a day for patterns

I joined in today's knitspot pattern buying spree after having a closer look at Fiore di melanzana (and probably feeling separation pains after finishing the knitting on palimpsest) -- irtfa'a calls for 1350 yds but I have only 1200 yds of chocolate chambord, and this is the right amount for the smaller version of melanzana

but I still want to start on irtfa'a soon, to contribute my incantations to Obama's efforts to mend relations with the Muslim world ... although I wonder about the symbolism of using a colourway based on a wine region ... or rather, on grapevines, which puts a better spin on it --after all, the middle east is the origin of some famous grape varieties (e.g., Shiraz and Muscat), which were probably used to make wine in pre-Mohammed times (eta: actually the colours are more delicate than in the Nepalese yarn, and could represent an exotic, or even mythical, bird)

but more about patterns: I arrived home to find another Amazon box near the door -- Knitted Lace of Estonia and Sock Innovation arrived only 2 days after Mother-Daughter Knits, having been shipped 14 days after M-DK -- so now I have all the major lace shawl and sock patterns that I'll ever need (not!)