Episode 286: An Actual Knitting Emergency

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 286 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. This week’s segments included:

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
From the Armchair
Knitting in Passing
In My Travels
KAL News
Events
Contest, News & Notes
Life in Focus
On a Happy Note
Quote of the Week

Thank you to this episode’s sponsors: Fangirl Fibers, Love in Stitches & Woolen Women Fibers

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Silverlining Sweater

Pattern: Silverlining by Jennifer Steingass $8 pattern available on Ravelry
Yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool in the Oatmeal Colorway + Junction Fiber Mill Making Tracks Yarn in the Day’s End Colorway
Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm)
Ravelry Project Page
Size B: 12 inches underarm to body. 40 inches around. I thought I was getting 18 sts/4 inches but I got 19, so it is 40 inches not 42 inches around.
I was thrilled to meet Peggy from Junction Fiber Mill at Fiber Festival of New England. They shared a clip of my video on their podcast which you can find here.

Welcome to Litchfield Hat

Pattern: Citrus Hat by Laura Treadway (free knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
Yarn: Handspun (Ravelry Project Page)- Into the Whirled; 2 braids Texel & BFL Tussah Silk in the Welcome to Litchfield Colorway + Traveler colorway on Cheviot base to make a 3 ply yarn
Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) & US 6 (4.0 mm)
Ravelry Project Page

Vegas Baby Socks

Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Vegas Baby Colorwork
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Ravelry Project Page
About the colorway- gray tinted rainbow with stripes of purple, blue, darker green, lime green, mustard/yellow, pink

Mom’s 2024 Christmas Socks

Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
Yarn: Cascade Heritage Prints in the Holly Stripe Colorway
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Ravelry Project Page
About the colorway- Red, white and green uneven stripes.

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Peace & Light Socks

Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the Peace & Light Colorway
Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Ravelry Project Page
About the yarn: 6 stripes in blues/teals, 3 in creams/yellows

Dirty Crayon Box Socks

Yarn: Fiber Stash Strong Toes Sock (80% SW Merino/ 20% Nylon) in the Dirty Crayon Box Colorway
Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Ravelry Project Page

Hattie’s Scrappy Helical Socks

Yarn: Random bits & bobs of fingering weight leftovers in pinks, purples and blues
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
US 1 (not 1.5), 48 sts. long cuff.
Ravelry Project Page
Check out my video tutorial for using Cate’s Clasp Weft Join along with Helical Knitting.

Cold, Cold Heart Socks

Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
Yarn: June Pryce Fiber Arts Coventry DK in the Cold, Cold Heart Colorway
Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm)
Ravelry Project Page

From the Armchair

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link. (read in paperback in 2008). I listened to this in prep for the Bad on Paper Podcast Book Club Episode
Here One Moment by Liane Morriarty. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.

Watching:

The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox (Netflix)- 3 parts.
The Diplomat (Season 2) on Netflix- 6 episodes.
Santa Tell Me (Hallmark)

Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.

Knitting in Passing

I shared stories of how Dan bailed me out of a knitting emergency and Riley sent me photos of her progress on her Riley Rose Cowl- a free pattern by me- available on Ravelry | LoveCrafts

In My Travels

Riley & I attended Fiber Festival of New England- check out our vlog video on the Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel.

Met up with Michelle (chellescraps) and her friends in the morning. Great to see Lisa- who met us at Rhinebeck after following mom’s Crispina Scrapbox challenge project! Find a photo of mom in that outfit in this Instagram post.

It was great to see Jen, Carlos, Aurora and Zelda around lunch time, Amy from Ross Farm & Jess from Stitched by Jessalu .

KAL News

Pigskin Party ’24 #DCSPigskinParty24

Event Dates: Thursday September 5, 2024- Monday February 10, 2025
Find everything you need in the Start Here Thread in the Ravelry Group
Official Rules
Registration Form (you must be Registered to be eligible for prizes)
Enter your projects using the Point Tally Form
Find the full list of Sponsors in this Google Doc.
- Coupon Codes are listed in this Ravelry Thread
- Exclusive Items from our Pro Shop Sponsors are listed in this Ravelry Thread
Questions- ask them in this Ravelry Thread or email Jen at downcellarstudio @ gmail.com
Tune in to see if you’re the Q1 Challenge Winner (hint- the winner posted this blog post about her project) or if you won an October Participation Prize.
Our Official Sponsor for Q2 (November) is Twin Mountain Handcrafts. Check this Ravelry thread for details about the Button challenge!

Commentator Update

We are 10 weeks into the NFL season (and our knit a long) so I thought it would be fun to take a look at the scoreboard to see if any players had completed 10 or more projects…that is, averaging at least one project per week. I was stunned. Over 35 players have completed 10 or more projects!

Leading the way is player eyenowhour who has completed 27 projects–including 5 shawls and 12 baby garments! Impressive!

But don’t be dismayed if you can’t imagine being as productive as eyenowhour! The great thing about the PSP is you can craft as much or as little as you want and still have a chance to win!

Events

Wayland Winter Farmers’ Market- Farm Fiber Days: January 19 & March 9, 2025 at Russell’s Garden Center in Wayland, MA
New England Farm & Fiber Festival: February 2 from 11a-5p at the Cyclorama in Boston

Contest, News & Notes

My friend Linda is looking for donations of warm handknit/crocheted items for adult and youth homeless in Massachusetts. They set up tables on Thanksgiving and put all of the handmade items on the fence outside the First Church in Woburn, MA. Calling for all makers who want to donate. PM me on Ravelry or email me at downcellarstudio at gmail.com and I’ll give you the address to send them to. Any fiber type welcome. Hats, scarves, mitts, shawls, blankets. Anything warm is welcome!

I also talked about Socks for Sam. Check out their website. You can raise awareness for VWM by knitting a sock using #SocksForSam and tagging @Knitsocksforsam.

Life in Focus

I shared some updates about Mom’s new cancer treatments and recent hospital stays.

On a Happy Note

I’m finding it very hard to be happy after the US election, but I try hard to look for these happy notes. As Gretchen Rubin reminded us on a recent episode of the Happier Podcast it is not selfish or unimportant to look for ways to be happy even when and especially when life feels really hard. When we are happier, we can do more to assert our values in the world and do hard things, so I started this segment with that reminder.
Knitting on Hattie’s socks and Sue’s Instagram live on the day after the election helped me through a very difficult day.
Halloween!
Leaning into connecting with my people- whether that’s work, friends, family, knitting community. Its small but its powerful.
During Mom’s first infusion, we played UNO. Mom slaughtered us! Dad got up and jokingly said he was going to smother her with a pillow before she could beat us any further and she was laughing so hard she almost offed herself! That was a bit of levity we all needed that night.
We watched G&Z while their parents went out for their anniversary and again on Veteran’s Day.
Date night with Dan between Mom’s treatments. I had a delicious pumpkin beer- Night Shift Pumpkin Piescraper Pumpkin Pie Ale.
I went to see & Juliet with Megg, Terri, Liz and Riley. Then I had a sleepover at my brothers where Riley, Millie and I inadvertently had a matching PJs night.