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So, there's this thing called Secret Pal (http://secretpal10.blogspot.com/), where you sign up and they match you with someone and you send that person a couple of gift boxes over three months, while someone ELSE is sending YOU gifts over three months. It's all anonymous, and I think so far it's usually just knitters (I haven't seen any non-knitting Secret Pal thingies). I first heard of it last year and thought, "Gee, that would be fun, if I was a knitter." Well, now that I am....
I'm supposed to fill out this questionnaire thingy about my interests, so if you're not a knitter most of this is probably boring.
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I haven't been knitting long enough to know this about myself. But so far I like thick yarns that can be knit up on large needles (I'm afraid of tiny needles because of one extremely excruciating project I never finished). I also love the really really soft stuff, like Debbie Bliss alpaca silk.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Um, a wicker basket.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I started knitting right before Christmas. A grad student in my rotation lab taught me after she gave me a hat she'd made and I got really excited. I'd say I'm an intermediate, since there are many, many, many things I haven't tried yet, but I'm an intelligent kid and so far haven't had any problems learning new techniques.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I think so.
http://amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/288SECOCFRGLJ/102-4849402-3129769
5. What's your favorite scent?
Lilac.
Edit: I also love honeysuckle, although I'm not sure you can buy things scented with that. And I like rose-scented things, too.
I normally buy myself stuff that is hazelnut or some variation of vanilla, but now that I think about it, I'd probably really rather have the lilac/honeysuckle/rose stuff.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I like chocolate, but that sort of comes and goes. I think I'm more of a cookie person.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I started knitting with wire, which (of course!) required the purchase of beads. I love beads. I never know what to do with them, but I've always loved them. I don't spin and probably shouldn't learn.
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 a lot of music. Favorites (right now, anyway) are Weezer, Death Cab, Elliott Smith, The Postal Service, Snow Patrol, etc. My computer can play MP3s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love blues. And greens. And purples. I'm coming around to reds, as well. I HATE orange. And I can't think of a good reason to buy brown yarn, but I'm sure there is one.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live alone.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves, hats, and mittens, yes. I LOVE scarves.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
So far it doesn't seem to matter. I've made a scarf, and I'm working on a wire box and an alpaca silk shawl. I really like the idea of making shawls.
13. What are you knitting right now?
Oh, oops. See above.
Next on the list is a Yale scarf, which hopefully will look somewhat like a Ravenclaw scarf and might incorporate DNA-like cables. The level of nerdiness in this scarf will be unsurpassed.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer bamboo. I only have one set of circular needles, and they're metal, and so far I actually really like them. It's harder to drop needles when they're connected. :-P Also, I kinda like the clicky sound. I know some people say metal needles make their wrists hurt, but I'm pretty sure it's the knitting for an hour straight that makes mine hurt.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No, I don't.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I frog the ones I know I'm not going to finish.
18. What is your favorite holiday?
Um... I really like my birthday, in a really really selfish kind of way. It's spring and people buy me stuff.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn? Books? Dragons. Earrings.
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 subscriptions. I don't quite have a full set of bamboo straights, which bugs me. I feel like I should get a copy of Stitch 'n' Bitch (you know, the author is a Yale alum), but I've felt too guilty to spend money on it. I don't know enough to lust after other knitting tools yet.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Cabling! More increases and decreases, and why it's important that they slant different ways. Lace, someday, when I get over my fear of small needles.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I'm not a sock knitter. I haven't quite seen the point of knitting socks yet, since yarn is expensive and I'm really hard on my socks. I have no idea how to measure my foot for socks.
23. When is your birthday?
May 9.
I'm supposed to fill out this questionnaire thingy about my interests, so if you're not a knitter most of this is probably boring.
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I haven't been knitting long enough to know this about myself. But so far I like thick yarns that can be knit up on large needles (I'm afraid of tiny needles because of one extremely excruciating project I never finished). I also love the really really soft stuff, like Debbie Bliss alpaca silk.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Um, a wicker basket.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I started knitting right before Christmas. A grad student in my rotation lab taught me after she gave me a hat she'd made and I got really excited. I'd say I'm an intermediate, since there are many, many, many things I haven't tried yet, but I'm an intelligent kid and so far haven't had any problems learning new techniques.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I think so.
http://amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/288SECOCFRGLJ/102-4849402-3129769
5. What's your favorite scent?
Lilac.
Edit: I also love honeysuckle, although I'm not sure you can buy things scented with that. And I like rose-scented things, too.
I normally buy myself stuff that is hazelnut or some variation of vanilla, but now that I think about it, I'd probably really rather have the lilac/honeysuckle/rose stuff.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I like chocolate, but that sort of comes and goes. I think I'm more of a cookie person.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I started knitting with wire, which (of course!) required the purchase of beads. I love beads. I never know what to do with them, but I've always loved them. I don't spin and probably shouldn't learn.
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 a lot of music. Favorites (right now, anyway) are Weezer, Death Cab, Elliott Smith, The Postal Service, Snow Patrol, etc. My computer can play MP3s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love blues. And greens. And purples. I'm coming around to reds, as well. I HATE orange. And I can't think of a good reason to buy brown yarn, but I'm sure there is one.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live alone.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves, hats, and mittens, yes. I LOVE scarves.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
So far it doesn't seem to matter. I've made a scarf, and I'm working on a wire box and an alpaca silk shawl. I really like the idea of making shawls.
13. What are you knitting right now?
Oh, oops. See above.
Next on the list is a Yale scarf, which hopefully will look somewhat like a Ravenclaw scarf and might incorporate DNA-like cables. The level of nerdiness in this scarf will be unsurpassed.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer bamboo. I only have one set of circular needles, and they're metal, and so far I actually really like them. It's harder to drop needles when they're connected. :-P Also, I kinda like the clicky sound. I know some people say metal needles make their wrists hurt, but I'm pretty sure it's the knitting for an hour straight that makes mine hurt.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No, I don't.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I frog the ones I know I'm not going to finish.
18. What is your favorite holiday?
Um... I really like my birthday, in a really really selfish kind of way. It's spring and people buy me stuff.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn? Books? Dragons. Earrings.
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 subscriptions. I don't quite have a full set of bamboo straights, which bugs me. I feel like I should get a copy of Stitch 'n' Bitch (you know, the author is a Yale alum), but I've felt too guilty to spend money on it. I don't know enough to lust after other knitting tools yet.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Cabling! More increases and decreases, and why it's important that they slant different ways. Lace, someday, when I get over my fear of small needles.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I'm not a sock knitter. I haven't quite seen the point of knitting socks yet, since yarn is expensive and I'm really hard on my socks. I have no idea how to measure my foot for socks.
23. When is your birthday?
May 9.
