king winter returns

I had high hopes that spring was on the way but Mother Nature fooled me again! the daffodils were starting to poke up and I found a couple of tulips peeking out too and they are now under a foot of snow. To add insult to injury my car is in the shop and I have a 2WD loaner with no snow tires so I am forced to stay home. The good part about staying home is that I make time to knit while I hang out with the kids.
I just received my first online order from WEBS. The Cascade Cloud nine is new to me and a little different color than I thought I was ordering but it seems quite soft and will make a great baby gift. I love the Debbie Bliss Alpaca/silk. I have a hat pattern I have taught a couple of people that works beautifully with the yarn. I am really excited about the italian merino in deep purple and green. I knit with it once a few years back and loved it! All of the colors I received are a little different than what I thought they would be but yarn is yarn and I do love it all!
The next two photos are the projects I whipped out the last two days during the blizzard. The color is off on all of the pictures but the scarf is a really beautiful, shiny purple silk that I purchased a few years back at the VT sheep and wool fest. This scarf is for a friends birthday but there is so much left and it is so soft I am working on one for myself too. I love the feeling of silk wrapped around my neck!
I also just made these washcloths following the pattern from the book Mason Dixon knitting. I have been wanting to make them for a while and now that I have I wish it hadn't taken me so long. They are fun and easy to make and they are the most lovely cloths I have knitted. I am sending them to my mom for her birthday.

I have made a few exciting knitting related purchases this week. I found a copy of Lily Chin's The Urban Knitter discounted at a small bookstore. I can't wait to make the empire waist dress. I have one made out of wool from a friend and would love a lighter weight one for the warmer months.
I also won a skein of qiviuk on ebay last night. I am so excited!! I have had my eye out for this yarn for a while now and haven't found it at any of the stores I have been to. I hear that it is at the Burlington YS but I have not been up that way in a while. Qiviuk is supposed to be softer than cashmere--Is it possible?!? I imagine it will be knit up quickly once it gets here. I guess that is one great reason to give thanks for this extended winter, right?