Cotton / linen swatch.. great fabric, but heavier than I want for this project.  It looks strong enough to catch Moby DIck.

  Rayon Boucle..  I think so.  The yarn has a great  sheen.  I need to pick up some sparkle.  I’m picking out beads. 

Within each are several stitch variations and needle sizes.  I don’t want to appear too fickle, so I’ll wait to describe my final choice as I get to it.  Girl’s prerogative. 

After a very long day, with the promise of another one like it to follow, I decided to go shopping.. at home.   Shopping in the Stash Bins is a rewarding experience.  I know ahead of time that I will like what I find.  I put it there. It may not be what I’m looking for at the moment, but sure as heck , I’ll find stuff that I love.  It won’t be one of those disappointing, empty trips to the LYS (sometimes I DO have those, I know that it seems unlikely due to the size of my Stash, but it does happen).  I’m looking for inspiration, something that talks to me.   I’m looking for the right fiber from which to make the shell shawl.  I think I may have found that one.  I’m also looking to see if I have the right yarn for Blaze.  There is a silk and something, I think rayon, that I have dyed before.  I like it in it’s natural color.  It might be chancy with the weight, it’s sort of heavy and I wonder if it will hold it’s shape after washing.  This will have to be swatched and washed. 

  top.. Blaze contender, bottom..shell shawl

Then I found this.. it has a wonderful color.  Both boucles are the same stuff, rayon and very slippery. Just the thought if untying it to take enough for a sample sends shivers up my back.  If it gets away from me, it’ll be all over.  If you’ve ever used Fiesta’s Rayon Boucle you know what i’m talking about.

Maybe what I need is a trip through some knitting mags.  I’m missing the FBS already.  That was a fun project.  Or I could dig up the beautiful lace leaf socks that I started a year ago,  they’re hanging around waiting for me somewhere.  The pattern???  😉

Part 1… morning..
The forecast is for rain..LOTS and LOTS of rain… 1"-2" today.  That ought to decrease the snow piles.  I’ve lit all the lights around my workspace hoping to stave off the grayness.  Knowing that I will be sitting at my desk, all day, on a wooden chair, staring at the monitor or alternatly at a pile of papers that may make some sense to the accountant, but never to me; has not elevated my spirits.  Even the cats are pacing around.  The promise of spring may be here, but the color is that of Mud season.   On a good day, I’d haul out bins of stashed yarn and start poking around to choose a new project.  But, this is tax day and I’m way behind.  As a reward to staying put at the desk, I’m going to go blogging every now and again.  Distractions that keep me here can’t hurt.  Margene posted a picture of herself wearing Blaze. She looks absolutely beautiful in it.  I’m really tempted.  It’s a project I started last winter, then frogged.  My choice of wool / alpaca was too heavy for my taste, espcially with the short sleeves.  I pulled out a couple of unfinished projects that were lounging in my many knitting bags in the den.  I was figuring on working on them first.   Damnation, those bins are all stacked behind me,  sirens calling out.. pick me, just open the lid and look for a minute…  by the end of the day, I’ll need to be tied to the chair.
Part 2.. end of daylight..

As the day progressed, so did the rainfall..  two inches already and a possible 2" more tonight.  By evening I am still sitting in exactly the same place, having left it only to make tea and go to the diner for lunch.  Lucky for me, as I opened the front door, there on the porch, in the pouring rain… stupid DHL man never even rang the bell, just dumped my package and ran.. but anyway, there was a package from Betsy.   THAT was a nice surprise.  In it were these..

The other really good thing, the diner was having turkey dinner with all the good stuff.. $5.25.  I won’t have to cook dinner tonight.