Craftzine and Wild Olive are encouraging crafty bloggers everywhere to participate in this self interview. And you all know how much I love interviews. So this time, I’m interviewing myself.

One Project You’re Particularly Fond Of

This would have to be my first finished pair of socks. They fit just right and I feel really proud for not only finishing them, but figuring out the tricky parts like turning the heel and knitting the gusset. Unfortunately, it seems like every other sock that I cast on starts off with the best of intentions and ends up not working out for one reason or another.

Two Mistakes You’ve Made in the Past

In my personal life and my crafting life, I keep making the same mistake over and over again. I don’t trust my instincts. I tend to ignore that little voice that says, “Something’s not right.” Whether it’s a stitch count that’s off or a situation that I really shouldn’t be putting myself into, I am amazing at talking myself out of listening to the warning bell. I’m getting better at listening to my gut, though!

Another repeated mistake that’s in my crafty and social life is not attempting something because it seems to be too hard. Writing it down makes it seem so silly. Just because it looks difficult should be reason enough to try.

Three Things That Make Your Work Unique

It was made by me and therefore has my stank all over it. It’s a pleasant stank, I assure you.

I tend to disregard things like gauge, needle size and yarn weight and just dive into patterns so my finished object looks nothing like what it’s “supposed to”.

I fix most of my glaring mistakes but sometimes, I’m too lazy to tink back if a stitch count is wrong so I’ll just increase or decrease all willy nilly to get where I need to be. My February Lady Sweater (which still needs buttons) is full of these “design elements” in the body of the sweater. No photographic evidence yet, I’m still trying to make it fit me around the chest. It never will so I probably need to give up on that.

Four Tools You Love to Use 

Knitting needles! I love knitting more than I do crochet, to be honest.

Needle and thread to sew things. It’s amazing what a few stitches can do.

Yarn! So many weights, so many colors, so little time. 

My computer. Last year, I tried sharing a laptop with the husband and while it was OK for a while, I’ve missed having my own personal laptop. I’m not crazy about the Mac I’m using but it was very nice of my niece Olivia to give it to me when she upgraded. My next laptop will most likely be a PC. I miss Windows!

Five Inspirations

My family. Good or bad, they’re constantly pushing me to do what I dream of and to keep moving on. From my husband to my parents and my nieces and nephews, I’ve got a great safety net of love and support.

National Geographic. Their photos are always amazing and what better way to figure out good color schemes than to look at nature.

Martha Stewart makes me feel like I can do anything and have it come out perfectly. And that is a good thing.

The American Museum of Natural History. It’s my favorite place on earth and their textile collection is remarkable particularly in the Hall of Asian People as well as the Hall of Plains Indians.

I’m going to cheat a little here and put in two things for this last one: Anne of Green Gables and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. They are two of my favorite books and are a source of comfort. Every time I reread them, I find something new both in the plot and in myself too.