Secret Pal 12 Is Beginning!

Below is my Secret Pal 12 questionnaire answers. I'm looking forward to the start of this secret swap!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love laceweight, fingering weight, and worsted weight yarns...in natural fibers, superwash, or tencel blends. My favorites are Dream In Color, Shibui, Blue Moon Fiber Arts but I enjoy alpaca, merino, cashmere blends, sea silk, cotton... pretty much anything except acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I store my single points in a clear vase, my dpns by size in dpn holder tubes, my Knit Picks Option sets in their case, and the rest of my circs are in their packages, in a Longaberger bread basket, organized by size. It's a weird system, but it works for me.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned to knit as a child with my grandmother, but recently picked knitting up again a few years ago, and more obessesively about 3 years ago or so. I consider myself a intermediate/advanced knitter, except for finishing! I'm afraid of it. Lace never scares me. Neither do cables. Just finishing. :) Maybe it's not scary, but just boring to me.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Not really.

5. What's your favorite scent? Lilac, Lily of the Valley, anything chocolate, Cucumber, citrus scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I love milk chocolate, chocolate covered raisins, Swedish Fish candy, Snickers, and ...did I mention, anything milk chocolate? :)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I don't spin. I garden, read, bake and quilt (although quilting is by the wayside right now).

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 Contemporary Christian, Hymns, Gaither Vocal Band, Buddy Greene, Fernando Ortega, Celtic, Alison Krauss. Yes, I can play CDs and MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Favorite colors...semisolids, solids, or varigated ...dark reds, blues, fall colors, chocolate colors, and anything except pastels or garish neons.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have my dear Hubby, 3 sons (19, 16, and 9), 2 dogs, 3 cats, geriatric hen, etc...

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to all. I haven't worn a poncho since I was 8, though. :)

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Patterned or cabled sweaters, socks, lace shawls/stoles, felted bags...

13. What are you knitting right now? The Tramline Pullover, Central Air socks, and Tangerine Twist Sweater, Barn-Raising Blanket (all in Ravelry pattern library). Upcoming... Voyager Lace Stole, Celtic Knot Lace Stole, Chinese Lace Pullover, among others.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, they're always appreciated.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circs (Knit Picks and Addis) for most knitting except socks...I still like wooden or aluminum dpns (sheepish grin)...I break a lot of size O rosewoods, so I'm back to bamboo and metal dpns for size O's.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes to both...I love them.

7. How old is your oldest UFO? An unfinished garter shawl from years ago...

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas! Then Thanksgiving.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Besides yarn...Yankee Candles, heirloom veggie/garden seeds, whimsical garden items to put among the flowers/veggies. Buttons for cardigans.

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 have all the magazine subscriptions I read, and I love Knitting Pure and Simple Patterns. I own the Wrap Cardigan pattern, but haven't knit it yet.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Finishing Techniques. I have books, but I don't enjoy it. I'm definitely a process knitter. I'd like to get better at continental knitting.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes, I am! Length 10.5 inches, 10 inches diameter.

23. When is your birthday? July 31st

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