Secret Pal 10

One thing I have discovered about knitblogs is the generosity of knitters. Each blog shares a portion of that person's life....their frustration, goofed projects, triumphs, family issues and places they live.

I have also become intrigued with the number of swaps, shares and other secret friend sites. Never having done the pen-pal thing as a kid, I have decided to give it a try. One of the wonderful knitters who has commented on my posts described the wonderful package she received from her secret pal and referenced the site. So, at the urging of my 11 year old, (who cleverly pointed out that I could shop for stash and other things knitty without having to find a place to store it) I emailed Secret Pal 10 and was accepted. There is a questionnaire to fill out the Secret Pal assigned to me so it at the end of this post.

Not much on the knitting front today. I was able to add a few more rows to the front of the vest. Here's a closeup of the pattern on the front of the vest.

THE SECRET PAL 10 QUESTIONNAIRE

What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? My favorite yarns are mostly natural fibers. I like wool, wool/silk blends, quivet, silk, alpaca, bamboo and soy yarns the best.

What fibers do you absolutely not like? I do not like cotton and try to avoid acrylics although some novelty yarns are fine.
What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have lots of needles so I have lots of things to store them in, including vases, needles cases, and a Styrofoam thing my 11 year made for me at cub scouts.

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 machine knit in 1979. I started hand knitting in 2005. I have attended numerous seminars and classes, including a weekly get together. I have made numerous garments and sold several of my creations. I do complicated stitch patterns, love lace and cables. my guess is I'm intermediate to advanced.

Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No.

What's your favorite scent? Perfume? None, it gives me migraine headaches. Candles? Gold Canyon French Vanilla, Lilac, or Rose.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Dark chocolate with nuts.

What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I knit, spin, bead, weave, sew, embroider, and felt. I don't crochet.

What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? Celtic and new age. Favorite artists -- Enya, David Arkenstone, Windham Hill artists, Cusco, Richard Burmer.

What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Blues, earth tones, browns, peach, pastels. Not overly fond of pinks, avocado or other appliance colors.

What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I'm married with 2 boys still at home (18 & 11). I have 4 Schipperkes, 3 American Quarter Horses, 20 koi, 1 India Ringnecked parakeet and an African Spurlegged Tortoise.

Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves and mittens. Hats occasionally. No ponchos.

What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks, vests, afghans and toys.

What are you knitting right now? A vest, socks, a blue dress, the Great American Aran Afghan, a sweater, more socks and a lace scarf.

Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Very much so.

Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I use both straight and circular. I prefer aluminum needles all the way.

Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes to both.

How old is your oldest UFO? The Great American Aran Afghan - referred to The Endless Afghan. It's going on 18 months.

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas.
Is there anything that you collect? Sheep and spiders (except for Serta Counting Sheep --- for some reason I got 22 of them as gifts about two years ago)

Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Nothing I’m dying to get…I subscribe to Interweave Knits, InKnitters, and Knitwords.

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

Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes. 10 ¼ inches or US size 10 womens.

When is your birthday? December 30.