SP 12 Questionnaire

WHOOO HOOOO. SP 12 is set to begin and here is the questionaire:

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

REPLY: Ohh, this is hard. I am pretty open to lots of fibers/yarns. There are very few I do not like - or have met and said "ohh yukky"

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have several ways of storage! I have two lovely fabric needle cases from previous swaps - one (from Japan) holds my small DPN, the other holds most of my "normal" needles. I have a very cool gizmo that hangs in my stash closet, that holds my circular needles. Mis-match needles are in a basket in my stash closet.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I'm gonna guess about 3 years for knitting and learned to crochet when I was about 7 yrs old. (i'm in my 40s now). How I learned: I went into my LYS and said "teach me"

3.1. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I'm gonna guess intermediate/advanced. What's the bar here?? I can cable, I do socks, I've made a sweater.....


4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes, and to be honest, my Amazon list is probably very outdated... shame..


5. What's your favorite scent? wet sheep.. LOL.. oh, that's not what you meant my that?? odd. I like lots of smells.. right now I have this amazing Lush soap in the shower - lemon scent.. deeeeeelishh! I have some Jo Malone perfumes that are to die for..those lines are fruity, grapefruit, honey and other stuff.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Well, ya' - I have a thing for chocolate covered almonds. (alll-munds - not auwl-munds) - live chocolate/peanut butter cups; not fond of coconut.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I knit, of course. I do spin - I have two wheels - an Ashford Traveler and Joy - I know how to crochet, but have not done so in many years. I have a boat load of stampin stuff, but have not done that crafty thing in ages. My last crafy adventure outside of fiberland was making body scrubs and bath salts.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) This will drive my pal nuts - I listen to everything from AC/DC to big band/swing stuff. I don't get into the heavy metal or serious punk stuff and I don't really get opera.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I guess I lean towards the earthy tones.... in the yarn world I am not a big fan of neon or crrazy stuff like that. It really depends on the project or location of color.. i may use a color in a throw pillow in the living room that I would not be found dead wearing... so I guess it depends.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Sheez, this is a good one. I am married - two grown kids - both out of the house and doing there own thing.. The Boy is in the Army and The Girl is a Professor - teaching economics... ya - smarter than her mama.....I had a dog, Lucy, but we had to put her down a few weeks ago - bone cancer.. it sucks... I am beggging like a 12 year old to get another dog. This time something small - a Yorkie - perhaps, so if it has to have a leg amputated, or carried 'cause it's so freakin' sick.. i can, without hurting myback..

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves - yes. It snows sometimes in the winter were I live.. yes to hats, yes to mittens. I had a store poncho and wore it a few times... but gave it away.. i'd wear a poncho if I had a cool one.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? things that bring joy to the person receiving the knitted item. I knit socks for me - I've only given one pair way (Heather got a pair of "drunken socks") and I knit for Socks for Soldiers. I had fun knitting my daughter a lacey thong!! I just enjoy knitting.. so, I don't have a favorite "item" per se - I enjoy the process of the project - thinking about the person who will one day wear it.

13. What are you knitting right now? A pair of black socks for Socks for Soldiers, I cabled knitted bag, I have several abandoned projects tooo - still on the needles, but not actively being worked on. booo hooo.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? well, ya. duh!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I have better luck with metal circulars - Audi turbo - good join, less chance of misplacing a pointy stick..

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

17. How old is your oldest UFO? It's possible that hte oldest UFO is a sweater....I love the yarn, love the pattern, but i've made some mistakes on it... a row with about 5" of purls that should have been knits... said to self "Self, no one will notice - knit on" Well, now the mistake bugs me.. I'ts headed to the frog pond.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Hands down, Thanksgiving. No so much 'cause of the food, but because of the people.. more family can make Thanksgiving than Christmas - and it 's usually at my house!

19. Is there anything that you collect? Sadly, after my last eye exam - it is 1.25% magnifyer reading glasses! The funkier the better. I have one pair - brown with pink polka dots... very cute, another pair that is plain and clear.. The Dr. said to get lots and have them everyplace around the house.. no kidding, in the knitting bag, by the spinning wheeels.. in my purse, very enough pairs!!

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 have a subscription to Interweave Knits and Wild Fiber magazines. I have all the Harlot books... I can't think of any I am dying to get my hands on, there is probably a lot out there I don't know about.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Ruth, owner of The Dizzy Ewe, came and gave several classes to our local spinning guild (check her out on the web - google Dizzy Ewe). She did a class on plying - the cabling portion was interesting. I want to do more of that.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes. I knit socks. My foot is about 9" long from heal to toe. I wear a 6.5 shoe (US size).

23. When is your birthday? May 7

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, "BrookeKnits" - could be a space between Brooke and Knits.

Well, that appears to be the end of the pop quiz.... happy reading....I can't wait until pals are assigned...

Wuz UP??

Oh, where to begin????? Life has been crazy. I feel like I have recovered somewhat from the "death cloud" that has hung over me - death of MotherInLaw, FatherInLaw and dog in a month's time, there abouts - the looming deployment of son, while not under a "death cloud" - has added to the stress in my life. When the going gets tough, the Knitters knit - and spin..

I am working (always) on socks for Socks for Soldiers, and must get a pair out the door before The Boy Child comes home for his one week of leave. If she seems them, he'll want them and I am a marshmellow when it comes to The Boy...We shall see - if live gets crazy, i'll hide them from him.

Ruth from The Dizzy Ewe was a guest at our house and did some classes for our local spinning guild. Oh what fun - and I appologize to those (1) who sent me a ravely email.. I had not checked ravelry in ages and I did not see your email until it was too late - so sorrry. Ruth gave some amazing classes - so I have been spinning. I'll locate the camera and take some pictures.

I had some Louette "cotton candy" I purchased at my LYS (Knit Wits) and had been spinning sock yarn. 6 oz of the stuff and if i see another oz of it i'll barf, its lovely yarn now, but kinda sick of loooking at it.. in the one ply stage - plying is exciting. all of it has been plied using my handy little andian plyer paddle thing.. ohhh, the saddness when I lost an end the other day, found it last night and continued to ply, it continued to break, loose ends, find end, ply, repeat... seriously, i wanted a martini... but 11p came and I went to bed. more plying tonight.

I have finished the plying of the beasty wool (a lovely grey, but "hairy"). It was spun for the purpose of felting.. I was going to make Lucy a doggie bed, but that seems moot, now that she's dead and all. funny story - we picked up her ashes (Lucy is the dog by the way not my MIL) on the way out of town Friday... I did not want to leave her in the car, so I took her up to our hotel room. Now, I guess one can tell its a box of creamains, but it's a box - nice cedar box... and apparently a real conversation stopper in elevators.. My daughter said they probably thought "crazy lady - bringnig her dead spouse with her" - ya welll, whatever. I'd bring him too, but he's not dead. He was there, alive and everything..

I am signed up for SP12 - new twist , which I really like - we got pay pal invoices for $2.50 to cover the cost of "angel" packages if someone has to back out during the swap. Nice! Also, we could pick a $30 or $60 category to fit our budget - also nice. Go SP Hostesses.... you rock.

OK, i need to go home, do some knitting or spinning and start all over tomorrow.

TTFN

Army Strong

As most of you blog snoopers know, I knit for Socks For Soldiers. The other day a knitter posted that she received a call from her son, he was at the UPS Store, making one last call before sending a box home, including his cell phone - he was off to Iraq in the a.m. - I read that thinking "how will i react when The Boy Child calls one last call before deployment"? Will I have the strength to not cry like a big baby and upset him? I hope so.... I try not to think about it - and then to make me feel better - I asked "Why didn't he take his phone with him.. perhaps he already purchased his international phone and does not need his "reguarl" phone - put down the tissue, the kid will talk and email home alot... ohhh feeel better already! (not really).

The Boy is off for a week long "hiking/camping" trip with his unit - then he'll get some leave time with us (yippee) then to TX. He says it will be months before deployment, but I wonder....only time will tell. I'd rather have him in the US, but he's ready to go - so he says. He says his arabic wont do him much good in TX - LOL.

On the knitting front, i have a bit of ADHD - I am working on a lovely cabled bag - big yarn, big needles, lovely dark grey yarn....and of course a pair of BBs (big black socks) for SFS - a pair of socks for me - and my Mary Kay lady send me (unexpectedly) a ball of blue yarn with a note, "saw this, thought you could make it into a masterpiece" - well, could it be a hint? she's due in June - the 15th.. maybe she knows she's having a boy.. so some booties are going to be on the needles soon too.

TTFN

Me & My Peeps

A few weekends ago, Fiber Friendly Hubby and I went to SF and then Half Moon Bay.. while in SF, we saw our good friend, Katey. . . . . . She was playing at Hotel Nikko in the Raz Room - a wonderfully fantastic show! You may recall Katey from the TV show, Married With Children - isn't she as cute as a button and about as big as a NY minute. The show was fantastic as was the weekend.. we got an autographed CD " To B and C - Happy Anniversary xox Katey Segal" How sweet is that??

Funny, I thought I looked kinda cute, but now looking at the picture.. I look a bit toad like... I guess we all would standing next to Katey.....and dangggg - am I short or what??

A Fiber Friendly Husband

OK, so today is my b-day. I am turning 20 something (again). Ignore the fact that I have two kids 23 and 26. I've now resorted to telling them their "real" parents left us when we were young, I raised them and I am in fact their older sister....(kidding, but we had all be celebrating at the time, alcohol was involved and perhaps they believed it - if just for a few moments..but I digress.

So I tell hubby that I don't need/want anything for my b-day, but he could write me a poem.. (keep in mind that all cards come with somesort of poem from him.. is almost expected of him..

Here is what he wrote in my card:

"Think of the Spinderman tune . . . .

ahem ....... (ed note: see how he even cleared his throut in the poem??)

Fiberchick . . . . Fiberchick
Can knit a sweater with two dull sticks

See her dye, but she's not dead
can turn white yarn into bright red

Look out, here comes Fiberchick

When she spins, on her wheel
It goes so fast you want to squeel

She can ply, tigh or loose
If I'm not careful, she'll make a noose

Oh yeah, she is the Fiberchick"

How flippin' cute is that?? I did get some presents.. a nice framed picture of me and The Boy Child at his "Warrior" graduation (US Army); a DVD of our anniversary get away, the pictures in a slide show set to an Elvis Costello song, that I can't remember just now.. and some silver hoop earings.. aaawwwww - lucky lucky me!!

PS: I still have the spinderman jingle stuck in my head - you can thank me later if it gets stuck in your head too - LOL.