Spitting Yarn

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This is probably a little tedious for any non-SP7 participants, but it has to be done.

[Edited: See Q20 & 27]

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibres)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? I am a bit of a yarn snob. On the whole, I don’t like the feel of high-percentage synthetic yarns, and I don’t like the idea of them next to my skin. However, I don’t mind a bit of functional ‘syntheticness’, i.e. for stretch or wear, or whatever. I don’t know Red Heart or Lion Brand, but I’m guessing I won’t like them very much.

2. Do you spin? Crochet? I have just started crocheting a little, and I’m enjoying the contrast with knitting. It seems good for producing very airy or very dense fabrics. I don’t spin, and don’t have any immediate plans to. I like the idea of it, but I’d like to consolidate my knitting skills first, so I can turn that yarn into something!

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Nothing very exciting. A perspex container.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for nearly a year and would classify myself as a beginner. I have tackled some more advanced techniques (e.g. sock and lace knitting), but I generally stick to simpleish projects, such as scarves. My working life means I don’t get to knit as much as I would like, so I work on smaller projects that I have some hope of finishing!

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I do. You can find it here.

6. What’s your favourite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) I don’t like sickly sweet or heavy sophisticated scents. Fresh, citrusy scents are my favourite. I love most of Fresh’s perfumes.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favourite candy? I do! Most sweeties go down well with me. I like chocolate too, although I prefer dark to white or milk chocolate. I am hoovering up Booja Booja’s champagne truffles at the moment!

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I’m a bit of a craft ho, actually. I love sewing, beading, crocheting and making cards. I don’t do any of these particularly well, but it’s the process I like!

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have an iPod and my computer can play MP3s. I like the kind of music you hear on Xfm.

10. What’s your favorite colour? Or do you have a colour family/season/palette you prefer? Any colours you just can’t stand? Green is probably my favourite colour, although I like pink a lot too. I like bold secondary colours the most, but there are no colours I don’t like. I guess beige is a bit drab.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I live with my boyfriend in a flat in London. No children, no pets, although, I would love both in time.

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Oh yes! (To the first 3, at least). I love comfort clothing. Anything that keeps me warm is good. I have lots and lots of scarves (mostly shop bought). I have issues with ponchos and certainly wouldn’t wear one! Shawls and wraps are great, though!

13. What is/are your favourite yarn/s to knit with? I love Manos and Koigu. I also knitted with some merino from handpaintedyarn.com recently and that was pretty heavenly.

14. What fibres do you absolutely *not* like? Apart from synthetic fibre, there aren’t really any fibres I don’t like. I have a lot of cotton yarn in my stash, so I am a bit bored with it, but I don’t dislike it.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? I don’t knit garments as I don’t have enough time, so when winter rolls round, it’s all about the scarves.

16. What is/are your favourite item/s to knit? I am still wrestling with sock knitting (another comfort clothing item!) and I am really enjoying the process. I look forward to a time when I can bash out a pair of socks without too much trouble.

17. What are you knitting right now? Lots of scarves (a lace scarf with KSH, a modular scarf with Colinette Skye and a two-tone brioche stitch scarf in Jo Sharp’s Silkroad Aran).

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Who doesn’t?!

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Probably circular, as they are good for knitting on the move. I love my Denise set.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Each has their place, I think. Probably bamboo for circulars or Addi Turbos, and aluminium for straights (preferably vintage and pastel-coloured!).

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have both and I don’t know how I managed without them!

22. How did you learn to knit? My mum and grandmother taught me when I was small.

23. How old is your oldest UFO? A few months.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? I love all the cutesy Japanese Sanrio characters (except Hello Kitty!).

25. What is your favorite holiday? I always stumble with this questions. Do we mean holiday as in ‘seasonal event’, or vacation? My favourite seasonal event is Christmas because I get the most days off work!

My favourite vacation was probably Thailand last Christmas (except for the tsunami).

26. Is there anything that you collect? Scarves, I suppose. It’s not a conscious thing, but I do have a lot. I have many pairs of pyjamas too! Oh, and ditto books. Then there’s the yarn…

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? None. I tried to subscribe to Interweave Knits, but they were terrible in managing the subscription, so I cancelled it.

[Edit: I have now signed up to Interweave Knits via P&M Woolcraft on the recommendation of Blueadt!).

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? My Wishlist probably deals with the book side of things. I guess I’d like to knit a pair of mittens and a hat using dpns, so I have been keeping my eye out for good and simple patterns. I haven’t got around to buying suitably-sized pairs of dpns for mitten/hat knitting, either. All my dpns are tiny sock-sized needles.

29. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn? Intarsia. I’m going to try out Jess Hutch’s robot and seen how I get on with the technique.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am a UK 5 and a half, which I think is a US 8. I’ll try and remember to measure my feet and update this section.

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 09/21.