Spring Fling Yarn & Coffee

Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
I only use whole beans when I have a choice!

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?
I love my coffee the stronger and darker the better! No Decaf for me!

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?
My usual everyday coffee is A&P whole beans.
4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?
I drink coffee for caffeine and pleasure!
5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?
Some flavored coffee are OK with me but not too sweet or exotic. I drink my coffee plain.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?
I drink from a huge mug.

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!
I love my coffee strong and dark in a large cup with a cube of ice popped in it. I love to take my coffee out to the garden or to the beach.

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company?

I would love to eat the richest, sweetest pastery going but I'm trying to keep on Weight Watchers so I usually eat fruit or a vitalicious muffin.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet?
I knit, I can crochet but I hate to actually do it.

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?
I love to work with natural fibers, wools, alpacas, silks cottons. I love Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Malabgigeo Yarns etc!

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?
Right now, I working on a pinwheel sweater using a Tahki Windsow tweed yarn.

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash?
I love rich reds, blues and greens. I also love interesting neutrals but really don't like yellow or orange or any neon colors.

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?
I usually match my needle to my project and switch between adi, knitpicks both in metal and harmony wood and bryspun which actually are my favorite. I just love that sprongy little point.

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan?

I have enough measuring tapes, and kitchner tip card for several lifetimes. I never use needle end protectors or stitch counters so I have pleanty of those. I would love some pretty beaded stitch markers.

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with?

Now this is hard, because you have named two yarns that I love squishy sprongy sock yarn like Socks That Rock and Malabrogio. I would probably sell my shoes or something to get both!

Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?

I'm in NJ so we are getting peeks of spring but it still is pretty cold and we are still waiting for Spring.

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?
I love liliacs, I have a few bushes and while they are late in the season when my liliacs bloom and scent the air I REALLY know winter is over!3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?
I work in a school, as a staff developer so for me when it is spring I know that summer is not too far away.

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?

I might take a walk along the beach or work in my garden.
5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up?

I am influenced by rain and dark weather. I'd probably spend the day indoors drinking coffee and knitting and napping!
Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?
I collect quilting fabrics especially charm packs and batik and depression prints. I also love polish pottery mugs.

2. Are you allergic to anything?
Iodine
3. Do you have pets?
Three cats and a dog who really thinks he is the King of the House
4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?

I have participated in many swaps in knitting/yarns and soaps/handmade lotions etc. I've slowed down in the past year. The last three swaps for me are A World of Tea 2, A Dish Cloth Swap (a first for me) and a Favorite Color swap (Red)5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
I use up lots of time poking around blogs. I think my favorites are:
The Yarn Harlot
Tilt-A-Whirl
Mode Knit/Knitting Heretic

I've met briefly all three of the ladies who write these blogs and I enjoy reading about their knitting and families lives. But I drop in and out of reading many other ones.