dottyspots

… is gearing up to go. Below are my answers to the SP9 questionnaire:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
ATM I is mostly loving soft, soft yarns like cotton angora I like all sorts of yarns save for plasticky squeaky ones. I’m not a fan of novelty yarns either.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A cardboard tube that formerly held hazelnut coffee.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I learnt to knit when I was 17 – that is, I learned to do a knit stitch, not purl or cast on or off or anything… In 2003 I finally learned to cast on, off, knit and purl and haven’t looked back!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Oh yes, yes, yes: my wish list

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
Roses – I love the smell of roses and ???? arrrrgh, can’t remember the name of the flower.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I like chocolate (I’ve met very few people who don’t) but I shouldn’t really have any dairy, so it needs to be dairy-free/suitable for vegans.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do a bit of sewing. Recently I made a Waldorf doll for my daughter and I now want to expand on that and make some dollshouse dolls. I keep meaning to sew up the pieces for a shirt for my son - I need the sewing machine practice, years ago when I used to make clothes I made them by hand, but I don’t have the time to hand sew everything with 4 children. I’ve also been collecting bits to start making jewellery again (something I haven’t done for quite some years).

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Trash/garage/garage punk (NOT the dance stuff, proper trashy guitars garage), 60s/Texas Punk and psychobilly, but I also like various things in the charts, think the Killers and stuff like that. Soul – gotta have a bit of soul in my life . I play the recorder (and can play a few other related instruments) so also like listening to renaissance etc. music, but I’m a bit of a philistine, so if anyone wants to educate me

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
I love greens (not peppermint green though – y’know the particular ‘baby yarn’ colour), deep pinks and browns.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have 4 children: ds12, ds10, dd3, ds8mnths. I also have two cats, an Ocicat called Fern and a Korat called Gilbert.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarves and mittens, occasionally hats, never ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I don’t have any particular favourites, I just knit what I fancy.

13. What are you knitting right now?
My first ‘proper’ attempt at a simple lace shawl. I’m also knitting a cabled jumper for Ned.

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

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer things with some points to them, so although I do like the smoothness of my Addis, I really would prefer a bit more point (especially with the lace!) I do like the bamboo needles I have – but only have some 4mm in bamboo. I do need to expand on my collection and have thought about buying some plain wooden ones and prettying them up.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I frog UFOs older than a certain amount, because if it’s a UFO for long enough then I’ve lost interest in knitting it.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I’ve got a handle on the US terminology now I don’t have a particular favourite holiday, I have a bit of a block over holidays which I struggle to get over, although I’m getting better at them now.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn I also like buttons (as in the ones you do up in button holes) and beads – I think it’s a ‘treasure chest’ thing, it gives me a joyous little girl happiness to have ‘sparkly things’.

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 need to renew my sub. to Rowan (must get around to that), aside from that I’m not subbed to any knitting mags, not for any particular reason, it just never occurs to me (although I do enjoy looking at friend’s mags).

I do want to expand and buy some more bamboo needles and some pointier circulars.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
I’d like to learn to crochet, but need to pin someone down to teach me that (I’m not very good at learning things like that from a book). I’d like to expand on my sock knitting skills, but again, I’m a monkey see monkey do sort of person.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I have knitted socks. Yea, I have enjoyed knitting socks. I can’t remember my foot size – and they are very wide.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
Not until next Spring.