Secret Pals Questionnaire

Here are the answers to the Secret Pals Questionnaire. This is really only for one person in the world to read, so the rest of you will have to be patient with all this junk you didn't want to know, or you can take this time to get to know me better.

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? I'm a HUGE yarn snob. I can stand to wear synthetics, but I hate the feel of it running through my fingers when I knit (especially acrylic of any sort - nylon's not quite so bad).
2. Do you spin? Crochet? I'd love to learn to spin, but I'm not there yet. I just made a new friend who spins and is willing to teach, so that will come soon.
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) Not a real perfume fan, and I'm allergic to lots of stuff, but smoke is the only one that would really bug me.
4. How long have you been knitting? 3-4 years, though I can't pin down the exact time I started.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Froogle and maybe amazon too. I'll have to look up the name. You can click on my Froogle wishlist on my profile page, though.
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Well, I really like clean smelling stuff. Nothing too flowery (gives me a headache). I guess I like lavender okay, though. I think citrus is nice, in general Grapefruit is good.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? More than I'd like to.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I cook/bake a lot, if that counts. Knitting is the only craft I've ever stuck to. I've been wanting to attempt rug-making (not hooked rugs but the woven sort). Ooh, ooh, and I like felting. I'd love to try Nuno felting or whatever that's called. Very cool.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I'm pretty flexible about music, but my favorites are 30's jazz, "world music" (I particularly like Middle Eastern and Baltic stuff), and I really love the sound of the violin, though I don't think I own anything with it.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? I love bright colors but seldom wear them. I need to start doing it more often!
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? No pets, though I do love dogs. I have two kids and a hubbie.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) I want to start my own LYS at some point.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? So far, it's Koigu. Yum!
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Not a huge mohair fan, and as I said earlier, I can't stand acrylic. I'd love to try some cashmere or something else extremely soft that didn't come from a rabbit, but I can't afford it for now. *Sigh*
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? I'm a bit obsessed by my Koigu socks I've just started. And, I intend to get more Fair Isle under my belt soon. Just started in on cables, and I'm loving it.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Haven't found an absolute favorite yet. I've liked everything I've knit so far. But, socks seem pretty fun. I'm enjoying cables at the moment, though they're new to me.
17. What are you knitting right now? Koigu socks, Kiri shawl with mohair (I know I just said I didn't like it much, but it was dirt cheap). Linen tank. Cable baby blanket.
18. What do you think about ponchos? I like the idea of them, but I'm not certain I would actually wear one. I always think they look nice on others, though. I may consider wearing one around the house for comfort someday.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Everything has it's place and time, but circulars are really nice since I'm a Continental knitter and tend to whack people with my right needle.
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Swallow Casein if it's plastic (very nice to use), bamboo otherwise. Not a metal fan, because of arthritis in my right index finger.
21. Are you a sock knitter? Yep. We already established that.
22. How did you learn to knit? Taught myself from a Reader's Digest craft book after moving to France and having a baby (book belongs to my mother-in-law). I didn't know anyone, and it must have been fate for knitting I to meet up, because it was the only book in English in the whole house.
23. How old is your oldest UFO? Maybe a couple of months. It's the second set to a glove. I love to knit for the relaxation, but I need to see things get finished. I get great satisfaction from seeing that I have created something.
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? Gromit or maybe the little sheep with the sweater from the Wallace & Gromit where the sheep are being stolen for their wool and their meat.
25. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving, maybe. Christmas comes in a close second. All that food, I guess.
26. Is there anything that you collect? Yarn, well, you knew that. I was forced into collecting elephants by someone starting me on a collection of them and others following, but I have no room for collecting anything.