Secret Pal 9 Questionnaire
First and foremost, this photo is for Lorinda, the SP9 Hostess with the Mostess! My proudest FO is Icarus written by Miriam Felton and knitted in 3 hanks of Catalina’s Alpaca Worsted and trimmed in 3/4 hank of Berroco’s Ultra Alpaca. I knitted it for my friend Rasha who has taken it on a 6-month journey to “get back herself” and will be traveling across the Netherlands, Egypt, Nepal (where she is climbing up to the Mount Everest base camp at 12000 ft!), then back to the USA.
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love mostly natural fibers, except for anything that feels scratchy. Though scratchy wool is good for felting, hmmm…. Merino, alpaca, cotton, and silk would be my favorites against my skin.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I now have 2 Abra cases for my straights and circular needles, the gorgeous DPN case that Barbara made for me, a Levenger formal pen case to hold my crochet hooks, and a Pottery Barn tall crystal vase that Paul and William gave me/us for one Christmas
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I began knitting on the first weekend of January 2005 by myself. I had been sitting in a knitting group every Thursday crocheting with my friend Cathy since the September before. I consider myself an intermediate knitter, but can be sometimes lazy and lacking in time to knit as much as I would like
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Just HERE 
5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
I love vanilla, especially Victoria’s Secret’s Vanilla Lace; gardenias and honeysuckles are a close second. But thanks to my sister, I discovered VS’ Secret Crush, and I think it is YUMMY
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Dark and white chocolate and anything with them! I do adore Lindt’s truffles and like Toblerones and Merci chocolates
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Does gardening count? I crochet, and am hoping to find the time to spin with my top whorl
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
No pop or Top 40 please (Brittany, Kelly Clarkson, etc)… love Fiddler on the Roof (saw that years ago when I was just out of college) and Phantom of the Opera (already have soundtracks to both theatrical productions!); Chopin and Mozart; Tom Petty and Clint Black; The Clash and the Psychedelic Furs; and one of my all time faves, The Eagles. …Oh, and MP3s are my friend!
9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
I dislike anything neon bright or glowing. My favorite color palettes: neutrals (blacks, browns, greys, creams), and jeweltones (deep red, green, violet)
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have a husband (anniversary is on May 8th) and 4 house rabbits (future dog hopefully in a couple of years)
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I actually prefer shawls (my Clapotis gets a TON of use!) and scarves (I crocheted one in Denmark when I forgot the black cashmere scarf Rich gave me for a Valentine’s Day gift). No ponchos for me please.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Detailed lace shawls (just finished the Children of the Lir Stole from Martha Waterman’s Traditional Lace Shawls and Miriam Felton’s Icarus), wrist-warmers, scarves, and socks.
13. What are you knitting right now?
Knitting a Heartstrings Fiber blanket pattern that I tweaked for a first wedding anniversary gift. Am ready to tackle 3 baby bath sets for the Dutchican triplets, a pair of gloves for Warm Hands, Mystery Socks for family members, and Pretty in Pink items for Breast Cancer Survivors like my sister’s MIL.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I love getting stitch-markers! I also love receiving yarn/fiber that is handspun or local to an area. A great example is the gift of hanks I received from my Danish co-worker and his wife. They gave me yarn that was spun from their goats’ mohair. Recently while up in Stowe, VT for a wedding, I picked up some amazing DK alpaca whose natural color was a black/brown.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Depends on the project and where I may be knitting it. But I LOVE my (misplaced 
at the moment) Plymouth bamboo circular needle set, SRK bamboo straights, Inox aluminum circulars, and Bryspuns the most. I do use my Addi Turbos and Plymouth aluminum speedy circulars. I however, keep breaking and chipping Brittany needles.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No. I prefer to wind the balls myself so I can make sure the tension is not too tight. But because I have so many hanks that need to be balled, I may break down and put an umbrella swift and large ball winder on my wish list.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Umm, in knitting? Well, there is the navy chenille sweater I need to sew up, my Amazing Lace lace-up cabled camisole re-knit in hand-hurting Marks & Kattens Pacific cotton, Gabby’s blue socks, Abby’s Regia Silk socks, and Paul’s sweater. But there may be more in my Lantern Moon rice basket.
18. What is your favorite holiday?
It is a toss up between Easter (spring is here!), Thanksgiving (around my birthday).
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Besides yarn??? I have a model train collection, and Wedgwood sage green jasper — but please, I really want to get rid of the Jasperware to make room for more yarn… almost anything related to my 1970 Ford Mustang fastback, and copper bunny garden items. Also, I LUVLUVLUV watching baseball, American football, and rugby.
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 any of Fiddlesticks’ shawls, Sharon Miller’s Heirloom Knitting, or Miriam Felton’s shawl patterns. I have subscriptions for Vogue Knitting and Interweave Knits (love the intricate patterns and inspirational ideas). I just stopped my subscription to Creative Knitting (not too crazy over because the designs are a bit dull for my taste).
21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
I would like to learn steeking, but am not sure if I have the patience or the time to finish a full project. Currently I am so wrapped up in lace, that everything else is being set aside.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am a fairly new sock knitter, as in I have sock yarn, and have made Knitty’s Fuzzyfeet and baby socks, but do not the time yet to sit and knit full-sized ones like Knitty’s Pomatomus or MagKnits’ Happy Socks. Foot size would be US-7, EUR-38(?).
23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
11/25th — I am an American Turkey baby and this year VA Tech hosts UVA on my birthday!
Must have bad karma.
ME!!
