a day with sky like the underfur of a warm polar animal...

just got back from brlunch with niknak at the venerable S&S. it's become a weekendish sort of tradition, to at least wander to the corners of the world (or, at least, the nearest two blocks) for nick's cravings of gooey cinnamon bun, hot, syrupy pancakes and fat, juicy sausage (careful now, don't drool directly into the keyboard). though his pancake obsession is amusingly pathological, i usually mix up the menu. so this afternoon, after a healthy wait for a seat (where at the deli counter i was nose-to-nose with grey-pink slabs of cooked, corned cow tongue), we sat down and i deliberated over the two menus with great sobriety (no pun intended, although the 'hot, spicy, and snappy' bloody mary was tempting for a second). i was torn between a big bowl of matzo bowl soup, a corned beef sandwich, and a spinach pizza + salad. i'm often a traditionalist (last time we were there i got the whitefish plate, mmm fishy and oniony and creamcheesy! a jewish friend of mine was impressed i ordered it and said that i would make a very good jew... or at least my stomach...) though this time (quick, make a decision, the waitress is coming!) i opted for the pizza. the salad was basic but impressive, and the pizza was tasty (especially with a healthy spew of tabasco at the table) and very much lasting me for two meals leftover!

living in inman square spoils me greatly, although i think i hear a faint, but sure, cry for a trip to zaftig's in brookline, with the french toast and the painted fat ladies... not to mention a return trip to 'new taste of asia'. ah. brookline. absolute land of the yummy!

i have lots of tidbits to disclose, including but not limited to things artful, edible, and transportable, but those are later to come. for now, i just want to tie up some ends and complete the rest of the sp7 questionnaire. yes, i know, the suspense was unbearable.

so, onto the rest:

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

i'll combine these two questions because it's easier to follow.

to be honest, i am all about the luscious luxury yarns. favorite fibers, in top-down order, are cashmere, merino wool, silk, wool/mohair, baby alpaca. and microfiber and nylon in reasonable doses in blends are good for what they do best, strength and shine.

although cotton has its place, i dont really prefer making stuff with it because it looks so... rough and towelly. heh, i rarely if never wear cotton sweaters (they get all stretched out unpretty-like) and it's not that warm. same goes with linen; at that point i am nixing handknits entirely and wearing a tshirt. i *dont* do summer knits.

i will gracefully decline the world of novelty and ribbon yarns.

i love natural fibers, and tend to steer clear of the primarily synthetic. i hate anything unbreathable and scratchy, and prefer yarns with a soft hand.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

textured knits, cables, knitting with alternative materials, going from size 1 to size 15 needles with myriad projects, yarns which are organic or have a sustainable environmental or labor mission, one-color but interesting forms

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

inventively constructed sweaters, scarves, and socks

17. What are you knitting right now?

eek, here's confession time! well, OTN projects include: lace leaf pullover in teva durham's loop-d-loop, the james coviello jacket from vogue holiday 2005/6, miranda cape from the last rowan, a scarf in louisa harding kimono angora, and a super-secret project on fancy wire. i also have in-progress socks (well, more like sock yarns + needles in multiple configurations) that are hanging on for dear life.

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

yes, if they're cute and crafty and useful (where 'being cute' can be argued as a function). not so much if they cause me to say, 'neat! now i have to devise a problem in which this thing can ostensibly solve... or not collect dust.' so you probably dont want to spend time making me a doily (no offense to doily makers, but i have no clue what i might do with one... does anyone?). but a decoupage blank book or a jess hutch toy? that i can handle. :)

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

circulars, please!

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

i prefer the feel of bamboo over any other -- i dont think it limits my speed all that much and it's lightweight, warm, flexible, and nonslippery.

metal is okay as long as it's not heavy. it's good for more textured types of wool but can be almost too slippery and hard on your hands.

i use my plastic denise set often, though i probably would much rather own an interchangeable set with bamboo tips sometime in the future. big investment, though.

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

nope, and nope. i like the meditative motions of winding my own yarn (though it is a bit of time). i place the hank around my feet or knees and do my thing. and if i really am in need, i have helpful friends who ball-wind on request. :)

22. How did you learn to knit?

somewhere in the 5-7 y/o window. i made barbie clothes with (i still remember, because i thought it was so pretty) this acrylic yarn in variegations of white, pale blue, and pale pink. i picked it up my senior year of college, to satisfy an always-hungry craft appetite (not to be confused with the chinese-food appetite) i harbor, and was on my way after picking up a copy of stitch 'n' bitch and making a visit to the LYS. i felt the book was really great to get me up to speed, and the motions naturally came back in my hands after so many years. so, it's been 2.5 years and i'm still going strong! the boston/cambridge knit community is especially supportive and resourceful.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

well, last weekend i chucked a lot of ancient UFOs. perhaps the socks in mountain colors bearfoot that i withdrew from after coming back from portland in august 2005. so, half a year or so that i'd like to admit.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

favorite animated character: helly kitty, totoro, gromit!

favorite animal: cats (big and small), polar bears, koala bears, and that whole cute indie mess (i know, it's gotten out of control) of meek creatures like deer, owls, chicks, pups, and bunnies.

favorite bird: roast peking duck.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

any day where people are safe, happy, and with a loved one.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

not really collect per se, but i gravitate toward japanese toy collectables, small modern kitchenware (ikea-type espresso cups, kitchen tools, all clever and colorful and minimalist), and skirts and shoes. :)

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

interweave knits.

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

nope! or so i will confess. you think this sp7 thing would be that easy? :)

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

designing patterns, knowing more about different types of stitches, non-hernia fair-isle, incorporating beads, and clever felting

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

i technically 'knit socks' but i have not yet completed a matching pair. i dont know what that says about my personality :) and i wear a ladies size 8.5 or 9, as wide as you find them. (most of my childhood was spent shoeless, upon my insistence, and that has been my theory ever since.)

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

08/29, though you know what that means... my half-birthday falls on leapyear day!

so there you have it.

also for reference is the sp6 questionnaire, found here. i don't think that i've changed all that much in the last six months, but to get a clearer, more consistent picture, feel free to peruse.

one thing that is not clearer is my sinuses.

(sniff) *blows nose* i think i hear the bullfrogs hopping closer, and closer...