What to knit next?

I haven't felt like knitting much lately. Or rather, I haven't felt like knitting any of my current projects. There are a couple of projects I would like to start or pick up again, but I either don't have the needles or can't find the pattern.

I ordered yarn online yesterday for my next major project, but it turns out the yarn won't arrive for some time.

Going through the yarn stash, I realized I do have yarn, needles and pattern for a project that I thought about starting a long while ago, but somehow forgot all about it.

That pattern? It's Birch by Sharon Miller from Rowan Knitting Magazine, Number 34. I started a swatch last night (using Kidsilk Haze, although the shawl itself will be knit from Kidsilk Spray). I've already had to rip the swatch out - I was on row 3 and already there were errors. So I'll swatch again. The pattern calls for size US 8 needles, which is what I'm using to swatch, but even after three rows I'm not sure I like the look of it. I think I'll do a second swatch on US 6 also, if I ever actually finish the first swatch. Then I'll decide which I like best, after blocking them both.

I think I'm also going to start a sweater. I bought the yarn for it on sale well over a year ago, and I just need to pick up the needles for it. It's pretty much all stockinette, so I think it will make a nice contrast to the complexity (yeah, I'm a new lace knitter) of birch.

These two projects should keep me knitting until the yarn for my next project arrives. Also, I still have numerous socks on the needles - although I've found I need a break from socks (really, I need the break from the tiny needles).