ages - that live with us - 16, 7, 6 - that don't live with us - 15, 12 yo twins - We have 2 dogs, 5 cats (I have no idea where half came from!! lol.. just kidding, they needed homes and suddenly my DH who didn't like cats felt we needed to take them all in?? Strange man to change his mind after almost 10 years together!)..1 turtle and 6 parrots. I swear I could probably charge the neighborhood children at the door to come see my zoo, but than again I don't think my companion pets would like that... ;c)

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

Mittens yes, yes, yes..I have early onset of arthritis in my hands, have had it since my early 20's, hats possibly if there in kids size's..lol.....not really scarves or ponchos.. Not that I don't love them, its just that I'm only 4' 11" and if the scarf or poncho is to long they make me look even squatier, if that's a word...lol...

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

Socks right now, I'm totally living in my own little sock world and its fantastic. I also like fingerless gloves/gauntlets, scarves, and baby things, except I don't have anyone to make them for.. I really like little projects that I can take with me to college and work on in between class's. (or sometimes during class...shhhh)

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks, and trying a round pattern for table mats. My aunt has a round glass table and hasn't been able to find mats she likes in the right shade of green. I'm also working on a pair of fingerless gloves for my uncle (which should have been a LONG time ago, but I got stuck on my socks and school..)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Most of my friends aren't that crafty, so honestly I've not ever received many. I know I would love it, how can you not just knowing how much effort, time and love someone put into it?? It would not matter what it was (even the knitted uterus...lol)...it was made with love and..well..I'm extremely appreciative and sentimental that way..

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

Socks I knit on DPN's but that's because I haven't gotten any circulars to try them on. I have some circs but not small enough for socks. For the most part I like everything but plastic. I haven't tried those but they don't look very appealing. So far I believe I have DPN's in size 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Straight in 10, 10 1/2, 11, 7, 13, 6, and I think 5 not sure on that one, and in circ's I have 10 1/2, 8, 6 and I think 13's.

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

Nope..but I have a very, very patient DH. ;c)

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

About 4 months old. My uncles fingerless gloves.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween hands down.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Not really, we moved around for a few years so it was hard to keep anything like that, and now we have parrots that could accidentally fly and break something, so we are limited to breakables in certain parts of the house. I would say for collections I probably have movies, the books I read, DH has lyrics to old country/bluegrass songs...and of course patterns, yup I think I can say I collect those...rather a junky if I say so myself...lol..

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 will probably have to come back and modify this one, I don't have a list..lol.. I don't have any subscriptions, and only 2 knitting books so far (stitch n Bitch, and Cables Untangled), I would love to get my hands on the Dixie Mason book, a book on doing socks on circs, and any other good sock book of patterns, as for patterns, yup..I'll have to come back to that, but really I love cabled patterns and socks that have designs like the Monkey sock or like the Eagles Flight . Of course I haven't tried them yet.

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

Socks on Circs, and eventually I think I would like to try toe up, just about anything, except maybe dish clothes, as fun as they are, I use sponges at home and so does everyone else I know, except of course my knitty online friends. lol

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

I don't wear socks that are very high, as you can see what I'm making in previous blogs, but here are my measurements:

Foot/arch -- 8.5 inch

Ankle -- 8.5 inch

Heel to toe -- 8.25

Provided I measure right, which I think I did. :c)

23. When is your birthday?

Sadly my parents thought it was beautiful and fateful that I be named April for the month I was born in and because of the "special" day .... April 1, 1974.... Ya. I'm so glad they have that kind of twisted sense of humor to strap me with that until my end of days.. ;c)

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