Back in the Swing of Things

I haven't posted in almost a month, because I haven't been knitting all that much. First there was the move (all my yarn is still in a big box in my living room), and the unpacking and cleaning that occupied a large portion of my time, and then there was this strange math kerfuffle I experienced. (That's a word, right?) Basically all my WIPs stalled due to math issues, and I haven't felt like untangling the mess to see where I went wrong in adapting the patterns. Too much work for my overburdened brain. The only thing that's gotten me over this 'I don't feel like knitting" (gasp!) hump is buying new yarn. Doesn't that always solve everything? :)
Because I know you care. My getting over the hump projects:

- I've been working on a square from the Oddball Sampler to work on my cabling. I've already screwed up twice but rather than rip back 5 tedious cabled-filled rows, I'm chalking it up to a learning experience. Note to self: Do NOT attempt difficult celtic braiding while watching 24.

-I picked up some yummy 50 alpaca/ 50 merino wool yarn (forgot the brand) in a springy green and I'm making a spring scarf based loosely on the Peekaboo scarf in a back issue of Knitscene I have.

-I took some advice from my newest pattern book, Weekend Knitting, and bought an expensive hank of yarn (Manos del Uruguay, color is Cornflower) and knit up a simple 6 st garter scarf on size 19 needles. After finishing I attached some pretty abalone buttons I had to the fringe, and voila! Completed trendy looking project in four hours! Talk about instant gratification. Hopefully I'll get pics of that up soon.

-The most exciting project, which I can't start yet: Lily's Bordello pillow, from "Hip Graphic Knits." I've been wanting to make this pillow forever, but now that I have a new couch arriving this weekend (yay! No more lawnchair!) I have to make this because it will match perfectly. I also bit the bullet and (for the first time in my knitting career) went online and ordered the EXACT YARN CALLED FOR IN THE PATTERN. Whoa. What a novel concept! I never do that. In this case I was going to try to seek out a cheaper alternative, but then I realized for maybe $15 extra I'd have the peace of mind of knowing the colors will already work and it'll look like the picture. I ordered from Fuzzy Mabel for the first time because they were the only place where I could find all the colors I needed, and I lucked into their Moving Sale, which saved me $12. All I have to do is wait until April 2nd for my yarn to ship (because they're moving) which is a sacrifice I'll have to make.