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Episode 248: Birthday Month

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Thank you for tuning in to Episode 248 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. This week’s segments included:

  • Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
  • On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
  • Brainstorming
  • From the Armchair
  • Crafty Adventures
  • KAL News
  • Events
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Cascade Heritage Socks 

  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry ) 
  • Yarn: Cascade Heritage Prints in Colorway 111 Aqua
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) 
  • I finished these before the last episode, but I didn’t talk about the colorwork I did before each toe. One sock says “just” and the other says “breathe.”

Mom’s Jean Marie Shawl

  • Pattern: Jean Marie by Jennifer Lassonde ($6 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & LoveCrafts).
  • Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm)
  • Yarn: Section 1: Dirty Water Dyeworks Lillian in Sea Breeze with Knit PIcks Capretta in Colorway 27636. Section 2: Dirty Water Dyeworks Lillian in Mediterranean & Hypnotic Yarn Plush Sock in Clair de Lune. Section 3: Hypnotic Yarn Plush Sock in Clair de Lune with Art by Ewe Signature Yarn in the Sapphire Colorway (70% Baby Alpaca/ 30% Silk). Bind Off: Art by Ewe Signature Yarn in the Sapphire Colorway with a 20g mini of a teal fingering weight yarn (no ball band). 
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Held fingering yarn doubled and went up a needle size from what pattern calls for. Result is a slightly larger size than the original which was exactly what I wanted. 
  • Cast on February 1. Finished on February 7. Blocked it, dry in time for Mom’s birthday on the 9th. 

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Grammy’s 2nd Jean Marie Shawl

  • Pattern: Jean Marie by Jennifer Lassonde ($6 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & LoveCrafts).
  • Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm)
  • Yarn: Plymouth Yarn DK Merino Superwash in Black, Light Gray and White (2 skeins each)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Nearly done with Section 1. 

Mini Skein Hexagon Blanket 

  • Pattern: Basic Crochet Hexagon Pattern & Tips from Make Do and Crew Website & YouTube Tutorial
  • Hook: F (3.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Mini skeins from 2022 agirlandherwool Advent Calendar, 24 Days of Cheer Swap minis + other scraps/swap yarn
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Check out this Instagram post that talks about the join I’ve been using for the end of each hex
  • 4 rounds per hexagon
  • 62 hexagons done as of now 

Cloudy Rainbow Socks

  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry ) 
  • Yarn: Yarn Cafe Creations Biscotti Yarn (85% SW Merino/15% Nylon 4 ply) in the Thestrals Colorway (gray with blips of rainbow colors
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) 
  • Cast on 60 stitches and worked 1/1 rib for 14 rounds. Knit about 2 inches and then reduced to 56 stitches (decreases like a toe- done at the beginning and end of each half of the sock). 
  • I am working on the 2 of them in tandem. Each on their own magic loop. 

Brainstorming

  • No-Purl Ribbed Blanket by Purl Soho. Click here for the Ravelry Pattern or here for the Purl Soho website. I heard about this on the Knit Ink Podcast/YouTube Channel hosted by Natasha and her mother Petra.
  • I’ve been very tempted by the Leah Cowl by Susy Knotsosquare. Granny Stripe Crochet cowl with triangle point on front. Calls for DK weight yarn.  Crochet pattern available for a little more than $5 US. Check it out on Ravelry or Etsy. You can also check out her Padme Cowl which is similar but different. Details available on Susy’s website.   
  • Generally just thinking about how when a project doesn’t have an imminent deadline, I’m far less motivated to pick it up. “What’s the point?” is often what comes to mind. It’s an interesting thing to consider because the very same project, given a due-date will often excite me to pick up. Does this happen to you? 

From the Armchair

Movies

Books

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.

Crafty Adventures

  • I worked with Millie on handmade Valentine cards for her classmates and teachers. 
  • Millie also made a cute Flamingo from a Plush Craft kit we purchased at Michael’s. Here’s an affiliate link to a similar one available on Amazon.
  • I finished most of the border for the sheep punch needle project that I haven’t picked up in more than a year. 

Punch Needle Project Details

KAL News

Pigskin Party’22: The Official Hashtag is #DCSPigskinParty22

  • Pigskin Landing Page on the Down Cellar Studio Website.
  • Start Here Thread in the Ravelry Group
  • Link to the Official Rules
  • Player Registration- Google Form
  • Check out our amazing Sponsors! Click here for the Google doc with their websites and Instagram profiles. 
    • Check out the list of available Coupons from our amazing sponsors- Ravelry Link. Google Doc.
    • Check out the Pigskin Exclusive Items in this Ravelry Thread
  • Important Updates in this Episode
    • Important Updates in this Episode
      • Tune in to hear if you won a January participation prize
      • January Interception: Self Care Bingo by Fitness by Mara. Winner announced!

Events

On a Happy Note

  • Lunch with the girls, sundaes and popcorn and Tar at Mom’s. 
  • Mom completed another 3 day round of chemo. We got good news that her January scans show the cancer remains the same. No new growth!
  • My friend Laura came to visit for the weekend. We spent Friday night at my parents’ hanging out and watching movies. We briefly lost power but it came back; cable did not, so thankfully we still had some more screener DVDs. Saturday, we hit some secondhand stores before going back over to Mom’s for dinner with my parents, my brother and nieces Riley and Millie. The next day we visited Dan’s friend Perry who was recently hospitalized and then to see his youngest brother Dave & our niece Gabriella and nephew Zachary. 
  • Mom & I each got a haircut (real hair for me, wig for Mom). 
  • On Thursday 2/9, we had dinner at Maggiano’s for Mom & Hattie’s birthdays before going to see Hamilton at the Boston Opera House. 
  • Millie came for her 11th Birthday Sleepover (even though her birthday isn’t until 2/20). She wanted to record some videos to share, so look for that on the Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel soon.

Quote of the Week

If you have a good idea, use it so that you will not only accomplish something, but so that you can make room for new ones to flow into you.

-Deng Ming-Dao

——Thank you for tuning in!

Episode 246: Cleaning off the Needles

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Thank you for tuning in to Episode 246 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
  • KAL News
  • Life in Focus
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

  • Perry’s Socks
  • Yarn: Patons Kroy FX 
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams ($5 Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page

Megg’s 2nd Nanaimo Cardigan

  • Pattern: Nanaimo Cardigan by by Tara-Lynn Morrison
  • Yarn:  Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick in Colorway: Abalone  (5 skeins)
  • Needles: US 13 – 9.0 mm, US 15 – 10.0 mm, US 19 – 15.0 mm (body)
  • Size XS/S 
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • I added 2 sets of short rows before the bottom ribbing.

Hattie’s Cat Amigurumi

  • Pattern: Siamese Cat Amigurumi by Mareeva Olga available on Ravelry, FireflyCrochet website & Etsy $6.40
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Worsted Weight Acrylic from stash: Magenta with sparkle, Silver with sparkle, Purple.
  • Ravelry Project Page

Friends in Fiber Socks

  • Yarn: Friends in Fiber Superwash Merino Nylon (75/25) in the Fibery Jewels Teal Speckle Colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams ($5 Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • These were my New Year’s Cast on socks.
  • 56 sts. 8.5 inches of knitting before starting the toe.

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Mini Skein Hexagon Blanket 

  • Pattern: Basic Crochet Hexagon Pattern & Tips from Make Do and Crew Website & YouTube Tutorial
  • Hook: F (3.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Mini skeins from 2022 agirlandherwool Advent Calendar, 24 Days of Cheer Swap minis + other scraps/swap yarn
  • Ravelry Project Page

From the Armchair

Watching:

Reading:

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

  • One of my OMG sock students Karen reached out via email with a photo of the 8 pairs of socks she knit and gifted for Christmas after taking my class at the beginning of the year!! 
  • Suzanne, SewRunKnit, sent chemo caps for Mom. She chose one and donated the others to the MGH Cancer Center; the next day they were gone.

KAL News

Pigskin Party’22: The Official Hashtag is #DCSPigskinParty22

  • Pigskin Landing Page on the Down Cellar Studio Website.
  • Start Here Thread in the Ravelry Group
  • Link to the Official Rules
  • Player Registration- Google Form
  • Check out our amazing Sponsors! Click here for the Google doc with their websites and Instagram profiles. 
    • Check out the list of available Coupons from our amazing sponsors- Ravelry Link. Google Doc.
    • Check out the Pigskin Exclusive Items in this Ravelry Thread
  • Important Updates in this Episode
    • Tune in to hear if you’re a December interception winner of a December participation prize winner.

Life in Focus

I enjoy doing a look back at the end of each year. You can see the video I made about Reviewing My Year/Goal Setting in this video on my YouTube Channel.

  • Knitting/Crochet/Spinning
    • 70 Knitting/Crochet Finished Projects in 2022
      • 41 knitting 
      • 29 crochet
      • 53 of 70 are gifts
    • Spinning- 4 finished projects. 872 meters of yarn. 
  • Released 0 new patterns but completed the writing and prototype for 2 designs- a shawl & cowl
  • Sagamore Flyover Hat was my best seller this year.

Tune in to hear a recap of my Word of the Year & Goals for 2022. We’ll talk more about plans and goals in the next episode.

On a Happy Note

  • Going to my cousin Amanda’s book party in Plymouth and out to dinner after with family and friends. Musical bingo!
  • 105 people at my parents’ Open House on January 7th, including my friend Laura who came in from NYC for the weekend.
  • Starting process to kick off the Fearless Living Fund in my mom’s name that will benefit blind population through the Blind Center of Nevada. Friends and family surprised Mom with over $1500 in initial donations. Mom’s friend Katy shaved her head in solidarity (check out the YouTube video here) and is raising money. 
  • While my aunt’s passing has been incredibly difficult, there is still a happy note there in that many of us were able to go visit the Sunday before she passed. Dan and I picked up my grandmother and my parents met us at my cousin’s house armed with leftover trays of food from the Open House. Earlier in the day I was able to help transfer Florence into the guest room bed while Dan and some of the guys disassembled her bed to ready her room for a hospital bed. Then we took turns visiting with her, saying our goodbyes, eating dinner and being together. very time the door to her bedroom opened she smiled and said “I love that sound!” and then “I want you to keep doing that. Even after.” I reminded her its not like we could stop it. It was a hard day but made easier being all together. She passed on Wednesday. 
  • Came home that day to flowers and a beautiful from card that in my daze, I never even saw until he came home and pointed them out!
  • Mom made it through another 3 day round of Chemo. 2 more to go (one in late January & one in February)
  • Getting back into yoga. 
  • Date night with Dan. We hit the local brewery and then onto the tavern for dinner. Just what we needed. 
  • Sleeping in! 

Quote of the Week

It is amateurs who have one big bright beautiful idea that they can never abandon. Professionals know that they have to produce theory after theory before they are likely to hit the jackpot.

– Francis Crick

——

Thank you for tuning in!
Contact Information:

Episode 245: Christmas Craziness!

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Thank you for tuning in to Episode 245 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
  • Crafty Adventures
  • In my Travels
  • KAL News
  • Life in Focus
  • Ask Me Anything
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Lucy the Fox

  • Pattern: Lucy the Fox by Banga Vaicekauskienė ($3.90 crochet pattern available on Ravelry and Etsy)
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted in White, Black and Orange 
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Knit Picks Affiliate Link
  • I gifted it to Aila and she named it Ginger

Shrek 

  • Pattern: Improvised using the basic instructions from Lucy Collin’s Han Solo pattern. Pattern no longer available for individual sale. You can find it in this book available from Amazon (affiliate link).
  • Yarn: Green- Spunky Eclectic Victoria in the Ginko Colorway. Cream- Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Cloud. Brown- Cascade 220 Superwash.
  • Hook: B (2.25 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page.
  • I used the basic top down instructions from Lucy Collin’s Han Solo pattern but made the face and belly bigger using increases and HDCs. 

Abington Hat

  • Pattern: Abington Hat by Jennifer Lassonde ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & LoveCrafts 
  • Yarn: fingering held double. Knit Picks Capretta in the Sagebrush Colorway & Friends in Fiber sock yarn.
  • Needles: US 4 & US 6. 
  • Size- Medium
  • Ravelry Project Page

Sugarplum Socks

Belt for Mom’s Wave of Change Cardigan

  • Yarn: Battenkill Fiber Mill Yarn (from Rhinebeck 2019). No label or other details available
  • Needles: US 8 (5.0 mm)
  • Mock i-cord edging with garter stitch for the center. Small number of increases at the beginning and decreases at the end. Will have to see if we want to add some icords onto the sweater to hold the belt or not.

Wave of Change Jacket 

  • Pattern: Wave of Change Jacket by Denise Bayron ($9 US knitting pattern)
  • Yarn: Battenkill Fiber Mill Yarn (from Rhinebeck 2019). No label or other details available
  • Needles: US 8 (5.0 mm) for body. US 6 (4.0 mm) for ribbing.
  • Size 3, 45” bust because it calls for 2-4 inches of positive ease.
  • Switch to Lykke Needles for body. Thought I was using 32”. Was maybe 24. 
  • Ravelry Project Page

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

  • Perry’s Socks
  • Yarn: Patons Kroy FX in the Cascade Colors colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams ($5 Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page

Woolens and Nosh Socks

  • Yarn: Woolens & Nosh Targee Socks- 2022 Advent Calendar 
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams ($5 Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page

Megg’s 2nd Nanaimo Cardigan

  • Pattern: Nanaimo Cardigan by by Tara-Lynn Morrison
  • Yarn:  Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick in Colorway: Abalone  (5 skeins)
  • Needles: US 13 – 9.0 mm, US 15 – 10.0 mm, US 19 – 15.0 mm (body)
  • Size XS/S 
  • Ravelry Project Page

From the Armchair

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.

Crafty Adventures

  • Vlogmas 2022! 3rd year doing this project on my Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel. You can find the playlist here.
  • Christmas Day video still to come!

In My Travels

  • I went to Las Vegas with my parents, my brother Jeff and our friends Trish and Thayer from December 13-19th.
  • We visited the Hoover Dam, went ziplining down Fremont Street, had a couple really swanky dinners out including one at the Paris hotel on the Vegas strip overlooking the Bellagio fountains, did a bit of gambling on the slot machines, attended a Gatsby themed wedding and my brother and I ended the trip with a heck of a Patriots/Raiders game at the new Allegiant Stadium.
  • We visited Blind Center of Nevada. 

KAL News

Pigskin Party’22: The Official Hashtag is #DCSPigskinParty22

  • Pigskin Landing Page on the Down Cellar Studio Website.
  • Start Here Thread in the Ravelry Group
  • Link to the Official Rules
  • Player Registration- Google Form
  • Check out our amazing Sponsors! Click here for the Google doc with their websites and Instagram profiles. 
    • Check out the list of available Coupons from our amazing sponsors- Ravelry Link. Google Doc.
    • Check out the Pigskin Exclusive Items in this Ravelry Thread
  • Important Updates in this Episode

Life in Focus

Ask Me Anything

Tune in to hear the answers to these questions asked by listeners:

  • How is your Mom doing? I’m praying for her. 
  • I want to hear about your advent knits
  • Knitting projects
  • What was the make you most enjoyed making? What memory makes you happiest?
  • Your plans for 2023, how you’re holding up with all that’s going on in your world.
  • New Years Cast On Plans

On a Happy Note

  • Going to see Six with my bestie, Kris.
  • My friend Liz came over on the Thursday before Christmas to help me wrap. It was a good thing we finished because that night the power went out.
  • Friday morning I went to the ocean to see the waves crashing in after the bombcylone blew through.
  • Christmas Eve at my cousin Susan’s- visit with Santa, cutting Mom’s hair and a funny exchange where Santa thought I was the mother of one of my cousin’s kids.
  • Sleeping over Mom’s on Christmas night, watching movies and playing Tock with Mom, Riley and Millie. 
  • Christmas morning snuggles with my youngest nephew, Zachary. Silly Christmas games Gail set up at my parents- Cling Wrap Game and the bows game (new to us this year). Stay tuned for the video to come soon!
  • 2 unexpected packages- one from Woolen Women Fibers and one from Suzanne, SewRunKnit, who sent three beautiful chemo caps for Mom/donation.

Quote of the Week

There are years that ask questions and years that answer.–ZORA NEALE HURSTON

Thank you for tuning in!
Contact Information: