Saw this at Affinknitty:
(I'm working on research today, really, but it's the eye-crossing kind of research where you need breaks)

The Knit-Geek Questionnaire (unrelated to any swaps or secret pal exchanges)

1. What's your worst habit relating to your knitting?

I start lots and lots of projects. I'm good at the starting point; I'm good when I'm close to finished with them. The middle part, not so much. I get bored.

2. In what specific ways does your knitting make you a better person?

What is it that one person on Knitter's Review always says? Condition of her parole?

No, seriously: it makes me calmer. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I work in a field where the work is often two-steps-forward, three-steps-back.

And it keeps me out of the bars. (Well, that and the fact that they let people smoke in bars. And that you're kind of expected to drink if you go to bars.)

3. How might you or your life be different if you were suddenly unable to knit?

I'd be in mourning for a while. I'd probably try to find some kind of substitute, or some way to knit - for example, if I (God forbid) lost the use of my hands, I'd try to learn to knit with my feet. Or I'd find some other kind of "artistic" or "craft" outlet.

4. If money were no object, what one yarn, and what one tool or gadget would you run out and buy first?

I really have no idea...I guess I'd probably buy Mission Falls wool and cotton for all the projects I've seen in Mags Kandis' books that I've said, whoa, I'd like to make that some time.

And maybe some "specialty" sheep yarns, like Bluefaced Leicester, just to play with.

As for tools? I don't know. Maybe a good big blocking board. I have most of the other tools I would want.

5. What knitting technique or project type are you most afraid of (if any)? What, specifically, do you fear will happen when you try it?

As Laura said: Steeking, and I fear the obvious. The knitting will fall apart.

I'm also a bit afraid of Entrelac; I'm afraid I wouldn't understand it and be able to do it right. I know, that's a foolish fear.

6. Who is/are your knitting hero(es), and why?

Hmmm...Nancy Bush, for her absolutely wonderful patternmaking skills (and her ability to knit at such a tiny tight gauge). Barbara Walker, for her compilation of all those knitting patterns, and her insistence that it was important and valuable. (And that she attributed patterns to people, when she could).

And all the anonymous knitters out there who do lots and lots of charity knitting. I don't do enough; I'm too selfish with my knitting time. My hat's off to those who either knit one for someone else for every one they knit that they keep, or for the people who ALWAYS knit for others.

And can I include a (not for knitting reasons) needlecraft hero? My grandma Rushford, who could take an old suit and cut it down into clothes for her kids, and could do it so expertly (on a treadle Singer machine no less) that people would stop her on the street and ask her where they could buy clothes like that for their children.

7. Do you consider knitting, for you personally, a mostly social activity, or a mosly solitary activity?

Almost entirely solitary for me. I wish I had other knitters closer.

8. Is there a particular regional tradition in knitting that you feel strongly drawn toward (e.g., Fair Isle, Scandinavian, Celtic, Orenburg lace)? Any theories as to why it calls to you?

I LOVE cabled garments, the more complex the better. I think it's because of the trickiness of the cables. And I think it's also some imagined heritaginal* link with Celtic knotwork. And I like Celtic art in general (Actually, cables also have some linkage with old Viking artwork).

(*Did I just make up a word that doesn't exist? Oh, silly me.)

9. If you were a yarn, which yarn would you be?

Oh, geez, I don't know. I took that test that's online and it came out as "dishcloth cotton," which I just found discouraging. (If you wanna be really nice, leave a comment and tell me what kind of yarn you'd think I'd be.)

10. Some statistics:
(a) How many years have passed since you FIRST learned to knit?
27. Eeep.

(b) How many total years have you been actively, regularly knitting (i.e., they don't have to have been in a row)?

Probably about 10 at this point.

(c) how many people have you taught to knit?
One. My mom.

(d) Roughly what percentage of your FOs do you give away (to anyone besides yourself, i.e., including your immediate family)

Maybe 5 to 10 percent. I'd like it to be higher but as I said, I'm too selfish with my knitting time.

11. How often do you KIP (knit in public)? i.e., once a week, once a month, etc. Where do you do it?

About once a week. When I'm waiting to receive my allergy shot and while I'm waiting to be sure I don't keel over dead from said shot.

12. If a genie granted you one hour to stitch-n-bitch with any one knitter, living or dead, who would you choose and why?

I'm going to go a different way with this. Probably most people would choose a knitting celebrity or a celebrity who knits.

I'm gonna say my Grandma Rushford again. Because then, I'd get another hour to spend with her. (She's been gone almost 20 years now).

13. What aspect or task in knitting makes you most impatient?

Mattress stitch. Waiting for the thing to dry while it's blocking. Having to cast on precisely 633 stitches (or whatever) for a shawl.

14. What is it about knitting that never lets you get bored with it?

Designing my own socks/hats/maybe someday sweaters.
New yarns to try
Just the fact that it's so relaxing

15. Describe how and where you most often do your knitting - where do you sit, what is going on around you, what tools do you use and how are they (dis)organized?

I am either on my sofa at home or in my big armchair. Usually I knit either while reading or while watching tv. I have a plastic pencil box with my tools in it that I keep next to me. Any circular needles I may need I will have pulled out of the circular-needle-holder in my closet ahead of time.

16. Which one person is the recipient of more of your knitting than any other?

Me. (I said, "selfish.") My mom's also got a number of things I've knit for her.

17. What's the oddest thing about your knitting, or yourself as a knitter?

Oh, gah. I have no idea. I could tell you what makes me odd as a PERSON but not so much as a knitter - I don't knit "Eastern Combined Uncrossed" or tension the yarn over my shoulders or anything like that.

18. What do you see yourself knitting - if anything - twenty years from now?

Optimistically: I will be designing stuff and people will actually be interested in what I'm designing. (And I will probably give the patterns away, or give them away in return for donations to some charity I support).

Realistically: I'll be doing pretty much what I'm doing now.

Pessimistically: Global warming will have advanced to the point where we all run around naked, and civilization will have declined to the point where we all converse in grunts and have to spend all our waking hours foraging for food.

19. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only ONE SKEIN of yarn, which yarn would it be and what would you do with it?

The Chesterton answer: Yarn I could make a boat out of. (It would have to be a really big skein.)

The practical answer: Something I could knit and unravel endlessly without it getting all worn and nasty.

20. If you were allowed to own only one knitting-related book, which would it be? (you'd be free to browse others, but you couldn't keep them)

One of the big knitting-stitch treasuries.

21. Is knitting the new yoga? Why or why not?

I hate that catchphrase with the heat of a thousand flaming suns.

Knitting is knitting and yoga is yoga. They may have some similar benefits (mindfulness, "detracking" your brain from distressing thoughts) but they are two very different practices.

(The reason I hate the statement is that it takes two good things, two meaningful things, and it degrades them into trendy activities. They are more than just trendy; for the people to whom they are valuable and important they will outlive the deaths of their respective "hipness.")

EDIT: This last question added by Caroline:
22. What important thing are you trying to put off doing whenever you knit?


I guess I'm not too far gone yet because I can't really think of anything. In fact, I'm likely to remember something I SHOULD be doing, and then feel compelled to put down the knitting and go do it.