Questionnaire for SP14

I signed up for the 14th round of Secret Pal :) I'm really exited about it, i like secrety things and surprises :)
Here's the questionnaire for it, it was fun to think about all this.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I just recently started using anything else than cheap acrylic, so dont really know ... I like yarns which are soft to the touch, and knowing they are machine washable or at least not that delicate with water greatly increases my liking of them.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a very handy case for the straight needles i got with one of the Simply Knitting magazine issues; i hang the circulars on a pin from my message board.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I took up knitting about 2-2,5 years ago again, together with crochet,and get serious on it at the last christmas season. I learned to knit in fifth grade, in an afternoon class i joined way after it started, so only learned to cast on and knit stich, and the basics for purl before the summer holiday. But the teacher gave a very very good advice: "If you can knit, you can purl; and if you can knit and purl, you can do everything" - i often remember this and it is really true and helped me a lot, and not just in knitting.
I think i'm an advanced beginner, maybe intermediate if i concentrate well :)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I do have but i have to upgrade it, i will very soon!

5. What's your favorite scent?
Never thought about this... in perfumes, i like light, fresh, bit of flowery maybe, scents; i like cinnamon, the smell of wood/trees, rose and lily-of-the-valley. I dont like strong, heavy or very artifical things.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I'm afraid i have... i like plain old milk chocolate stuff, traditional cakes and candies; i'm a bit afraid of savoury or peculiar stuff like liquorice or orange and mint white chicolate and similars.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I used to do cross-stich, embroidery, beading jewellery and figurines too, origami, knotted armbands and crochet; i'm currently learning spinning with a spindle and some basic scrapbooking.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like rock and metal the most, closely followed by classical and world music; a little blues, folk or evergreens (e.g. Elvis) and movie/anime soundtracks too. I don't like sugary pop straight from the radio, or rap and hip-hop in general. Mp3-s are welcome on my computer and musicplayer :)

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Blue, the rich colours of autumn, blue, happy/cheerful shades, blue... I like to wear darker things, but knit with lighter and more colourful stuff.
The delicate thing is putting colours together; i can't stand e.g. grey and yellow together, they just ruin each other. I don't really like neon or very artificial shades, and am not a fun of pink.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm a single plant-owning girl, dreaming about having a cat, a dog, some fish and a nice guy, not necessarily in this order.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarfs and mittens as i commute, for hats here is not could enough usually, and never had a poncho but should be a nice thing.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like socks, i make two at a time on one circular; i did not have an adult-sized garment finished yet, so dont really know... I think i don't dislike anything.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Strictly speaking, only an Isabella Vest for my mom. I knit here and ther a square for a bedcover (a prolonged learning experience), a pair of socks and a scarf are in limbo, and planning two shrugs to do very soon.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yesss!!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circulars, aliminium or metal ones, with flexible wires.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
None of them yet.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Two years i guess, a bag and some granny-squares; but i'm planning to rip them and use the yarn for something else. Oh and a bad cardigan, back only, this needs to be completely redone.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
Christmas, and christmas :)

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Years and hopefully some wisdom :) And yarn, and books :) Lately i started buying cheap houseplants and am constantly surprised i did not mad them rot out, so i am always tempted to buy some more...

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 think i'd love some pattern treasuries and books on top-down stuff. And spinning books too. I buy every issue of Simply Knitting, as i don't like subscriptions. I'd like to knit with more handpainted - handspun yarn and with totally natural, undied stuff too - they seem to me like some really delicius desserts done by a very skillful someone :) (For which i might not yet be worthy of :)

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Spinning, with spindle and eventually with a wheel too; one-row lace and really intricate cables.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yesss, is such a fun and quick and colourful and snug!! My foot is 23,5 cm / 9 1/4" long and 21 cm / 8 1/4" in circumference.

23. When is your birthday?
14 September, in the middle of grape harvest :)

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
Yes, i'm Shadowbat there too.