My Secret Pal 5 Questionnaire is as follows. . . . .

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? I must admit that I am mostly a yarn snob. I think that quality work (and time) deserves quality materials. With that said, I do own and use some Lion Brand but no Red Heart. Lion Brand seems to be pretty good quality. I do not like the feel of Red Heart products. Does that make me awful?????

2. Do you spin? Crochet? I haven’t done crochet since I was a child. I would LOVE to learn to spin but I don’t know if I can afford another addiction. . . . . …

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) NOPE!

4. How long have you been knitting? Almost 2 years now but I dove in head first, have not looked back and have not put the needles down yet!

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I think I might just have to start one. Will get back to you on that.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) “Clean” smells. Sage/Citrus, Grass, Meadows, etc. . . . and sometimes “spicy” scents. . . . sandlewood, etc. . .. I really do not like flowery scents very well.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Bring on the Dark Chocolate and raspberries, baby! (either alone or in combo – yummy!)

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? - I do cross-stitch on linen, pulled-thread and hardanger needlework.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Swing dance music, big band dance tunes, alternative rock (evanescence, etc. . .), crooners (Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, the rat pack), pop, mainstream country (Shania, Garth, Faith, etc. . .). I also listen to a lot of new age/relaxation/nature sounds/meditative type music. VERY eclectic taste in music. I listen to CD’s and MP3s all the time.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? Growing up it was PINK! Now I enjoy the pinks, lavendars, soft greens and RED! Familywise, I would say either jewel tones or muted earth tones. (Olives + purples, Tans + Reds) etc. . .. .

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Married (16 years in August), 1 son (8 years old) and a 2 year old Pomeranian.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) Gosh, to be able to live comfortably and give my son his education without him having to go into debt as his father and I did. I would love to travel to other continents (have yet to leave N. America). Want to be fluent in French. I want to be ORGANIZED (I hate clutter but can’t seem to get rid of it). I want to be chosen, complete and WIN “The Amazing Race”. It’s my favorite show and a HUGE dream of mine.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Right now I love to make self-striping socks but they do take me awhile. I love merino wool and other “soft” yarns. Love to make quickies with the newer yarns (ladders, ribbons, eyelash, fur, etc. . .) but I like to work with wool also (especially all those beautiful colorways like “manos del uruguay” overdyes). Karabella Aurora 8 is a great example.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Itchy wool. “Harder” fibers – I like my yarn to flow and have drape, even when I am going to felt I use the “softer” wools.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? SOCKs and collecting patterns!

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Anything that will make the recipient happy! OK, OK, socks again!

17. What are you knitting right now? Uuuh, socks?! I am also working on a glace neck scarf and blocks of the month from my LKS in manos del uruguay to be made into an afghan. I am also almost done with my honeymoon cami in Candy (cotton blend – blue/green colorway).

18. What do you think about ponchos? LOVE THEM! Made 2 for myself and wear them both! A LOT! Made a couple other ones as gifts.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? CIRCULAR ADDIs are my FAV!

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo (or really the rosewood and ebony from Lantern Moon – aah)

21. Are you a sock knitter? Tee hee (see above)

22. How did you learn to knit? Semi-self taught with a little help (about ½ hour from a friend) then I took an intermediate class (increases/decreases) and then I took a sock class – all within 2 months of each other!~

23. How old is your oldest UFO? 4 months (maybe 5)2

4. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? Disney’s Thumper or Eeyore! I love puppies and I am a cartoon junky (right now my favs are Avatar, KND and The Fairly odd Parents).

25. What is your favorite holiday? I love to give things for Xmas but I also like Mother’s Day, Easter and Mardi Gras.

26. Is there anything that you collect? You mean besides yarn, right? I love precious moments figurines and nursing memorobilia (old nursing stamps, pictures, equipment, etc.) I like coke and coke products (I have the best 1952 add of a nurse holding a coke – YEAH). I also enjoy any knid of unique or different needlework accessories. I am a cardiac nurse and I love to collect anything with hearts or shaped like hearts. Ooh, I also collect sayings. . . . .inspirational little words or just great quotes of all times or silly sayings to make you laugh!

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? – sigh, I only get piecework by interweave press. Have yet to get a knitting subscription.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on? “Confessions of a knitting heretic!” “Knitting on the edge”. “Meditations for women who knit too much” (I think that is the title).

29. Are you a “girly” girl? OMG, I am such the “girly” girl. I love makeup and dressing up and looking pretty and sparkly stuff and so on and so forth. THAT SAID, I am NOT afraid to go out without makeup, get dirty, go hiking, fishing or the like.

30. If you could meet anyone, who would you meet? I think that I would love to meet Audrey Hepburn, Princess Di or Saint Therese of the little Flower. These women are very inspirational to me, each in their own unique way.