Mamacat's Palette

Mamacat's Palette

I hope she lets me take the Mt. Hood study!
XO Terez

Parasol Pendant Lamp

Parasol Pendant Lamp

It's finally finished! Parasol Pendant Lamp. I saw the lamp on an Etsy post a few weeks ago and because I had all of the raw materials (100+ drink parasols, as Mamacat calls them), 10 glue sticks and paper globe lamp, I had to give it a try. (Also because it goes splendidly with the tropical colored walls in my apartment).

A few tips:
1. Be very careful when cutting the wooden picks out of the parasols. Do not do this around children, pets, or frankly, anyone else. The sticks are incredibly sharp and they ping right out of the scissor blades when you cut them. I also advise glasses or goggles--seriously these things are dangerous!

2. Do not hotglue 100+ parasols to a paper globe on a day when the temperature is above 85. Just don't.

3. It helps to glue the umbrellas if the lamp is hanging from the light fixture (not on or plugged in). It gives greater flexibility in turning the paper globe just so and you can place the colored parasols easier.

4. On the video on Etsy they glue just the centers of the parasols, but I found it more effective to do quick dots of glue between each of the spokes near the rim--and then gently press the colored paper on the lamp base. I think my parasols would have popped off, otherwise.

Now, the big decision: what room do I hang this lamp in? I've tried the kitchen, the living room and the bedroom and I can't decide. Until then I'll continue hanging it wherever I want a little mood lighting.

Go forth and craft!

XO Terez

Anna Maria Horner Out of Print Jackpot

Out of Print Anna Maria Horner Jackpot!

Before I left for the great Cape Escape with Angela-Girl, I did something I'd been putting off:
Cataloged all of my fabric.

Making a List, Checking It Twice

After two years of collecting I now know that there are two lines that are my favorites (and why, oh why didn't I know this when they were in print and easier to come by?). Anyone who's been to my home or read this blog for a while can guess what they are: Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party and Good Folks.

Garden Party and Good Folks Rainbow Pre-Cape

I cataloged all of my fabric...not just those two lines, but also my AMH Little Folks Voile, Folksy Flannels, Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet, Sandy Gervais, scraps, etc., etc. Gave me a hand cramp and made me realize with all the time I spend at a computer keyboard, my handwriting is really going downhill. I filled my red Moleskin with chicken scratches and notations in preparation of my much anticipated visit to Tumbleweed Quilts in West Barsnstable on Cape Cod!

Poor Angela-Girl isn't a fabric gal, so she relaxed in the air-conditioned rental car with the latest New Yorker while I oohed and ahhed inside the adorable (and huge) shop.

The staff was incredibly helpful, and when they told me they didn't have too much Anna Maria Horner, mostly older bits and some in the clearance room, I could hardly contain my glee! Filed in with the other Freespirit designers and stacked in the back clearance area, I found my own personal jack pot:

AMH Festival in Tangerine, Fortune in Chocolate,
Table Cloth in Brown, Mingling in Rose,
Dance Floor in Burgundy

The Table Cloth and Mingling were on clearance, $5 a yard, so I had to buy four of each, of course. And when I found the Festival in Tangerine, I could have cried: I have been coveting that print for months and have been unable to find it anywhere--Etsy, eBay, etc. I snagged what was left on the bolt: just over four yards. I'm thinking of trying my hand at garment sewing--I think the pattern would make a cute summer sun dress or skirt.

Another item crossed off my list: starting a stash of Kona Cotton Solids:

Kona Cottons: Grass Green, Kiwi, Jade Green, Emerald,
Eggplant, Rich Red, Bright Pink, Pomegranate, Orange,
Corn Yellow

I did jot down the colors as they were cut but I'm not entirely sure which is which so please don't count on my caption above to make any certain purchases. I had a sample of scraps from my AMH collection that I used to figure out which colors I wanted to start with. I've been looking on the web for recommendations on Kona Cottons to pick up to use as blenders for Garden Party  and Good Folks and haven't seen any lists, so here's mine for any who are interested:

~*Grass Green
~*Kiwi
~*Jade Green
~*Emerald
~*Eggplant
~*Rich Red
~*Bright Pink
~*Pomegranate
~*Orange
~*Corn Yellow

I'm learning the power of solids and neutral blenders--I have some Fat Quarters coming in next week from the Michael Miller Ta Dot line~I'll keep you posted on how that works. I'm off to the cutting table and the Lady Singer...more to come!

XO Terez

What's the Stitchy?

With Sprinkles On Top

Any idea what's going on in this photo? I'll give you the sitchy on the stitchy in my next post.

XO Terez

Go Big or Go Home Dresden Plate

Dresden Blades

Ever since I started fiddling around with fabric I've wanted to make a Dresden Plate quilt but it was always in the "someday" column of my wish list...until today.

Dresden plates are made up of 20 individual "blades" that form a flower around a circle center. Most folks make them small enough to applique on to a 12 or 15 inch quilt block and then sew a quilt of many blocks, many plates. I am not most people.

I found a terrific template for the beginning quilter at a tiny shop in Wakefield, Mass. I've seen small wedges you can purchase to make the standard size block, but I wanted something spectacular, and I found it, in this Trace'N Create Quilt template from Clover:

Trace 'n Create Quilt Dresden Wedge

Yahoo! This thing is game changing, even magical. Simply pick out the size of Dresden plate you want to make, trace out the easy pattern on to fabric, rotary cut, pin, sew and go! Sizes range from 12" blocks to 40" blocks! Start to finish this 40 inch wonder took about 6 hours. That includes cutting a lot of other fabric for pending niece and nephew quilts and ripping apart the Singer 301 five times due to feed dogs/bobbin case/throat plate issues--so I could probably do it again in three. But I prevailed, and now have this to show for it:

Go Big or Go Home Dresden Plate

You can see my BlackBerry in the lower right corner--I tossed that on the full-sized bed to show the scale. Now I just need to pick out a center and figure out what in the heck I am going to applique this to! I'm thinking either white canvas or flannel to make a nice opaque window treatment for my kitchen, or heading to Marshall's to find a twin-sized simple white cotton quilt or throw and then applique right on it.

I'll keep you posted.

Until then, try strawberries, They are just coming into season and taste amazing right now:

Summer Supper

Also, here's a hint of what's to come:

Tangerine Dream

XO Terez

Under the Rainbow

Under the Rainbow

Forecast calls for two days of cloudy skies and scattered showers. Under a rainbow such as this, who cares?

Rainbow umbrella: $14.99 at Brookline Booksmith.  There's also the slightly fancier version at the MOMA Store for $40 with a few more colors slices, see that version here.

Stay dry!

XO Terez

A Quilt for Grandpa-Grandpa on the Occasion of His 90th Birthday

One More Row to Go

Yesterday I spent some quality time stitching in the studio with the Norwegian Knitter. Now that the new window treats are up it is so much cooler and enjoyable to be back there this time of year and it's really hard to pull myself away.  For all of the hours I spend in there,  I can never seem to finish anything because I am too distracted/discouraged by the Black Hole Craft Closet.

This abyss holds all of my fabric...and most of my beads...and most of my carving materials...and all of my holiday decorations...and all of my empty shoe boxes I might need someday...and three unused yoga mats...and a broken Hello Kitty sewing machine...you get the idea.

At 7:30 a.m., after an hour of birding, I was fed up with the looming closet.  I was getting sucked in by the magnetic-color-wheel-explosion-pull and order needed to be returned.

I pulled everything out of the closet and was determined to regoranize so I could actually get to my fabric stash. That left me facing this:

Reality

What a mess! I post this to show you I am not Martha by a long shot.


And then I unearthed a real treasure.  Something I had started last summer.  Something that I had been meaning to finish and never got to after Hello Kitty gave out:  A Kaffe Fasset charm quilt.  I had five nine-patch blocks finished and just needed to complete four more to have a finished top. I dusted off and oiled the Singer 301 and got to work.

One More Row II

I kept sewing and sewing...and guess what? I came to the conclusion I am not a great sewer...yet.  My seams are crooked and I have no idea how to nest properly when I iron, but once I got the top up in the window to take a look, I was thrilled (big reveal in a moment).

I love how the colors and the prints play, and the way the rows trickle down like the seasons--pale winter/spring bursts at the top, failling into bright spring/summer patches and finally the saturated summer/autumn tiles complete the cycle.

I was pretty happy with my 81 patches. And then I got to thinking...Grandpa Grandpa is going to be 90 years old next Saturday. If I added one more row of nine patches, I'd have 90 squares. And I have been wanting to make him a lap quilt.

Bam! Brilliant! Of course--this will be a lap quilt for Grandpa-Grandpa on the occasion of his 90th birthday!

I got to back to work. Brewed a pitcher of Passion iced-tea for sustenance. Ate some yellow and chocolate cake. Got back on the sewing machine (oh how I have missed her!)

Passion Tea

A few more pins, seams, tucks and 'oh shoot' s later, I finished this:

Grandpa Grandpa's Quilt

Now: I have to beg Mamacat and HH to back and bind the thing, because I have no idea how to do that...yet. I've got to get to the Post Office and Priority Mail this sucker! I'll keep you posted. And for the record, I hauled down about 20 cubic feet of junk to curb-cycle, and it's all gone. But the studio is still trashed, and that's ok.

XO Terez

Morning Devotional

Morning Devotional

Erie--and beautiful--classroom window reflections Marathon Monday morning at the unusually empty Devotion School Playground. 

Chez Terez 101

Good New Bears

Good News! 

I can hardly believe this myself, but we've reached the

~* ~*101st post of *~*~
~* ~* Chez Terez *~*~

{!!}

I wasn't keeping watch for it myself, the milestone sort of snuck up on my when I was reviewing the stats for the LollyCake Ladies write-up. Not only is the LollyCake Ladies my number one most read post of all time, it happened to be post number 100!

Floss Box

For those who have been with me for the splendiferous ride: thank you. For those who are new to the color-wonder-creative-blogspot that is Cherz Terez, I bring you a 101 course, and encourage you to scroll through back posts. As my friend Marielle said, it is a wondrous thing when you come across a new-to-you blog and can spend the day browsing old musings.

Chez Terez is my blog, myself being the one Miss Teresa Marie, a jewelry/embroidery/stitching/knitting/baking/apartment gardening/cooking/hostessing/birding extraordinaire.

Windowsill Horticulturist

I love things green and growing, feathery and flying, colorful and sparkling and I love to make things in my little studio and to see things on my rambling walks and share them.

Spring Wire Work

Writing this blog has blessed me beyond measure. It has helped me to slow down. It has taught me to take the time to take a look at what is around me and see the shapes and color. It has shown me the beauty of taking a detour to explore the insides of buildings so I can see the sun shine through colored glass.

Architectual Detail

This blog has given the opportunity to collaborate cross-country with my dear parents, Mamacat and HH, and to share with dear friends including The Norwegian Knitter, The Singer, The KimKitch, Grandma Rue, The Other Mother Quilter, The Chicken Lady, Angela-Girl, and others.  It helps me stay in touch with my dear creative sisters-in-law and their little flock of my beloved nephews and niece.

Fabric for Fussy Cut

I love a little bit of trivia so here are some fun facts:

The top five most popular Chez Terez posts of all time are:

1. LollyCake Ladies
2. Re-Upholstery
3. Last Day of February
4. High Tea at the Heathman with Mamacat
5. HH: Renaissance Man

Easter Earrings

Chez Terez has welcomed readers from across the U.S. and from the UK, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia and France.  Unbelievably, yesterday, I had my 4,000th hit!

Mamacat Cross-Country Collaboration

So welcome, bienvenidos, willkomen, bienvenue, tak! I'm so glad you are here. And thank you.

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

Walk to Work Wednesday: Blizzard Mega Edition

Hooky?

Mamacat's Hot Cider

We Deliver for You

Cold Heart

 

 

 

Winter Grafitti

After School Snack

"Doesn't it look like a wonderland?"--Snow Shovel Man

Snow Feathers

Alternate Means of Transportation

Hi to the Little Guys Back Home from Aunt Sissy

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.

Stained Glass Curtain

Stained Glass Bathroom Curtain

Well, sad news in my electronic universe. Just when I thought my curse was over with electronics (modem, wireless, BlackBerry, ipod all killed in one week in December) I received more bad news: trusty Cannon PowerShot A720IS is dead. Kaput. Gone. It's served a faithful four years but I dropped it one time too many and...lesson learned: always use a camera strap. While I'm saving up for a Cannon PowerShot SX130IS to replace it I have to rely on the old camera phone. Which isn't the end of the world but... sigh. It was a good camera.

On to better news! The doll quilt was a success, little niecy loved it and I sewed up the leftovers to make a stained glass curtain for my bathroom, just like I wanted. Hurrah! My seams are crooked and you can see where the piecing is off and the colors are much better than what translates up there--but now the bathroom is my new favorite room.



XO Terez

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