Insert 'Terra' pun here: _____________.

As you might know, I never do anything by half-measures, especially when it comes to participating in land-rush style buying of new brands of yarn. I have a tendency to go, oh what is the expression....whole hog. So yes, a month or so ago, back before the Vikings hadn't thoroughly ripped out my heart and put it through the ritual wood chipper known as tanking on national television, I got a skein or two more of the Shelter than I initially let on. Like, at least four-more-colors-in-multiple-skeins more. See photo above.

After making Habitat, which I recently gave to my favorite Norwegian bachelor farmer, I knew that I was destined to have a long, protracted relationship with this yarn. I wanted to make something more substantial than a hat but not as commitment heavy and pocketbook unfriendly as a sweater, so I set about Ravelry to see what others in my situation had come up with. Several keystrokes later I had my answer: Terra!

The Specs

Pattern: Terra by Jared Flood

Yarn: 4 skeins of Shelter in the color 'Almanac'.

Needles: Size 9

Mods: see below

The main body of this shawl is done in a garter ridge pattern which is easy enough. You make a lot of progress in a short period of time and can easily do other things while knitting, like watch the team you've loved since your childhood implode before your very eyes on national television. Once you get to the lace portion, it's also smooth sailing, because it's easy and quite intuitive. It's only after you really get into it that you realize wow, one row is taking for-ev-er. Sadly once you realize this, you are then immediately obsessed with the fact that it's taking for-ev-er and can't shake the feeling that you're indeed not sitting on the couch watching your QB get a head injury on national television, instead you are in the Knitting Bermuda Triangle, a place where the normal laws of time and space are suspended, as several hours of knitting only seems to leave you back where you were when you started...

Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up...

I credit the above-described sensation as the reason for my early retreat from the full experience of Terra. Many intrepid knitters on Ravelry had indicated that they only dipped into the fifth skein of Shelter for the last few rows, and since I personally hate the idea of that, I decided to forego the final chart, thereby leaving off the final repeat. The FO is no worse for it as far as I can tell as it's a rather large shawl.

For this pattern I got to try a new technique. I know, another one! The directions would have you finishing the shawl by kitchener stitching the first 12 sts of the provisional cast-on, which for the life of me I couldn't figure out. To me, kitchener stitching had always been a way of joining two edges, so the idea of using the technique to join stitches in a row was about as crazy as a 40+ year old QB who hadn't practiced with his team for 2+ weeks starting a game in less-than-ideal weather conditions. Instead I consulted my Tweeps and the Hungry Knitter herself suggested that I do a sewn bind-off instead, which is actually the bind-off recommended for the main edge of the shawl. One excruciatingly boring Youtube video later and I was in business!

I must say that Shelter has other similar yarns beat, not just in regards to the twee names (Button Jar? Embers? Hayloft? Yes please...) but on the basis of the colors. 'Almanac' has got to be the most gorgeous shade of blue-that-is-almost-black I've ever seen, and I'm not even a blue person at all.

Needy Mom Alert

Something happened on Friday afternoon that hasn't happened in ages and ages and may never happen again, so I am choosing to view is at a star-crossed moment: one of my kids actually gave me a specific request for a hand knit. Not 'willing to wear around the house something I knit'. Not 'wear to bed a pair of socks I made'. But actually 'mom will you knit me a slouchy beret?'. Knock me over with a feather!

The Specs:

Pattern: Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, .70 of a skein of 'Paris Night'

Needles: size 9 and 10 1/2. If I were making this for a full-grown adult, I'd certainly go up a needle size. This hat is slouchy beret on her but on me it's skull cap material!

Mods: none

Of course I jumped to and cast on in a fit of motherly neediness. Oh you want me to knit you something, you say? Yes right away, I'll try to have that done for you asap so you can show your friends. Maybe you could have them over and I'll make those little Totino pizza rolls and I can serve them to your gang, along with some hot chocolate maybe?

The above interlude brought to you by the needy, pathetic ramblings of a middle aged mom. Ahem.

This is indeed a nice one-day pattern. You know that feeling of blind rage when you see knitters comment on their projects listed on Ravelry and say "oh I finished this in an evening" and for you it ends up taking a week? Yeah, this is not one of those. It's actually a one-day knit. You can bank on it!

I haven't used my beloved Malabrigo in a while, and am pleased to note once again that it is ever the soft luscious fiber to knit with...although I am praying so hard that it won't end up pilling like a mofo like several other of my other Malabrigo knits. Yes, it's the dark underbelly of this yarn for sure, here's hoping that this one will be different because the Paris Night colorway is especially ooh là là magnifique.

This project is a milestone for me for another reason as well, as it represents the first time I have done a particular knitting technique that it likely old hat for most of you. Steeking, you wonder? Cabling-without-cable-needle? No, I am talking about the very pedestrian long tale cast-on. Hmm mmm, you read that correctly. I've never been able to do it before, but this time I was determined to learn how. So I scheduled some special alone time with me and my computer (YOUTUBE, let's keep it PG-13, please!) and after much pausing and replaying, I am now a full-fledged practitioner of the LTCO. And so proud! I'm amazed at what a superior cast on it is, the stitches are perfect and make such an impressive edge. So even if the momentary good will on the part of the junior set directed to me and my craft disappears and we return to 'you and your knitting are embarrassing', at least I'll have my LTCO!

Tantallon bis

Immediately after finishing Tantallon no. 1, I knew that a no. 2 would be in my future. Why? Because this is serious addiction knitting. Once those peerie bands take hold of you, you are powerless to stop. They are mind controllers!

The Specs

Pattern: Tantallon by Kate Davies (Needled)

Needles: size 2.5 addi turbo

Yarn: Shetland Spindrift: Merlin, Atlantic, Madder, Highland Mist, Ecology Pebble (!?) and Daffodil, about .25 of each skein. The lining is some bits and bobs of MadTosh laceweight.

Mods: None at all...

I wanted to make this another time as well because I wasn't 100% happy with the lining I chose for my first one--a dk cotton (?). What was I even thinking, by the way? It makes the brim stick out slightly too much. This lining is much more to my liking as it allows the hat to have a nice cloche shape, which is one of my favorite hat shapes.

Sullen Teen Alert! Sullen Teen Alert!

Shetland Spindrift is quite intriguing--on the skein is basically looks like twine, but it knits up into an unbelievably soft fabric. Luckily I am amassing QUITE the collection of odd skeins of the stuff. I see some sort of wrap in my future, maybe one like this one. However before I even think of such undertakings I have many other projects to finish. Hopefully I'll finish before the release of this tastiness...

Annabella's Cowl, or how boredom almost made me gouge my own eyes out

When I began this cowl, which is really just a giant knitted tube of laceweight + mohair blend held together, I thought 'Oh geez, this is so simple, I'll be done with it in a matter of days for sure'. Umm, no. It's 29 inches. Apparently you can add 'delusional' to the list of adjectives that describes me. But I'm so glad I stuck with it, because it's fookin' awesome!


The Specs:
Pattern: Annabella's Cowl by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas
Yarn: 3 skeins of Debbie Bliss Andes in 'Mustard' and .50 skein of Madeline Tosh Lace in 'Filigree'.
Needles: size 9
Mods: none. How would one go about making significant mods on a giant tube?



This project was tedious like WHOA. I mean like blinding-you-with-impotent-rage tedious. But now it's done and I do believe that owning it will be a special kind of joy. Why? Because it is versatile beyond belief. Are you checking all the different styles above? Sandrine is working it, is she not?



The pattern calls for Alchemy (yarns of transformation, whatever the hell that means) Silk Purse and Haiku, but since I couldn't get my act together and find any in time to begin, I made an appropriate enough sub I suppose. But me being who I am, I'll always wonder if not doing it in the called-for yarn was a mistake. I'll never know because I WILL NEVER MAKE THIS AGAIN. But I was jonesing for a scarf, and since blocking stretched it out to an impressive 41", I got my wish.

As you can see my Parisian Pal Sandrine has been called into modeling action for me once again. Reason you're glad I'm not your friend: she had a terrible sore throat and was getting over a nasty cold, yet I still made her trudge outside for our photo shoot. Added Gallic insult: the cowl was still semi-damp. Yes you read that correctly, I had a French person outside wearing a semi-damp garment wrapped around her neck while the wind was sort of blowing!! This is breaking so many rules that I kind of can't believe I did. But there you have it--it's all about me and my needs.

Tantallon

If I've learned one thing being the middle child, it's been how to pester and needle the living daylights of people. When I saw Kate's Tantallon on her blog and her mention on Ravelry that she 'might' be writing the pattern up, I joined the throng of clamoring knitters and added my voice to the chants of 'dooo eet dooo eet'. Luckily I didn't have to take it up a notch to a full on hector, because Kate sent me a version of the pattern and let me have a go at test knitting. Woo-hoo! I am leading a charmed life, am I not?

The Specs:
Pattern: Tentallon by Kate Davies (Needled i.e. a knitting force of nature that no health setback will ever derail)
Yarn: Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift: Cardinal, Eesit, Lichen, Moss, Yellow Ochre and Grouse, only .20 of each skein.
Needles: 3.0 and 3.5
Mods: AS IF!

Once I got my greedy hands on this pattern, I sent my personal third floor stash retriever (pictured below) up to bring down the perfectly organized by color ziploc bags of Shetland Spindrift (don't roll your eyes because I know you have your own version of this chez vous). Thankfully I had an embarrassment of riches from which to choose and cast on right away. Hoarding yarn: it occasionally works out in your favor.


This hat was nothing but pure joy to knit. First of there is a sweet little lining that makes for some interior softness. The pattern is designed to have contrast within and between the peerie bands, so the lines really pop on this baby. Once you get going you won't be able to stop because the pattern is magic and therefore completely mesmerizing. If you are new to stranded colorwork I see no reason at all to fear this pattern. It will likely be published quite soon!

Gimme Shelter

One of the big buzz yarns that all the knitter types were chattering about at Rhinebeck was Jared Flood's Shelter. I'll admit that I hadn't heard tell of it before then, but being the lemming that I am, once I heard 'unbelievable colors' and 'tweed that isn't as scratchy as it could be', I knew that Shelter and I had a date with destiny. So I ordered one lonely skein on a trial basis and I can say that I will definitely be back for more in the future. Once acquired, I trolled around Ravelry for the perfect one skein project, and came up with a pattern that I not only already owned but had specially colored coded with my handy colored pencils: Habitat!

The Specs
Pattern: Habitat by Brooklyn Tweed
Yarn: Shelter in 'Sap', one skein exactly
Needles: sizes 6 & 7
Size: S/M
Mods: None at all, although I did have a misstep. I knit the first 15 rows without realizing that I had neglected to do chart A. As my kids would say 'durrrr'...so yeah, instead of trying to wing it, I did the adult thing by frogging and starting over.

Right away I had the sense that I wouldn't have enough yarn for a size L so I decided to ding it down to S/M. Phew! So glad I did as I had less than 5 yards left. The result is a perfect snug little hat.

My first foray with this pattern was done with Shelter's polar opposite, Malabrigo. It made for a hat that was poofty and lofty whereas this iteration is quite the opposite. I have to say that both versions have their charms, but I am slightly partial to this one as the color is a mind-blower. Do you remember the most fabulously beloved but now discontinued color of Felted Tweed 'Pickle'? (what--you don't have all the Felted Tweed colors available in your mind for immediate recall?) It's reminiscent of that luscious green but with flecks of orange as well. Simply put, it's perfection.


I am so happy to have refound my knitting inspiration. I am back to that happy place where I think about knitting like it's my job and text back and forth with Babs about what out next (knitting) move is. Because of this increased activity and enthusiasm, I have more small accessories in the pipeline, so stay tuned because I am cranking. them. OUT!

Rhinebeck Sweater, 10 days later

After a series of miscalculations as to how long it actually takes to knit two sleeves and a collar [answer: longer than a car ride from PA to NY], this year's Rhinebeck sweater did not make its debut at the ball but instead languished in inchoate agony back in the hotel room. No matter, it's done now and is ready for cool weather action.

The Specs:

Pattern: Vine Lace Top-Down Cardigan by Sweaterbabe

Yarn: Rowan Cocoon, 7.5 skeins. The other .5 was sacrificed to my cat and his special libidinal needs [see below].

Needles: size 11

Size: 46

Mods: None really except for inadvertent mistakes...like getting it sopping wet during the blocking process and the sweater getting so stretched out and heavy that the stitches became deformed and resembled chain mail, so much so that you needed to put it in the dryer and it felted ever so slightly...yeah that.

I've made this pattern before and it's a complete winner. If you're looking for a big, giant cardigan, this is your next project. It basically took 10 days of on and off knitting, with time out for various other projects [hint: I got LOTS in the pipeline, YO].

My cat has confirmed what I thought I detected in him a year ago when I knitted my Heather Hoodie in Rowan Cocoon, and that is he takes a special shine to this yarn. Which is to say that he seems to like having private sexytimes with it as on more than one occasion I have caught him hugging and cuddling the skein as if it were a giant blow up doll. Yes, Mr. Kitten has been caught red handed trying to get it on with some Cocoon. Such a nasty little culprit.

Aww....sorry kitten, you're going to have to take your business elsewhere because this is a respectable family establishment! This sweater is not your own private pleasure pad, mkay?

Below you see a mosaic of Rhinebeck which as a truly epic event. Imagine a Star Wars convention of knitters but instead of people in Jedi costumes with light sabers, visualize folks wearing Tea Leaves cardigans holding Jennie the Potter mugs. Get it? Yeah, it's fun. Hope to see you there next year!

Textured Wedding SHAWLETTE

I must say the extent to which I go to play games with myself is truly astounding. From the outset I declared this project a shawlette and not a shawl in order to take the pressure off. What--I can finish a shawlette in four week days. Piece o'cake! Such are the deluded machinations of a person who casts on for a wedding present during an especially busy work week as she has promised the wrap for the bride to wear at the reception. Which is being held outdoors in October. In Minnesota. Heh.

The Specs:

Pattern: Textured Shawl Recipe by Orlane

Needles: size 9

Yarn: Madeline Tosh DK in Oxblood, exactly one skein.

Mods: It's $^&$ small, how that for a mod? But it doesn't matter because when you lower the bar from the height of shawl down to the very pedestrian and quite doable shawlette, it doesn't matter. I win!

Seriously,my intention all along was for her to wear this more as a scarf anyway. It's small, yes, but will look ultra cute as a cat poncho gamine-like scarf tied ever so fashionably around her neck. I'm declaring it a success.

The yarn is an utter joy to behold. Soft beyond all measure. The color is also so rich that when I spied it on the table at the yarn store, the employee gave me a knowing glance that basically said "I know, right?". Wowza.

This pattern is truly the most adaptable shawl(ette) pattern out there. You are the master of your own destiny as you decided exactly how big you want it to be. Which is perfect for impatient knitters who just want bind off already, dammit. In my case this was at 5 am the morning of the service, which was itself in the morning. But I did finish in time to do a photo shoot at the hotel pool (sad) and give it to my niece at the reception. And she's such a gracious, obliging lassie that she cooed and oohed and awwed over it, just like her auntie wanted her to.

The visit to Minneapolis was short and somewhat bittersweet. That was my last 'scheduled' visit there as there are no big events coming up and my mom has been successfully moved . A friend asked me if that was tough on me, and I have to say that it isn't. I believe in making your life work wherever you are, and yearnings of a geographical nature rarely bring fulfillment. I had the most stupendous childhood there, and am fortunate to have all the those happy memories. So I say congratulations to J and L, we're so happy for you! And I'll see the rest of you lot at Rhinebeck (hopefully)!

ZOMGBBQWTF Fair Isle Mania!

People I'm in the throes of a major fair isle obsession and I don't see it letting go anytime soon. Between the 'Fair Isle Revisited' Debbie Bliss magazine , Rowan 48 and the Fall 2010 Vogue Knitting (my taste for which proves to me beyond any doubt that yes, I am middle aged), I am on a bona fide fair isle tear.

First up for me is the terribly unimaginatively named 'Fair Isle Hat'. Seriously generic name for a honey of a pattern. Gee, I guess 'hat' had already been taken. Vogue Knitting, you are ever the inscrutable publication, one day I will decipher yours ways...

The Specs:
Pattern: Fair Isle hat by Sheila Joynes
Yarn: Felted Tweed, six colors, only scant amounts used of the following: 158, 165, 168, 151, 170, 164. Since I collect Felted Tweed like it's my job, these leftovers don't present a problem.
Needles: size 5. If there's a next time I'll surely go down a needle size as the hat is going from slouchy to something altogether much larger and potato sack-y.
Mods:My only mod was not knitting the crown in the pattern indicated--I just hate decreasing in pattern, so I free-styled it.

The pattern was a lot of fun to make and already have number 2 planned. Sadly not everyone around this house gets the whole slouchy thing. I did have a moment of sheer horror and blanched in agony when one of the junior texting crew asked 'OMG is that one of those Jamaican hats that white people with dreadlocks wear?'. Children are so precious, are they NOT?

My lovely friend and colleague Gina agreed to model the hat for me today after our morning commute [note the (almost double)Rainbow over her shoulder. Kismet!]. I was so pleased that she obliged my request because she is my silver style icon! In fact if you see me at Rhinebeck you will indeed notice that I am going the silver fox route. Stop me and say 'hi', under my hat I'll be the lady with the skunk stripe.

Traveling Woman, and how!

This post brought to you by the power of sheer determination. Since we last spoke I have put the finishing touches on two small yet unbelievably demanding manuscripts, sorted through 40+ years worth of Consumer Reports magazines and then threw them in a dumpster, packed up my family home, moved my mom from the comfortable environs of Minneapolis *sniff* to the unfamiliar wilds of Central PA. (where, just to review, they serve French fries on salads, address you if you're more than one as yinz, eat large quantities of scrapple as if it's an accepted social practice and ask you if your car needs fixed. Somewhat of a hard sell at times, I know, but the place does have its charms). Whew!

Somehow in this maelstrom of activity I was able to knit---wait for it--one thing! Yes, I have a project to show you...

The Specs:

Traveling Woman by Feministy

Yarn: STR Mediumweight in 'Lodestar'

Needles: size 6

Mods: I knit the middle size for the stockinette portion and then did 3 lace repeats. This made for a nice, medium size wrap.

c

This pattern was a true joy to work on. First and foremost I love that the pattern is flexible enough to allow you to size as you see fit--I played it safe and shot my arrow straight down the middle and did three repeats. Bull's eye! The shawl was not too big, not too small (because GOD how I hate a too small shawl). The lace pattern and border are also intuitive as all get out and completely easy to follow. Lastly I am loving this pattern because I made it for one of my oldest friends on the books. Elizabeth and I shared a cradle together! We had every holiday together from the 70s to the 00s! Our parents were 60s people together and sometime in the 70s we almost all moved in together commune-style (yeah, SO relieved that one never happened because, hello, how do you explain that particular freak flag at your Episcopal day school?)! And we have remained good friends, so it was a joy to be able to attend her wedding on our last day ever in Mpls *sniff* and welcome her husband into the fold.

I gave this shawl to her at the reception and there was just enough of a nip in the air to make it appropriate. The shimmery light blue of the STR sort of screams 'summer special occasion', if that is possible. All told, this pattern was a breeze to make and a joy to give away.

Thank you so much for the deluge of nice comments and sweet messages you have been leaving me over the summer--I have read each one with gratitude and delight. We sort of have a special thing going on here, this whole fiber community thing, right? Knitters FTW!