I am slow getting my blog up and running, sorry. I've spent most of my spare time knitting there's just not enough time in the day! I do admire the blogs that so many knitters have done, and have found them useful for sharing information -- new patterns, tips, technique how-tos, yarn characteristics and books reviews. One of my most recent knitting experiences was a Booga Bag made with Noro and I would have never finished it if it weren't for the help I found in various blogs.

Anyway, now that I've thanked the academy ... I've got to get right down to business. I signed up for the "No Sheep For You Swap" being run by Interweave Press. To get to know me, my secret pal asked me to post the answers to some questions in my blog. From there, she (or he) will pick out two skeins of yarn to send me, one in June and one in July. Sounds like fun?

Coming up next I'll post some pictures of some finished projects, including the laptop "cozy" I mention below.

Here are the questions and answers...

* What is your favorite all time non-wool fiber to knit with? I don't think I've had enough experience to be able to answer this question well. I do know I will never use LionBrand's Homespun for fringe again. What a mess. But when not frayed it really is soft and maintains a nice appearance even after washing. I found that I liked the feel of Plymouth's Encore which I think was a nice blend of acrylic and wool while I was knitting with it. I also liked Moda Dea's Ticker Tape. I'm curious about some of the fibers that are made from plants (bamboo, banana, sea weed, etc.).

* What is your least favorite fiber to knit with? I don't have a least favorite, yet.

* Any yarn or other allergies or aversions? I've not found any yarns that bother me. I am allergic to cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, etc. and had some concerns about wool, but so far no issues. I read a recent blog post where they discussed having dog hair spun into yarn and during the process it removes the allergens from the finished yarn. That sounds interesting.

* Do you look for patterns calling for non-wools or do you substitute? I'm just now at the stage were I feel more comfortable substituting yarns in patterns, but that isn't whether it's wool specific or not. Has more to do with cost and availability. I'm also concerned about long term care of the item I'm making, so I won't use a delicate fiber for a project that will be used by a child or is for a man and will require special handling for washing.

* Have you ever experienced poor customer service in a yarn store when asking for non-wools? Or do you have a yarn shop to brag about because of its wonderful selection of alternative fibers? My only bad experiences in yarn stores so far has been people being too helpful when all I want to do is browse and think of projects that I can do so I can buy the yarn. There is one shop in my "area" that seems to carry a nice variety of non-wools, but it's far enough away I seldom get to visit. I'm guessing that I'll resort to more online purchasing.

* What is your favorite yarn color? In general I like bright colors (greens, yellow, brighter blues) and I like variegated yarns.

* Are you a sock knitter? Lace knitter? I'm currently finishing up a laptop cover for a friend (made with the Teflon coated Hauk from Dale of Norway), then need to make a quick baby gift for another friend, and THEN... I've got everything I need to attempt my first pair of socks. I like to take projects with me for those moments when I'm waiting for my son or a quiet lunch break at work, and socks would be perfect for those times. I can't see myself knitting lace, right now.

* Do you own a copy of Amy Singer's new book "No Sheep For You"? Any of her other books? Which ones? I don't own the No Sheep For You book yet, it's on my list. I do have several others though, and I think that if I were only given one knitting book from my bookshelf to keep, it would be Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters' Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures. I really like the projects and at this time in my knitting experience I hope to do them.

* Who is you favorite knit designer? I don't have a favorite designer yet either. I do like many of the designs Berroco has, but I've not gained the expertise or confidence to try any of them yet.

* Is there anything else I should know about you? I'm a real newbie to this knitting. I learned about a year ago, a friend taught me and let me hold the needles the way it was comfortable to me. She got me started and I keep trying to build on that foundation by learning new techniques on my own or taking classes and asking questions at the local yarn shops. I started out getting my yarn at Walmart or the fabric stores, mostly LionBrand. Then I slowly started buying yarn from the local specialty shops and am now buying online, so I'm really just getting experience with different types of yarn and manufacturers.