Mud & Mischief

This is for my Secret Pal to find out all kinds of things about me so they can choose lovely yummy things to go in my secret pal parcel. And for those of you who haven’t got a clue what I’m on about, don’t worry, I’ll be keeping you informed as we go along.

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

I just love cotton yarns, and anything mixed with merino or bamboo. I’m one of those weird souls who find normal wool a little scratchy to wear. I much prefer any kind of natural fibre, and really don’t like eyelash/furry/novelty yarns. I hate angora and fuzzy stuff. Lovely smooth yarn does it for me every time.

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

The bulk of my needles are stored in an old Glendiffich whiskey carton, the tube that the bottle is packaged in. There’s a big bunch lurking in the bottom of my main knitting bag along with most of the crochet hooks, my circulars are in a padded envelope in another knitting bag, and my double points are in one of those ancient plastic narrow lidded boxes. On re-reading that, I think I need to sort my needles out…

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

Um, good question! I know I could knit as a child – I remember knitting a big red scarf on an airplane once and I couldn’t have been more than about 8 or 9. My mom and my nan taught me. I’m a good intermediate knitter, and am working on mastering some more advanced techniques when I find the time – steeking is one I’ve just discovered. I can cable and do intarsia but I’ve never tried a fair isle anything.

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

Silly question It’s here.

5. What’s your favorite scent?

Fresh baked bread, babies, Chanel No.5, newly cut grass, and the earth as I dig into it in the garden. Closely followed by cinnamon, vanilla and ginger. And all those other nice warm spices you put into banana bread… oh, sorry, was that scent not scents? Whilst we’re at it, I should add sandalwood. Especially worn as aftershave.

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

I like sweet things, and savory ones too. Dark chocolate, coffee flavoured things, beef jerky and pretzels are all very nice indeed, but my current favourite at the moment is a pineapple and strawberry smoothie!

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

I can spin, but my spinning wheel has been in the attic for the past few years – I have four children and no time! I also sew (current project is a green patchwork quilt, I’m about a quarter of the way through it), garden (I love growing heirloom vegetables), cross stitch occasionally, and I’d really like to have a go at tablet weaving, but I may have to wait until the kids are all at University before I find time for that!

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

I love classical music, especially piano and movie music. My favourite composers are Hans Zimmer and Ludovico Einaudi, as well as more eclectic stuff like Loreena McKennitt and Linkin Park. Yes, I can play MP3s.

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

I’m definitely a green girl, and all shades of natural/autumn/earth tones. I dislike blues probably because they just don’t suit me, and am not fond of greys or bright pinks.

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

I’ve got four children - three girls and a baby boy and we also have a dog, two guinea pigs and three chickens. One day, I will have a cat, but not whilst we’ve still got the dog. There’s also a husband lurking around somewhere, and any number of four wheel drive vehicles. Normally the last two can be found together.

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

Scarves, yes, hats, mittens and ponchos, no.

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

Baby and toddler clothes. They grow really quickly and there’s a whole rainbow of amazing colours and yarns to choose from. Although I am quite enjoying the socks I’m knitting right at the moment!

13. What are you knitting right now?

I’ve just finished my first ever sock (see elsewhere on blog!), and that was good fun. Just need to start the other one of the pair. I’ve also got the yarn for a sweater for myself and some red stuff for a top (pictures further down the blog). There are quite a few works in progress, however, that were relegated to the loft when my smallest one was born, and I should really go and rescue them – one is a big aran cabled jumper for my other half.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Oooh, yes. For someone as busy as me, receiving a handmade gift that someone has taken the time out of their own day to make just for me is quite special.

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

It has to be bamboo straight needles. I’ve got a couple of ‘vintage’ wooden needles too that are thick enough to double as tent pegs  I find metal needles too slippery and they make my wrists ache. I have spotted some ebony ones though, that look absolutely gorgeous, but the price tag is a little out of my reach at the moment!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No. I have a niddy noddy though.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Has to be the big aran cabled thing, as I started that before I was pregnant and RJ is now nearly 7 months old. Although who knows what’s lurking in my loft…

18. What is your favorite holiday?

A driving holiday across the continent to Croatia. If I had to pick a ‘holiday day’ it would be Halloween.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Books. I have hundreds, mainly non-fiction and I love World War II cookery books. I also collect books on gardening, self-sufficiency, craft both mundane and esoteric, survival/peak oil type manuals, cooking, food preservation, homesteading etc I’m also reknown for my vegetable seed buying habits.

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 need 2 balls of Rowan Cork to do my boy an aran cardi but I can’t get hold of any here. I did subscribe to Simply Knitting but I cancelled that and changed to Interweave after a friend had shown me her copy. Then there’s the above mentioned ebony needles, and the equally delicious looking rosewood ones… I’ve seen Sox Stix mentioned on a blog somewhere, but can’t for the life of me remember where. They sound rather fun.

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

I intend on having a go at a fair isle one day, but at the moment, I’m refining my sock knitting technique.

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

I am now! My foot is 9 ¾” (25cm) long by 4” (10cm) at the widest point, a UK size 5½ to 6.

23. When is your birthday? The end of May.

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

I’ve put my email address down and hope I’m somewhere near the top of the list to be added! When I am, I’ll either be Poledragon or KrisWW. As I am everywhere else