Summer of Yarn Love swap

I need a swap like I need a hole in the head, but have always loved swapping with others.

I joined the Summer of Yarn Love swap! I think it will be exciting. It is such a great way to connect to others across the US! Kelly and I did a lot of swaps while she was in scouts...postcards, christmas ornaments, council patches. It was always fun. Now that she is out of scouts, this is a chance to continue this fun. I did the Wee Tiny Sock swap and it was a lot of fun.

So, here is my Summer of Yarn Love Q&A:

Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft?
I am a knitter. I do not crochet, although my maternal grandmother spent hours trying to teach me. My paternal grandmother was a knitter as well. I was lucky enough to have a 4th grade teacher who taught a group of us to knit. My grandmother lived 300 miles away and once she found out I could knit, she stoked the fire by teaching a little more and sending me wool, scratchy, itchy wool.

Do you spin? What type of spinning?
I love the thought of spinning, but love creating wearables more. We live about 2 miles from a custom mill that specializes in alpaca and llama yarns. I would like to try dyeing sometime. The thought of creating custom colorways sounds like fun.

What are your favorite yarns/fibers? What are your least favorite yarns/fibers?
I love natural fibers or better man- made fibers. I usually use merino, bamboo and soy fibers. I would love to find some other plant based fibers, such as corn based. Oh, and I have some alpaca yarn that is scrumptious. It is brightly colored, soft as silk and wonderful to work with.
My least favorite is the old time wools that are scratchy and acrylics that are icky.

What are your favorite colors? What are your least favorite colors?
I love just about any color, depending on my mood. It seems I buy a lot of 'hot' colors, but like the cool ones. Anything goes, depending on the project.

Are there any yarns/brands that you are dying to work with but never have?
I would like to try different plant materials, but love to try local fibers. I always try to visit LYS that carry their own brands, just to have something a little different than what I can get at home. Colorways are different around the country, spins are different, and it makes life interesting.

What is/are your favorite types of projects to knit/crochet?
I love to knit socks and other items from sock yarn. I also like to work on other types of projects including sweaters, afghans, etc.

What are you currently working on? Anything you plan to work on this summer?
Currently I am working on a pair of socks for my daughter in a Wild Cherry colorway, an afghan in our high school colors (cardinal/gold/white) for an auction for our annual fundraiser. I am planning on starting my Christmas knitting by knitting each of my sisters and my mother a shawl in various yarns and would like to make a few shells to wear.

What is your favorite FO? (Post a pic if you would like.)
What is my favorite? I really do not have one. The ones I use the most are a pair of broadripple socks, my first pair, and a scarf I made to wear with my black coat. Although the scarf started as a dressy scarf, it is now a barn scarf, with bits of straw and hay embedded in it.

What is your oldest UFO?
OMG... you don't really want to know. If I dug around I could find an afghan I started 20 years ago. We moved several times and I just lost track of all the pieces.

Are there any techniques that you want to learn?
Lace knitting. I joined a Goddess Knits KAL for the summer. I would love to knit a beautiful lace shawl for Kelly, my daughter, and Morgan, Ethan's GF.

Are you on Ravlery? What's your ID?
Well, I am registered, but need to get some items posted. My ID is knitty78.

Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I love knitting socks. It's like magic. You go along in the tube, do some short rows and Viola! a sock is born. I wear an 8 1/2 shoe.

Do you collect anything?
Yarn, beads, crafty stuff. I love shells. I guess you could say I collect Christmas ornaments, but really we just have a lot of them. I am not a collector per se, just love memories associated with objects. Anything that reminds me of a friend is wonderful.

Do you have a yarn winder and/or swift?
I would love to have both, but since I don't, I go to my LYS and have her wind hanks for me.

Do you love sweets? What are your favorites?
Doesn't everyone? I love chocolate and caramel but try not to have too much. I have a tendency to overindulge. I heard once that M&Ms are the preferred candy of crafters.

What are your favorite scents?
I love natural scents: crisp linens, soft flowers, warm musk, that kind of scents.

Where do you keep your needles/hooks?
I keep them in a plastic tote with a lid. This way, I always know where they are and my dog cannot chew on them. He chewed a pair of circular 8's to chips! Was I mad, well a little, but he's a puppy and he has good taste. He loves the better needles and wool. How could I be mad at that?

Do you have a wishlist (Amazon, Etsy, etc?)
Not really

Having a birthday this summer?
No, my birthday is in October, the middle of football season

Are you allergic to anything??? Please let your pal know!
Does stupid people count? Oooh, that sounds so bad. No, I am not allergic to anything.

Well, this was fun and enlightening.