Two weeks out of college for the summer, and while I’m back to full-time work (hello, production floor!), I’m also slipping into something far more comfortable: knitting and cooking, uninterrupted and on my own terms.

Lately, I’ve been taking real delight in reconnecting with my stash and seeing what’s ready to become something new. One of the projects on my needles is a modular afghan made from Patons Classic Wool, using my own Sweetspot pattern — the same one that was featured in Knitty (a pinch-me moment that still makes me shake my head in a disbelieving pride). It’s a pattern designed to deconstruct variegated yarns, seeking that exact point — the “sweet spot” — where the colours stop competing and start collaborating.

I’m still not over that thrill. That singular, magical moment when the yarn begins to pool and separate just so, creating unplanned-yet-intentional striping, argyles, and zigzags. Even when I’ve knit it before — even when it’s the same base yarn — each new colourway has it’s own energy, it’s own feeling. It’s like opening a surprise inside something familiar.

Blocking is part of the magic, too. Going from a curled-edge, lumpy heap to a crisp, polished strip feels like a transformation ceremony. Pinning those stitches out, letting them stretch into place — it’s the moment where the fabric tells you what it wants to be. I know it’s extra effort, but to me, it’s a ritual. A kind of finishing grace.

And while I was in the mood for transformation, I also tried something new in the kitchen — a baked egg and cottage cheese dish with caramelized onions and extra cheese on top. It turned out golden, gooey, and gloriously reheat-able — the kind of thing that makes weekday lunches feel cozy and kind. I started with a recipe from Healthy Foodie Girl and improvised a little. Baked about 10 minutes too long, but there’s nothing wrong with that cheesy top crust!

There’s something really grounding in this rhythm: work, create, cook, rest, repeat. I’m soaking it in while I can.