allie knits: August 2006

The Knit-Geek Questionnaire (unrelated to any swaps or secret pal exchanges)

1. What's your worst habit relating to your knitting?
I spend so much money on yarn for projects that are currently in my UFO pile. Also, I very rarely finish projects much larger than a sock, I have knitting ADD.

2. In what specific ways does your knitting make you a better person?
Patience is something I have in short supply, but knitting has helped me relax and take life one row at a time

3. How might you or your life be different if you were suddenly unable to knit?
If I were unable to knit, I would be wreck as a person. As a very high-stress person, knitting saves my sanity and lets me socialize with the outside world.

4. If money were no object, what one yarn, and what one tool or gadget would you run out and buy first?
I would buy enough Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran to make a beautiful sweater, wooden swift, ball winder, and a spinning wheel so that I can spin my own.

5. What knitting technique or project type are you most afraid of (if any)? What, specifically, do you fear will happen when you try it?
Fair Isle/Scandinavian knitting patterns, which I adore. My colorwork thus far has been simple intarsia that somehow manages to get tangled and I worry that Fair Isle will get even more tangled, plus I have learn how to knit continentally.

6. Who is/are your knitting hero(es), and why?
Stephanie Pearl McPhee, the Yarn Harlot; Meg Swansen and her many ingenious techniques; Kim Hargreaves who has the most designs on my "To Knit" list; Nicky Epstein's creativity amazes me and I love the ideas.

7. Do you consider knitting, for you personally, a mostly social activity, or a mostly solitary activity?
Solitary: I knit as meditation, relaxation, and reconnect with my thoughts. It's great.

8. Is there a particular regional tradition in knitting that you feel strongly drawn toward (e.g., Fair Isle, Scandinavian, Celtic, Orenburg lace)? Any theories as to why it calls to you?
Fair Isle and Scandinavian knitting impresses me and I am drawn to the colors and designs.

9. If you were a yarn, which yarn would you be?
100% Bamboo- I am natural, but love the bright colors and drape. I feel that as a cheerful, friendly person the classic eclecticness of bamboo is a perfect fit

10. Some statistics:
(a) How many years have passed since you FIRST learned to knit?
2 and 1/2

(b) How many total years have you been actively, regularly knitting (i.e., they don't have to have been in a row)?
1 and 1/2

(c) how many people have you taught to knit?
at least 10

(d) Roughly what percentage of your FOs do you give away (to anyone besides yourself, i.e., including your immediate family)
75

11. How often do you KIP (knit in public)? i.e., once a week, once a month, etc. Where do you do it?
Daily

12. If a genie granted you one hour to stitch-n-bitch with any one knitter, living or dead, who would you choose and why?
Madame DeFarge (does she count?) I am just forever intrigued by the fact that her knitting was the condemnation of thousands by the guillotine.

13. What aspect or task in knitting makes you most impatient?
Finishing, I hate sewing seams and weaving in yarn ends.

14. What is it about knitting that never lets you get bored with it?
The plethora of knitting patterns available will never let me quit.

15. Describe how and where you most often do your knitting - where do you sit, what is going on around you, what tools do you use and how are they (dis)organized?
On the couch, watching TV (seasons of Friends, movies, etc.). All my yarn, however, is stashed in my bedroom in a yarn specific shelf.

16. Which one person is the recipient of more of your knitting than any other?
My mother, she loves knitted dishcloths and I am a member of many dishcloth-knitting KALs

17. What's the oddest thing about your knitting, or yourself as a knitter?
I'm really not sure, probably everything

18. What do you see yourself knitting - if anything - twenty years from now?
I still have years to go before I have children, but I figure in 20 years I'll either be knitting for my children or their children.

19. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only ONE SKEIN of yarn, which yarn would it be and what would you do with it?
A cone of sport weight cotton to make into some nice summery clothing that I could always knit into something else after frogging.

20. If you were allowed to own only one knitting-related book, which would it be? (you'd be free to browse others, but you couldn't keep them)
Stitch 'n Bitch, it's how I taught myself to knit and has some great classic pattern that could be updated for most any look.

21. Is knitting the new yoga? Why or why not?
Yes and no. Yes because it produces the same therapeutic, relaxing effect. No because it does not relax the body in addition to the mind.

EDIT: This last question added by Caroline:
22. What important thing are you trying to put off doing whenever you knit?
Cleaning, doing the things I'm supposed to get done other than knitting

I have decided to knit some different projects for a bit of change in my knitting repertoire.
I pulled out a drawer of UFO's and decide to put them back in a different order.

This fuzzy pillow is obviously something I started years ago... pink and fuzzy, what was I thinking?

The gauge fairy caught up with me and I have succeeded in making half a shrug the size to fit a giant instead of my tiny (5', 100 lb) mother.

This is a cute project, but I will pick it up again soon. Until then, it will sit here untouched and unloved while I continue to more fortunate projects. I hope it can forgive me my wretched behavior.