Secret Pal 11 Questionairre

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I love pretty much anything that is machine washable and soft. I hate scratchy yarns like Red Heart, although I will use them occasionally for stuffed animals or afghans.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have a tackle-box looking thing for my crochet hooks and dpns, and a long plastic container for my straights. My circular needles stay in their carrying case.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I’ve been knitting since Fall 2004 and taught myself via books and looking online. I’d consider myself to be an advanced intermediate. I’m not quite a knitting goddess yet.

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

Why, yes I do. Here’s a link.

5. What’s your favorite scent?

Victoria’s Secret Love Spell perfume. Bath & Works recently stopped making my favorite scent from them, Country Apple. I also love Yankee Candle’s Mackintosh and pretty much anything else that smells like apples.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I love dark and milk chocolate. I despise white chocolate. I love plain Hershey’s Kisses, Twix, and M&Ms. Peanut butter M&Ms are yummy, too. On the sour side of life, I love Lemonheads and Sour Patch Kids.

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

I just semi-learned how to spin, but I need to go buy more roving to try to get better at it (it’s so fun!). I knit and crochet, do counted cross-stitch, sew, do some beadwork, and whatever else I feel like starting.

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

My favorite type of music is Rock of any kind (Classic, Alternative, Hard, Metal, etc.). My computer and stereo can both play MP3s.

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?

My favorite colors are gray, purple, red, black, blue, teal, and sometimes brown. I hate flashy colors like bright orange, yellow, or green.

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

I live in an apartment that I share with one other person. I have fish and a dwarf hamster who lives nowhere near my yarn stash part of my room. Besides, she doesn’t smell much at all anyway. Also, I do not smoke.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I absolutely love scarves! I also wear hats and earwarmers and gloves. I don’t like mittens (I feel the need to be able to use all my fingers) and I never wear ponchos unless they’re water-proof and it’s raining outside.

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

I love to knit baby clothes, scarves, socks, hats, and bags.
13. What are you knitting right now?

The first sock in a pair of Jaywalkers. I’ll be casting on a bunch more once I’m fully moved-in to my apartment.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Definitely!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I like all straights, circulars, and dpns. I may be in the minority, but I do prefer aluminum needles over anything else. Unless I’m knitting with wire, of course, then I prefer bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Neither, but they’re both on my dream wish-list.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Probably about 7 months old. I went though and cleaned out all my UFOs, I frogged those I didn’t want to knit on anymore and finished most others. Now I’m just down to one.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween! (October 31)

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Bottle caps (I will eventually make them into something… although I don’t know what yet), stuff with unicorns on it, pins/buttons for my purse (I love 1-inch ones the best), and betta fish.

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 don’t have any knitting magazine subscriptions, but I keep toying with the idea of getting Interweave Knits. I’m not really dying to get my hands on anything, but whenever I see something I might want I add it to my Amazon wish list.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?

I’d like to be a more proficient spinner.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I knit socks, but don’t know my exact measurements. I wear a woman’s size 8 shoe.

23. When is your birthday?

August 16, the second day of the swap, lol!

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

Yup, I’m darkpaintedrose over there.

Going through withdrawl :(

The majority of my knitting supplies are in my new apartment. While this is somewhat good, it is also horrible since right now I’m still at home with my parents.

I had oral surgery yesterday; a bone graft in my jaw. I can’t fully move into my apartment until the beginning of next week, after I’m off the Vicodin and can actually go out and drive the hour and fifteen minutes to my new apartment. I’m picking J up from the airport Sunday evening, and in return he’s helping me finish moving into my apartment on Monday. I can’t wait!

I’ll be taking a picture of mom’s wrap today when she gets home from work. She takes it to work with her every day because the air conditioner is always turned on full blast in her building. She also uses it here at home instead of wrapping a blanket around her, like usual. She seems to really like it. Finally, I made her something she’ll actually USE!

But now, now it’s time for another dose of medication. Weeeee!

Life update

I’m back in at UMD! I’m also *this*close* to registering for classes for this fall, too!! Lastly, I also have my own apartment near campus! Well, I’m sharing with a friend from high school, but it’s still a place of my own! It’s all so exciting!!!

On the knitting front, I just finished up a Knit Wrap for my mom out of Moda Dea Tweedle Dee in Cinnamon Twist. I finished it around midnight two nights ago, and mom went ahead and took it to work the next day. I didn’t get a chance to get a photo of it, but hopefully she’ll bring it home tomorrow so I can get a picture.

I’m thinking about starting a new pair of Knitty’s Fetching pattern, but this time for me and not for my mom. I’ll probably make them out of Knit Picks Shine in Ebony. But they’ll have to wait until I get my stash into my new apartment.

ravelry

I got my invite!!! Yay!!!!!

And I’m crocheting baby booties right now that I’ll donate to the Preemie Project as soon as I have ten projects to send. I’ve already knit four baby hats, so only five more projects to go!

squee!

Quickly, before I pass out from my loooooong day today, I’d like to thankthankthankthank my secret pal for my last package!!!!! The Interlacements Tiny Toes skeins that you sent me include all of my favorite colors!!! I’m not sure what they’ll end up as; I’m leaning towards either a mini clapotis or a pair of lacey fingerless gloves. I’ve been on a crochet kick lately, so I’ll probably end up making dish cloths out of the Sugar & Cream cotton.

You really, truly rock!!!!

I can’t find my camera, poo. Maybe I’ll find it tomorrow (Monday) since I’ll finally have a day off work! Yay!

yay, presents!

I ♥ my secret pal right now!! I just got a package in the mail; she got me a learn to spin kit!!! I’m so going to watch the DVD and try to learn to spin tomorrow before work!!

Crochet-ness

So I got a wild hair up my butt today and decided to try my hand at crochet. I settled on a chevron pattern. It was supposed to be a scarf, but apparently I didn’t chain enough stitches at the beginning, so it’s too short. So instead of a scarf, I’m just going to keep at it and make it into a lap blanket (it’s too short for a scarf, but about the right width to be a lap blanket). This is still a good development, because I’ve been meaning to make a blanket for a long time.

I’m using random stash yarn (I think it’s most likely Red Heart) in cream, denim blue, and a darkish pink. Photos will be forthcoming as soon as I find my camera.

knitting meme

Knitting meme
Mark with bold the things you have ever done; with italics, the ones you plan to do sometime; and leave the rest.

Afghan; I-cord; Garter stitch; Knitting with metal wire; Shawl; Stockinette stitch; Socks: top-down; Socks: toe-up; Knitting with camel yarn; Mittens: Cuff-up; Mittens: Tip-down; Hat; Knitting with silk; Moebius band knitting; Participating in a KAL; Sweater; Drop stitch patterns; Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn; Slip stitch patterns; Knitting with bananafiber yarn; Domino knitting (=modular knitting); Twisted stitch patterns; Knitting with bamboo yarn; Two end knitting; Charity knitting; Knitting with soy yarn; Cardigan; Toy/doll clothing; Knitting with circular needles; Baby items; Knitting with your own handspun yarn; Slippers; Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street); Continental knitting; Designing knitted garments; Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran); Lace patterns; Publishing a knitting book; Scarf; Teaching a child to knit; American/English knitting (as opposed to continental); Knitting to make money; Button holes; Knitting with alpaca; Fair Isle knitting; Norwegian knitting; Dying with plant colours; Knitting items for a wedding; Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…); Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars; Olympic knitting; Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn; Knitting with dpns; Holiday related knitting; Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles; Knitting for a living; Knitting with cotton; Knitting smocking; Dying yarn; Steeks; Knitting art; Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously; Fulling/felting; Knitting with wool; Textured knitting; Kitchener BO; Purses/bags; Knitting with beads; Swatching; Long Tail CO; Entrelac; Knitting and purling backwards; Machine knitting; Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn; Stuffed toys; Knitting with cashmere; Darning; Jewelry; Knitting with synthetic yarn; Writing a pattern; Gloves; Intarsia; Knitting with linen; Knitting for preemies; Tubular CO; Freeform knitting; Short rows; Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers; Pillows; Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine; Rug; Knitting on a loom; Thrummed knitting; Knitting a gift; Knitting for pets; Shrug/bolero/poncho; Knitting with dog/cat hair; Hair accessories; Knitting in public

yay

My computer is back. I’ll update more on crafty things tomorrow.