1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

————-I suppose if you put it that way, I’m a yarn snob–though I prefer the term “connoisseur.” Natural fibers (though some small amounts of manmade blended in can be fine). Soft is one of the main criteria—I like it soft against my skin! Oh, and generally speaking, I hate knitting with cotton. Wool and silk are the favorites. Cashmere would be lovely. Alpaca can be really nice . . .

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
————-I spin, though am not an expert by any means. It’s great fun, though! I’ve been known to crochet, but not recently.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

————-Not really, but I’m very sensitive to scents—they trigger sinus headaches in the blink of an eye.

4. How long have you been knitting?
————-Not counting the endless garter-stitch squares when I was little? My entire adult life, since college, around 1988.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
————-I do have an Amazon wish list, and it’s linked on my blog.

6. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
————-See note above about scents (grin). Only the subtlest of fragrances, fruity rather than flowery or musky. And please, don’t send me any candles. They’re nice enough, but I have no place to put them and never have a chance to use them.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

————-Well, I do like chocolate, but I’m a purist. Really not a big fan of hard candy.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
————-I’ve been focusing on knitting and spinning lately, but I also quilt, embroider, and crochet. And reading. There’s always the reading! (Not that that’s a craft, really, more like a way of life.)

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
—————I like music with a good melody and good harmony—looooove good harmony! But no, no MP3 player. Beatles. Showtunes. Harry Connick Jr. Neville Bros. Paul Simon. George Gershwin…

10. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can’t stand?
—————I like warm, autumn colors—oranges, golds, reds. Also greens and blues. I like really saturated colors, not pastels.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
—————I’m single, but still live with my folks, and have a wonderful dog named Chappy, for whom I named my entire blog.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
—————Um, happiness? World peace? Really, being happy, with a healthy family is about it. I’m content, though I really would like to get my novel published.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
—————-Soft, wooly ones. Cashmerino, is lovely, silk. Anything that feels great in my fingers.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
—————-Cotton. Can’t stand it (except for Rowan Calmer, which is nice and springy). Don’t like eyelash at all, or anything too “novelty.” Some texture is okay, but I like knitting with the basics.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
—————-Lace! Shawls! I’m starting to think of colorwork again, though… or maybe cables….

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
—————-Sweaters, mostly. Shawls a lot lately. Socks.

17. What are you knitting right now?
—————-A sweater, a hat, a pair of socks, some lace.

18. What do you think about ponchos?
—————-They’re not evil, but I’ve never made one and can’t imagine ever wanting too.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
—————-Circular!!

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
—————-Addi Turbos, though I’d love to try some circular, ebony lace needles, but they are hard, hard, hard to come by.

21. Are you a sock knitter?
—————Yes. Though I haven’t yet tried any elaborate patterns–been quite content with the basic, toe-up sock. Don’t really like self-striping yarns, though–but variegated ones are nice.

22. How did you learn to knit?
—————Books, pretty much. A neighbor taught me garter stitch when I was little, but I learned purl and continental knitting (my preferred method) on my own. Nothing is as good as a great reference book (unless, I suppose, you have an extremely knowledgeable person handy).

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

—————Only a couple months—the Union Square Market sweater I’m working on.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
—————I don’t have one . . . well, I mean, Chappy is my favorite animal, of course, but cartoon characters? I haven’t had a favorite since my crush on Mickey Mouse when I was about 4.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
—————Christmas. And my birthday (not that that’s actually a holiday for anyone else, but I like to pretend it is).

26. Is there anything that you collect?
—————No, though I accumulate books almost as easily as I breathe. But that’s practically a functioning library, not exactly a “collection.”

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
—————All I need, that’s for sure! Vogue Knitting, Knitters, Interweave Knits. Oh, and Spin Off.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?
————–A couple out of print ones that are rarer than gold. Principles of Knitting by June Hemmins Hiatt, and Spinning for Softness and Speed by Paula Simmons. . . both hard to find, rare, expensive books. Also Here be Wyverns by Nancie Spies. Most current books I pretty much buy when I see them . . . I have serious problems restraining myself in bookstores!

29. Any patterns you have been coveting, but haven’t bought for one reason or another??

————–I like the Fiddlesticks Lotus Blossom shawl, that I just haven’t gotten around to buying yet, but otherwise . . . nothing specific.

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