Everything you ever wanted to know about me but were afraid to ask
The questionnaire was posted this morning on secretpal_lj4. Haven't received word of who my pal is, though. Eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Your knitting/crocheting habits & desires
1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? I primarily knit, but have taught myself how to crochet. I prefer knitting more because it doesn't irritate the tennis elbow in my right arm (much) and I also just have a better understanding of how it works. And I'm told by crocheter friend that I "crochet like a knitter" (that is, I throw my yarn around the crochet hook instead of picking it up with the hook).
2. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned how to knit almost 9 years ago when I was in college. My mom showed me how to cast on and knit and I bought a book to learn how to purl (and so forth). Made some hats and scarves for my friends with crappy acrylic yarn, got frustrated with knitting as a concept, and ignored my knitting tendencies until about 3 and a half years ago. Now I knit all the damn time and consider myself an advanced knitter.
3. What are your favorite yarns or fibers to knit with? What yarns/fibers do you avoid, dislike or hate? Are you allergic to any fibers? I love super soft things like alpaca and angora, although I find them not as practical for wearing in my life. Superwash wool, cotton, and cotton blends are awesome. Wool is great for felting, not so great for wearing (it makes me itchy, although I don't think I have a true allergy). I've recently latched onto knitting socks, so I love me some interesting sock yarn. Favorite brands are Brown Sheep (Lamb's Pride & Cotton Fleece), Manos del Uruguay (cotton & wool), Mission Falls (cotton & superwash wool), Misti Alpaca, Frog Tree Alpaca, Debbie Bliss, Lorna's Laces. I don't knit with novelty yarns as a rule unless a felted project (like a hedgehog!) calls for it as decoration. And no acrylic please. (This isn't fiber related, but I love hand-dyed things like Koigu, Chasing Rainbows, and Claudia's Handpainted Yarns.) I have access to everything I listed (except Lorna's Laces and Koigu) at the yarnstore where I work, Yarndogs.)
4. What do you use to store your needles/hooks? How about your other tools, like stitch holders and point protectors? Where do you store your yarn? I have a Denise needle set for most of my circulars. The circulars I owned before I bought the Denise set are stored in a little quilted fold-over pouch thing my mom got me. I don't use straight needles, so those are stored in my knitting storage cabinet. And my few sets of dpns are screaming for me to make them a pouch of their own with some fabric I have picked out. Notions have a new home in a small(ish) plastic hardware box that fits in my primary knitting bag. And my yarn stash recently got cleaned out and is now neatly organized in large plastic storage bins in a cabinet.
5. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Do you have a needle preference-bamboo, aluminum, plastic, etc.? Any needles you'd like to try? I prefer circular needles for almost all my knitting, although I'll use dpns if necessary. For socks I love the magic-loop method (with 47" circulars). My Denise kit is awesome because I live on a budget, but I do have a special place in my heart for Addi Turbos. Clover Bamboos are also nice, and I prefer bamboo when I work with dpns (Plymouth bamboo is also awesome).
6. Do you own a ball winder and/or swift? Would you prefer to receive center-pull balls of yarn, if the person that has you owns a winder/swift and is so inclined? I don't own a ball winder or a swift, but I have access to them at Yarndogs. Center-pull balls are fine, but not necessary. I like to feel the yarn and get to know it as I wind it, so either wound or not is cool with me.
7. Are you a sock knitter? Do you want to learn? Yes, I knit socks. Toe-up, magic loop. Not sure what the name of the heel turn is, but it's not the Widdershins one from Knitty (although I may like to try that method at some point).
8. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I'm not sure that I have a favorite item or type of item to knit, per se. I tend to latch on to projects that are so insane that no one else would consider doing them. (You can check out the My Finished Projects section of my blog.) Stripy men's sweaters are fun.
9. What are you knitting right now? Any current obsessions like socks, lace, felting, etc.? "Maze" from No Sheep For You. "Bret" from Denim People (Rowan). A version of "Straight Laced Socks" from Knitty. "Wool Peddler's Shawl" from Folk Shawls (as a commission). Socks are super fun for me right now. And I like lace, but have to be in the right frame of mind to do it.
10. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? What have you always wanted to try knitting/crocheting? I'd love to increase my Addi Turbo circ collection for socks (the only size I have is US 2, 40" circ), so anything between a 0 and a 3 in 40-47" would be awesome. And I'd love to learn how to spin my own yarn. I just don't know how to get started.
11. How old is your oldest UFO (UnFinished Object)? It's one of those "hidden image" scarves that I started in September 2005. (It's got the Transformer symbols on it, both the good guys and the bad guys, and I need to finish it before the movie comes out this summer!) I'm sure I have older UFOs, but this is the oldest one I actually have hope of finishing.
12. Do you have any knitting magazine subscriptions? Any that you love or buy regularly? I don't have any subscriptions, aside from the free catalogues I get from places like KnitPicks. I enjoy flipping through knitting magazines, but tend to find the patterns inside too trendy for my tastes.
13. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, but I prefer to give them.
14. Would you like to receive hand knitted socks? If so, what are your foot measurements? Nah, that's okay. Unless my Secret Pal is just dying to knit me some socks, then I can round up some foot measurements for him/her.
Non-knitting stuff
1. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Include a link. Yes. Here it is (I hope the link works.)
2. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) Any you can't stand? I love anything autumn (apple, pumpkin, pear, clove, spices). Vanilla, peach, sage are also okay. Patchoulli is okay, if not too frequent. I burn candles, incense, and herbs more than I use scented bath products.
3. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy or snacks? Anything you would hate to get? For some reason I find Pocky hilarious. I'm trying to cut back on candy and snack food, but I do enjoy Mike & Ikes and Jelly Bellies. I try to eat fresh fruit mostly. (Emphasis on "try".)
4. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (in case your buddy wants to make you a CD) Folk-type guitary hard-to-classify stuff (Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams, Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter). Showtunes (mostly Sondhem, William Finn, Jason Robert Brown). Dave Matthews Band. Some orchestral stuff. I can play MP3s on my computer and stereo.
5. What is your favorite holiday? Last year I really missed New England autumn. I know that's not a holiday, but damn, I love the colors, the smells, the feel in the air.
6. Do you have a favorite animated character, animal, etc.? I used to watch stuff at Homestar Runner all the time. Badgers, Magical Trevor, and Kenya (and all their relatives) at Weebls are great, too. On tv, I like Invader Zim alot.
7. Are you into any fandoms? (Harry Potter, Buffy, etc.) I love Buffy, although I'm not sure I qualify for true "fanhood". I also watch Lost and The Office pretty religiously.
8. How do you decorate your room/house? Is there anything that you collect? Cat hair. I collect cat hair. (Not intentionally. It just happens when you have four of them.) This is embarrassing, but I collect chicken figurines and funny rubber chicken toys. I don't go out of my way to do find and buy them, it just sort of happened. And I get gifts, too, that are rubber chicken related.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Is there a specific color family/palette that you enjoy knitting with or wearing? Purple, blue, and black colorways. Some earthy tones with dark reds (it's that "autumn" thing again). Not too much bright orange or other bright, bright colors. I love variegated colors for knitting, solid colors or large, bold stripes for wearing. (Striped socks are super awesome.)
10. Would you like and use icons, layouts, banners or wallpapers? Anything specific? Sure, I'd probably put an icon or banner up. I like my layout and wallpaper the way it is, though.
Other information about you
1. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Dye yarn? Are you looking to try any of these, and which ones? I do cross stitch and some sewing (hand and on the machine). I also can do carpentry and painting. Is gardening crafty? I have a smallish herb garden. I would love to try spinning on a drop spindle, although I have no idea how. Dying might be fun, too, now that you mention it.
2. What is your family/living situation? Do you have any pets? I live with one person, four cats, and a dog in the San Francisco Bay Area (but we're really closer to San Jose). It's a one-bedroom apartment with a patio on the first floor of the building. My mom and brother live on the east coast, where I lived before I moved to California 6 years ago.
3. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens/gloves, slippers or ponchos? I wear scarves, hats, mittens/gloves (I love them fingerless, but with fingers is also fine), and slippers. Winters here don't get as cold as they did on the east coast, so I don't need crazy warm stuff. I don't wear ponchos.
4. Do you make graphics? Do you have a paid Livejournal account? I can futz around on Photoshop, but am not very skilled at it. And can make pretty crappy animated icons. I believe my knitting journal is the type that falls in betweern Paid and Free Accounts (the one that LJ puts advertisements on the journal for outside sites).
5. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 1/28(/1978)
6. Anything else you'd like to add? I'm so excited! If I think of anything to add, I'll update in my own journal.
Your knitting/crocheting habits & desires
1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? I primarily knit, but have taught myself how to crochet. I prefer knitting more because it doesn't irritate the tennis elbow in my right arm (much) and I also just have a better understanding of how it works. And I'm told by crocheter friend that I "crochet like a knitter" (that is, I throw my yarn around the crochet hook instead of picking it up with the hook).
2. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned how to knit almost 9 years ago when I was in college. My mom showed me how to cast on and knit and I bought a book to learn how to purl (and so forth). Made some hats and scarves for my friends with crappy acrylic yarn, got frustrated with knitting as a concept, and ignored my knitting tendencies until about 3 and a half years ago. Now I knit all the damn time and consider myself an advanced knitter.
3. What are your favorite yarns or fibers to knit with? What yarns/fibers do you avoid, dislike or hate? Are you allergic to any fibers? I love super soft things like alpaca and angora, although I find them not as practical for wearing in my life. Superwash wool, cotton, and cotton blends are awesome. Wool is great for felting, not so great for wearing (it makes me itchy, although I don't think I have a true allergy). I've recently latched onto knitting socks, so I love me some interesting sock yarn. Favorite brands are Brown Sheep (Lamb's Pride & Cotton Fleece), Manos del Uruguay (cotton & wool), Mission Falls (cotton & superwash wool), Misti Alpaca, Frog Tree Alpaca, Debbie Bliss, Lorna's Laces. I don't knit with novelty yarns as a rule unless a felted project (like a hedgehog!) calls for it as decoration. And no acrylic please. (This isn't fiber related, but I love hand-dyed things like Koigu, Chasing Rainbows, and Claudia's Handpainted Yarns.) I have access to everything I listed (except Lorna's Laces and Koigu) at the yarnstore where I work, Yarndogs.)
4. What do you use to store your needles/hooks? How about your other tools, like stitch holders and point protectors? Where do you store your yarn? I have a Denise needle set for most of my circulars. The circulars I owned before I bought the Denise set are stored in a little quilted fold-over pouch thing my mom got me. I don't use straight needles, so those are stored in my knitting storage cabinet. And my few sets of dpns are screaming for me to make them a pouch of their own with some fabric I have picked out. Notions have a new home in a small(ish) plastic hardware box that fits in my primary knitting bag. And my yarn stash recently got cleaned out and is now neatly organized in large plastic storage bins in a cabinet.
5. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Do you have a needle preference-bamboo, aluminum, plastic, etc.? Any needles you'd like to try? I prefer circular needles for almost all my knitting, although I'll use dpns if necessary. For socks I love the magic-loop method (with 47" circulars). My Denise kit is awesome because I live on a budget, but I do have a special place in my heart for Addi Turbos. Clover Bamboos are also nice, and I prefer bamboo when I work with dpns (Plymouth bamboo is also awesome).
6. Do you own a ball winder and/or swift? Would you prefer to receive center-pull balls of yarn, if the person that has you owns a winder/swift and is so inclined? I don't own a ball winder or a swift, but I have access to them at Yarndogs. Center-pull balls are fine, but not necessary. I like to feel the yarn and get to know it as I wind it, so either wound or not is cool with me.
7. Are you a sock knitter? Do you want to learn? Yes, I knit socks. Toe-up, magic loop. Not sure what the name of the heel turn is, but it's not the Widdershins one from Knitty (although I may like to try that method at some point).
8. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I'm not sure that I have a favorite item or type of item to knit, per se. I tend to latch on to projects that are so insane that no one else would consider doing them. (You can check out the My Finished Projects section of my blog.) Stripy men's sweaters are fun.
9. What are you knitting right now? Any current obsessions like socks, lace, felting, etc.? "Maze" from No Sheep For You. "Bret" from Denim People (Rowan). A version of "Straight Laced Socks" from Knitty. "Wool Peddler's Shawl" from Folk Shawls (as a commission). Socks are super fun for me right now. And I like lace, but have to be in the right frame of mind to do it.
10. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? What have you always wanted to try knitting/crocheting? I'd love to increase my Addi Turbo circ collection for socks (the only size I have is US 2, 40" circ), so anything between a 0 and a 3 in 40-47" would be awesome. And I'd love to learn how to spin my own yarn. I just don't know how to get started.
11. How old is your oldest UFO (UnFinished Object)? It's one of those "hidden image" scarves that I started in September 2005. (It's got the Transformer symbols on it, both the good guys and the bad guys, and I need to finish it before the movie comes out this summer!) I'm sure I have older UFOs, but this is the oldest one I actually have hope of finishing.
12. Do you have any knitting magazine subscriptions? Any that you love or buy regularly? I don't have any subscriptions, aside from the free catalogues I get from places like KnitPicks. I enjoy flipping through knitting magazines, but tend to find the patterns inside too trendy for my tastes.
13. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, but I prefer to give them.
14. Would you like to receive hand knitted socks? If so, what are your foot measurements? Nah, that's okay. Unless my Secret Pal is just dying to knit me some socks, then I can round up some foot measurements for him/her.
Non-knitting stuff
1. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Include a link. Yes. Here it is (I hope the link works.)
2. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) Any you can't stand? I love anything autumn (apple, pumpkin, pear, clove, spices). Vanilla, peach, sage are also okay. Patchoulli is okay, if not too frequent. I burn candles, incense, and herbs more than I use scented bath products.
3. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy or snacks? Anything you would hate to get? For some reason I find Pocky hilarious. I'm trying to cut back on candy and snack food, but I do enjoy Mike & Ikes and Jelly Bellies. I try to eat fresh fruit mostly. (Emphasis on "try".)
4. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (in case your buddy wants to make you a CD) Folk-type guitary hard-to-classify stuff (Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams, Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter). Showtunes (mostly Sondhem, William Finn, Jason Robert Brown). Dave Matthews Band. Some orchestral stuff. I can play MP3s on my computer and stereo.
5. What is your favorite holiday? Last year I really missed New England autumn. I know that's not a holiday, but damn, I love the colors, the smells, the feel in the air.
6. Do you have a favorite animated character, animal, etc.? I used to watch stuff at Homestar Runner all the time. Badgers, Magical Trevor, and Kenya (and all their relatives) at Weebls are great, too. On tv, I like Invader Zim alot.
7. Are you into any fandoms? (Harry Potter, Buffy, etc.) I love Buffy, although I'm not sure I qualify for true "fanhood". I also watch Lost and The Office pretty religiously.
8. How do you decorate your room/house? Is there anything that you collect? Cat hair. I collect cat hair. (Not intentionally. It just happens when you have four of them.) This is embarrassing, but I collect chicken figurines and funny rubber chicken toys. I don't go out of my way to do find and buy them, it just sort of happened. And I get gifts, too, that are rubber chicken related.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Is there a specific color family/palette that you enjoy knitting with or wearing? Purple, blue, and black colorways. Some earthy tones with dark reds (it's that "autumn" thing again). Not too much bright orange or other bright, bright colors. I love variegated colors for knitting, solid colors or large, bold stripes for wearing. (Striped socks are super awesome.)
10. Would you like and use icons, layouts, banners or wallpapers? Anything specific? Sure, I'd probably put an icon or banner up. I like my layout and wallpaper the way it is, though.
Other information about you
1. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Dye yarn? Are you looking to try any of these, and which ones? I do cross stitch and some sewing (hand and on the machine). I also can do carpentry and painting. Is gardening crafty? I have a smallish herb garden. I would love to try spinning on a drop spindle, although I have no idea how. Dying might be fun, too, now that you mention it.
2. What is your family/living situation? Do you have any pets? I live with one person, four cats, and a dog in the San Francisco Bay Area (but we're really closer to San Jose). It's a one-bedroom apartment with a patio on the first floor of the building. My mom and brother live on the east coast, where I lived before I moved to California 6 years ago.
3. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens/gloves, slippers or ponchos? I wear scarves, hats, mittens/gloves (I love them fingerless, but with fingers is also fine), and slippers. Winters here don't get as cold as they did on the east coast, so I don't need crazy warm stuff. I don't wear ponchos.
4. Do you make graphics? Do you have a paid Livejournal account? I can futz around on Photoshop, but am not very skilled at it. And can make pretty crappy animated icons. I believe my knitting journal is the type that falls in betweern Paid and Free Accounts (the one that LJ puts advertisements on the journal for outside sites).
5. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 1/28(/1978)
6. Anything else you'd like to add? I'm so excited! If I think of anything to add, I'll update in my own journal.