SP13 Questionnaire

Finally, here my answers:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I like soft alpaca and merino, the non scratchy type, a lot, but I also have a fondness for the Noro wool yarns (they will be the death of my credit card!). Eyelash yarn and ribbon, artificial yarns are not my cup of tea.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a Namaste storage bag with some of my long needles, but sadly is no use for some Italian and German knitting needles that I bought in the past, so I keep them in a self-sewn cotton cozy. The circular ones are all kept in the original package, and stored in a zipped cosmetic bag. I keep the DPNs in a large pens and pencil holder, but I may sew a cozy for them too.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
My mum taught me the basics of knitting when I was 12, and then I learnt about different techniques, more complex cables, lace etc. from the Burda and Carina magazines (we are talking the 80s here…!) I’d say I am an intermediate knitter with advanced potential.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, I have one on Amazon (look for yowlyy) and one on my bookcrossing profile.

5. What's your favorite scent?
I love citrus, neroli, grapefruit, also oriental spices, green tea, but my favourite ever scent must be freshly baked bread. Yum!

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I used to have a sweet tooth, but with the ageing process I guess this has now gone. However, I am partial to good chocolate: I am member of the Chocolate Tasting Club and receive a box of chocolates to test and evaluate every other month. I also tend to shop for chocolate at their shop in the city centre, so I am never short of good dark stuff. Since I have met their chocolate I have stopped buying other commercial chocolate, apart from the Green&Black special sorts and some Lindt every now and then. Yes, I guess I am now spoiled forever!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do some sewing (I used to sew my own clothes, but time is never enough these days!), and I used to do patchwork quilts – that I learnt during my stay in Germany by a lovely lady who owned a LYS and taught me the A to Z of quilting and how to deal with a cutting board. I started spinning three years ago, but I haven’t indulged in it for two years now. I can do drop spindle only, however I got a wheel from a fellow freecycler a while ago, and one day I must look for someone living nearby to show me how to use it.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I love music, and my tastes are…eclectic to say the least! I have a large collection of mediaeval, baroque and classical music on CD and a few LPs, same for hardcore punk of the 90s (and some punk of the 70s), and a good selection of modern classical stuff like minimalist music, Philip Glass, Kronos Quartett, Michael Nyman, Goran Bregovic… and then of course some dance music (Moby) and dark wave of the 80s – 90s…. I can play music on my PCs.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Right now I have a fixation with greens and browns, but I am known to love all sorts of purples, especially strong ones, variegated or not. "Autumn" colours are among my favourites too, and neutral ones… creamy whites, grey tones...
Probably, my least favourite colour has to be pastels on their own, and neon (the type you will find on cheap acrylic yarn)

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my partner/boyfriend/driver/bunnymobile driver and am owned by two houserabbits, Hugo (a red-eye white rescued bunny from Rugby) and his girlfriend Miss Eve, a Dutch b/w with the personality and attitude of a lioness. They are my babies, and as you can see they own my blog too…almost!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear everything…apart from ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love knitting scarves, but I love knitting in general.

13. What are you knitting right now?
I have a few WIPs, a lace scarf, a cowl, a vest and a cape/coat. All on Ravelry, of course! The ones I am most enjoying now are the vest and the cowl.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
It depends on the type of work… I am faster with straight needles, but some work can only be done with circulars, including the odd project on the go when I am travelling. When it comes to the material, I chose it in relationship to the yarn and how it glides on it. I even use plastic – my Denise needles, that have proved so useful in many cases :)

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes to both. The swift is in my possession since I started knitting, while I only recently got hold of a yarn winder. When I have the time and I feel so inclined, though, I love winding my yarn with the nostepinne.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
1 year and 3 months old.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
My favourite holiday is when I have time off – seriously, I love the winter holidays (Christmas and New Year) because of the smells in the air, the cold, the pretty shop windows and displays, but I don’t have a favourite one. All holidays are good if I can stay at home with my bunnies and knit and read

19. Is there anything that you collect? Apart from yarn?
Books about bunnies and knitting books – I have quite a collection here….

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 recently found out about Wisdom Yarns and their yarn Sonnet, which is so similar to the variegated Noro – this is one I wouldn’t mind to try. Also, I’d love to try on some Berroco Ultra Alpaca and the light version, also Berroco Inca Gold and Malabrigo Silky Merino. It is very difficult to get hold of anything Berroco in the UK, but luckily I have now found a shop in London that is importing for me some of their booklets without me spending a fortune in postage. I subscribe to Interweave Knit, and I am member of Rowan International. I buy regularly Verena in Germany, and sometimes Rebecca as well, also in the German version.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Steaking is something I have never tried and it might be a long time before I try it out. I would like to improve my fair isle technique, and learn to knit two colours using both hands - I have seen videos online and it looks a bit tricky! One day I will learn to crochet properly too…

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I do knit socks, yes! I am a European 38/UK5/US 7.5

23. When is your birthday?
5th of December

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
Yes, I am YowlYY there as everywhere else. Just keep it simple.