right now

When I first learned to knit I spent hours with the moss stitch pattern. I was drawn to the look of it, but my main goal in those early knitting days was to be as quick with a purl stitch as I was with a knit stitch and the forced back and forth seemed like a decent strategy. Today it's still one of my favourite stitch patterns but I feel like I've forgotten all about it lately.

I've had Quince & Co's Puffin in Winesap and Storm lying around, but haven't had much luck with the Storm sweater attempts I've made. But one night last week it was chilly in the house and I thought there was no better time to knit my first cowl and I quickly found a simple pattern that renewed my love for moss stitch (Ravelry link). The added bonus was that it only took two sittings to complete so my knitting fix was immediate. I'm not sure I can really pull off something this red, but I wore it the very next day and all weekend. Clearly I've been missing out on the whole cowl thing because they are totally amazing. If it wasn't 13 degrees outside today I'd be tempted to knit another. Oh wait...I may be tempted anyway.  I can't say I'm crazy about Puffin though - it's a little scratchy for me - but I want to try Lark or Osprey soon, if only I could choose a colour. With 37 available I just don't know how to decide. Part of me wants a red sweater, but after this cowl experiment I may do better sticking with grays. Boring, right?

As for reading, I got a little Amazon shipment today and realized how defining a book order can be. You see, I don't go to the movies, or concerts, or even restaurants much.  My entertainment costs are surprisingly minimal so over the past year I've let go of the guilt I've had for years about buying books. They are my entertainment and I adore opening Amazon boxes, plus I've been reading way more since I started this habit. Today's order includes Cal Patch's Design-It-Yourself Clothes (because I'm taking a class with her in April and I need to do homework!), Extra Yarn for me and the kids, Fifty Days of Solitude (which I read on the subway today and I'm loving already), Calm and Compassionate Children and finally, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Fiction and non, kids and instructional - covering all of my interests at this particular moment. A grouping of words and pictures only I would choose.

Knitting and reading, favourite pastimes indeed.