This is the first in a series of interviews I will be conducting with my favorite knit bloggers! Each interview will consist of the same 10 questions (with a little variety at #9). I chose Lina at Photo.Knit.Dog to be my first interview because she is a great photographer, writer, and knitter. Plus, her Havanese dogs, Hitchcock and Kubrick are adorable! I love reading her blog and seeing the photos of her latest shawl knit out of some incredible yarn. She also offers up some valuable information, like how to snag Wollmeise yarn when the updates go live. (VERY valuable info!)
All photos in the post are courtesy of Lina.
1. When did you start knitting and how did you learn?
I learned how to knit when I was 10 or 11 from my mom who loves to knit. I attempted a scarf or two but gave up when I couldn't get the instant gratification most kids that age crave. I started seriously knitting again back in 2003 when I moved from sunny California to Maryland where there were actually true winters! I started out with scarves and slowly made my way through 4 or 5 or those before I decided to try circular knitting for a hat in 2005. Since then my knitting obsession has grown exponentially through the years.
2. What is your favorite type of project? Why?
My favorite type of project... that's a tough one! I think right now it's shawls, because I love how fast I can make one and I love wearing them as well. But last year it was socks. Who knows what it will be next year? I tend to be fickle about favorites!
3. Socks? If so - toe up/top down? DPN's/magic loop/2 circs?
Yes! Top down! Magic Loop! :)
4. Do you design knitted items? If so, what do you enjoy designing most? If not, would you like to try?
I don't design... yet! I do really want to start. Probably with socks. I'm taking a class with Cat Bordhi in May on sock construction (and it's toe up... ack!) and hope to learn a bit more to actually tackle making my own design. Perhaps late this year or the next you can find something by Photo.Knit.Dog out there!
Wow! Learning sock construction from Cat Bordhi would be like having Albert Einstein teach you about the Theory of Relativity.
5. What is your FAVORITE pattern?
What a hugely difficult question! I don't have an all-time favorite pattern as that would just be impossible for fickle old me (see question 2). However, I can say that out of the projects I have done within the year, my favorite would have to be my Vine Yoke Cardigan. I love wearing it!
6. What is your FAVORITE yarn? (duh...I know what you are going to say!)
Favorite yarn is hard for me (even though if you read my latest entries you probably wouldn't say that, LOL) because it depends on the weight! For sock yarns my favorites are a tie between Wollmeise (there's the duh moment for all of you who read my blog) and Fiberphile. I love both of those ever so much and I don't think that I could truthfully choose between them. Wollmeise is wonderful for its vibrant colors and Fiberphile for its bases (and color as well, though they're not wow! colors like Wollmeise). For worsted/sweater weights I would have to say Madelinetosh. I love all her bases and her colors are just spot-on gorgeous.
7. What technique is the most challenging to you?
Actually that's a really hard question. I don't think there is a technique that's most challenging as I'm a true believer in just jumping in and doing it! I don't view a specific technique as hard or easy, I just do it! I do think that the scariest technique for me to learn was steeking. And even though I was in dread of doing it, I actually really enjoyed it! It was so fun to "destroy" a piece of knitting to make it wearable!
8. If you could own only one knitting book, what would it be?
Oh geez, you love the tough questions, don't you? I have a huge library of knitting books, so I think that's a totally unfair question! But if hard-pressed I guess I would say my Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Knitting Book. Only because I've used it a ton of times to learn or re-learn a technique. For patterns, though, I don't think I could choose a single book!
9. Tiger wants to know: “What is Hitchcock and Kubrick's favorite Alfred HItchcock movie? Mine is The Birds.”
Hitchcock doesn't care about movies. He thinks they are a bore - even if they are made by his namesake, if you can believe it! Kubrick, on the other hand, would for sure choose The Birds. He actually watches TV - I'm not kidding! And his favorite thing to do is "hunt" the TV for animals. The minute one appears he goes crazy barking and wagging his tail at the TV. As you can imagine, this makes it very difficult to watch Animal Planet! The Birds would by far be Kubrick's favorite Hitchcock movie!
(Kubrick is in the background and Hitchcock with the jaunty hairdo is in the front!)
10. And lastly, why do you knit?
I knit because I couldn't NOT knit. It's so much a part of my life that I miss it if I don't do it for a day. I also knit because I love knowing that I made something pretty using some yarn and two sticks! It never ceases to amaze me when a knitted piece is ready to be worn and you can drape something gorgeous around you that you made yourself. And I'll admit it: I love the compliments I get on my knits! ;)
There’s no doubt in my mind that Lina gets TONS of compliments on her knits! Everything she does turns out beautifully. Be sure to check out her blog at Photo.Knit.Dog
Lina also has a terrific photography website at: triplecphoto.
Thank you for the opportunity to get interviewed! I loved answering the questions. :D
Posted by: Lina | April 13, 2010 at 10:57 PM
What a GREAT interview and fun answers! I love that you're going to do these. I had never visited Photo.Knit.Dog. before but really enjoyed it. Thank you!
Posted by: Ola | April 16, 2010 at 12:33 AM