Wednesday, June 4, 2008

It's Secret Pal time again

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I love merino superfine and natural fibers. All soft fibers. I also appreciate cotton yarns. I have no experience with some of those recent non-wool fibres such as soysilk. But I would be interested. I like 100 % New Wool. I love natural fibres.
I do not like a 100 % acrylic yarn or other 100 % man made fibre.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I store them according to their size in plastic zip lock bags which go into a cardboard box.

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 first at school at the age of 10 and did not like it. My mother had to knit at least half of the scarf we had to knit for class. But I was very much intrigued by knitting, crocheting and embroidery as our neighbours did it all the time.

I picked up the knitting needles 5 years later and have never put them down again for a longer period of time.

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I would consider myself an advanced knitter, except for lace knitting.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I had one or better several, because I couldn't access the old ones any more. This has lead to people sending me books I had already bought, because I couldn't erase them from the list. Therefore, no, I don't really have an amazon wish list.

Here are a couple of books, I am still longing for:


Lisa Lloyd, A fine fleece
Norah Gaughan, Knitting Nature
Meg Swansen, A Gathering of Lace
Nancy Nehring, The Lace Knitting of Mary Schiffmann
Nancie Wiseman, Lace from the Attic

Alice Munro, Lives of Girls and Women

5. What's your favorite scent?

I am very sensitive when it comes to scent, most perfumed products are too intense. I prefer natural products (Weleda, Hauschka etc.). Then my favourites are “Elfentraumöl”, “Rose” and “Citron”.


6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Yes, unfortunately.
I love dark chocolate (60 % +). I love Rocky Road bar I love Italian cookies and French nougat.
Salt and Vinegar Crisps and Dorritos Cheese Nachos .

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I do not spin. I sew a little. I am really a passionate knitter. I also appreciate a good novel.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I like Jazz, classical music and pop music (some).
Some of my favourites are Ella Fitzgerald, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Cassandra Wilson, Nina Simone, Diana Krall, Annett Louisan, Madeleine Peyroux, Lokua Kanza. I like most of the Cds in the putomayo collection.

And I love audio books.

Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Yes, it can play MP3.


9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love red. And green, blue and dark chocolate brown . I cannot stand yellow in clothing. (Otherwise it is a lovely color). I abhor mud or military colors.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I am married and have two kids, my daughter is 10 years old and my son is 8 years old. We do not have any pets as some members of this family are allergic.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves and mittens yes. Never tried a poncho yet. No hats.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

My favourites are Fair Isles, cardigans, lace shawls and socks.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Oh dear, I have a very long current projects list. I try to finish some old WiPs, such as Kells, Diamond upon Diamond and a crochet cardi. More recent projects include a Clapotis and socks.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I abhorr straight needles. I love circulars and dpns and knit everything with them. I prefer bamboo, rosewood and ebony (especially Pony needles and Holz und Stein).
If need be and I lack the size in bamboo or wood, I’ll use aluminum, but I do not like it, especially not in winter.
I have never tried plastic as I have no plastic needles, but I like their colors.
I love knitpicks Harmony wood needles.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I own a yarn winder. Still no swift.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Over 10 years! Started it in 1996 when I studied in London: Kells by Alice Starmore

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?

I used to collect tea tins, postcards and other stuff, but today you could probably say I collect yarn and knitting books..

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 would love to have more ebony and rosewood needles as well as Harmony wood, but they are pure luxury which I do not allow myself often.

Yarns: I would love to see and fondle some of the new soy based fibres and Posh Yarn. Jaeggerspun Zephyr for a lace shawl. (And, of course, all those extraordinary luxury fibres, such as quiviut, but I am a reasonable girl).

I have a subscription of IWK and Vogue Knitting (which take ages to arrive)

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Lace knitting

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes. It took me very long to become a sock knitter. The first pair I did ended up as a Christmas stocking! But then, I found a very good pattern in Verena, a German knitting magazine. A couple of years ago, I knitted a pair of socks every month for an entire year experimenting with different techniques. As my bind-off is very dense, I prefer the cuff-down method. I knit my socks with a rather short leg, approx. 15 – 18 cm. Today, I cannot be without a pair of socks on the needle for a long time.

Bye the way, I wear my knitted socks in my shoes all through autumn, winter and most of spring.

My shoe size is German size 38 (US 7 – 7.5).

23. When is your birthday?

August 30th 1967!

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

SaRi

2 comments:

knittingingrid said...

I can't believe I missed sign-ups! Have fun - I am jealous!

Anonymous said...

a very informative questionnaire! :)