Thank you for tuning in to Episode 317 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. Full show notes with photos can be found on my website. This week’s segments included:
- Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
- On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
- Brainstorming
- From the Armchair
- Knitting in Passing
- In my Travels
- Events
- Life in Focus
- On a Happy Note
- Quote of the Week
Thank you to this episode’s sponsors: Stitched by Jessalu & shop with them at the Fiber Witch Festival– April 24-26th in Salem, MA
Thank you to this episode’s sponsor The Yarn Sellar & check out details for their Fiber Marketplace (April 11, 2026) here
Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
Spectrum Socks
- Yarn: Woolens & Nosh Targhee Sock in the Spectrum Colorway
- Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
- Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
- Ravelry Project Page
Back to the Future Socks
- Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Steel Toes. Micro-Sock Kit in the Back to the Future Colorway
- Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
- Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
- Ravelry Project Page
- Back to the Future Sock set- gifted to me by Sue & Chelsea- part of their 4 Sundays of Advent yarn in 2025.
Treysta
- Pattern: Treysta by Jennifer Steingass $8.50 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & the Laine publishing website
- Yarn: MC- Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool in Oatmeal. CC1: Handspun (Ravelry Project Page) dark blue. CC2: Harrisville Designs New England Highland in #34 High Aster (pink). CC3: Brown Sheep Company Prairie Spun DK in Rain Cloud (gray)
- Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) & US 6 (4.0 mm)
- Ravelry Project Page
On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
October 2025 Sock Club Socks
- Yarn: agirlandherwool Sock Yarn in the October 2025 Colorway
- Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
- Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
- Ravelry Project Page
- Mystery self-striping sock yarn club- stripes of peach, orange, yellow and green.
- Progress: finished sock 1 and cast on sock 2. I’m a few inches into the leg.
Pollen Party Socks
- Yarn: Hypnotic Yarn Plush Sock in the Pollen Party colorway + 20g mini (I think it’s Legacy Fiber Artz mini)
- Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
- Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
- Ravelry Project Page
- Progress: I’ve knit most of the leg of the first sock.
Pucker Brush Farm BFL Sweater Spin
- Fiber: 16 oz of multi colored BFL roving from Pucker Brush Farm (purchased at Rhinebeck 2025), 4 oz Merino in a mustard color & 20 ounces of Grey Shetland from Forever in Fiber on Etsy
- Ravelry Project Page
- I am planning to knit a Traveler sweater inspired by Emily Curtis’ handmade version- click here for her Ravelry Project Page. I was thrilled to see a recent post on Emily’s Instagram that she made a YouTube video about this spin/knit.
- Progress: I started spinning the Shetland and its so dreamy. I’m about half way through the first 4 oz bump.
Brainstorming
- Cream DK weight yarn from Aunt Florence will pair well with mustard handspun for another colorwork yoke sweater!
- I received the latest subscription yarn from Woolens & Nosh in the mail this weekend and I’m itching to cast it on. The colorway is called Sunday Brunch at the Breakfast Club
From the Armchair
Books
- Meet Me At the Lake by Carley Fortune. Amazon Affiliate Link.
- Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. Amazon Affiliate Link.
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Amazon Affiliate Link.
Movie: Project Hail Mary
Musical: Suffs Check out this Time Magazine article.
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
- I got a lot of great compliments on the new flower granny square ski balaclava (Ravelry Project Page) I crocheted last month. I wore it skiing at Sunday River.
In My Travels
- I shared about our recent ski trip to Sunday River in Maine. We enjoyed dinner at the Brick & Stone Tavern in Rumford on Friday night, Dance party at VRBO house Friday night, Steam Mill Brewing in Bethel (right near the mountain) on Saturday night and breakfast at Terry & Maxine’s in Turner, ME
- Riley and I visited the Boston Public Market’s 2026 Fiberfest on March 22. I think they had about 20 vendors there, some free demos, and a great atmosphere. Parking is only $3 for 3 hours. It was my first real outing wearing my Traveler Sweater!
Events
- Fiber Marketplace– April 11 from 10a-3p in York Beach, ME.
- Fiber Witch Festival– April 24-26th in Salem, MA
- Connecticut Sheep & Wool– April 25 in North Haven, CT
- NH Sheep and Wool – May 9 & 10 in Deerfield NH
- Coggeshall Farm Fiber Festival– May 16 in Bristol, RI
- Webs Tent Sale– May 15-17 in Northampton, MA
- Massachusetts Sheep & Wool– May 23 & 24 in Cummington, MA
Life in Focus
A few updates
26 in 2026 Updates
- B- Blood- donate at least 4 times (1/20, 3/17)
- D- Declutter 26+ items- delivered a trunk full in February
- E- Events- go to at least 26 ticketed events 9 as of now)
- F-Find 2-6 new things and try them out! 1) Live music at The Cottage
- J- Journal- Write 365 entries in my I Remember Journal about Mom (inspired by Liz Craft who talked about it on Ep 451 of Happier in Hollywood podcast)
- K- Knit at least 2 projects with handspun (Treysta sweater, Inclinations Cowl in progress)
- L- Literary pursuit- read at least 65 books (18 as of March)
- N- NYC- go visit Laura at least once (scheduled for April)
- R- Restaurant- try at least 1 new local restaurant (Blu in Theater District 3/26)
- S- Socks- knit 26 pair- 6 done so far.
- W- Wheel- sit down at my spinning wheel every month (put reminders on my calendar at the beginning of each month to help remind me) Jan, Feb, March done
On a Happy Note
- Ski weekend at Sunday River. At the igloo we ordered a chocolate chip cookie from the gluten free food truck and it was HUGE (and delicious).
- There was a very low ceiling in our rental house- and I just looked back at photos to get ready for to record and there’s a funny one of Riley and me touching the ceiling- I knew Hattie jumped in for the last one but I didn’t realize she was holding a kids sized pool cue to touch the ceiling too! Hilarious.
- Jeff, Megg, Riley and I all did a word search on the breakfast menu after skiing- we all took it so seriously which was just so fun!
- Lost power after a big wind storm, but it came back on earlier than expected- Dan and I still went out to dinner at fav local Italian restaurants (pro tip- it was a great choice on St. Patrick’s Day)
- Broadway soundtrack for Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York came out on the SAME day as the Project Hail Mary movie released in theater (yes, we went opening day).
- Megg and I renewed our Broadway in Boston subscription for 2027! It’s a great line up- Hell’s Kitchen, Phantom of the Opera, A Beautiful Noise, Tommy, Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat & The Notebook. There are a few other shows available that we may add on.
- My friend Marta booked her plane tickets to come visit from Barcelona this summer!
- Going out for Live Irish music at a local pub
- My friend Nancy Kelley’s second book just came out! The Courage of Two: Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer and the Fight for Freedom of Conscience in Early America.
Quote of the Week
“The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”
-Harriet Jacobs
——
Thank you for tuning in!
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- Knit Picks Affiliate Link
- Bookshop Affiliate Link
- Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link
- FearLESS Living Fund to benefit the Blind Center of Nevada
- Music -“Soft Orange Glow” by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/
- 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.
