Saturday 10 March 2012

Any questions!

I've been tagged by two fellow bloggers to take part in a Q & A session - Kate over at Haunted Yarns and Jill over at doodlywhatsits, so thought that I'd answer both sets of questions in one fell swoop! Here goes!

1. Of all the projects you’ve knitted for yourself, which is the one that you wear most often?
This winter, without a shadow of a doubt, it has been my Monkey Bread Infinity scarf. I love the colour and the warmth and lightness of the mink and cashmere yarn.
Monkey Bread Infinity version 018
2. What item would you never knit, even if you were offered a million pounds/dollars/euros to make one?
Well, assuming that I didn't desperately need the money, I'd probably draw the line at a knitted toilet roll cover! (But if times got hard, I'd knit one, even in neon acrylic, haha!)
3. Do you have a favourite place to knit in your home?
I like to knit sat on the sofa in our lounge. But I will knit anywhere - in the car (as a passenger, of course!), standing in a queue, at school, in a cafe!
4. How long do you spend knitting per day?
This varies from day to day, depending on how much work I have to do in the evening. But I do try to knit everyday, even if it's just a couple of rows on a pair of socks. It is a great destresser for me. I knit more in school holidays and at weekends.
5. Do you have a favourite knitting (or other craft) magazine?
No, not really. When I first started knitting again, I bought various knitting magazines, but hardly ever found anything that I wanted to knit in any of them. I quite like Knitty, and of course Ravelry is such a great source of inspiration too.
6. Have you ever used knitting needles for something other than knitting?
No, I don't think so! But  I can remember my Mum using a metal needle to test if a cake was cooked when she couldn't find a skewer!
7. Have you ever – successfully – taught another person to knit?
Yes, lots! I run a knitting club at school, and have probably taught around 40 children how to knit so far! They love it, and I'm happy that I'm helping to create the next generation of knitters. So far we've made scarves for cuddly toys, owls, cat blankets, Christmas trees and are currently knitting friendship bracelets and bendy snakes!
SDC12199

8. What is your favourite flavour of crisps?
If I'm going 'posh', then I'd have a bag of Kettle Chips sea salt and crushed black peppercorn. I also like Walker's cheese and onion, and Hoola Hoops!
9. Have you ever given up knitting for a long period of time (more than six months)?
Well, I did give up knitting for a very long time (probably close to 20 years!!) when I started teaching. I don't remember the yarns being especially nice and I was just so busy! Then, in 2007, when I was on holiday in Ireland, I was reading The Friday Night Knitting Club, and happened to pass a yarn shop where I fell head over heels in love with a skein of Noro yarn. The rest, as they say, is history!
10. What makes you laugh?
I love Victoria Wood! Morecambe and Wise, The Vicar of Dibley, The Good Life and Gavin and Stacey are other favourites.
11. What is your favourite book?
Oh, that's tricky! I love reading and our house is full of books. We're always running out of shelf space, and I'm seriously thinking about getting a Kindle to ease the storage problem!! My favourite childhood book is Carbonel by Barbara Sleigh. I can remember my Mum reading it aloud to my brother and me. I just loved the idea that a cat could talk to humans! One of my favourite books is The L-Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks. I must dig it out and reread it!
12. Do you accurately know how much yarn you own?
Yes, I have everything listed on Ravelry, so I could (but I won't!!) tell you exactly how much that is in kilometres!
13. What is your favourite thing to knit?
Socks every time! They are portable and require very little finishing off! I'm currently knitting my 68th pair!! (Lots of them have been gifts, I hasten to add!)
14. What is your favourite yarn, fibre/colours etc to knit with?
I am a bit of a yarn snob, and like luxury yarns! A touch of cashmere or silk always goes down well. My favourite colour is purple, and my stash reflects this!! I love yarns from the Natural Dye Studio in particular.
15. Where is your favourite or dream holiday destination?
I never thought that I'd be the kind of person who'd keep going back to the same place each year, but a very special place for Mr JK and me is a small fishing village on the Greek island of Kos. It's not in the least commercialised, and is the perfect chillout holiday spot for us.
Greece October 2011 006

16. What is your best tried and tested recipe?
Nigel Slater's quick soda bread is delicious with a bowl of homemade soup, and works perfectly every time!
17. What are you usually doing, if anything, at the same time as you are knitting?
Either listening to the radio, music or watching TV.
18. Any other hobbies or interests that you are passionate about?
I discovered spinning last year, and that has eaten into my knitting time! Plus I've started a fibre stash too!
19. Choose: Starter or Dessert
Definitely a dessert! But I am a 'stodgy' pudding type of girl and generally like anything that would be served with custard!! Steamed sponges, pies, crumbles, bread and butter pudding!! My absolute favourite has to be sticky toffee pudding! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
20.  Do you have a favourite book? If so, what and why?
See answer to 11 above.
21. If you could meet a famous person, either present day or from history, who would it be?
I enjoy teaching the Tudors in history, and think that I'd like to meet Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. She was married to him for 24 years, so I think she must have known him pretty well.
22. What is your favourite animal?
That's easy! Cats! We always had cats when I was growing up, and ever since I've had my own house, I've had at least one cat. Currently we are 'owned' by Florence, who is an absolute darling!
flo - basking 004

23. What kind of music do you enjoy?
I like lots of different music - classical, folk, pop (especially from the 1980's). I don't like country music!
24. What makes you happy?
Lots of things! Walking on the beach with Mr JK, sunshine, a nice meal, cuddling with Flo ...... and nice knitting yarn!!!
So there you are! I now have to choose 12 bloggers to ask them 12 questions, so I'm choosing

Here are my set of questions.
1. What's your greatest knitting achievement to date?
2. Is there a knitting skill that you'd like to learn?
3. Who is your favourite knitting designer?
4. What's your favourite 'easy knit' to make as a gift?
5. What's your favourite film?
6. What's your favourite season and why?
7. What's your number one tip for new bloggers?
8. What was the first thing you ever knitted?
9. What's your favourite 'comfort' meal?
10. Do you prefer circular needles or dpns?
11. What posters did you have on your bedroom wall when you were a teenager?!
12. Bubble bath or shower?

I look forward to reading your answers!


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too love fabulous fibres and yarns, so much so that I have far too much!

Kim said...

Too fun!!! And now I have your soda bread recipe! Yay!

snoopydogknits said...

Hmmmmm! Think I do know you very well! Lovel pic of Flo! Have a good week. Not much longer, thank goodnes. Rosx

Amanda said...

ooh! ~I will go have a think! :)

Kat Jorgensen said...

I'm going to have to think about my answers to. Loved reading your answers. 68 pairs of socks! That's quite an accomplishment. You go!

Northern Monkey said...

Eek spotted that you'd tagged me for this, I shall get on it at some point soon :-)

I enjoyed reading your answers...I'm such a nosey thing I love it when people do Q&As!

Jennyff said...

Sorry, I don't do lists and spent too much time working in occupational psychology to ever want to answer any more questionnaires. I know, miserable old bat - that's me.

Stadtwaldvogel said...

Hi Helen, it was fun to read so much about you. The questions you had for me are very thoughtful. They are interesting but I do not have to give too much information about myself. Thanks for thinking of me!
Yours, Julia