I just hit myself in the head several times in an attempt to remove the desire to cast on for Icarus just this minute. Some background. I have six projects on the needles. Three for me, three are gifts. Two are holiday knitting and need to get done soon (though that shouldn't be much of a problem). One (for me) is a lace shawl (mystery stole). I do not need to cast on another project. I've promised myself that I won't cast on another lace project until after I finish my stole. But I just had a brief exchange with Miriam Felton - designer of Icarus - and now I really, really, really want to cast on. I must be strong.

Let me describe the items on my needles. In cast on order.

1) I have the previously mentioned mystery stole which hasn't been touched since I frogged the start of the wing. Luckily the lifeline prevented too much damage. I love this project, and I really need to start working on it again.

2) Something Red (well, green, since I'm making it in green), my first sweater. I stopped working on this a while ago. I think it's my fear of making a sweater combined with the worsted cotten which is a bit hard on my hands. I really just need to push through and get this done. I really want to be able to knit sweaters, but this requires me to actually knit sweaters.

3) Ali's wedding afghan. Bought the yarn (Lorna's Laces Shephards Worsted in Cranberry - love) last Saturday on my way back from Thanksgiving. Cast on the next day. Haven't touched it in a week. It's going to be super pretty though, and I can't wait until I have time enough to work on it. I'm planning a little break at Loop (my LYS) on Tuesday so I can finish the central motif, and then it's feather and fan til I drop.

4) Mom's scarf. I was not planning on knitting my mother anything for Hannukah. I really, really wasn't. But I saw this yarn (Tilli Thomas's Salt + Pepper - 100% silk with beads) and I couldn't resist. My mom loves silk, my mom wants beaded knitting. This is both, plus it's worsted and easy and in a really pretty blue (though I had wanted to burgandy, but the blue with green beads was lovely and in stock) so I bought it and cast on for the easiest scarf ever. Which is moving along quickly and creating the biggest callus known to man on my left middle finger. It's really hard to keep any sort of tension on stiches that keep getting caught on beads. But it's pretty. And has to be done in a week.

5) Maze hat. I am doing my first (fake) colorwork on a hat for a swap (it's mosaic, so only one color per row, but slip stiches give it the colorwork look) and I'm really liking it. I cast on yesterday and I'm already almost through one repeat. I think my row gauge is seriously off, so I'm going to do more of the motif that you're supposed to and hope it fits a human sized person. I have been inspired to do colorwork and will be buying some Louet Gems Pearl to make Eunny Jan's Endpaper Mitts next week.

6) Monkey socks. I'm in SKA I have to have a sock on the needles at all times, and I finished my last pair on Tuesday. I've practically been in a panic! I cast on (and knit one row and one row only) Monkey socks in my Thank Ewe Macintosh colorway. My gauge was slightly off, but I like a snug fit and a thicker fabric so I hope this isn't a huge folly. Well, if it is I can always gift them I guess.

So you see, I really can't cast on Icarus tonight. I have many good reasons. And that's without mentioning the seminar paper I have due on Monday.