First Person
Postcard from Nashville, Ice Storm Edition
Dear all,
There’s ice everywhere, isn’t there? In Minnesota, the cold-hearted kind is being melted by the fury of people who are not taking it. My heart goes out to the people of Minneapolis, who are demonstrating a resolve and a moral fire that is profoundly inspiring. I’m drawing courage from theirs, and hoping that our country can survive what is happening to it.
In Nashville, a second form of ice has arrived, as if one form weren’t bad enough. It’s a glossy, frozen coating on every outdoor surface, from streets to cars to houses to power lines to—unnervingly—every tree and shrub. The cracking of tree limbs—like a rifle shot—is a sound we’re all going to carry with us for a long time. It’s often hard to tell where the limb is that’s giving way, and you wonder if it’s the one over your roof.
Half the city has lost power, and the devil of it is that the deep freeze will persist for the week. Wind on a brittle, ice-weighted tree is murderous. The Nashville Electric Service crews are working around the clock repair the lines, yet newly broken limbs take down their work. They’re making progress, though, and our gratitude is enormous.
At the moment, I keep thinking about cold and warmth and the gift that knitting provides, as Elizabeth Zimmermann put it, through all crises.
Meanwhile…
I’ve managed to make three motley swatches—one by the gloom of our gas logs, before we left the house on Sunday for a place with electricity. How did people in the 19th century do anything? All respect to knitters working by candlelight.
s
No tapestry needle, unblocked, here’s our Jane yarn in Caladium, that hot pink, when paired with (from left) Heather, Yorkshire, and Citronelle.
For those of you joining just now, these swatches are for the spectacular, dazzling knitalong that begins tomorrow, January 30: Bang Out a Sweater, where we’ll all be knitting the Waffle Pullover by Amy Christoffers, from Field Guide No. 29: Mosaic.
Read all about it here.
Our three-session virtual class begins tomorrow, starring the marvelous Lorilee Beltman. Sign up here.
And use whatever yarn you like, but if Jane is piquing your curiosity, you’l find 22 colors of it here. Note that the undyed color, Yorkshire, will be back in stock at the end of February. We’re finding Frost, a light gray, to be a fine replacement.
Finally, if it weren’t so dreadful, the ice would be so beautiful.
And, when you need to insulate your door, you’re so Nashville if you use a mic stand to hold up your Kaffe Fassett quilt.
When I see this beautiful quilt, I think of Elmira Sanders in Greenville, Alabama, who made it 20 years ago, using the shirts of Jon’s beloved dad. I wish they could see this setup.
Love,
Ann
If only we could even out the second form of ice in your part of the world with the 40deg Celsius days and bushfires of the last couple of weeks in southern states of Australia – would make for more comfortable knitting conditions for everyone.
And I can only echo your sentiments for the first kind.
Knit the RED HATS folks!!!
It will keep you warm and show solidarity!!
This gives me an opportunity to buy Jane in scarlet!
Oh yes!
Oh I love ALL those hot pink Caladium versions! So sorry, Ann. All that ice seems extreme even for a northerner who’s lived through plenty of ice and snow and no-electricity. It’s the unpredictability of ice, like you said, that is so unnerving and none of the fun of snow. I often wonder how the homeless can withstand it. (Of course, not all of them do.). Love the solace of that stunning quilt to dwell on. I hope knitting is bringing you solace as well.
Take care and keep safe and warm. We think we are cold in England but we are so fortunate not to be as frozen up as you xx.
Gorgeous quilt! I just completed a memorial t shirt quilt for my brother, who would have turned 71 tomorrow. Definitely not even remotely classy as your quilt, but it is a good reflection of his personality!
The generational difference in the shirts is striking, but the emotional weight is the same. I want to see your quilt, Wendy!
Check out my Instagram post today!
Ann,
I’ve thought of you often over the past week.
I hope you are warm & enjoying electrification when you read this.
And yes, Minneapolis: we are all shocked & praying for the very strong souls who call that city their home. May this nightmare end soon for all.
Sending warm wishes…
Spinning is the best for extended power outages. When mine was out for a week a few years ago I set up a wheel every evening as soon as it got too dark to knit and spun by candlelight. Extremely relaxing!
Thank you fot taking a stand on the horrors in Minnesota
We can now knit “melt the ice hats “
They are red resistance hats modeled after the resistance
To nazi invasion ln 1940 in Norway
Ha! MELT ICE is on my sign for the 50501 march in Atlanta this Sunday! Is there one in your city?
Mo, Tell me more. Where is the Atlanta March? I want to join in!
Oh, Ann, ice storms are so pretty and so dangerous! Hoping you and yours are keeping safe. And that you make it to NYC for VKLive! I can’t make it to the MDK meetup, so sorry, but hope to see you in the market. Do you know where you’ll be?
Knitting by candlelight. Even worse than knitting by evening lamp. Sometimes the colors fool you, and it’s a revelation in daylight. Your swatches are so pretty.
Love your innovative use of mic stand!
Ice Ice everywhere…I like to see the beauty in the ice you’re experiencing, though it is dangerous…but the ICE here in Minneapolis is very hard to take. This whole community is banding together in a way that I’ve never seen. Singing resistance, marching, standing in the -20 below weather along major streets on our beautiful Minnehaha Creek Parkway holding signs in silence. It’s heartwarming, but I fear we will not be able to recover from this horror.
Sending warmth and peace and lots of knitting.
Your quilt is AMAZING!!!!
Leah your city is inspiring the nation and the world. Sending warmth back to you, and all the comfort of knitting you can manage to get.
I’d love to be able to swap a bit of both of our weather’s. It’s reached 50c in parts of Australia over the last few days. A bit cooler where I live but very hard to have the energy to do much at all, I can’t imagine what it would be like to live with ice and snow. Wrap up in your Woolies and keep warm and please keep clear of all ice.
Wishing you and all safety and fortitude in the face of these dual crises. I’m in bitter cold Iowa, and I too am taking comfort in the ‘the gift that knitting provides’ while I work as fast as I can on a red Norwegian resistance hat.
Ann, I have been thinking of you and your families – at home and at MDK. You are so right about the sound of limbs cracking! It is an ungodly sound and eerily recognizable to anyone who has experienced it – Tulsa, December 2007. Until then, I thought of it as an inconvenience and something to be wary of – “Turn in the direction of the skid” – but while other parts of the country may experience it more frequently, there is nothing that wakes up a southern community like weather for which it is ill-prepared. The Weather Channel crew is never a good sight. As Clara says “Onwards”!
I have been thinking of everyone -suffering in this cold this week. In Tampa it was 33* when I woke up. My discomforts are minor compared to the treacherous conditions you’re experiencing. Hopefully ALL the ice will be gone soon and clean up is cathartic. Stay safe my friends and please check in on your neighbors.
Woah that quilt Ann, made me catch my breath too at the meaning of it. I regret not doing something like that with my dad’s shirts.
Hope you stay cozy and get power back soon. I’ll look for you and Kay at VKL, on my way there now.
My brother and his wife are still trapped by ice in Memphis and my husband’s beloved Aunt is in Nashville. She was lucky to keep power. We are now living in central Illinois and the severity of a major ice storm is hard to explain to people here.
We always keep our house quite cool in winter. I recommend several layers. In the house when knitting I often wear an undershirt, long sleeve tee, (bonus if it’s a merino one) sweater, and sweatshirt. My favorite sweatshirt had worn cuffs and I knit it new wool cuffs about five years ago. It adds so much warmth. Add a cowl and hat if necessary. Extra special bonus if you can find a non-yarn eating cat to join you.
Stay safe, take care of each other. It’s what Nashville does best.
I remember riding in the car the morning after an ice storm like that in Highland Park, IL, when I was six. My dad was driving, my twin sisters & little brother were along for the ride, and we were taking Mom to the hospital — she was in labor with my little sister! It was nerve-wracking & gorgeous. And treacherous. I worried about Mom slipping & falling on the sidewalk. I never hear “ice storm” without thinking of that day!
What an indelible memory Vicki. When you started with “riding in the car the morning after an ice storm,” my first thought was WHY!—but you had a good reason!
Ann….so glad you found someplace with electricity. NYC isn’t much warmer but at least there aren’t trees falling everywhere. Praying for all those affected.
As for the crazy events in Minnesota, I learned about this pattern and story from Steing Theory Yarns in Chicago. I thought I would share it for those who want to add a red hat to their collection….would be quite the unifying accessory.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/melt-the-ice-hat?utm_campaign=Melt%20the%20ICE%20Stitch-In%20%2801KG08NJ1ESTG63KBJFDHGP23C%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Subscribers&_kx=Y9ptbN4a1CBfUVLDJm3m6hx1ssdTN1VWNRq8p7p1CHc.TbSZYM
Thanks so much for this link. I bought the pattern and am heading to Michael’s for red yarn. Don’t care what weight, I just want to knit this and wear it! I live in MA where we just got 18″ of snow and bitter cold weather. Perfect timing for a new and purposeful hat.
Thank you, Vonda! Six years ago we bought pink wool, now we will knit with red. Just bought the pattern.
That little pattern has raised a truly impressive amount of money to aid Minneapolitans!
I’ve been thinking of you folks….have seen the pictures on the news.Unfortunately we see this kind of weather more now with climate change. We’re one of those families that bought a generator back in 2000….but man! It has come in handy. Stay safe and as warm as you can. To the people in Minnesota, keep pushing back…..our hearts are with you.
Hey Ann – we also left for the warmth of a hotel on Sunday here in Nashville. Such beauty in the ice, but so much devastation. Our latest news is that we won’t have power for a good long time. There will be a lot of knitting.
I laughed out loud at your 19 century comment. I said the exact same thing myself. They were heartier folk then I suppose.
If you haven’t followed dustinmhensley on instagram, you are in for a few laughs. He’s here in Nashville writing about the storm and aftermath. So very funny.
Stay warm and safe.
Wendy
The quilt is beautiful. I love when items can be multi-purposed!
I also have pictures of ice-enclosed tree branches, looks so sparkly with the sun shining through the ice. Luckily I have not lost power, and had made a couple pots of soup before the storm hit. Had my grill ready for cooking (or re-heating food) just in case!
In coastal South Carolina, we are awaiting the next round of snow. It can be decades between snows here. I just built a framework to protect my edgeworthia. My bush is about ready to bloom also. The flowers are beautiful and smell so sweet, an incongruity on the grayest of winter days. Hope yours (and the rest of the Nashville) melts safely and soon.
We had a week-long ice storm without power in NC in 2002, so I feel your pain! We had a gas hot water heater so filling the bathtub added a small amount of humidity and heat. Leaving was the best idea.
I grew up in Nashville so I know how the city comes to a standstill due to snow and ice – and a lot of people aren’t skilled in driving in it – so be careful out there!
I’m looking forward to the 2026 Bang Out tomorrow! It’s Celeste and Cameo colorways for me! Jane is a lovely yarn!
Minneapolis is doing lots of heavy lifting and a model for us all. Tears of pride and sadness every day for my hometown.
Beautiful quilt and such a warming memory. Yarn, coffee and hot toddies for warmth!
Sending warmth and hoping the power and heat are back soon. And thank you for the peek of the practical quilt of your father-in-law’s shirts. I remember the letters about the process of its making, one of the many projects that inspired me so much about MDK.
Same, Kelly! Remember how excited Ann was to meet Elmira? Those were great days. I’ve still got all of Peter’s shirts rolled up waiting for the right moment to make a Herb & Elmira quilt.
Sending warmth to all of you suffering from the cold. I, too am amazed at the kindness the people of Minneapolis have shown to each other. Very inspiring. We will overcome!!