I've Done It

Well - I did it - I jumped in at the last minute and joined SP5 - I hope I do it right - I've never done anything like this before - but I guess you won't know until you try. So, here is my SP5 Questionnaire:

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'm afraid I am - I can't stand acrylic, unless it serves a very specific purpose - like in sock yarn - I'm afraid I don't know what Red Heart and Lion Brand are - but if they are man made it is unlikey I would use them.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I have just learnt to crochet and I'm finding it horribly difficult - I'm so used to holding knitting needles that a crochet hook seems wholely unnatural ! Especially since I'm one of the odd ones that holds the right needle under my arm pit !

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

I don't have any allergies - but I hate cigarette smoke and my hubby is dreadfully allergic to cats - if that is of any relevance at all !

4. How long have you been knitting?

Well, I learnt to start with when I was at primary school and then promtly forgot it all. Then when I went to University I met a Scottish girl who was a mad knitted - her whole family knitted for the family shop, and she taught all the girls living in our student house how to knit. So we all used to sit there smoking, drinking beer and knitting - very odd. So to get to the point, I've been knitting consistently for about 14 years.

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

Yes, it is here

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

That is a really difficult one - I don't like anything sweet - I love things like Chanel No5, Clarins Eau Dynamisante and my dressing up perfume is Van Clef and Arpels "First" I've been wearing this for years and I love it. I also love Clarins Aromatics Elxir, but that is more of a winter scent for me. I guess I like things that are fresh and airy - I love to have all the windows open and as much light and air around me as possible.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Absolutely - I am a self diagnosed chocaholic - but anything sweet will do - it is my downfall.

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

I do cross stitch, not as much as I'd like, but I enjoy doing it. I have also done a bit of card making, but I don't have the imagination required to make stunning things, I'm much better at following a pattern - give me a picture and I can re-create it, but just give me the equipment and tell me to get on with it and I'll probably end up not doing it. I want to teach myself to sew, but this project is very much in its infancy !

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

My computer can indeed play music - what music do I like - well difficult to answer - I like so much. I LOVE Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Billy Holliday, Matt Munro, Bobby Darin all those old crooners ! I Also love Pink Floyd, U2, REM, Avril Lavigne, Julio Ingleses (I'm not sure that is how you spell that), Nickleback, Coldplay, The Brand New Heavies and loads of other stuff, I'd be here all day, if I listed them all !

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 bright colours very much - I don't do cream, or brown very well and I definately don't wear black. I love red, orange, lime green and blues - I don't really like purple very much.

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

I am married to my lovely husband James and we have a little boy called Jacob who is two and a half, we don't have any pets at the moment, but we love dogs.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

I'd like to have another baby and live by the sea, where we can all be happy as a family, being outside as much as possible and enjoying each others company. I want so badly for my child/ren to be able to talk to James and I and tell us anything they want to, and for them to be able to rely on us whenever they need support, regardless of their situation. I want to be there for my family and I would love to be better at housework ! I want to be able to keep calm in the face of adversity, or just naughty behaviour. Your basic wants for the future really.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I don't really have a favourite - as long as it's good quality I'll happily knit with it - I knit with everything from 2ply to super chunky using everything from 2mm to 20mm needles. I love it all. I do really like Rowan's Wool Cotton, it's so soft and great for children. I'd really like to try some of the Noro yarns - I 've only just discoverd them and they look lovely, especially the Silk Garden mmmm.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Anything man-made - acrylic - yuk !

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

I love knitting baby clothes - I've been doing it for quite a long time now and I haven't tired of it yet - although I am feeling the need to knit something for myself that isn't quite so fiddly !

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

I love knitting baby hats - they are so quick and easy and look so cute. I love knitting anything stripped - they are my passion. I am also just getting into felting and I'm dying to have a go at something like this. I'd probably do it in different colours though !

17. What are you knitting right now?

I'm just finished up a load of knitted bits for the new baby of a friend of mine and then I think I'm going to start a jumper for my nephew.

18. What do you think about ponchos?

I really like them - I'm dying to knit one in Hemp - I saw one in Whitstable a few weeks ago by Amano - I can't find a picture of it online - but it was fabulous.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

I prefer straight needles as I hold the right one under my arm, it always feels like I'm going to drop the whole thing if I use circulars.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I usually use aluminum, although I'd like to try some of the wood ones like these.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

I'm a beginner on socks - I have knitted these, but I can't say they were all that successful. I'd like to try some sock yarn with a stretch in it - I think the finished product might look neater.

22. How did you learn to knit?

Oh I think I covered that one somewhere above.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

I think my oldest UFO is about 3 years old - I've got yarn for stuff that I never started that is probably older than that - but I don't think that counts !


24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

My favourite animals would have to be dogs, followed closely by dolphins, turtles and sharks. I don't really have an animated character that I like, but I definately don't like the Simpsons - yuk.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Well now, if you mean holiday as in seasonal holiday - it has to be Christmas - I love Christmas - I love decorating the house, James has to stop me getting the tree sorted in November, I love doing the cooking and wrapping the presents - I love it all.

If you mean holiday as in going away holiday - well, I guess I really loved Indonesia - I lived there for a while, but I went on holiday there first - so it still counts. I also love Egypt and Australia - if I could choose to live anywhere, it would probably be Sydney - if only my family lived there too. I also lived in Hong Kong and loved that too for different reasons. I love a good mixture on holiday, relaxation and culture.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

No, not really - I love ceramics and have been thinking about starting a collection along those lines - We have always bought a pieces of orginal art when we have visited a country, so I suppose we have quite a collection of international art - other than that, just knitting patterns !

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I don't have any at the moment - although I am thinking a subscription to Interweave might be worth taking out. I recently bought a copy of Vogue Knitting and I loved the patterns in there, only problem is I would probably never make any of them - I am no skinny binny and I didn't feel that any of them would actually suit me.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?

I am dying to get hold of a copy of Debbie Bliss's Cotton Angora book, and the new Sarah Dallas book.

I hope that covers everything and that I didn't waffle on too much. As I say I'm new at this, so hopefully I'll get it right.

Right off to knit ! Surprise, surprise !