Look out sweater, here I come!!!

I decided in the middle of the night a few days ago that in order to be a true knitter, I must suck it up and make a sweater. I don't know why, but for the last 4 or so years, I've avoided it. Give me socks, give me anything, but the idea of a sweater scared me. So, after all this time, I decided to just put on my game face and do it.
I went to two knitting stores today after not making it to Alexandria in an attempt to check out a non-profit fiber place by my friend Tom's house. If you've been to Springwater Fiber and have an opinion let me know.
The first was one I hadn't been in in ages, and while they are friendlier then I remember, it wasn't really my scene. Knit and stitch = bliss is "Okay". I'm not sure if I'm just biased against the name. For some reason it annoys me. It's sort of lame name, right? Anyway, after carrying around yarn for awhile, talking to one employee who was nice, I ended up leaving there empty-handed.
Minor digression: As I made my way over to my second stop in Chevy Chase from Bethesda, I realized that sometimes you just need to wander around a knitting store by yourself. Its strictly "my time" and sort of like yarn/knitting fantasies (you know, reading the blogs, looking at your yarn, reading books...isn't this normal?) I think a lot of what I love about knitting is the process surrounding it. .
Back to the story: I finally made it into the third of the Stitch DC stores and the only one I hadn't been into at least twice! I came out with a lighter wallet but a good bit of yarn. Jess, who I had seen before at the other stores was totally awesome. I thought I would hug her when we had a whole conversation about lame sweater patterns. It sealed the deal when I looked down. I realized that in between her cropped jeans and chuck taylors appeared to be hand knit socks with skulls on them. I'm going to need to be her friend. We'll see how that works out.
In the end, I came out with:

• a whole bunch of Karabella Aurora 8 yarn for my sweater
• A set of needles
  
• A brand new pattern (that looks as simple as the one I walked into the store with but, much more "me" )
• Here it is: my future sweater
  

• and... the cutest little skein of pink and gray fuzzy stuff that I have no idea what I will do with.

The funny part about all this yarn buying today is that nearly all of my stash is out of hiding and in between Sid's tank, my dining room table and my ironing board right now. As I knit more and more, I realize I'm becoming a yarn snob or at least... I don't like working with the novelty yarns like I used to. If anyone wants to trade a whole bunch of random novelty stuff for some solid wool, you let me know.

You don't get a picture of the mess right now, my Dad would die if he saw me broadcasting my disaster of an apartment to the Internet world this evening.

And, thanks to the Federal Power Act, don't forget to Spring Forward tonight!!!