It was big fun last time the one skein secret pal thing. Wow, was I spoilt by Lies. I loved it, so I didn’t hesitate one sec to subscribe me for Secret Pal 9. I am a secret pal, for Myra from Sweden this time. And I have a secret pal from…? Presumably the States (or Lies are you making fun of me again?). It was quite a questionnaire I had to fill in for SP9, but you can find it after one click.

1. What is/are your favourite yarn/s to knit with? What fibres do you absolutely *not* like?
Silky yarns are my favourite and I don’t like very thick and itchy yarn. Besides I have enough angora and mohair on the moment.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My needles are stored in a beautiful hand made needle case that my one skein secret pal gave to me. I keep my on the road sock  in a little handmade bag, also a gift from my secret pal. The rest of my knitting work lies about. If someone has a good solution

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Now, I knit for almost a year. I learned it in school long, long ago. In the seventies I knitted a lot (but, then, who didn’t?). I will always be a beginner, because I have this fundamental uncertainty about my knitting performances.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
Lemon, orange and lavender. Or, the real perfume thing: Paloma Picasso and Coco by Chanel

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
No,no, no sweets, sugar is poison for me. Nuts.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Ballet, writing, reading and studying, visiting museums. Oh, and I like stitching, but I can’t see it anymore.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Opera, other classical music, French singers and jazz (Davis, Coltrane, Mingus, my partner is an aficionado, so we have everything).  I have an iPod of which I’m not a big fan.

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
Beautiful, warm and deep colours (green or purple or orange) or cool colours like blue, turquoise like the Greek sea. I don’t like greyish and brownish colours and my eyes can’t work with black.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my partner, no kids, no pets anymore.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
No hats. All the rest I wear. Oh, I see that now, no, no ponchos.

12. What is/are your favourite item/s to knit?
Socks, scarves, caps, babythings and small frills (squares for the I knit waterproject, caps voor Innocent Drinks) in between.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks (for my best friend), a cap (for a older sick lady), babysocks for a colleague and frills.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes, very .

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Straight bamboo needles.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No and knitting is enough for me.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
15 years and I’ll certainly finish it, one day

18. What is your favourite holiday?
With the car to France, to camp or to play the French family in a holiday house.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
No

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 love the KnitPicks Suri Dream, Andean Silk and Shimmer. And there is a fair isle scarf I want to knit for ages from the book ‘knit scarves’ by Candi Jensen to learn the technique. It’s made of 4 colours of Classic Merino Wool by Patons and the basic coulor is Aran – 202. Well, I think Patons is not even from the USA.
I have but one magazine subscription and it’s Dutch: Handwerken zonder Grenzen.
I am not a real fan of magazines and the internet is loaded with interesting patterns and things.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
Better lace knitting, fair isle, cables, mittens, moebius, other socks than the basic one I can knit now etc. etc.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes, yes! European size 38,5.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
22 april.