The Little Knittin' Kitten

Secret Pal 12 Questionaire

At long last, the questionnaire for this round. Apologies to my spoiler that I haven't had it up before, but I never received it from the mod, so I wasn't sure what was going on. Hopefully you've been able to make do so far with the SP 11 one still linked on my sidebar. I've pulled the questions from my spoilee's blog and I hope they're the right ones.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love alpaca and superwash wool (I do the laundry in the house, and I try not to hand wash if I can help it). I'm getting into socks and lace more lately, and I like anything kitteny soft. I really don't like novelty yarns (I even consider tape yarn and lamé as "novelty"). I'm looking forward to knitting with some bamboo yarn for the first time, although I don't know if I'll get to that this summer. I'm planning to knit my wedding bouquet, so this will be my first foray into felting and felting yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I made the roll-up case from Stitch n' Bitch for my straights and I made a sized-down version for my crochet hooks. My Knitpicks and Denise's each have their own cases. My generic circs and dpns are in boxes right now. I'm trying to design a practical case for them.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
My grandmother taught me when I was 7, but I only ever picked up the needles when I had a project I wanted to do that happened to be knit. I've been a serial crafter all my life, so I often bounce around between crafts. When I started university, the knitting bug bit me hard and I've been a pretty veracious knitter ever since (that was about 8 years ago). I'd consider myself upper intermediate - advanced; I don't know everything, but I'm confident that there isn't anything I can't figure out when I need to.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I have one on Amazon.ca. Just look it up under my name. I'm not into pattern books; I prefer books that focus on a technique or the history of my crafts.

5. What's your favorite scent?
I love sweet fruity scents (but not cloying). I love sugar cookie and cinnamon scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I like Reese's Pieces and Peanut Butter Cups. I love dark chocolate, especially over cherries or coconut. I don't eat a lot of candy, though. When I have it, I usually have to keep reminding myself to eat it before it goes bad.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I crochet occasionally, but I tend to prefer knitting. I'm a beginning spinner and my mom bought me a Louet Victoria for my birthday. I do papermaking and I'm going to start bookbinding soon. I want to get into quilting. I used to be a cross-stitch fiend and still do it from time to time. I really like crafts that can be made with upcycled or reclaimed materials.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
My computer can play MP3s and I have an iPod that I take everywhere. It's really too hard to say what kind of music I like, because I'm really eclectic. I like good indie music (Belle & Sebastian, The Decemberists, The Shins, Tokyo Police Club, Sufjan Stevens, Jens Leckman, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Vampire Weekend) and mainstream stuff like Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Counting Crows, and folk music like Great Big Sea and Dropkick Murphies. I'm always open to new influences.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love earth tones, especially green (dark, forest green) and blue. In the reds, I prefer burgundy and deep reds to primary red. I'm starting to really like purples, too.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm getting married in October, which I'm really excited about. We have 1 cat, a 9 year old named Spirit.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I don't wear ponchos, but as a Canadian scarves, hats, and mitts are a necessity!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I usually knit sweaters or tops, but I also like small projects like socks and baby sweaters. I'm going to get back into lace knitting once the dust settles from the wedding plans and I'll bring out the Mystery Shawl again and play around with Susanna Lewis's lace knitting workshop. I like anything that teaches me a new technique or gets me to try something or figure out something in a different way.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Right now I'm knitting the Spring Forward socks from this season's knitty, the Lighthearted Leaves scarf for my mom, and a child's guernsey sweater for charity.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Of course! Anyone who doesn't, doesn't deserve to receive them.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer wooden circulars (particularly my Knitpick Harmony Options). I love any needles that are of the interchangeable variety.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I have neither.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
About 3 years old. It's a pair of mittens I started for my brother while I was in England and I still haven't finished them.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Easily Christmas. I love going to The Bay on Queen St. and seeing the Christmas window displays.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I collect books, salt & pepper shakers, Wade figurines, Eeyore swag, and things in miniature (like dollhouse accessories, although I don't own a dollhouse). I also collect antique and vintage knitting and sewing notions (this collection started with a bone needle case that I found in an antique shop in England).

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Obviously, Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting. :) My amazon list is mostly knitting and spinning books. I have a subscription to Interweave Knits and I'm considering one to Spin Off, but I haven't made the leap yet.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Whenever I want to learn a technique, I just go ahead and learn it. Other than spinning, which was something I held off on for a long time. With everything else I just jump in with both feet.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am a sock knitter. I'm size 6 1/2 to 7 US shoe size.

23. When is your birthday?
January 22, 1981

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

posted @ 1:44 p.m.