Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
OOhh I think that beans are always fun to grind, but ground is good too, the uncertainty of choice is a tough one.
2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?
A nice bold roast if always good although I will drink just about anything except for the very light roasts – I like to taste the coffee
3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?
I’d probably head into town to the independent trader there and get one of their specials or make a selection of beans and mix them myself
4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?
Pleasure – I’m sparky enough without the caffeine
5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?
Not a fan of flavoured stuff at all
6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?
A big mug, brimming with gorgeous hotness, but sometimes I break out the coffee set and sip of cups
7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!
A perfect early morning in the summer, with the sun warm enough to sit outside and sip gently before the day really starts. That time where my thoughts are gathered and ordered for the day, plans are played with and I have time to enjoy.
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?
OOOhh coffee and cake, or coffee and biscuits. A light sponge or a sliver of cinnamon or ginger biscuit. Never really thought of salty with coffee but I’m game

Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet?
Knit and only knit – can’t seem to control the hook
2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?
No real favourites as such – I like all types and absolutely love natural fibres
3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?
Far too much – a couple of pairs of socks on the go, a throw, a jumper, a bag, and assorted bits and bobs
4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash?
Colours are great and I like many – rich jewel colours in reds, oranges, purples, greens and blues are at the top of the list. Not a fan of browns, mushrooms, beiges and that end of the spectrum. Nor am I keen on neon and pastels.
5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?
I knit socks, and any seamless thing on magic loops (what a joy) so have quite a few circulars and although I like handling Addis I am not a needle snob and play with any pins that come to hand.
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 tapes a plenty but am rather lacking on everything else.
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?
Probably the worsted but possibly the sock yarn, especially if it could double up for a lace something

Spring
1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?
On the first day if Spring we had the first snow of the year, which was funny as snow is a rarity here. But the buds were fighting on the trees and the daffodils were starting to erupt
2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?
Tulips, although they come along at anytime of the year so it would have to be daffodils – they just scream the winter’s end
3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?
The smell of the ground as it begins to ripen and break. Seeing the changes of the land and the plants.
4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?
The day would be spent getting my garden ready to plant my veggies – digging over the patch and taking it easy
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?
The rain doesn’t bother me at all, unless I have to work in it (I’m an archaeologist) but knowing that the rain is going to be helping the plants along is a great thing. The day would be spent looking out the window and dreaming of the summer bounty to come.

Odds n Ends
1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?
Shoes – I have a major shoe fetish, but I am currently trying to clear my house of unworn and unwanted things and some of the shoes are going. Probably to make way for more yarn.
2. Are you allergic to anything?
Nothing what so ever – that I know about.

3. Do you have pets?
I don’t have pets but am not bothered about them. I’ don’t mind swapping with people who do have them as long as the cat doesn’t sleep in the yarn and the dogs doesn’t play fetch with the balls of wool
4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?
I’ve only recently been knitting after years away and hadn’t realised the impact of the internet so I haven’t done many swaps. I have just done a great Sock Knitters of the World Unite swap and have done a few on swap-bot. I’m signed up for several through Ravelry and think that swapped yarn doesn’t count towards the stash
5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
HHmmm I’m not really a blog person – hope that doesn’t sound terrible. I’ve looked through many and liked many too but still am not entirely sure what they are for. My favourite at the moment is Lost Gloves and Smitten Mittens which is put together by my friend who is lovely and talented and funny