Thanks for tuning in to Episode 60!

This week’s segments included:

• Off the Needles
• On the Needles
• Crafty Adventures
• From the Armchair
• Events
• Contests, News & Notes
• On a Happy Note

Off the Needles

Shawl for Mom

• New design in the works
• Needles: US 7 needles
• Yarn: Berrocco Ultra Alpaca Light in black

Emelyn’s Christmas Hat

• Pattern Goblin Hat by Elizabeth Murphy (free pattern)
• US 5 (smaller than called for)
• Yarn: Miss Babs Kawaeh DK

Monster for Oisin

• No pattern (cast on 24 stitches)
• Needles: US 8

On the Needles

Legwarmers
Pattern: None
Needles: US 2

Measure in Love

• Pattern: Measure in Love by Megan Williams
• Yarn: Mad Tosh DK in Embers color way- burnt orange
• Needles: US 5

Nutcracker Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel socks by Megan Williams
• Yarn: Nutcracker Candy Colorway from Must Stash Yarn in the Perfect Sock Base
• Needles: US 1.5

Crafty Adventures

I did some sewing (alone and with my best friend). I love these project bags. I vary up the sizes, but they are all based on this tutorial.

I did some sewing with my niece and nephew during our recent sleepover. Emelyn is 10. She made 3 pillows! Two for her, and one for Oisin’s new alien stuffed monster, Dave.

Oisin learned to sew buttons in school but hasn’t done it in awhile. I gave him the swatch from my Rocky Coast Cardigan and bunch of old buttons. He had a blast!

Every year I make custom photo calendars from Picaboo. The quality is great and I appreciate how customizable they are.

From the Armchair

2014 accomplishments:

• I finished 51 projects (20 more than last year) including publishing 2 designs. 10 things for me, the rest were gifts.
• Click here to check out my 2014 Projects Tab in Ravelry.

2015 goals:

• Knit from my well curated stash. I’ve updated my stash on Ravelry. Currently I have 65 yarns stashed/ 91 skeins total.
• Publish at least 2 if not more patterns in 2015.
• Take more classes, especially at fiber events I’m already planning to go to.
• Keep me in mind when knitting (make sure my gift knitting ratio doesn’t go up too much)

Fiber Related Plans for 2015

• January- Vogue Knitting Live. January 16-18 in NYC.
• February- I’m going to North Carolina for a scrapbooking weekend!
• May: Maryland Sheep & Wool: May 2 & 3
• May: NH Sheep and Wool: May 9 & 10 (I’ll be taking Emelyn & Aila on Saturday)
• August: Stitches Midwest in Shaumburg IL August 6-9
• October:  NY SHeep and Wool- 3rd full weekend in Oct 16-18th 2015

Events

Pigskin Party KALTune in to Episode 52 if you haven’t already

• Knit-a-long that runs along the NFL football season. For any projects you complete between Sept 4 and Feb 2nd you’ll earn points which are used to give you entries in for fantastic prizes. Opportunities to get more points along the way by using products from our awesome sponsors and for posting on instagram, getting others to participate in the KAL and things like that.
• Never too late to sign up. Go to downcellarstudio.com/pigskinparty for all of the details. This is the last full month.
• There are also monthly prizes for participating by using hashtag #DCSPigskinParty on Instagram and for chatting in the Monthly Huddle Tread in the DCS Ravelry Group! Come play along. We’re having so much fun!
• WIP Interception- Winner Announced!!
• New sponsor: Jan Smiley Bag– Check out this martini themed bag! What a great prize!
• Just arrived in the mail- a beautiful new bag from Prairie bag works- beautiful cardinals and other birds on the outside. would be great for a 2-3 skein project. drawstring. inside has 2 pockets and a jump ring

December Participation Prizes were announced

Contests, News & Notes

Taste of Nomad Kit:

• One lucky winner will get a 3 month subscription to the Taste of Nomad Taster Package. Kits will arrive each month and include one original pattern and the yarn to make it, along with a recipe card from the garden behind the shop and a fun surprise.

• How to enter: Come on over to this thread, check out their patterns and tell us what you like best to be entered to win a 3 month subscription. Contest ends January 5th. You must be a member of the Ravelry Group to be entered to win.

News- VAT increase European Union have gone into effect. I want to make sure you can still buy my patterns. If you live in the EU and want one of my designs, please PM me on Ravelry, I’ll send you my Paypal info. If you make a donation to podcast I’ll give you the patterns you’d like. I’m still hoping for better solution in the coming weeks/months.

On a Happy Note

• We had a wonderful Christmas.
• Aila loved the huge giraffe we bought her. Will loved him Rhino!
• My best friend, Kris, made me a chevron burlap pillow with my podcast logo on a pocket on the front! AMAZING!
• Millie loved her Anna hoodie! The kids all had a great day!
• I went to see the The imitation Game at the movies. I think this is a must see.
• Dan and I are doing a biggest loser style weight loss challenge with our friends. It’s been a really fun and super motivating competition so far!
• I’ve enjoyed quality time with Dan over the vacation. We’ve started watching the League on Netflix. Totally irreverent raunchy humor, but if you’re interested in that this is a funny show.

 

Thank you for tuning into Episode 59!

This week’s segments included

• Off the Needles
• Brainstorming
• Events
• Contests, News & Notes
• On a Happy Note
• Quote of the Week

Off the Needles

Turn a Square Hat for Dan

• Pattern: Turn a Square by Jared Flood (free)
• Yarn: Malibrigo
• Needles: US 5 (3.75mm)

Turn a Square Hat in Blue

• Pattern: Turn a Square by Jared Flood (free)
• Yarn: Berrocco Vintage (deep stash)
• Needles: US 5 (3.75mm)

Matt’s Turn a Square Hat

• Pattern: Turn a Square by Jared Flood (free)
• Yarn: Mad Tosh Vintage (got on sale Black Friday)
• Needles: US 5 (3.75mm)
•  My 5 year old niece Aila has recently started asking to help me knit again. We worked on this at home and at our annual trip to the Enchanted Village.  I think people were in awe of her just whipping that yarn around the needles in line! It was really cute! 🙂

• Pattern: none
• Yarn: Miss Babs Kawaeh DK (Ginko= green & Perfectly Wreckless= variegated + pink – Floyd)
• Needles: US 7 (4.5mm) 40 inch. Nova Cubics Platina
• Made it up as I went along. Cast on 32 with green- 2×2 ribbing. perfectly wreckless. then striped pink, green pink. Back to perfectly wreckless up and through the thumb gusset. Pink 2×2 ribbing.

Purple sparkle leg warmers

• Pattern: improvised. Cast on 48 2×2 rib then stockinette, ending with 2×2 rib
• Yarn: Hopewood Crafts
• Needles: US 1.5

Crazy Vanilla Socks

• Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball
• Colorway: Fliederduft
• Needles: US 1.5
• Pattern: improvised (56 stitches, 2×2 ribbing, after-thought heel)

Slippers for Garret

• Pattern: Updated Parkskin Slippers (free) by Joan Janes
• Yarn: Cascade 220 superwash in a hunter green (from Stash- Gman picked it)
• Needles US 8

Fish Hat

• Pattern: Fish hat by Thelma Egberts from Knitty Winter 2008– free
• Yarn: leftover Berrocco Ultra Alpaca (teal), Liberty Wool (greens, limes, a little blue), off-white Cascade 220 superwash (from stash)
• Needles: US 5 (3.75mm) and US 6 (4mm) needles

• Pattern: Fancy Mug Cozy by Kirsten Hipsky (free)
• Yarn: leftovers- malibrigo rios I think in blues
• Needles: US 6
• Notes: Easy lace pattern!

Barley Hat

• Barley Hat by Tin Can Knits (free)
• Yarn: Cascade 200 Superwash Aran- free with Amy Herzog Class (purple)
• Needles: brim: US5, hat, US 6 (calls for US 6 & 8)
• Size: Child
• Super quick, fun knit. Perfect for Christmas knitting.
• Aila mentioned that I’d never knit her a hat. I have made headbands but apparently that doesn’t count 😉 how could I resist?

For more gift ideas check out my-  Gift tab on my projects page in Ravelry!

Brainstorming

• Barley hat for my nephew
• Another mug cozy for my other grandmother
• Maybe the nunchucks from Elizabeth Green Musselman’s Kung Fu Knits Book
• Really want to cast on in the new year for the Hallow Moon shawl.
  • Check out Lisa’s Hallow Moon

Events

THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART- BOSTON: Fiber: Sculpture 1960-present Runs until January 4th

Pigskin Party KAL

• Tune in to Episode 52 if you haven’t already

• Knit-a-long that runs along the NFL football season. For any projects you complete between Sept 4 and Feb 2nd you’ll earn points which are used to give you entries in for fantastic prizes. Opportunities to get more points along the way by using products from our awesome sponsors and for posting on instagram, getting others to participate in the KAL and things like that.
• Never too late to sign up. Click here for all of the details.
• There are also monthly prizes for participating by using hashtag #DCSPigskinParty on Instagram and for chatting in the Monthly Huddle Tread in the DCS Ravelry Group! Come play along. We’re having so much fun!
• Don’t forget about the WIPs Interception running from Thanksgiving to Christmas for the chance to win Swiss Chocolate!
• New sponsors:
  • Sarah [themartiniknitter] has contributed a beaded notions pouch. Check her out on Etsy at Sarah’s Cotton Patch
  • Jan Smiley Bag- more details next time
  • New in the mail this week— a football themed notions pouches from Danie of One Twisted Tree. It’s so cute!
• November Participation Prize winners announced. This month’s prizes: Deborah Tomasello’s Buried in Stash Calendar 2015 & a set of football stitch markers from  One Geek to Craft Them All

Contests, News & Notes

 We wrapped up contests for:

• Hayward Shawl Kit from Infinite Twist:  Designed by Susan B. Anderson
• Patterns by Kari from the High Fiber Diet Podcast: Lake Effect & Lake Avenue Cowl

This week we started a new contest. One lucky winner will get a 3 month subscription to the Taste of Nomad Taster Package. Kits will arrive each month and include one original pattern and the yarn to make it, along with a recipe card from the garden behind the shop and a fun surprise.

How to enter: Come on over to this thread, check out their patterns and tell us what you like best to be entered to win a 3 month subscription. Contest ends January 5th. You must be a member of the Ravelry Group to be entered to win.

On a Happy Note

Hot chocolate with fluff, while watching You’ve Got Mail (now on Netflix streaming!)

We got a treadmill from my parents! Hooray for more workout options. (though it’s awfully hot this close to the pellet stove!)

Black Friday deal at my LYS!

Thanksgiving weekend- dinners, kiddos sleeping over and Riley wanting to knit all the time!

Going to the Nutcracker with friends and family!

Our traditional holiday sleepover with Will & Aila.

Seeing Rudolph in Boston with 28 of my female relatives!

Quote of the Week

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” – Calvin Coolidge

Thank you for your love and support in 2014. I appreciate you.

Thank you for tuning into Episode 58!

• Off the Needles
• On the Needles
• Brainstorming
• From the Armchair
• Events
• Contests, News & Notes
• On a Happy Note
• Quote of the Week

Off the Needles

On the Needles

Brainstorming

From the Armchair

This week I reviewed the Knitter’s Pride Nova Cubics Platina Needles. Tune in for details, but I think you should give these a try!

Events

• Tune in to Episode 52 if you haven’t already
• WIP Interception- runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas and gives you the chance to win Swiss Chocolate! Thank you to Sarah for contributing these delicious prizes. Check out the Interception Thread in the Ravelry Group for details.
• This week I highlight some awesome FOs from our End Zone Dance Thread that would be good for gift knitting, supporting sponsors and scoring you some major points! It’s all about the win!
• Kerri Knits– knit up the  Boilermaker Cowl by Anne Hanson which is an interesting colorwork cowl with wavy vertical lines! It looks amazing on her. Also be sure to check out Kerri’s gorgeous designs.
• Sally from Idaho knit up a bunch of boot toppers using the Reversible Ribbed Boot Cuff pattern by  Everyday Art. These make great gifts and would be beautiful in any of Play at Life Fiber Arts yarns. They have a mix of solid, tonals and slightly variegated in both neutrals and fun colors!
• Scitchr, Diane, knit an  – Inside Out Cowl by Nicole Dupuis. Great unisex cowl pattern with interesting texture. It would calls for around 300 yards of fingering weight yarn and would be great with Ginx yarn– she has a couple different fingering weight bases. My favorite is the Goth Girl Purple colorway which is a purple overdyed with black.
• Or maybe you want to make some Christmas socks or a hat… for yourself?  Lilliput yarn has a beautiful Christmasy looking self striping colorway in her shop called the Bumpus Hounds  and Berry Colorful Yarnings has the December colorway! Both are great self-striping Christmas yarn options!

Contests, News & Notes

We have two lovely prizes donated by CoggieTM of the High Fiber Diet Podcast: Lake Effect and Lake Avenue Cowl. Come over to the Ravelry Thread and tell us which of the two you like best and why to be entered to win. I’ll draw for two winners (one pattern each) on Episode 59.

Infinite Twist is also sponsoring a contest this episode for the Hayward kit in soft gold colorway! Come check out the Ravelry Thread and be entered to win!

On a Happy Note

• Gym challenge: The 4 week challenge is over. I’m still waiting for the results, but my team had been in 1st place! I’m feeling healthier, more motivated and I even lost a few pounds!
• My Nutcracker kit came in the mail!! It includes a Suburban Stitcher Bag, Must Stash yarn, Vintage Rose Christmas Stitch Markers!
• I don’t have lice (anymore), though I did contract it from my adorable nieces and nephews. Good thing they’re so cute! [This was our initial set up for lice removal. We did the shampoo and then Dan combed my hair, analyzing findings under the microscope with a flashlight!]
  • Tip for knitters, according to the professional service I went to, lice can only live off the head for 24 hours so they advised that for anything that couldn’t be washed in HOT water, to put it in a plastic bag for more than 24 hours (no need to do it for a week or two weeks like you might read online).
• Thanksgiving– I’m so very thankful for family and tradition and each of you!

Quote of the Week

Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem. ~William Hamilton Gibson