How you know you've dyed too much and my HHHH Questionnaire

Dream dyes or dye dreaming?

The whole etsy thing has my brain feeling like I'm on uppers ALL the time. Its new for me so I think I just have to figure out how to fit it into the rest of my life.

Its the only explanation I have for waking up on Sunday morning thinking Pink! With olive green and a grey blue! That would be interesting.

Must. stop. thinking.

And my questionnaire for the hush-hush handspun hootenany

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself?

On and off over 2 years - I'm not a beginner but I wouldn't say I'm intermediate either.


2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?

Mostly two ply, but I just learned to navajo ply so I am hoping to be able to work on maintaining colour repeats using that technique.


3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?

I occasionally spindle but I prefer my wheel.


4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don't like?

I like fine fibres with lots of luster. Looove silk! I am not so thrilled with soysilk for some reason - too slippery I think. I'm not particularly keen on 100% plant fibres - i.e. cotton, flax or linen


5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)?

I love Fleece Artists rovings which I buy wherever I can find them. I tend to buy mostly undyed rovings from my LCD (local crack dealer).


6. What kind of fiber do you want to try?

Milk, shetland, merino-linen blend, cormo, cvm (these last two are not available to me in Canada and I would love to try them), polworth


7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn?

As mentioned - how to maintain colour repeats by navajo plying. I would like to get better control over the thickness I am spinning. Spin lace!


8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn?

I do a bit of dyeing ;-) - okay that was a total understatement.


9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber?

I have handcards I don't mind using but I also have a short attention span and like instant gratification so I am more of a ready to spin person.


10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed?

A bunch of hats and a poncho. I'd like to get a decent sock yarn as well as make some thrummed mittens.


11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)?

Nope - I am the gadget queen - unless you count a drum carder as a gadget? Is my pal very very rich by any chance? Kidding!


12. What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand?

Blues, greens and reds. I like bright saturated colours and tend to avoid greyed out colours. I'm not fond of the olive, brown, blacks although they can be amazing on the right fiber (like a merino linen blend where the linen is left natural for example). Certain colour combinations turn me right off - I don't like how complementary colours spin up (i.e. I tried purple and yellow and hated it), black and blue (bruise) or black and yellow (bumble bee) or red and green (christmas) are not favourites.


13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now?

On my wheel some awesome merino-bamboo from Funky Carolina. On my spindle - SWTC Karaoke in Rainbow.


14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?

Obviously I knit but right now the business start up is taking a lot of my time. I used to quilt and create altered art pieces (artist trading cards, altered books, multi-media) but lost interest when fiber took over my life.


15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about?

My kids mostly. My cats. My work some of the time.


16. Do you have an online wishlist?

I have a list at amazon.ca - I really should update it!


17. Is there anything that you collect?

Besides books, magazine and fiber? I have a collection of apples (stone, wood etc) and blue glassware. I haven't really collected as much since having children.


18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have?

I would love Intertwined by Lexi Boeger. I would love any of Anne Hanson's shawl patterns - particularly Bee Fields. I don't subscribe but pick up at the news stand if I am impressed enough!


19. When is your birthday?

Never - I've decided to quit having them.
Oh fine. November 11


20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?

I never know how to answer these questions! If I had to be a Jane Austen inspired characted, I'd qualify as the older, calmer sister (the Elinors and Janes) as opposed to spirited younger ones.


21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)?

Hot and humid!


22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!

When I was a kid I could cover my eyes with my feet arching backwards (lying on my stomach). This is not something I can do anymore!


Favorites


Favorite painting/picture(link): I've always loved David Hockney's Nichols Canyon Road (http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hockney/hockney.nichols-canyon.jpg) , any Kandinsky for colour more than the paintings themselves and most Impressionism.


Candy: I firmly believe that Kit Kat is the perfect food.


Food: See above. But really - anything with flour, sugar and fat is good.

Drink: Not a big alcohol drinker (probably the jump straight to the hangover without the fun of the drunk beforehand) - so iced teas or lemonades in summer. Milkshakes too! I drink my fair share of coffee and love tea in the evenings when its cool outside.


Movie(s): I have a film degree - I just don't watch movies anymore!


TV Show(s): I love the good reality dance shows like So You Think You Can Dance and documentaries - particularly science and technology. I used to be a huge sci fi fan but I don't watch much TV these days.


Book(s): I also have an English degree so now I tend to prefer light reading (Jennifer Weiner and other chick lit), mysteries, supernatural mysteries (I went through a huge Lauren K. Hamilton phase last year), love the Dexter novels.


Guilty Pleasure(s): Ravelry at work, knitting silk, ice cream cones where I stuff the ice cream into the sugar cone and only have a little bit on top, the 6 pillows I sleep with, playing chase with my cat and having 14 different soaps in my shower from independent soapies.