Down Cellar Studio Podcast
 
Thank you for tuning in to Episode 176  of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. For full show notes & photos check out the show notes on my webpage by clicking here.
 
This week's segments included:
 
Off the Needles
Crafty Adventures
KAL News
Contest, News & Notes
Life in Focus
On a Happy Note
Quote of the Week
 
 
Off the Needles
  • Pattern: Dragon Belly by Johanna Lindahl 
  • Hook: J (6.0 mm)
  • Yarn: Berocco Ultra Wool in Heather (purple) and Charcoal gray. 
 
  • Pattern: Ball Band with a Twist by Jennifer Lassonde
  • Yarn: Lion Brand Re-Up in Denim and Gray
  • Hooks: F (3.7 mm) and G (4.0 mm)
  •  
  • Pattern: Bankhead Hat by Susie Gorley (free knitting pattern)
  • Yarn: Knitters Brewing Co Sock-aholic Brewski (worsted)
  • Needles: US 5 (3.75mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm)
  • Cast on Child Size. 
 
  • Pattern: prototype for new hat design
  • Yarn: Patons Classic Worsted (black)
  • Needles: US 5 & 7
  • Pattern: Football (Soccer Ball) by Emma Moss ($2 GBP) 
  • Hook: F (3.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable in White and Black
 
  • Pattern: none.  Improvised crochet
  • Hook: Says 0 but not sure what that means.
  • Yarn. Leftover fingering.
 
 
  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: Patons Kroy FX in the Green Striped Ragg Colorway
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
 
  • Pattern: Scrappy Sock Yarn Preemie Hat by Greg Cohoon
  • Yarn: leftover fingering weight yarn (from Savers)
  • Needles: US 2 (2.75mm) & US 3 (3.25 mm)
  • Cast on 64 because made one before that was 60 stitches and fit but was a little too small
 
  • Pattern: The Parker Baby Booties by Ashleigh Kiser (free crochet pattern)
  • Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly Crofter DK Baby Fair Isle Effect
  • Hook: D (3.25 mm)
Crafty Adventures
  • I mentioned last episode my Nana passed away age of 95. Left behind a great legacy of her beautiful crocheted blankets. My cousin Megan came up with a wonderful idea. She printed photos of many of my Nana’s projects and used a heart punch to cut them into heart shape. Pasted them to a plain background and framed them!
  • I made homemade banana ice cream for Mom and Jeff and my grandfather's family's eggplant recipe for Christmas dinner.
 
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 December Post
  • In 2020 we'll be switching to Quarterly Challenges
Slay the Stash Sponsor List- 2019
Pigskin Party ‘19
 
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 theStart Here Threadin the Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group including theRules,Questions Thread,End Zone Dance Threadwhere you post your FOs,Coupon Code Thread,List of Prizes,Exclusive Items from our Sponsors!
 
 
Pro Shop Sponsors 
Designs of Acadia (Pigskin Logo Bag)
 
Snack Shack Sponsors 
 
 
 
The January Interception is kindly sponsored by designer Windswept Designs (Monique Leonard)!
Did you know there’s a whole world of yarn out there that many of you have never played with? Most knitters I know use sheep’s wool but there are so many other fibers out there that offer a world of things to try. Before you roll your eyes and think “oh no, not cotton” just remember that just like you’d never judge all sheep’s wool by that one scratchy sweater that Aunt Tilda made you twenty years ago, not all cotton feels like that scratchy dish cloth. There’s also bamboo, silk, yak, alpaca, tencel, seacell, rose fiber, camel, acrylic, nylon, rayon, soy, mohair, angora, the list goes on. From gorgeous hand-dyed soft cotton to big box store acrylic there’s a range of price points and each fiber has its own interesting properties. Blends are a joy to work with! For this month’s interception, find a yarn that does not contain sheep. Not sure what to make? The sky’s the limit, but the advanced pattern search on Ravelry allows you to search by fiber type and will give you lots of ideas. And for the record, yes, you really can knit a beautiful stranded color work sweater out of cotton, like the two I wore to Rhinebeck this year. Happy knitting!
To be eligible to win
  • Complete a project of at least 100 yards that does not contain any sheep’s wool.
  • Project must have been cast on on/after 1/1/20 and completed by 1/31/20
  • Post your FO in this thread with a description and/or photo that shows how you’re meeting the challenge.
Entries:
  • 1 entry for your FO (max of 1 per person)
  • 1 additional entry if you use a pattern by Windswept Designs
Prize:
  • Will be posted soon!
 
Contest, News & Notes

103 Hatis available on Ravelry for $5. It is a DK weight textured hat that features purl rows and 1x1 cables. It includes a tutorial for how to do it without a cable needle and without having dangling stitches. Instructions are written and charted. It has been tech edited and test knit. 

  • 4 sizes
    • Finished sizes: 15.75 in/40 cm, 17.75 in/ 45 cm, 20.25 in/ 51.5 cm and 22.5 in/ 57 cm.
    • Finished height: 7.5 in/ 19 cm 
 
Part of Christy Houghton Yarn Cafe Creations Cast On Collaborative- December of Designers Project. First day’s profits going to National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts 
 
77 patterns $337 donated 
 
Life in Focus
I'm a little behind in reviewing my 2019. Last year I reviewed by theme: work, personal, podcast/design, finances, health + fitness
  • What am I most proud of?
  • What results did I get?
  • New Skills or Knowledge?
  • Things and People that brought me happiness
  • Top 5 things I'm grateful for
  • Habits + improvements I've incorporated
On a Happy Note
  • 7 kid Christmas sleepover. Will rubbing Millie’s feet. R &M to gymnastics and lunch. Eme in Funky Nutcracker. Watched newer grinch cartoon and had hot cocoa. 
  • Dan helped me with wrapping. All done in about 2.5 hour.
  • Dinner and drinks with Dan's cousin and her her husband
  • Christmas with our families.
 
Quote of the Week

“Nothing is so exhausting as indecision, and nothing is so futile.”

-- Bertrand Russell
------
 
Thank you for tuning in!
 
Contact Information:
 
Direct download: Epiode_176_-_123019_10.04_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:44am EDT

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 175 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. Check out full show notes and photos on my website. 

This week’s segments included:

  • Off the Needles
  • On the Needles
  • Brainstorming
  • Crafty Adventures
  • 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 sponsor: Imagined Landscapes

Off the Needles

Ribbit Socks

  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Ribbit Colorway
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)

Mystery Spirit Yarn Christmas Socks

  • Yarn: Unknown
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Pattern: Non-Euclidian Heel by Sarah Jordan

Velvet Bear

  • Pattern: Velvet Valentine Crochet Bear by Sarah Zimmerman
  • Yarn: Bernat Velvet in the Burgundy Plum & Blush Pink colorways
  • Hook: H
  • Used eyes and nose from 6060 on Etsy. 

Beanie for Bernie

  • Pattern: improvised based on Gina’s Messy Bun Hat
  • Hook: H (5.0mm)
  • Yarn: Bernat Velvet in the Burgundy Plum color way

On the Needles

Hattie’s Hedgehog 

  • Pattern: Hedley the Hedgehog by by Moji-Moji Design
  • Hook: B
  • Yarn- Mystery yarn from stash (maybe wool/alpaca from Long Island Livestock co)

Dragon Belly

  • Pattern: Dragon Belly by Johanna Lindahl 
  • Hook: J (6.0 mm)
  • Yarn: Berocco Ultra Wool in Heather (purple) and Charcoal gray. 

Cadet Colors Socks

  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: Patons Kroy FX in the Cadet Colors Colorway
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) 

Gram’s 2019 Christmas Socks

  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: Patons Kroy FX in the Green Striped Ragg Colorway
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)

Brooklyn’s TeenyBeanie

  • Pattern: The TeenyBeanie by Vanessa Smith (Hooked on Sunshine Crochet) -free crochet pattern
  • Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly Crofter Baby Fair Isle Effect (DK)
  • Hook: E (3.5 mm)

Millie’s Lipsticks

  • Yarn: leftover fingering weight
  • Hook: Unsure- it was handed down to me. Says 0
  • Pattern: made up as I went.

Soccer Ball

  • Pattern: Football (Soccer Ball) by Emma Moss ($2 GBP) 
  • Hook: F (3.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable in White and Black
  • 12 pentagons. 20 hexagons. 

Brainstorming

  • Before Christmas: Red Hat for Garret, 2 lipsticks for Millie, Hat and booties for Brooklyn (coming for sleepover this weekend). Ideally a hat for my dad, and a shawl for my grandmother (Dragon’s belly)
  • Before New Year’s: hedgehog for Hattie. 2 more toys for our friends’ daughters.

Crafty Adventures

  • I enjoyed a crafty day Thanksgiving Weekend with Megg. She got all of the fabric cut for the front of a quilt for her youngest daughter Hattie. Helped her with that while I started some projects.

Knitting in Passing

I shared stories of Millie spending lots of time on our recent trip to NH, knitting on “socks for Uncle Dan” which she proudly told anyone who inquired.

Enjoyed some fiber chat with my cousin Chris’ wife Leah.

 
I met a lovely lady on the train who talked about caring for someone with special needs who would sometimes crochet a chain for hours. Other times she’d make a blanket. She still brings her friend yarn when she goes to visit.


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 December Post
  • Use and follow #slaythestash2019 on Social Media

Slay the Stash Sponsor List- 2019 Official Rules for 2019 

We are not bringing Slay the Stash back as is in 2020:  Instead we’ll have a new quarterly challenge called the Quarterly Quest

  1. Quench the Queue
  2. Lessen the Library 
  3. Free the Favorites
  4. Slay the Stash

Pigskin Party ‘19

Not familiar? 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 Rules, Questions Thread, End Zone Dance Thread where you post your FOs, Coupon Code Thread, List of Prizes, Exclusive Items from our Sponsors!

Pro Shop Sponsors 

Snack Shack Sponsors

Updates this episode

  • November Participation Winners
  • November Interception Winner
  • The WIPs interception runs through end of KAL. Check out the details The WIPs Interception is POSTED!
  • Team Check In

Events


Contest, News & Notes 

I shared the sad news of Scott (Scooterpie) Manko’s passing 

Tune in to Episode 56 (Down Cellar Studio Podcast episode from 2014) where I told the story about first meeting Scooterpie and the running joke that ensued.

Life in Focus

Plastic-free July Update
What’s working well? 

  • Bamboo toothbrush 
  • Tooth soap from the Hippie Farmer 
  • Bar soap in shower and sink 
  • Charcoal bar soap for face 
  • Coconut oil for eye make up remover  
  • Argan oil from Trader Joe’s comes in glass 
  • Misfit box every two weeks.  If you think you might like it, check out this link to get 25% off your first order
  • Seltzer in can. Pour small amount into each glass or bottle of water for day 
  • Hot and iced coffee cup with me. 
  • Silverware and napkin and straw in purse and set in car. 
  • Using my 24oz wide mouth Ball Jar at work and home. Fits in my cup holder in the car. I do have a plastic cover but its made from recycled plastic and I use a metal straw with it.  Was a gift from my best friend. Link to Cuppow Lid that I use  
  • Made wash cloths for work- dishes. I already have cups, plates, silverware that stays at work and I was there. Was using paper towel. Cotton wash cloth dries quickly enough overnight its not a problem.
  • Continue to use my reusable mug for coffee with metal straw. 

Harder 

  • Still buying the occasional plastic seltzer bottle or soda on the go. 
  • Shampoo bar from Whole Foods + 1 from Hippie farmer. Neither worked.
  • Ordered Crush & Brush Toothpaste tabs. They don’t foam up enough for my liking.
  • Peanut butter- can buy in bulk w/ my jars only at one store locally and its not in my path. Haven’t been going back. Would like to make a point to go with 2-3 jars and refill.
  • Berries and tomatoes in plastic containers.  Try to limit when I can, but I also value getting in whole foods- different nutrients etc. 

On a Happy Note

  • Aila in the Nutcracker
  • Crafty day with Megg
  • Spotify for Christmas music
  • Yoga by the Christmas Tree
  • New glasses! 2 existing pairs with new lenses. 2 new pair.

Quote of the Week

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

–Audrey Hepburn

Thank you for tuning in!
Contact Information:

Direct download: Episode_175_-_121219_8.08_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

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