First, an update on my lovely Lumley cardigan. It turned out to be too small across my bust & midriff. I blame Christmas cookies, my mother's genetics, and also a pattern which - according to Rav knitters - runs very small. It's in time-out before I muster the energy to pull out the two fronts and re-knit them. My partner had a genius idea about re-knitting the fronts, incidentally, and I might just use that idea..

But before I do that, I need a project to cleanse my palate.

Just a few days ago I succumbed to some Rowan Colourscape in the January clearance sales. The colour is "Purple Rain" and it is an otherwise unreleased shade that selected John Lewis stores across Britain were selling as one-offs. I bought 6 skeins with no clear idea in my head - I just loved the deep, deep purples which my camera has clearly failed to pick up.

And now I've cast on for a Sarah Hatton pattern. I sat knitting the cardigan whilst re-watching Hot Fuzz and I actually got halfway up the back in just one evening. Just what the knitting doctor ordered. Now I hope I've cast on for the right size - after the Lumley debacle I have grown a tad paranoid.

Some links:

• A really good article from The Salon about why people love so-called "bad writing". I'm a self-confessed 'Stylemonger' (read the article for description!) but I'm also unapologetic about my dips into genre reading. Well, unapologetic unless I read fourteen Georgette Heyers in less than two weeks.
• Erica Jong on modern motherhood. The concept of that article might sound like something out of your worst nightmare but it makes some interesting points - even for this non-motherly person.
• My cake decorating skills lie somewhere between "bad" and "wonky". You can't say the same about the people who made this astounding cake.
• Five Emotions Invented by the Internet.
• Born This Way (via MeFi): "A photo/essay project for gay viewers (male and female) to submit pictures from their childhood with snapshots that capture them, innocently, showing the beginnings of their innate gay selves. It's nature, not nurture!" Disclaimer: I read this blog not so much as reinforcing stereotypes (as some MeFi contributors argued) but rather "more about what you see in the mirror, once you know what to look for" as queer people look back at their younger selves. It's about nostalgia, self-acceptance, lived lives, and identity.
• And, then, Prince singing Purple Rain.