Spring Fling Coffee Swap

Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
Ground

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?
I prefer fully leaded coffee - light to medium roast.

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?
Longbottom Coffe & Tea - (located right here in Hillsboro) or Millstone coffee from Washington state. I do not drink Folgers or Maxwell House. Right now we are using some Cupper’s Coffee & Tea (coffee from Canda) that I received in the Knitter's Coffee Swap III.

4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?
both - in the morning its for the caffeine and at knit night its for the pleasure

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?
Yes, I do. Anything that is chocolate flavored is always good.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?
a large mug

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!

The Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks in front of a roaring fireplace with the knitting and listening to the crazy girls of the Lime & Violet podcast - just a few of my favorite things.

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?
Banana nut bread or a bagel with cream cheese. But I wouldn't say no to a brownie.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet?
I do both because I am multi-talented. I would say that I am an advanced crocheter and a beginning to intermediate knitter. But I can follow charts fairly well.

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?
Noro Kureyon, Cascade 220, Socks that Rock, Patons SWS, cotton, Lisa Souza, Knit Picks

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?
the Moss Grid Hand Towel, Salish Sea Socks, Chevron Scarf, the Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf, and some other items that I can't remember right now. But I have a fairly up to date list on Ravelry.

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns?
black, purple, blues, greens, red
What about those that you'd never find in your stash?
bright neon colors

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?
Mainly I use DPNs for socks. I have tried 2 circulars but haven't gotten use to it. I have not tried Magic Loop but it looks interesting. I like using my Knit Picks Options set that I got for Christmas one year. I also use straight needles for items like dishcloths. I think that the only needles I am not too fond of are plastic. Mainly I use metal and wood.

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 can always use tape measures as I seem to misplace mine. These tape measures are really cute. I think I am pretty set on stitch markers. Although I have always wanted some from Wee Ones. Really do not need one of those WPI thingies or another needle sizer.

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?
the sock yarn - sock yarn does not count toward stash enhancement

Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?
It's starting to warm up here in Oregon. Every day some more of the flowers that we planted are starting to bloom.

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?
Seeing all the daffodils blooming. It's the only time of the year they bloom.

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?
I would spend some time out an about with the family.

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 live in Oregon where I can't let the rain affect my mood or I would be bummed about half the year. But I would spend the day watching tv with the boys and working on some knitting.

Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?
Anything that has to do with Ancient Egypt, anything with the triquetra on it, and nautical items. I also like anything with a Paris, France theme.

2. Are you allergic to anything?
I am not but the husband is allergic to cats.

3. Do you have pets?
nope

4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?
I would be a pro at swaps. The last two swaps just completed are Scavenger Hunt Swap and the "Defeat the Winter Doldrums" Dishcloth Swap.

5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
Yarn Harlot - what knitter doesn't love that crazy Canadian and I am gona be thrilled to see her when she visits Portland next month.

nuttinbutknittin - ok, and Sofee too! - knitting and a cute dog

I live on a Farm - great reading, great patterns and recipes