Down Cellar Studio Podcast

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 223 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. For full show notes and photos check out my website. www.downcellarstudio.com/223 

This week’s segments included:

  • Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
  • Brainstorming
  • From the Armchair
  • Some Years Later
  • Crafty Adventures
  • Knitting in Passing
  • KAL News
  • Life in Focus
  • Ask Me Anything
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Mermaid Tail Socks

  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Mermaid Tail colorway
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • My Ravelry Project Page

Crochet Squirrel

  • Pattern: Crochet Squirrel by Junuen Lisunia (free crochet pattern on Ravelry)
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Worsted Weight Acrylic from stash in light brown and dark brown
  • Ravelry Project Page

Among Us- Blue

  • Pattern- Among Us Amigurumi by Tiffany Horton- free crochet pattern available on her website or $2.50
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Ravelry Page shows Among Us Characters alive and dead (dead is when they have a bone exposed) and with a crown. But the “without a bone” and “crown” instructions are not actually included in the PDF. See below for option that has the bone.

Among Us- Yellow with Bone

  • Pattern- Among Us Amigurumi Dead Version by Tiffany Horton- available free on her website
  • Yarn: Worsted Weight Acrylic Yarn from Stash- in Yellow
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page

Camp Out Fingerless Mitts

  • Pattern: Camp Out Fingerless Mitts by tante ehm- Free Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry.
  • Yarn: Fully Spun Sock Yarn in the Blue Hole Colorway (blue) with a strand of fingering weight Corriedale handspun yarn.
  • Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page

Mom’s Christmas Headband

  • Pattern: 108-18 Knitted Hair Band by DROPS Design. Free Pattern available from DROPS website & on Ravelry
  • Yarn: Fully Spun Sock Yarn in the Blue Hole Colorway (blue) with a strand of fingering weight Corriedale handspun yarn.
  • Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page

Riley’s Christmas Cardigan

  • Pattern: Everyday Cardigan in Merino No. 5 by Loopy Mango
  • Needles: US 15 (10 mm)
  • Yarn: Bernat Blanket in Misty Green (sage color)
  • My Ravelry Project Page
  • Pattern calls for Seed Stitch but I’m just using the basic instructions and using cables and ribbing for the body/sleeves. 
  • For the front bands I did HDC through back/front loop.

Pink Moon Sweater

  • Pattern: Pink Moon by This.Bird.Knits. $8 US Pattern available on Ravelry and on the This.Bird.Knits Site.
  • Needles: US 5 & 7 (3.75 & 4.5 mm)
  • Yarn:
    • Sweitzer Fiber Mill unknown (gray)- Rhinebeck 2019
    • Lisa Daschinger Wools (mustard)- Farm Fiber Day’s Russell’s Market January 2020
    • mur yarn merino cashmere fingering (pink)- Barcelona 2019
    • Rowan Alpaca Classic (pink) Staci’s Stitches- LYS
    • Marroon- Handspun
  • Ravelry Project Page

Brainstorming

  • I purchased, for the first time, the complete set of Knit Picks Felici. 10 colorways. 1 50g ball each (I subsequently ordered another set). Considering purchasing from Knit Picks? Consider using my Knit Picks Affiliate Link
  • Designs- when I have a bit more mental bandwidth…
  • We found my grandmothers rugmaking supplies at Mom’s house. Need to do some googling! 
  • Spinning.

From the Armchair

2021 Knitting in Review

90 finished knit/crochet projects

  • 2 cardigans
  • 5 tops
  • 19 toys
  • 5 shawls
  • 24 pairs of socks
  • 4 headbands
  • 1 pair of mitts
  • 1 knitted tree decoration
  • 1 Christmas stocking
  • 12 hats
  • 7 blankets
  • 2 jar cozies
  • 7 garlands

Spinning- 4 projects, 11 skeins, 1,686 yards of Yarn (8 spinning projects in 2020 but they were smaller)

Crochet- 38 projects. Knitting 52 projects

Click here for a link to my 2021 Ravelry Projects Tab.

Some Years Later

In July, I gifted my niece Gabriella a teddy bear crochet with Bernat Velvet yarn. She bumped her lip on the way over for a Christmas visit and grabbed her bear for comfort so they brought it with them. Lots of ends sticking out. I took a cable needle and shoved them back in and she looked pretty great after that!

Gabriella’s Velvet Bear

Crafty Adventures

  • Making banana ice cream with Garret. We use this recipe.
  • Making Pizzelles- tasted delicious but looked kind of crumby but confectionary sugar hides many sins. 

Knitting in Passing

  • During a recent sleepover, Millie wanted help with a knitting project and per usual she claimed she didn’t remember how to knit, but when she sat down and started, she picked right up where she left off. We have learned though that she does not enjoy bamboo needles so I need to work on getting her a short circular, metal needle replacement for the cowl she’s working on.
  • Riley’s current project is a cowl from Lion Brand in a fun color changing yarn. It turned out a bit too big and so instead, she wants to make it into a top for Millie. She’s learned to make i-cord to use for straps and we’ll sew those on when she’s done.

KAL News

Pigskin Party ’21: Official Hashtag: #DCSPigskinParty21

Important Links:

  • Monthly Scavenger Hunt (December clues have been posted): Figure out these fun clues and earn points each month. Check out this Ravelry Thread or this Google Doc.
  • December Interception: hosted by Knitty Natty. Find details in this Ravelry thread or in this Google Doc. Cast on 12/1/21 or later. Deadline to post 12/31/21.

Life in Focus

Starting my annual Year in Review process. I shared about this last year on my YouTube Channel. Check out that video here

Tune in to hear how I did with my 21 for 2021 list. Hear more about these lists on the Happier Podcast w/ Gretchen Rubin

I also reviewed my Word of the Year and primary goals for 2021.

Ask Me Anything

  • Shana “Savers, duh!”- Check out the Christmas Thrifting Video on my YouTube Channel.
  • Marilynknits- “Could you talk about you learned to crochet? I think you probably already shared but I forget. Maybe you could also share a source for your favorite crochet tutorials. I am learning how to crochet!”
  • knit_read_sleep: “How the cling wrap game works. That looked so fun”- tune in to hear my description & check out our video of the Cling Wrap Game Video on the Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel.
  • francesgiff-knitting plans for 2022
    • Handspun garment
    • A new hat for me.
    • Spinning
    • I want to make more garlands for my house. Christmas themed one would be fun. 
  • Genna-with-a-gee: “What are you best methods for having a successful year? Keeping low stress?”
    • Build habits that get you headed where you want to go. Figure out not just what you’re aiming for but concrete steps of when, where, how you’ll do things to move in that direction.
    • Be grateful. Look for the good things happening around you and you’ll find those.
    • Remember that life isn’t all good. It’s a mix. We’re supposed to be sad, angry, overwhelmed. Personally I don’t find it useful to try to find a way out of that. Experience it. Lean in, and then…when it feels like it could pass, move on. Try to move back towards more positive emotions. 

On a Happy Note

  • Thank you for all of your kind notes, comments, cards etc after we announced last episode that Mom is battling lung cancer. We truly appreciate it. After a grueling experience with the special pharmacy, Mom has finally started her gene therapy treatment. 
  • Visiting with Maria who was visiting from Barcelona. Check out the Day 17 Vlogmas Video  to see the treats my friend Marta and her sons sent over for Dan and me.
  • Thrifting with Mom & the kids followed by a 4 kid sleepover.Check out the Day 18 & 19 Vlogmas Video for more. Patrons, check out your Patreon feed for an even longer video with lots more highlights and funny moments from the kids.
  • In addition to fun pancakes- we also scored a sea themed waffle maker at Savers so we made Dolphin, Seahorse and Crab waffles!
  • Babysitting my niece Gabriella.
  • Singing Christmas Carols by the fire even if it was freezing outside! 
  • A quieter Christmas Eve than we planned that turned into a lovely night.
  • Christmas Day with our families. So much fun and laughter. Check out Vlogmas videos for more.  
  • Continued adventures with Helen- the mannequin head- we discussed on the last episode. Millie and Dan got into hijinks on Christmas!

Quote of the Week

“Satisfaction is always available. It is just not always looked for. If, when you enter any experience, you enter with curiosity, respect and interest you will emerge enriched and with awareness you have been enriched. Awareness of enrichment is what satisfaction is.” 

-Ann Hastings

Thank you for tuning in!
Contact Information:

Direct download: Episode_223_-_123121_11.34_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:40am EDT

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 222 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. Full show notes and photos can be found on my website: http://www.downcellarstudio.com/222 

This week’s segments included:

  • Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
  • On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
  • From the Armchair
  • Some Years Later
  • Crafty Adventures
  • KAL News
  • Life in Focus
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Shout out to Ultimate Insider Patrons: Charlie, Candy, Alicia, Rachel, Rainah, Luanne & Beth

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Aila Grace Shawl 

  • Pattern: Aila Grace by Jennifer Lassonde
  • Yarn: Into the Whirled Gloucester Sock in the Ramble Colorway (oranges, reds, pinks, purples)
  • Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)
  • My Ravelry Project Page
  • Check out Day 10 of my Vlogmas Videos to see the shawl after blocking.

Gnomes of the Gnorth

  • Pattern: Gnomes of the Gnorth by Sue Perez (free crochet pattern on Ravelry & website). Video tutorial available on YouTube.
  • Hook: B
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Dance Shoe Legwarmers

  • Pattern: Dance Shoe Legwarmers by Sherry Katherine Vernon (free knitting pattern)
  • Yarn: Charming Ewe Suki Sock in the Mystic Topaz  Colorway
  • Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm) & US 2 (2.75 mm)
  • My Ravelry Project Page
  • If you’d like a good afterthought heel pattern, consider Susan B. Anderson’s Smooth Operator Heel pattern (Ravelry Link) For a video tutorial, check out this video from the EarthtonesGirl YouTube Channel

Mermaid Tail Socks

  • Pattern: OMG Heel by Megan Williams
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in the Mermaid Tail colorway
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • My Ravelry Project Page

Riley’s Christmas Cardigan

  • Pattern: Everyday Cardigan in Merino No. 5 by Loopy Mango
  • Needles: US 15 (10 mm)
  • Yarn: Bernat Blanket in Misty Green (sage color)
  • My Ravelry Project Page

From the Armchair

Sweet Bobby Podcast– 6 part investigative series about a woman’s experience with being Catfished in England. 

Some Years Later

In July of 201, I knit Mom a pair of socks out of scraps of Knit Picks Felici. I washed them with a large batch of socks this week and both have holes in the heels. Click here for the Ravelry Project Page. At least 1-2 other pairs in this batch were knit before 2017 and they look great.

Crafty Adventures

  • Mom & I did some Christmas baking with Riley and Millie.
  • We made Snickerdoodles, Blondies and no-bake protein bites with oats, peanuts and chocolate chips. 
  • Decorating the tree together.
  • I talked on the last episode about getting wool strips of fabric from Dan’s friend’s mother. In this episode I chat with Mom about supplies my Nana might have for braided rugs.

KAL News


Pigskin Party ’21: Official Hashtag: #DCSPigskinParty21

Important Links:

Updates in this episode

  • Monthly Scavenger Hunt (December clues have been posted): Figure out these fun clues and earn points each month. Check out this Ravelry Thread or this Google Doc.
  • Tune in to hear the winner of the November Interception Challenge.
  • Tune in to hear November Interception Winners.
  • December Interception: hosted by Knitty Natty. Find details in this Ravelry thread or in this Google Doc. Cast on 12/1/21 or later. Deadline to post 12/31/21.

Life in Focus

Diane, Jen’s Mom, shared the troubling news of her lung cancer diagnosis. Click here for more information about this cancer that’s caused by an EGFR mutation.

On a Happy Note

  • Riley & Millie’s Christmas Panto
  • Jenny & the Pajamas
  • Helen! 
  • Vlogmas– check out the playlist on my YouTube Channel.
  • Out supportive friends, family & medical professionals.
  • Getting the Christmas wrapping done quickly with Dan’s help.

Quote of the Week

“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and being alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You have to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes too near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could.”

-Louise Erdrich

Thank you for tuning in.
Contact Information:

Direct download: Episode_222_-_121521_4.30_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:07pm EDT

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