Category Archives: Show Notes

Episode 171: #RhinebeckReady

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 171 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. This week’s segments included:
  • Off the Needles
  • On the Needles
  • Brainstorming
  • From the Armchair
  • Knitting in Passing
  • KAL News
  • Events
  • Contest, News & Notes
  • Ask Me Anything
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Off the Needles

  • Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Lasso color way
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)Lasso Knit Picks Felici Socks
  • Pattern: Watayuki by Natsuko Iida
  • Yarn: Sweitzer Fiber Mill
  • Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm)
  • Yarn: bought in bargain bin at Rhinebeck.
  • #myRHINEbipoc sweater #2 for me. #BIPOCMAL2019
  • Matches perfectly with my OPI Nail polish- Berlin There Done ThatD576DAB6-2D80-457A-BE07-682BAD95879E 694FC1D7-16B5-4FB0-90AA-F7F090101169

On the Needles

  • Pattern: Dragon Belly Shawl by Johanna Lindahl
  • Yarn: Knit Picks
  • Hook: J
  • Melville – City Tweed DK Value Pack.7F38145A-6AB1-4ACB-8B5A-44BC84A7AD45
  • Pattern: Crayons Amigurumi by StringyDingDing
  • Yarn: Plymouth DK
  • Hook: D (3.25 mm) I may go down a hook size the body of the crayon.
  • Yarn: Wisdom Yarns Pix in the Cake Party Colorway
  • Pattern: TBD
  • Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
  • 56 stitches, cuff down.5B2B47C6-E6C5-44F3-AF1D-19C3CCEA04E9
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Playhouse colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)Knit Picks Felici Playhouse Socks

Brainstorming

  • I’d like to start a pair of socks for my friend, Laura. Last night I wound up a skein of the color way “The Huddle is Real” a Pigskin Party Exclusive from 2018 by Queen City Yarn 
  • Rhinebeck packing- at least 2 pair of socks (maybe 3) Maybe another Dragon Belly shawl?
  • Friday, I think I’ll wear my Sandbar Cardi by Toni LipseySandbar Cardi
  • Saturday, if its cool enough and initial forecasts indicate it will be, I’ll wear my new Watayuki pullover
  • Sunday I may wear my Grace & Frankie Shawl20C98BB6-5482-4CE9-AF81-14AABA6AB898
  • I’ll be packing my Ice Time Hat & Cowl for sure.

From the Armchair

I share my tips on getting #RhinebeckReady. If you’re on my email newsletter list you’ll receive this PDF in the email newsletter going out w/ the podcast episode.
  • Share your packing and your tips with #RhinebeckReady on Instagram.
  • If you’re coming to Rhinebeck, bring me a swatch! My friend Beverly is working on an art project with the theme “connection.” She wants to work with swatches from knitters all over the world into one piece.
    Details:
    • Swatches DO NOT need to be blocked, or be from any particular type of fiber, color, or weight.
    • Please attach the following info (if you bring your swatch in a plastic bag you can slip a note in it or just safety pin to it): Where are you from? (City, country) What did you swatch this for? (it’s ok to say just for fun or for this project)
    • If you want me to send you a photo of the finished project, please include some sort of contact info – even just a ravelry name.

Knitting in Passing

Riley took the sock I was knitting on at my Dad’s birthday dinner. Millie asked to knit in the car on the way home but I had to tell her no.Riley knitting on my socks

KAL News

Slay the Stash 2019
  • Each month you can declare a skein of yarn to knit/crochet/weave to its very end. Let’s use up those older special skeins (purchased before 2019) – and maybe win a new beautiful skein of yarn from one of our sponsors along the way!
  • Check out the October Post
  • Use and follow #slaythestash2019 on Social Media
  • Tune in to see if you’re the September winner
Slay the Stash Sponsor List- 2019
Pigskin Party ‘19Artwork - Pigskin Party Final2
Not familiar? It’s a ridiculously fun make-a-long that runs all through the NFL football season. We typically have a couple hundred participants each year. For each FO you finish, you earn touchdown & field goal points. You also earn points for using sponsor products & fulfilling other challenges. For every 100 points earned, you get an entry into our Grand Prize drawing. We also have lots of prizes reserved for participation on Ravelry and Instagram to keep it fun and light.
It is an annual knit, crochet, weaving and spin along.Cast on anytime On/after September 5, 2019- February 3, 2020
Everything you need to know is linked in the Start Here Thread in the Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group including the RulesQuestions ThreadEnd Zone Dance Thread where you post your FOs, Coupon Code ThreadList of PrizesExclusive Items from our Sponsors!
Pro Shop Sponsors
Designs of Acadia (Pigskin Logo Bag)
Snack Shack Sponsors

Events

  • Indie Untangled I’ll be attending in the 12-2p time slot.
  • Needles Up! Friday October 18, 2019. General admission 1-6p  Best Western Plus Kingston Hotel and Conference Center. I’m planning to attend after Indie Untangled.
  • Rhinebeck Yarn Bazaar : Friday October 18 from 2-6p in Rhinebeck. Knit night event at 7:30p (must buy ticket). I am not planning to attend.
  • NY Sheep & Wool Festival (aka Rhinebeck)- October 19 & 20 (new hours Sat 9-5 and Sunday 9-4). I’ll be there both days! Come say hi.
  • Whinebeck Bingo– for those who can’t attend but want something fun to do that weekend- check out Whinebeck Bingo by the Knitmore Girls. This year there’s a printable Bingo card. Check off the things you do and share on social media!
  • Fiber Festival of New England– November 2 & 3 in Springfield, MA (I cannot attend this year).

Contest, News & Notes

Ask Me Anything

I answered two questions from Instagram users.
  • What are you most looking forward to at Rhinebeck? What’s on your wishlist?
  • Knitting for the body one has now, rather than waiting until one loses/gains enough weight?

On a Happy Note

  • I got to see my nephew Will’s footsol game last Friday which totally cheered me up after a tough day.5B2B47C6-E6C5-44F3-AF1D-19C3CCEA04E9
  • I received some beautiful flowers from Dan (to my office) while I was at conference.086B74E0-51AA-4681-A05A-69A949EB4082
  • I attended the yarn bombing event I participated in with my family last Saturday.C47637B7-FAAA-47E0-BBF4-0780B0FEEB0B95685E81-F954-4182-8F34-91F4A06E75C6
  • Dinner for Dad’s birthday- Millie (7) talked us into a sleepover. Highlights: snuggles before bed, holding hands, reading Polar Express, building her a sleeping fort next to the guest bed in what she calls “her room.” Pancakes in the morning. Craft project.0DA9F25B-5447-457B-92D2-84A27FEF212E70D6848B-BCE9-4992-ACC2-EF14B3845B2B B3774A55-C112-48EE-A3FF-ECAF9DFBB7CD16E66EE7-02AB-4E7E-B4EF-B25B389224F5
  • My niece Aila (9) will be performing with Boston Ballet in the Nutcracker in Boston this winter. She’ll be a mouse and a polichinelle!
  • BONUS AUDIO at the end with Millie

Quote of the Week

“It is all a question of weeding out what you yourself like best to do, so that you can live most agreeably in a world full of an increasing number of disagreeable surprises.”

— M.F.K. Fisher

——
Thank you for tuning in!
Contact Information:

Episode 170: Flo, Fall & Haul

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 170 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. This week’s segments included:
  • Off the Needles
  • On the Needles
  • Crafty Adventures
  • 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: AdoreKnit

Off the Needles

  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: West Yorkshire Spinners in the Fairy Lights colorway
  • Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)West Yorkshire Spinners Fairy Lights Socks
  • Improvised pattern influenced by the Pig Miniature Amigurumi pattern and some counts from the Cuddle Bunny pattern (both linked on my Ravelry Project Page).
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava minis- 2 colors of pink.
  • Eyes from 6060 on Etsy
5A4FE44F-DB7E-477D-87ED-39FED4DCA92A
  • Improvised pattern influenced by the Buddy Bunny in the 4 Seasons Easter pattern and some counts from the Cuddle Bunny pattern (both linked on my Ravelry Project Page).
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava minis
  • Eyes & nose from 6060 on Etsy

On the Needles

  • Pattern: Watayuki by Natsuko Iida $6.34 US at time of checking
  • Yarn: Sweitzer Fiber Mill
  • Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm)
  • Yarn: bought in bargain bin at Rhinebeck.
  • #myRHINEbipoc sweater #2 for meWatayuki Pullover
  • Yarn: Unknown
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Pattern: Non-Euclidian Heel by Sarah Jordan (Knit-Wit Designs— Pigskin Sponsor)33C81DE9-4E54-4273-8955-73F171BC9135
  • Yarn: Holly Press Fibers Sheepish base in the To Knit or to Hike Colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)To Knit or to Hike color way Holly Press Fibers
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Lasso color way
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Knitting in tandemE5141058-CA68-4B64-BEA8-AFF38CDAD479

Crafty Adventures

  • Tune in to hear about how I used an old swatch to cover up a conference logo and epicycle a tote bag!
  • I used a Fiskars Perforating blade for my rotary trimmer to make the holes into which I could sew on the swatch.
  • I single crocheted around the outside edge (after sewing on the swatch- probably not the ideal order of operations), then steam blocked it.
  • Wins: Great use of swatch. Great place to put buttons and enamel pins. Great way to get more life out of a bag I may have donated but is certainly still useful to me.Up-cycled Conference Tote using old knit swatch

Knitting In Passing 

  • In visiting friends this weekend two brothers told me stories about their mother’s quilting and knitting, the things she made for them and the memories they still cherish.
  • I used my half-knit sock as a beer koozie when my hand was too cold and I couldn’t find the one I packed.16763821-72B3-4353-83D3-D19B96602ED8

In my Travels

Tune in to hear about my visits to all 9 shapes in the Cape & South Shore Yarn Haul– September 12-15, 2019 (the first year for this event).

KAL News

Slay the Stash 2019
  • Each month you can declare a skein of yarn to knit/crochet/weave to its very end. Let’s use up those older special skeins (purchased before 2019) – and maybe win a new beautiful skein of yarn from one of our sponsors along the way!
  • Check out the September Post & the October Post.
  • Use and follow #slaythestash2019 on Social Media
Slay the Stash Sponsor List- 2019
Pigskin Party ’19 
Pro Shop Sponsors 
Snack Shack Sponsors

Events

Contest, News & Notes

  • #BIPOCMAL: Started by DesamourDesigns on Instagram.Click here for a link to her website with all the details.
  • Refugee hats for Maine. Information from Clara Parkes on Instagram: Having fled their homes in Congo and Angola and then traveled 10,000 miles they didn’t exactly have time to stock up on warm winter woolens before they got there. This is where knitters and crocheters come in. They need warm hats and mittens especially for babies and children.
    • Address: Maine Access Immigrant Network 237 Oxford St. Suite 25A Portland, ME 04101

Life in Focus

  • For our annual Woodchopping Weekend Party we bought and used compostable plates, bowls and utensils. Felt great not throwing out a bunch of trash! We had some recyclables, but mostly cans. Bought growlers to cut down on the single server beer containers.7F5A02CB-8223-4180-A362-951699FA9419
  • Have still been hitting the gym hard. Consistently 3-4 days per week now instead of 2.
  • Finalizing tech edit of a hat pattern, and knitting up 2 more. Updating those notes. Feeling very happy with my progress this year but will be happier when I get each of them across the finish line.

On a Happy Note

  • Camping in VT. Exploring new trails on our friend’s property which inspired Dan and I to do some more work on our own land.BEB600AA-34DD-4DAF-A1D2-0A14DEF63F9F
  • Woodchopping weekend- funny moment when talking about colorwork and being unsure if letters would stand out. Dan contributes “once you swatch it you’ll be able to tell”DECB2A67-5C32-4DF7-AC8C-2C5E348E40F8 82B8406E-D018-4EA8-BF2B-64856F500A5B 7D2CE244-40B0-423F-B288-2B3F3CFA9E60 CC99FA48-4079-4C8B-B061-33A9A016FCD0
  • Riley, Aila, Oisin slept over afterwards. Riley says she’s going to carry on Uncle Dan’s pancake tradition. Tune in after the credits for some audio with Riley and Aila.070F387F-3018-44C7-9136-7CE4E00C5D87 359440F0-A431-4B7D-AC76-AFFA7F1F1FD4 19CBE1F6-A87E-4F7B-9EB9-4071C74D25564391DE7E-4186-491A-A9BE-1BC703A97990

Quote of the Week

Change may not always bring growth, but there is no growth without change.”
― Roy T. Bennett
——
Thank you for tuning in!
Contact Information:

Episode 169: Christmas Socks!

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 169 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. This week’s segments included:
  • Off the Needles
  • On the Needles
  • From the Armchair
  • Knitting in Passing
  • KAL News
  • Events
  • Contest, News & Notes
  • Life in Focus
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week
Thank you to this episode’s sponsors: agirlandherwool & Jennifer Lassonde designs

Off the Needles

I finished a new version of a hat design I’m working through. DK weight yarn from Goosey FibersSquish Base. So squishy and soft. Highly recommend. Also realized that this base is a 75% super wash merino wool 25% nylon which I think is hard to find. But if you’re ever wanting to make DK weight socks this is a great option.

On the Needles

  • Pattern: Watayuki by Natsuko Iida $6.34 US at time of checking
  • Yarn: Sweitzer Fiber Mill
  • Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm)
  • #myRHINEbipoc sweater #2 for me. This also counts for the #BIPOCMALF509382F-7248-484D-93C9-19CD4D82D645 A9D7E8F5-7B05-40EC-A34D-8D8CE5CDB374
  • She needs a name! Suggestions on Facebook: Flora, Flo, Rosa, Penelope, Florence, DANielle (because I said she was going to replace Dan), Flossy, Peggy, Paulette, Fifi, Mango, Frankie for Francesca, Fran,Felicia the Fab Flamingo, Ethyl,  Phyllis, Fabriana, Robin, Fiona, Flora, Fantasia, Fleur
  • Will be on display at the Mansfield, MA Fall Festival at Fulton Pond October 4 + 5, 2019E69E4879-A662-4062-93B2-75576F03DCF2
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: West Yorkshire Spinners in the Fairy Lights colorway
  • Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)2D57E2E4-350B-4279-8D70-D5482EDDE35C
  • Yarn: Unknown
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Pattern: Non-Euclidian Heel by Sarah Jordan (Knit-Wit Designs— Pigskin Sponsor)ABF3C50F-EC8E-43CB-9E3A-382D57C60D8D
  • Yarn: Holly Press Fibers Sheepish base in the To Knit or to Hike Colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • First Pigskin Party 19 Project. Holly Press Fibers is a Pro Shop  Sponsor (8pts) and I’m carrying it in a fun woodland themed bag from Kitchen Counter Crafter- Snack Shack Sponsor (4 pts)8DF1DB9F-00D8-4B3F-9CE9-AEC23E999821
  • Pattern: Christmas Stockings to Knit and Crochet from Family Circle Magazine
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Red, Everglade Heather and White
  • Hook: F (3.75 mm)

From the Armchair

Knitting In Passing 

I shared a story about chatting with a man on my train about knitting socks (and then found out Lisa was on my train the whole time but we didn’t see each other).

KAL News

Slay the Stash 2019
  • Each month you can declare a skein of yarn to knit/crochet/weave to its very end. Let’s use up those older special skeins (purchased before 2019) – and maybe win a new beautiful skein of yarn from one of our sponsors along the way!
  • Check out the September Post
  • Use and follow #slaythestash2019 on Social Media
Slay the Stash Sponsor List- 2019
Pigskin Party ’19 Artwork - Pigskin Party Final2
Not familiar? It’s a ridiculously fun make-a-long that runs all through the NFL football season. We typically have a couple hundred participants each year. For each FO you finish, you earn touchdown & field goal points. You also earn points for using sponsor products & fulfilling other challenges. For every 100 points earned, you get an entry into our Grand Prize drawing. We also have lots of prizes reserved for participation on Ravelry and Instagram to keep it fun and light.
Everything you need to know is linked in the Start Here Threadin the Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group including the Rules, Questions Thread, End Zone Dance Threadwhere you post your FOs, Coupon Code Thread, List of Prizes, Exclusive Items from our Sponsors!
September Interception is posted! Presented by Pigskin Sponsor Woodsy & Wild
  • Prize: A Woodsy & Wild signature Birch Bag
  • You can also find a video of me talking about it on my Instagram profile page listed as #1 Interception or find it on YouTube.
Pro Shop Sponsors 
Snack Shack Sponsors

Events

Contest, News & Notes

Life in Focus

  • Health: Focusing on drinking more water and eating breakfast later. Skipping snacking and working through urges to eat. Time to get off the summer pound or two I put on.
  • Design- got a huge stack of stitch dictionaries from the library! Psyched to pour through them.4985C537-A56C-4B75-AB90-DB8B77E80C89

On a Happy Note

  • I shared stories from Labor Day weekend. Yes, Mom and I made another trip to Savers.77CCB71F-F1F2-4F0C-84CC-11A5B2C3F464
  • Last Saturday, we hung out at – Vitamin Sea Brewing. Then I saw a friend in fundraiser musical- the Bridges of Madison County.
  • Applepicking at Applecrest.334F9025-958A-49D9-A86F-6BC3182A894D 96B3BD78-A9B3-4F8F-A126-35ED6D77AEF6 3C000B5C-D0D8-4465-9857-36CEBC01B9D6

Quote of the Week

“To be heroic is to be courageous enough to die for something; to be inspirational is to be crazy enough to live a little.”
― Criss Jami
——
For website:
Thank you for tuning in!
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