My packet for Stitches West arrived a few days ago. I’m all signed up for Knitting Estonian Lace with Nancy Bush. I wish I could have taken her Vintage Sock class as well, but that Friday and Saturday I have to be at the univeristy from 10 am to 5 pm for an archives class (a class that only meets 2 weekends all semester… *bah*). I rather excited; this is the first time I’ll be taking a class at any sort of convention like this. I’m still not entirely sure what having signed up for a class gets me (beyond the class that is).

Anyone else out there planning on going to Stitches West? It might be nice to meet others out there in blogland. My Friday and Saturday evenings are free after class, and I’m free after class on Sunday as well (of course, somewhere in all this I have to have a few hours to hit the market).

In an effort to avoid finishing my mother’s afghan, I seem to have come down with startitis. I cast on a lace shawl back before New Year’s, I started a scarf with the Manos I got in Mendocino, and I started the baby blanket for a friend who is due in May. *sigh*

What’s really sad is I feel slightly uninspired by all of them. I think I’ve fallen into a rut I’ve been in before… all the projects I want to do have a certain level of complexity to them (Dublin Bay socks have some lace, baby blanket has some lace, scarf has a pattern I have to pay attention to, even my mother’s afghan requires attention). I have nothing going that is mindless… I think I’m beginning to understand that this is necessary for me. I can have five things on the needles, and as long as one of them is simpler than all the others, I’m fine. Once all the projects equal each other in concentration effort I feel blasé.

It certainly doesn’t help that I’ve felt overwhelmed in general of late. You know things have built up mentally when you find yourself bursting into tears because the treadmill in the complex’s fitness room is broken. Perhaps it’s time for a personal day… sadly, I can’t take the time off work, and Saturday I have an engagement I want to go to… but Sunday, Sunday it is highly likely I might be found in my PJs hiding in my bedroom under the covers… there may be hot beverages and silly movies involved as well. That does sound nice… now, to make it to Sunday.