Fall Into Autumn Dishcloth Swap Questionnaire

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I've been knitting for 3 years. My friend Marsha taught me in the summer of 2004. It was always something that I wanted to do. My grandmother was a great knitter and an expert at crochet. I have a crochet tablecloth that she made. Incredible. Marsha's husband, Jan, taught me how to crochet. I just really like being creative and making usable things. I would consider my skill level in knitting to be almost intermediate. I'm still just a novice at crochet. I very slowly build up my knowledge of stitches and techniques. I'd like to be able to master a particular skill first before piling on something else.


2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?
Yes! And Yes! I think a dishcloth makes a really nice gift. And I love to make them.


3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before?
Well, I really like the good ol' Sugar & Cream cotton yarn. It's inexpensive and comes in a bajillion colors. I also like Bernat's CottonTots yarn. Its texture really makes a nice, absorbent cloth. I love the feel of mercerized cotton, Plymouth Fantasy Naturale is my favorite. I have yet to try that in a dishcloth because I don't know if the mercerization has any effect on the cotton's absorbency, thus rendering it useless as a dishcloth! I recently purchased some Araucania Pehuen cotton yarn, which has a really neat texture! I can't wait to try it. But I would like to try some Mission Falls Cotton, or Blue Sky Alpacas cotton, or Lion Brand Organic Cotton. And I'd love to try a cotton/bamboo blend.


4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?
Hmmm...well, I have all kinds of needles (wood, plastic, metal, resin, etc.) and I think my favorite needles are made by Bryspun. They are sometimes hard to come by. But use them once, and you'll love them, especially the circulars. No tangling/twisting, which is my biggest complaint about circular needles. I recently purchased some gently-used Denise needles from a friend and they are SUPER! And Addi Turbo circulars ARE all that people rave about them and more. They are 'da bomb!


5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?
Well, I don't think it's really a question of me not liking colors, because I pretty much like ALL of them, except for teal. Teal should be obliterated from all human existence. Really, it's more like what colors don't like me! For instance, I love yellow and orange, but they look hideous on me. However, I will admit that I'm not a huge fan of pastels. I guess I like heathered, natural colors the best. I'm fond of plums, sagey greens, denim blues, gray, terracotta, coral, browns and mocha. I like red, too.


6. What do you like best about Autumn?
I like the crisp, clean air. It's very refreshing. In fact, I find that Autumn is more of a time of renewal for me than Spring. Maybe it's because I work in academia, and the start of the school year is in the fall....


7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!
Oh, hell yes! All of those and more! But honestly, pecan is my favorite.


8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?
Could. Not. Wait. Like INSANE. Like couldn't sleep for a week before because I was so excited and nervous about it. But after about 3 weeks, my mom needed a bulldozer and the New York Philharmonic to get me out bed.


9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)
Well, I'll be honest with you. I am not a big Halloween fan, never was. Even as a kid. However, I am not at all insulted by or opposed to Halloween-themed items. I usually do shell out candy to the kiddies, so I guess I actually do "celebrate" it. But I don't send cards or buy gifts for people. I refuse to succumb to Hallmark's diabolical scheme to make every freakin' day of the year a card-giving holiday. Didn't you know? Today is National Show-Your-Buttcrack Day! Spend $4.79 for a card! You know you want to!


10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?
Tim-Tams.
Fudge.
Icelandic Noi Sirius Konsum dark chocolate bars. Best. Chocolate. Ever. Not kidding.


11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)
Heh. Very nicely phrased question! I have five furry children, all cats, all mostly evil, except for the oldest, Sophie. You can poke around my blog pretty easily and find pictures of them being bad. They are: Sophie, Hercules, Titus, Ophelia (we call her Fi-Fi for short), and Luna (who has now greatly surpassed Titus as the evilest one, which I did not think was even possible). So, yeah, FIVE cats. Hey, less time in purgatory.... And one big kid: Todd, my husband. :-)


12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?
Wow, interesting question! Um...let's see. I'd have to go with cotton, actually. Because I am dependable, easy going, and very what you see is what you get. And, to confirm that I really do know myself, I just took this quiz:

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Dishcloth Cotton.You are a very hard worker, most at home when you're at home. You are thrifty and seemingly born to clean. You are considered to be a Plain Jane, but you are too practical to notice.
Take this quiz!

So there you have it! I do like to be at home or with people who are very familiar to me. I am hardworking and thrifty, but I do buy a lot of STUFF! As for being born to clean, meh, not so much.


13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?
Well probably half and half!


14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)
I gotta go with Thanksgiving. Mostly because of one thing: candied yams. Nuff' said.


15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about?
No allergies that my pal would need to know, unless they planned on sending me some drugs. LOL (I am allergic to Sulfa drugs.) I have a STRONG aversion to Indian food, particularly curry and I hate gummy-type candy, particularly Twizzlers or any of its rubbery, stringy look-alikes. Yuck.