Secret Pal numero TEN
- I've signed up again, having had a rest for 9. Secret Pal 8 was my first experience of this wonderful internet phenomenon - and my spoilee and my spoiler were both great. Unbeknownst to us at the time, we were a little triangle: I spoiled Spinning Sue, she spoiled Yvonne, who, in turn, spoiled me. And Yvonne hit all the right buttons, she was EXACTLY right - I've never had such fantastic presents before or since. Yvonne was uncanny in her ability to pick just the thing that I would want. So I'm doing it again and hope this time will be just as good.

Oh dear. I've just read this over and realise it might be off putting for my new spoiler. I didn't mean to do that at all and I'm SURE this time will be just as good which is why I've signed up!

Here is the Secret Pal Ten questionnaire:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love soooooft yarns, but also hardwearing machine washable type yarns as I'm not very good at handwashing being a lazy slob. I like angora, alpaca, cashmere, wool, sock yarns, handpainted yarns, cotton yarns. I dislike 100% acrylic but am not averse to mixes. I guess that makes me a yarn snob. But I have been known to knit those funky fur scarves for pressies.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? See question 1 ref to slobbery (as opposed to snobbery!) I have a denim roll bulging at the seams with one of the ribbons missing. I also have a wooden box in the living room which holds much stash and has inserts in the top which are filled with notions and needles. There are also needles lurking in a ceramic jar by this PC. I am also not organised and need to declutter.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
I have been knitting since Primary School - where I was taught to knit in a craft session when i was about aged 10yrs. I didn't have the patience to finish the garter stitch owl I started. I got really interested when i was about 12 yrs old and knitted myself a bright sickly green raglan V neck jumper. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I would say I was intermediate. 'Though since the resurgence of interest in knitting and blogging I have been learning just how much I don't know.

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

5. What's your favorite scent?
I like spicy smells like ginger and white musk, old hippy smells like pachouli and fruity smells like citrus or even vanilla. I'm not particularly light and flowery. Though I love the smells of nicotiana, nightstock and sweetpeas (for example) in the garden.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes - I looooooove chocolate. BUT I am on a (Charles Clark low carb) diet and I haven't had any sugar since January. eeek.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I like drawing, painting. I've tried my hand at quilting and patchwork and embroidery (I love recycling old fabrics) and I don't spin but it's a growing ambition that I might just take further this year.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have pretty esoteric tastes (By that I mean noone else has ever heard of the bands I like!). I like oldies but goodies like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Who, King Crimson, Caravan, Gentle Giant, Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Hatfield and the North. I am going deaf so I don't listen to music that seriously any more. My DH likes Jazz and I enjoy his taste and my son (when he's staying here) listens to an eclectic mix which I also enjoy, but I rarely take note of names. Of newer music which I have taken note - off the top of my head: that wonderful song by Johnny Cash called 'Hurt', (the Nine Inch Nails song) (that really makes me well up) and Ali Farka Toure (playing with Ry Cooder on 'Talkin' Timbuktu') and I went to see Bill Bruford not that long ago and he was fantastic (but old!).

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love greens - mossy green, wintergreen, dark greens, not bright green. I love colour blends - I like autumn colours. I'm not into bubble gum pink or pink in general, or orange or pastels either for that matter. Bleugh. But I do like dusky pinks. I have an orange, pink, blue, etc rainbow sweater that I wear if I'm in the mood - there's nowt so strange as folk.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with hubby in a small village on Dartmoor. Our son is 19yrs and has moved out (for the second time) to a village not far away. He hasn't any transport yet, so we still see a lot of him. I have two chocolate labradors (mum, Tilly and son, Syd).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I don't wear ponchos. I wore them the first time around and remember them well. I wear all the other items and sometimes even at the same time.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I'm not very in to lace, but I love fair isles and traditional knitting like ganseys. I've recently discovered that it's very nice to finish something small and quick - so I've got into socks (I'm participating in the sockamonth challenge) and hats and scarves and, yay, even dishcloths!

13. What are you knitting right now?
Oh dear. a list of WIPS you ask? I am knitting: a pair of socks, a fun fur scarf, a huuuuge stashbusting long term kaffefasset tumbling blocks bedcover project, a peg bag knitted out of plastic bags, a child's moss stitch jumper, another child's aran jumper and an aran jumper out of yarn I was bought for Christmas. I think that's all. (there's also an old UFO lurking in the attic somewhere but out of sight out of mind).

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Certainly do! mmm.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I like any needles. If I knit with straight needles I like em to be long as I knit with the right one tucked under my arm. But honest, I'm not fussy. I don't particularly like the old fashioned grey plastic you used to get once upon a time. I found them too bendy and lightweight, as well as boring to look at.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I've got a yarn winder somewhere.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Now you're asking. As I said for q.13 I think there's a UFO in the attic which is (whispers) round about 18years old!!!!

18. What is your favorite holiday? See my blog for details of Thailand and walking the South West Coast Path last year.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Not really - I have lots of knitting books, I guess, especially ones on traditional knitting techniques and patterns. But I need to declutter - I've got 'Life Laundry' on my Mount Toobie (read).

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 subscribe to an Art magazine but I'm hinting to my sister that I want a sub. to Interweave. I've put some books on the Amazon list. I'd like the all in one EZ pattern for a baby by Elizabeth Zimmerman.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Always. I was reading about some complicated technique for mulitcoloured mittens by Yarn Harlot the other day. Wow. And I haven't learnt long tailed cast on yet. And I'm trying to teach myself continental knitting so I can do fair isle easier. And I'd like to try this modular knitting I've read so much about. And, of cours,e, spinning and dying - not done that yet. And I've never yet blocked anything. There - now that WAS a confession! So, there are loads of techniques I'd like to learn and I'm sure there's more to find out that I'm not even aware I don't know yet (IYKWIM!).

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes I'm a sock knitter and my foot measures 9" around the ball of my foot and 10 1/4 " in length. I'm (UK) size 7, continental size 41

23. When is your birthday?
Ages away - November 10th with a sting in my tail. I will be a big round figure this year :-)