Secret Pal # 10

I am going to join this Secret Pal # 10 and the rules say that you have to answer the questionaire and have the answers posted on your blog, so here goes:

#1. What is your favorite yarn to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *NOT* like? I like all yarns that are natural fibers. I'm not wild about acrylic but will use it if it is appropriate.

#2. What do you store your needles/hooks in? I store my knitpicks in the case they came in. My straight single points are in a pocket in my knitting bag and my crochet hooks are in another pocket. DH has said that he will make me a needle case with leather on the outside...we'll see.

#3. How long have you been knitting and where did you learn? Do you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting off and on for 30 years. I learned in junior high home ec class and would consider that I am an advanced beginner. I am game to try anything as long as it contains knits or purls.

#4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wishlist? I do have an Amazon wish list that actually has some knitting books on it.

#5. What's your favorite scent? I love the scent of English Lavendar, but my favorite perfume is an Irish perfume called Inis. It's clean and crisp.

#6. Do you have a sweet tooth? What's your favorite candy? A little bit of a sweet tooth. Chocolate of course, but DARK chocolate. LOL

#7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I like to sew, plan for building our house and decorate. I do spin, although I haven't since we have been on the truck. I own a wheel and will again when our house is built.

#8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3's (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)? I like all kinds of music. We listen to country, western, christian, celtic, irish, jazz, swing, 40's, but not hard rock and especially not headbanging music.

#9. What's your favorite color? Any color that you just can't stand? I am partial to greens that are on the dark end of the scale and like colors that complement the greens, like browns, blues, some pale yellows. I really don't like orange and virulent purples.

#10 What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am happily married to the love of my life. We own a small trucking company (1 truck and my husband drives) that we lease to a larger company. We are on the road all the time, but have internet access most of the time and enjoy what we do. We have a Parsons Jack Russell terrier and a DS that travel with us.

#11 Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or poncho's? I do wear scarves, hat, and mittens, but have never, and I mean never, seen the point of a poncho. I mean really....

#13 What is/are your favorite item(s) to knit? I am really liking the sock thing. I also like knitting dishcloths because they are quick and easy. They also allow you to try out different stitches and practice for a while and then be done.

#14 What are you knitting right now? I am working on a.) pair of socks made of merino worsted. They are being done Toe up on two #3 circular needles. Love this style. b.) a scarf for my ds c.) a couple of dishcloths.

#15 Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, plastic, aluminum? I have become very partial to Knit Picks options. I use them for everything because they come in so many sizes and lengths. I do have various sizes of bamboo straights and finally gave my aluminum straights to my niece.

#16 Do you have a yarn winder or a swift? I recently used a 40% off coupon to order a ball winder, but the only swift that I have is my husbands two arms.

#17. How old is your oldest UFO? I have a blanket that I am working on for my ds that is several months old that is being done in crochet. The other things that I have are only a few weeks old.

#18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas used to be my favorite holiday, but things in our family have changed so much lately that it is not the holiday that I remember. It has become stressful instead of peaceful. I do like Thanksgiving because we get to spend it with my parents and don't have the stressors that are there when we do Christmas.

#19. Is there anything you collect? I have a rather large collection of Boyd's Bears that is going to be liquidated when we get our container moved and I can get to the boxes. I collect Redwing pottery, yellow ware bowls and advertising items, and crockery or pottery that is unique.

#20. Any books, yarn, needles or patterns out there that you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I would like to have some of the Austermann Step yarn in one of the natural colorways to make a pair of socks out of. I also really want the Mason Dixon Knitting book because of all of the great reviews I have read and from looking at the book. I am really spoiled and bad about just ordering what I want, although I am going to stop that so that I can give my dh something to have on my list for him to purchase. I have not subscribed to any of the knitting mags because I haven't decided which one of the magazines I like the best.

#21. Are there any techniques that you would like to learn? I want to learn Fair Isle and steeking....but only after I get proficient at the socks that I have started to work on. Steeking scares me to death. I work so hard to get the fabric of whatever it is done so that it looks nice and then I cut into it?

#22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurments? I am learning to knit socks, but I have yet to take my foot measurements. I wear a size 8 shoes, and usually wear women's medium socks.

#23. When is your birthday? My birthday is July 8th.