2.14.2008

Twentieth: Something Springy This Way Comes

I saw this "Longing for Spring Swap" on a favorite blog, and was moved to participate. It's been a rough couple of weeks over here in my neck of the woods, so I'm doing my best to focus on the positive and do things that make me feel good about life, people, and the universe in general. Doing nice things for others tends to make me feel good, so here we go! I'm excited to join my first swap. :) Here's the questionnaire:

Do you knit or crochet?
How long have you been at your craft?
I only knit, and I've been at it for about 5 years now, though I really got serious and started knitting more than charity-blanket squares in the past two or two and a half years. My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet when I was very very young, but I never quite picked it up.

What are your favorite yarns/fibers?
I love anything soft, specifically alpaca and cashmere and non-scratchy wools. I also love anything in with an interesting colorway. Company-wise, I love almost everything by Malabrigo, Debbie Bliss, and Rowan (unless it falls into the dislike categories below! :) ).

What are your least favorite yarns/fibers?
I don't really like pure cotton (though Rowan Calmer is okay). Otherwise, I don't like novelty (eyelash, fun fur, ribbon) yarns or Noro, because it's much too scratchy for me, in spite of the beautiful colorways.

What are your favorite colors?
Anything that can be found in a peacock's tail. Jewel-toned blues and greens and purples. Rich, saturated colors tend to be my favorites. Wine and deep garnet and chocolate tones score well with me, too.

What are your least favorite colors?
Tans, creams, pinks, most oranges, and pastels (all colors that have a tendency to wash out my very fair, pink-undertoned skin).

What ‘warm weather’ project are you looking forward to making this year?
I've been wanting to attempt a lace shawl (this one, specifically), though I don't normally give much attention to the season of what I'm knitting. I'd love to do a cap-sleeved Sahara sweater for spring this year, though.

What are you favorite scents?
Anything natural and light and not overly perfume-y. Nutmeg and chai and pumpkin are wonderful, and I also love honeysuckle and gardenia and Japanese cherry blossom in the floral vein. Quince and brown sugar and vanilla and clean linen are also favorites for my oil-burner/incense habits! I also love those smells you can't bottle, like the way it smells when you drive up a dirt road on the way to the lake in autumn.

Least favorite?
Citrus smells, sun tan lotion (that awful, overbearing, coconut smell), and all heavy, fake scents.

What is your favorite flower?
Orchids, lillies, tulips, freesia, sunflowers and honeysuckle.

What are you favorite spring time hobbies/activities?
My absolute favorite thing in spring is going to a grassy spot with a blanket, my dog, and a book (and usually a pretty journal, too) to spend the day outside reading and soaking up nature. Nothing inspires me like being outside in the springtime. Dying Easter eggs with the family and having a cup of warm tea in the morning when the air still has a chill on it are also great.

Do you have a garden? If you do, tell us a little about it. Do you like to plant flowers or vegetables?
I live in a basement apartment with very little natural light, so no. :(

What are your favorite sweets?
Smarties, wintergreen lifesavers, and chocolates (chocolate/caramels, like Rolos & Riesens, especially).

Do you collect anything?
I love books (I really want to build a wonderful library... my amazon.com wish list is far too long!) and yarn, of course, but I also like beautiful quotes and old typewriter keys (I'm odd, I know). I wouldn't call any of them collections, though. Just things that I have trouble resisting when I see them.

Do you have any allergies?
Gratefully, no.

Do you have any pets?
A west highland terrier (Wesley) and a white, long haired munchkin cat named Smidgen who eats yarn.

I always give such long answers to things like this. Can't wait to see who I'm spoiling!!

4 comments:

Knitting Linguist said...

Sounds like you've found a great swap! I love that shawl, too -- it's on my Ravelry queue for someday :) Did you happen to watch the Westminster dog show this year? I watched it for the first time (part of it), and heard that a beagle won for the first time in ages -- apparently a terrier has taken it several times lately. I heard someone say that it was a blow in the war on terrier, which I thought was fairly funny (maybe because I actually got it, which I so rarely do with puns). Have a great weekend!

Electronic Goose said...

Oh, spring sounds so nice. I hope things start looking up for you; you have a great attitude towards life.

Anonymous said...

My boy cat, Mamoko, eats yarn, too! I once pulled a 5 foot length of Noro Silk Garden from his mouth ( and gut I assume!) Egads, that was gross. He has also been know to eat finished scarves before I wear them too much! So annoying! Glad to know it is not just my cat.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I am your secret partner for this swap! Hope you are having a wonderful day and I cannot wait to go shopping! I have so many idea:) If there is something you really really want from this swap -- a patten you don't have for example, or maybe a new issue of your favorite knitting magazine -- feel free to drop me a line:)
yarnsecrets@gmail.com