Off the Wagon

I admit to avoiding the KR Forums for some time now...because I have seriously fallen off the "yarn fast" wagon, and have been having a ball planning and working on projects. I am at the armholes on my DH's alpaca blend cardigan from Natura, and have finished the first chart on the Flower Basket Shawl (IK, Fall 2004), which I am knitting in a raspberry hand-dyed silk from Fleece Artist of Nova Scotia. In the short-and-sweet project area, I'm finishing both a baby cap in cotton, and a chemo cap in fluffy, soft Paton's Cha-Cha. It's a variegated red/pink/mauve, and with only 50 sts on a pair of Addi 8mm circs, it's self-striping, for a really cute effect!

Quilt wise, I'm busy trying to get my homework done on several fronts. I'm waiting for the perfect wintry batiks to arrive from Hamel's Fabrics, so I can work on the "Winter" Bargello in my QU"Bargello Seasons" class. I'm also working on a sunflower fused applique wall hanging on black background, for an embellishment class at My Sewing Room the next two Friday afternoons. This is the first time I've had to do so much prep work, and I'm trying not to get to stressed about it. At the same time, I have made a baby quilt in "Kids Stuff" (Moda) from a kit sent to me by Connecting Threads -- all I need to do now is put the sandwich together. Good thing too, because the l'il gal to which it's going is almost 3 weeks old now!

Tomorrow a.m. I go stitchin' with my friend Janice of
Traditional Stitches. This time I'm really going to learn to do the beading on my Just Nan sampler, "Summer's Eve". Two weeks ago, I went out to her place with everything -- but the sampler itself (blush)!

And Thursday is KIP -- at The Knitting Room...where more yarn lies in wait to tempt my battered bank account!! Good thing I'm expecting an income tax refund in a few weeks... ;-)