Blizzard 2013

A few glimpses of our two days with Nemo in Brookline, Mass.

Old Shale Update

Progress

It's been slow going, this Old Shale scarf I'm working on. With the 18 stitch repeat, I've got 54 stitches I have to pay attention to. The first three sittings I ended up ripping out most of my stitches, despite the stitch markers. Then I finally got smart:

Life Line

See that white thread? It's a lifeline. Literally.

I read a tip somewhere out in blogland (I'm sorry, I can't remember where) that for complicated wavy knit patterns, you can save yourself a lot of grief if you pull a needled and thread through a row you are certain is correct. Right next to the needle, under the loops. That way, if you do mess up, you only need to rip out to the thread.

Needling It

I pulled one of Mamacat's doll needles from her pin cushion while I was home, and use a double strand of Perle cotton as a place holder. The funny thing is, since applying the fail safe, I haven't had to use it yet. {knock on wood}.

Step Back, Review

Every night I do about 12 rows. At this rate I'll finish when the spring equinox hits, but that's ok. This piece is more about the journey, not the destination.

XO! Terez

Old Shale

Old Shale Stitch

For as long as I've been stitching, I've wanted to make a chevron or ripple blanket. I have tried, many, many times to learn to crochet properly because I thought it was the only way to make one of these fascinating yarn-stash-busters:

Great Grandma Ripple Blanket Modeled by Anna Cat Bebe

But behold, the knitting pattern Old Shale:

Hail the Old Shale

This is my first attempt. I read about it on Ravelry. I knew I could do it--I knew it.

The pattern is so easy--it's just a repeat of four simple rows:
Cast on 20 stitches
Row One: K 20
Row Two: K 1, P 18, K1
Row Three: K 1, [K2 Tog] 3 times, [K1, YO] 6 times, [K2 Tog] 3 times, K1
Row Four: K 20

That's it! It's just the right combination of mindless knitting and purling for three rows and one row of increasing and decreasing. It's worked in multiples of 18--I added the single knit stitch at the beginning and ending of each row to help decrease curling. I watched a very helpful YouTube video by iknitwithcatfur (??) that helped me get the groove going.

Corner Curve

I have 840 yards of Malabrigo Worsted Noviembre yarn that I'm thinking of doing a tiny shawl or wrap with in this pattern:

Malabrigo Noviembre Test Shale

I knitted up a test swatch this afternoon and I think it will work nicely.

But first: I must finish Christmas sewing. There are not enough hours in the day.

XO!
TEREZ

Walk to Work Wednesday

John, Andrew, Paul and Matthew

Sneaky Sunlight

The Breakfast Club

Beacon Street Water Works

Mini Mums

How did it get to be November already? Autumn this year has been less than spectacular--the leaves are stubborn and refuse to change or fall from the trees. We've already had a snow storm--and still many people are without power. As for the temperature change, I don't mind...too much. I sometimes wish the summer away--the heat and humidity are worse in my mind than the bone chilling temperatures we're expecting in a few weeks. Fall and winter means Mamcat's-Not-So-Secret-Anymore-Hot-Cider Recipe, pot roast, Jane Austen, knitting, purling, quilting, Baileys & Cocoa, snowy Sunday dinners with friends, the Nutcracker, down comforters, holiday handmade gift making and purchasing (and sometimes keeping!). By February I'll be through but for now I'm settling in with a mug of tea and already enjoying the incumbent holiday season. And finally...finally...my fingers are itching to create some new baubles.
XO Terez 

Sunset Scarf: Complete!

Sunset Scarf Warding Off 20 Degree Temps

I'm verrry pleased to share that I have been knitting through the six Un-Finished Objects I listed a few weeks ago:


1. Double Basket Weave Scarf (1/4 of the way done)
2. Sunset Scarf (1/3 of the way done)
3. Matt's Christmas Scarf (1/2 of the way done)
4. Candy Apple Red Watch Hat (4/5 of the way done)
5. Seawaves scarf (1/3+ of the way done)
6. Basket Weave Scarf (4/5 of the way done)

Oooh it feels good to use that strikethrough font!

Up above you'll see the most recent piece hot-off-the-needles: the Sunset Scarf. Originally I intended it to have some other shades of pink, as well as yellow and orange but when I was halfway through I just didn't like the way the colors were behaving, so I ripped them out. Four hours of work down the drain but I like the final result.

And no, I didn't make the hat (I wish!). I found that lovely little number on sale at LL Bean this weekend with HH for under $10.

Now I must find innerstrength and not:

1. buy anymore yarn until UFOs 1, 3 and 4 are complete
2. not cast on any more projects until UFOs 1, 3 and 4 are complete

I'll let you know how my resolve holds up.

Stay warm!

XO Terez

All You Need Is Love

OXO I Love You So!

I don't usually feel squashed by the weather but the every-three-day-storm-cycle, ice, snow, dirty snow, slippery walks to work, clouds, snowy-heavy-roof-disasters have got even this Pollyanna down. I haven't wanted to craft. I've only wanted to sleep. My usual tonic, hot cocoa, has been no help.

However, excellent news! HH (my super dad) is coming for a visit. Even better, he's arriving a day earlier than I thought. He'll be here tomorrow. I picked up his favorite beverage (Pepsi--in mini cans, so cute!) and treat (cinnamon candies--Hot Tamales) so he'll feel right at home.

The snow is melting. My roof looks a lot safer than it did yesterday (knock on wood!). I made a fresh batch of Mamacat's Low Fat Bacon and Cheddar Dip (sounds like an oxymoron, no? I'll share the recipe another time) and put out some crudite and Ruffles. I'm giving hot cocoa another shot. I'm going to work on my Sunset Scarf and veg and watch some entertainment news and be thankful I am warm, safe, healthy and think about my beloved family and friends. All you need is love.

XO Terez

Works in Progress: Feb. 21 self imposed deadline!

I <3 Yarn

Those of you who have visited Chez Terez lately have seen my baskets and totes spilling over with yarn, glorious yarn. Since I moved to Boston eight years ago I've been magpie-like at just about every yarn store I've stopped in, seduced by the colors and collecting a couple of a skeins at a time.   Now my couch looks like this:

State of Affairs

But after a Saturday out on the town with the Norwegian Knitter, I have this to add to my stash:

Red, White and Blue: Chez Terez Style

Two Reynold's Blizzard Teal, four Lion's Brand Homespun Candy Apple Red, one Lamb's Pride Bulky Spruce (discontinued! Gasp!) and Lamb's Pride Bulky Red Hot Passion and one Lamb's Pride Burly Spun Aztec Turquoise.

This will make: one scarf, two hats, one prayer shawl and one as of yet unidentified object.

While organizing my yarn last night I realized I have six intense Works In Progress:

1. Double Basket Weave Scarf (1/4 of the way done)
2. Sunset Scarf (1/3 of the way done)
3. Matt's Christmas Scarf (1/2 of the way done)
4. Candy Apple Red watch hat (1/5 of the way done)
5. Seawaves scarf (1/3+ of the way done)
6. Basket Weave Scarf (4/5 of the way done)

Plus I really, really, really want to start on my hand painted Misti Alpaca that I have been hoarding for a year. But that's going to be cabled so it can wait until I am not too intimidated by those needles.

Goal: Finish the above six pieces by the end of President's Day weekend, Feb. 21st. Do you think I can do it?

I have to! Because I'm not allowed to crack into this until I do:

Lamb's Pride Burly Spun

And I really, really, really want to try it out.

I'm also not allowed to go back to the amazing Windsor Button until I do bind a few of those projects off, although Stan and Susan are the nicest proprietors and their shop is my favorite yarn shop in the greater-Boston area, and their selection of Lamb's Pride Bulky and Burly and Malabrigo (I think) is the best in the state:

Waiting For Me

So wish me luck and I'll keep you posted. Knitting with the girls today got me off to a pretty good start.

XO Terez

Sunset Scarf

Sunset Scarf Start

Yoweee it's been a long month already, and it's only the 9th day of January. December 29 I started feeling a bit off-- a sore throat late in the day--and 10 days later I'm only starting to feel like I have completely shaken off Head Cold 2011. Sinus infection, conjunctivitis, hacking cough--I'm looking at you over my shoulder and telling you to not dare come near me again.

All that time stuck on the couch gave me three things: a renewed love of day time soap operas, an overdose of Zaftigs Matzo Ball Chicken Soup and time to stare at my yarn stash long enough to want to untangle it, line everything up and plan my next creation. This is what I came up with:

Pattern

I grouped all of my Lamb's Pride Bulky together and started playing around with the color spectrum. I wanted something rainbow-ish but not something corny. I picked up a skein of Sunburst Gold while I was in PDX and added to my purple heavy stock, I liked the way it freshened things up. Threw in some shades of rose, fuchsia and red and I was ready to start:

Stockpile

I started with Jack's Plum and will gradient in toward what I think is either Spice or Mulberry (I have long lost the label, for shame) and Fuchsia and then shift gears toward Blue Blood Red, Lotus Pink, Rosada Rose, Rust and then center things with Sunburst Gold. I'll repeat the pattern in reverse from there, ending in Jack's plum.

Progress

I'm a bit further along than the photo above--since then I've added on three more colors--almost to the center! I just finished watching Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennet get hitched (BBC marathon version) so I'm ready for a break and to call it a night. Can't wait to resume life in the land of the living again tomorrow.

XO TEREZ

PS GO DUCKS!

PS I'm using circular 10-1/2 needles, cast on 25 stitches and am knitting 25 rows of each color (50 of the center color) in a simple garter stitch. Lamb's Pride Bulky, my favorite yarn.

My Scarf of Many Colors

Rainbow Bright

I've had this double basket weave scarf pattern by Anne Budd (adapted from another pattern by Barbara Walker, free download at knittingdaily.com) printed out for over a year and it kept falling down to the bottom of my "I'll get to that later" project pile. The below zero wind chill temps hitting me in the face last week was all the encouragement I needed to start rooting around in my yarn pile to find something new for this winter.

Knitting Nest

If you knew what my living room looks like when I knit, you'd know why I don't do it all that often. Messy! But also cozy and comfy so I prefer to think of it that way. I didn't change anything when I took this photo, so if you look closely you'll spy an oven mitt tossed on my throw pillows. I am that much of a multi-tasker!

I fiddled with the white balance on my camera but I can't quite get the teal color to translate--it's more richer and blue green than the color shows in the photo. I'm using Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn on size 10-1/2 straight needles, which has helped a lot with all of the knitting and purling. The color line up is:
Tahitian Teal
Limeade
Creme
Lotus Pink
Blue Blood Red

Tahitian Teal, meet Limeade

I'm going to stitch one 6-1/2" square of each and then repeat it out the other end so it will read Teal-Lime-White-Pink-Double Red-Pink-Creme-Lime-Teal.

I love how it looks cable-y without the cables! Priceless!

Now if I can just remember what row I am on:

Keeping count

It's a bold scarf but I feel like 2011 is going to shape up to be a bold year, so let's kick it off in style. What are you working on?

XO Terez