SP14 Questionaire

Here's looking forward to a new round of secret pals, and may it be the best one yet.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love knitting with my own handspun yarns spun from colorful, always next to the skin soft and sometimes sparkly fibers, especially those from my favourite fiber pushers Enchantedknoll and CrystalCreekfibers.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Hand sewn folding fabric cases.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Wow, I can't believe it's been almost 10 years. Between intermediate and advanced, I can follow complicated patterns but my hands get painfully cramped after knitting with fine yarn on skinny needles, I guess that's one thing that is not going to get better with time!

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

5. What's your favorite scent? Geranium.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? No (ok, wishing that I DON'T).

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Does a bear poo in the woods? You betcha I spin more than I knit nowadays (it's easier on the hands)! I sometimes make jewllery and used to make bears (probably will do it again one day, I found the hand sewing finger cramping).

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD). I am taking a rain check on this as I have a hearing deficiency ...

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Tend to prefer the cooler end of the spectrum: greens, blues, purples; don't usually wear browns, yellows, oranges or red.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? One cat

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes, lace shawls scrunched up as scarves.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Lace shawls.

13. What are you knitting right now? A lace shawl. A February lady cardigan. A sock.

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

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Addi lace for lace, knitpicks for sweaters, various others as and when.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Can't remember.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe? Christmas, because we try to go to the UK to be with DH's family.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Spindles, vintage silk laces, mother of pearl buttons and bears.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
I did love one of the new heart cut out cup spindles from the Spanish Peacock on Ravelry, and if you mention that you are my secret pal Tom knows me and my preferences very well :) If anyone is interested in learning I totally recommend his spindles.
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to IK and Spin-off.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Um, just to get better at what I know. And to have time! I have been meaning to try dyeing and felting, I have the supplies, but I have been sick for the last 3 weeks or so and just haven't had the time or energy!

22. Are you a sock knitter? Yes. What are your foot measurements? 8.75 to 9 inches.

23. When is your birthday? February.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, Ghostknitter.

my daemon

Your result for The Golden Compass Daemon Test...

Curmudgeonly Soul

You are an independent, confident person. You march to the beat of your own drum, and if other people don't like it, they can go f*** themselves. You don't really care what they think, or at least you THINK that you don't care. You believe that people should live and let live.

You are an introverted soul, disliking the crowds of morons and idiots that you find at big parties or clubs. You prefer to be on your own, or with a couple close friends. When you are forced to be social, you get tired quickly. You need to curl up with a good book or spend a night on the computer to recharge.

You have a strong sense of self, and it doesn't bother you much when people criticize you, especially strangers. You care more about what your family thinks, but probably not enough to change yourself for them. In any case, your loved ones know that under that gruff, aggressive exterior there is a caring friend. Your daemon's form would represent your confident, occasionally aggressive and solitary nature, but might betray your softer underbelly. He or she would probably help you make fun of the idiots around you, but would also provide the comfort and affection that you sometimes deny yourself in everyday life.

Form suggestions: Badger, Jackal, Black Bear.

Take The Golden Compass Daemon Test at HelloQuizzy

Flickr

This fiber arrived along with the other parcels hoarded by my mad postman. It's 4oz 80% merino 20% silk from moonligthbaker on Etsy, and it's from my secret pal 13. Thank you secret pal, it's soft and sheeny and it's got my thumbs up.





This parcel arrived at the same time, it's 3oz angora blend fiber, 0.5oz white sparkle, a gorgeous autumn leave shawl pin, and a seriously cute brass sheep needle sizer, which will become my fave sheep too. I am going to have to spin this fiber up asap, it's like clouds, so thank you so much Pam, and thank your spinning friends too, they are so right.



More later ...

Been thinking

Because that's what a NEW year is all about ... ok, it's the end of January, but I have always been slow off the mark.

Anyway, I have been wanting a loom to weave scarves to sell since I started spinning in 2007, but haven't been able to afford one, and in the current depressed economic situation, it doesn't look like I will be able to, anytime soon anyway. I have asked DH to ask his parents to look out for a cheap second hand one, but still ... I do want to sell handmade stuff, but I worked out the economics long ago, and weaving was the only way to make any profit because it's much faster than handknitting.

I have been knitting for almost 9 years, when we travel I buy yarn as souvenirs, and get DH to buy me yarn on his trips, so I have this collection of luxurious and interesting single skeins that I have been saving to use in scarf weaving projects. But as I said, the loom still remains a dim and misty possibility, and I have been thinking that if I knit up some of these yarns and sell the FOs I could earn the money to make the loom an actuality.

I actually think there is an opening. Most of the handknit scarves on ebay are either a) novelty yarns artsy scarves meant more as neck embellishments for all weather wear, and actually only simple garter and dropped stitch; or b)soft wools, but more small neckwarmer or scarflette than scarf, and again only simple stockinette or garter. This makes total economic sense, because 1)dropped stitch open patterns and short scarves use less yarn (only about 50-100g, yarn = $); and 2)they are faster to knit (less time, time also = $). I am thinking of using various slip stitch patterns, much more time consuming but as close to a woven fabric as is possible for knitting, and at least 3 different balls of yarn (about 150g). That makes my average MRSP cost about US$25, or US$8/50g, and I would try to use mostly natural fibers, and definitely only fibers that are wearable next to the skin (I have sensitive skin, so only if I can and would wear it myself).

I am thinking US$50 per scarf sounds reasonable, obviously I have to knit up about 10 to 12 scarves first, and then perhaps I can sell it in my niece M's prospective shop (b/c she's good at marketing, I suck). I am also thinking berets and fingerless mitts for US$25, we will see. The good thing is, if they don't sell in this economy, I will have finished 2009's Christmas presents, and since hopefully by then there will be online pictures, DH's family and relatives can have the fun of choosing the one they want. (US$25 per scarf knitted in a tedious slip stitch which takes me 3 days is sheer slave labour, but I don't see how else I am going to get a loom which should reduce the time to produce a scarf to 6 hours).

Well, let's see how M. is getting on with her earrings first. I did the economics of demand and supply with that, and I just don't see how she can compete with US sellers. I am probably not savy enough and she has a cheaper supply source.

CNY and handspun Laminaria FO

handspun Laminaria
Originally uploaded by khora

Chinese New Year 2009 was not bad, mainly because I decided to avoid the painful stuff by just not visiting or even calling my mother. Enough is enough, and I have finally just given up on mantaining any relationship. I wish her well, but we will probably not be seeing each other again, and that will be best for both of us.

I did go to my aunty's as usual, she is looking well and the Perankan food was as delicious as ever. My little niece M. is all grown up now and we met her BF of 3 years for the first time. She was retrenched from her job but isn't interested in knitting or spinning, instead she wants to make beaded earrings to sell online. Will help her, cf.

The highlight was meeting my favourite cousin L., I still remember her taking me out when I was young. Can you believe we have been married almost 11 years and this was the first time she met DH? I had really lost contact with the extended relations (various reasons). I was working on Laminaria, everyone said it was beautiful, which it is, and a few commented that I could sell it for as much as S$100 (US$66). Haha, little did they realise that the fiber + shipping alone cost US$30, and it took me a month to spin and knit it up, working almost exlcusively on it (b/c I can't work on more than one thing at a time). US$36 for one month of labour? Thank you, but no thanks, I would much rather keep it for myself. Here is a photo of it unblocked.

I am very pleased with it. Next is a scarf for the RSE 3, and a pair of socks for Sock it to me 3. I know the color but I haven't decided on the pattern yet, I am spinning up laceweight for the Morning Surf scarf, but there is also the linen stitch scarf using 3 different yarns (which I am so tempted to knit 12 versions for this year's Christmas presents instead of the Grafton Fiber Club, b/c we are going over in April and I can bring the FOs along then). I am just going to do both and let her choose.

Spindle spin yarn for Laminaria

DSC01075
Originally uploaded by khora

This is the yarn I am knitting up into Laminaria at the moment. Actually this yarn has both good and bad memories, good in that at least I got to try spindling on my ultimate spindle for a week, but in that the spindle no longer belongs to me ... it arrived with cracks in its shaft near the tip, and I sent it back just before the new year, and for the last 3 weeks or so I have been on tenderhooks about whether it will be repaired, I was so worried it kept me awake at nights, and drowsy and grumpy during the day, and I didn't even feel like blogging or anything until I had some news. Well, now I have and it's bad news, but at least I know, even if I don't understand the reason why. The yarn is knitting up lovely though, which in a way made me feel sad because I am not sure I can replicate the yarn without the same spindle.

Green batt

DSC01069
Originally uploaded by khora

Another drum carded batt.

First drum carded batt

First drum carded batt
Originally uploaded by khora

From my new to me Pat Green Deb's Delicate Deluxe, once on handcards, one pass through the drum carder. It is coming out as a tweed yarn, at least fingering weight. The Ashford Traveller is much easier to spin with the elastic drive band and new flyer bearings.

First secret pal 13 parcel

First secret pal 13 parcel
Originally uploaded by khora

This was the first parcel from my secret pal 13 all the way from Finland, it arrived just before Christmas, and it was the only fibery or any kind of Christmas present I received this year from anyone besides DH, so it was very welcome! Thank you secret pal. I plan to combine the three rovings into one, and would already be spinning this but am on a lace KAL dateline right now.

Secret pal 13 questionaire

13 is an unlucky number in some cultures but we are not superstitious ...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
2008 is the year I began knitting almost exclusively with my own handspun yarn and I love the holistic process of spinning fiber into yarn and then knitting with the results, the yarn feels more special and it makes knitting even more meaningful to me and hopefully to my recipients. Soft fibers are even more important now because the resulting yarn is only as soft as the fibers used to spin it, I do not like to spin anything over 22 microns unless it is for a specific purpose (more durable socks, novelty art yarns).

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? A hand sewn needle folder.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? 8 to 9 years now, I can do difficult intermediate knits, but lately I have gone back to knitting simple basic patterns because they seem to show off the handspun yarns better.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No, would like Judith McKenzie McCuin The Intentional Spinner.

5. What's your favorite scent? Geranium.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Caramel dark chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Does a bear pooh in the woods? I looove spinning so much it's almost taken away my knitting time.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Jazz. I guess ... not sure.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Likes: mermaid, sea, peacocky colours; dislikes: yellows, reds, earth and fire ...

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? One cat.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves when overseas, usually in the UK.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Presents? Scarves, hats, mittens. Myself? Lace shawls.

13. What are you knitting right now? A skirt (well, eventually a dress, but I am still on the skirt bit). The bleeding hearts stole from my handspun yarn.

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

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Alumium circulars, I love my Addi lace and Knitpicks Options.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Both

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Have I frogged it? It could be hidden somewhere, oh maybe 6 years?

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe? Christmas.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Mini bears, antique Steiff bears, French chantilly silk lace, mother of pearl shell buttons, fiber and yarn, spindles and even wheels!

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 am still enamored by spinning, and would love to get spinning fiber (especially sparkly batts) instead of yarn. My personal favorite fiber artist is EnchantedKnoll, but I am sure there are many others out there. You could also consider a 3 month fiber club subscription (again, EnchantedKnoll comes to mind), which might be a good way to save on international shipping which is so terrible nowadays. Interweave Knits and Spin-Off.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Improve my lace knitting, it just requires more practice (and time! NEED MORE TIME). Same for improving my spinning.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes, I think 8.75 inches.

23. When is your birthday? 21st February.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Same as my blog, Ghostknitter.