[As with the Wollfee questionnaire, I'll link to this one in the left-hand 'Admin' column for easy reference]
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
I've never used Red Heart or Lion Brand, obviously, but yes I prefer natural fibres. I wouldn't say I'm a yarn snob but I avoid yarns with a majority of man-made fibre content. Sock yarns etc. are totally fine :-)
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
I crochet, yes. I don't enjoy it as much as knitting and don't do a lot of it but occasionally I get a crochet bug, e.g. when I made the crochet bag last summer.
I don't spin yet but I'd love to give it a try once I have space for a wheel.
3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A big red plastic 'click box'.
4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Since age 6/7 but more recently since late summer 2004. I'd say my level is intermediate - I adore lace and will try even advanced patterns, but I'm not very good at designing garments.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
One? There are lists on amazon.de, amazon.co.uk and amazon.com! Lol. The main list is on amazon.de, though, and you're welcome to it, just drop me a line!
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I'm not big on perfumes and fragrances and try to keep things as neutral as possible. Vanilla, citrus or herbal smells are generally cool, though.
As an example, I love using Celestial face cream or Herbalism cleanser from LUSH. Something like Karma makes me run the other way ...
Oh, and I'm allergic to cigarette smoke :-/
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I generally avoid sugar but *love* dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa solids).
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I enjoy DIY'ing, stuff like designing living spaces, painting walls, building small furniture items etc. And I enjoy baking and experimenting with 'weird' food preparations like growing my own sourdough.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I have an MP3 player.
I enjoy some R'n'B, singer songwriter music (e.g. Sarah McLachlan) and Jewish music. I often listen to audio books or podcasts.
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 blues and pinks. Variegated yarns are always a plus - unless it's sock yarn, I'm trying to increase my stash of unicolor sock yarns!
In general, I prefer 'cold' colours over earthy colours. I look like death warmed over in offwhite, beige, brown and avoid them in yarn I use for making garments.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
One cat :-)
I live with my husband of 4.5 years, and we've been staying with my mum for quite some time now because our life has been zigzagging since last year. We're about to move from Germany to the Netherlands.
12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes and maybe. I've been planning to knit up a poncho since last year but haven't come round to it yet!
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Merino, variegated yarns. I like both the very rough natural yarns (especially for felting!) as well as smooth, soft processed yarns.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Mohair! More than ~40% acrylic in a yarn ...
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Always socks, lots of felting as well. And I love lace :-)
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Lace, socks, bags.
17. What are you knitting right now?
My first cardigan!
18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Oh yes! :-)
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Circular needles for large items.
However, I'm bummed it's so difficult to find shorter straight wooden needles here because I'd prefer them for scarves!
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
95% aluminium.
21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No.
22. How did you learn to knit?
From Mam :-)
23. How old is your oldest UFO?
About 16 months, a bag that I want to felt but which knits on size 10mm needles which are a pain.
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
I don't watch a lot of animation but I love cats :-) Also wild steppe animals.
25. What is your favorite holiday?
My birthday? I don't know!
26. Is there anything that you collect?
Except for yarn, you mean? Not really, no. Maybe books, knitting books, needles, knitting magazines ...
27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
None.
28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Anything I can't get in Germany/Europe. There are lots of yarns I hear about online, in podcasts or read aout in blogs which I can't buy here. I'm very curious about new yarns like soy silk, bamboo or ingeo.
I'd love to cuddle some Artyarns, Blue Sky Alpaca, Cascade, Debbie Bliss, Jaeger, Rowan, Manos etc. If you're in the US, I'd love to get some Kool-Aid for dying :-)
As for needles, I'm always looking for wooden scarf needles. And I'm curious about Pony Pearls dpns and those ergonomically shaped crochet hooks with wide rubber handles.
29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Grafting ... I'm curious about Faroese shawls, and I can never get enough of lace knitting :-)
30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes! I wear a size 41 European, that's a 9.5-10 US. I have wide ankles and try to keep the leg part fairly loose.
31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
30 Jan, and I turn 30 :-)
so... how are your moving plans coming along? will we be seeing you here in the Netherlands soon?
Posted by: Arja | 11 January 2006 at 11:12 AM