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Episode 305: Pigskin ’25

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Thank you for tuning in to Episode 305 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
  • From the Armchair
  • KAL News
  • Events
  • Ask Me Anything
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Thank you to this episode’s sponsors: Skein & Co and Handmade Hygge

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Tie Dye Day Socks

  • Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Steel Toes base in the Tie Dye Day Colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • 262.3 meters for Stash Dash

Four Leaf Clover Granny Square Blanket

  • Pattern: Four Leaf Clover Granny Square by Apinya Roszko
  • Hook: H (5.0 mm)
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava 500 in colorway Mint & Loops and Threads Impeccable in Colorway 01808
  • Center square (in darker green)- 4g. Three rounds on outside of clover (in mint)- 12g
  • Size:  6 inch square.
  • 5×7 blanket (30×42”) before border.
  • Modification- the pattern calls for attaching new yarn (at the end of the square) to make the stem for the clover. I just chain to get to the center, make the stem and cut the yarn. I find it easy to crochet the granny square around it in Mint. No issues and one less end to weave in.
  • I am joining squares as I go. I used this YouTube tutorial to remind me how to do this.
  • 1186.1 meters for Stash Dash

10,426.8 meters for Stash Dash this year.

716 Splash Pad Socks

  • Yarn: 716 Knit Sock Set  in the 716sock base in the colorway: It needs to be ok with getting on a boat with Levar Burton and never coming back.
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • About the yarn: stripe of black, stripe of bright poolside colors (orange, yellow, peach, greens & aquas .
  • 344.2 yards/ 86 grams used.

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Sweetly Striped Hat

  • Pattern: Sweetly Striped Hat by Chit Chat Knits. $4.50 knitting pattern available on Ravelry
  • Yarn: Berroco Vintage in colorway 5185 Tide Pool
  • Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) & US 8 (5.0 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Pattern: Snack Shack Sponsor- Chit Chat Knits- 20 points
  • Project Bag & Notions Pouch- Pro Shop Sponsor The Huckleberry Girl- 40 pts each= 80 points

Traveler Sweater

  • Pattern: The Traveler by Andrea Mowry ($9 pattern available on Ravelry & the designer’s website)
  • Yarn: Hazel Knits Small Batch Sport (90/10 SW/Nylon)
  • Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) & US 4 (3.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Progress: 5 purl ridges done

Mayor of Halloween Town Socks

  • Yarn: Woolens & Nosh Targhee Sock in the Mayor of Halloween Town colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Cast on 9/4 for Pigskin Party
  • Project bag: Pro Shop Sponsor Wandering Purl (40 pts)
  • Yarn: Pro Shop Sponsor Woolens & Nosh (40 pts)
  • About the yarn: Light gray- larger stripes with smaller stripes of dark gray, white and orange

Born to Be Mild Socks

  • Yarn: Hypnotic Yarn Plush Sock in the Born to Be Mild Colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Progress- just into the leg of the first sock.
  • About the yarn: tan base with browns and robin’s egg. It reminds me of a robin’s nest.

From the Armchair

Lily King talking on Books, Beach & Beyond (2025)-  on love

  • “Love is really the most important thing to us and possibly the thing, the only thing that is going to save us from our other impulses. I am extremely concerned about the state of mind of this country and what we are allowing and what we have voted in and what we are experiencing and, in in some ways, our lack of resistance to it, and our our silence and our complicity. And it all really comes down to love. And if we lose that ability, I don’t think AI is going to help us with love, I don’t think Instagram is going to help us with love. I feel like all of our habits that are increasing and increasing are pulling us apart even giving us the illusion that its not, but we are, and we have to remember what it is like to love people. In all of those forms. It is the thing that makes us human. And we have to stay human.” Lily King

A few of my other favorite quotes from Writers & Lovers

“When my mother died, I sort of felt her inside me sometimes,’ I say. ‘Like I’d swallowed her.’ He laughs. ‘Swallowed her.’ ‘I still have moments when I feel that, when it feels like she’s inside me, and there’s no difference between us or that the difference doesn’t matter.”

― Lily King, Writers & Lovers

“I can tell he lost someone close somehow. You can feel that in people, an openness, or maybe it’s an opening that you’re talking into. With other people, people who haven’t been through something like that, you feel the solid wall. Your words go scattershot off of it.”

― Lily King, Writers & Lovers

“When I was visiting her a few years ago she hugged me and said, ‘Tomorrow after you leave I will stand here at this window and remember that yesterday you were right here with me.’ And now she’s dead and I have that feeling all the time, no matter where I stand.”

― Lily King, Writers & Lovers

“I look into my eyes, but they aren’t really mine, not the eyes I used to have. They’re the eyes of someone very tired and very sad, and once I see them I feel even sadder and then I see that sadness, that compassion, for the sadness in my eyes, and I see the water rising in them. I’m both the sad person and the person wanting to comfort the sad person. And then I feel sad for that person who has so much compassion because she’s clearly been through the same thing, too. And the cycle keeps repeating. It’s like when you go into a dressing room with a three-paneled mirror and you line them up just right to see the long narrowing hallway of yourselves diminishing into infinity. It feels like that, like I’m sad for an infinite number of my selves.”

― Lily King, Writers & Lovers

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.

KAL News

Pigskin Party ’25

  • Event Dates: KAL Dates- Thursday September 4, 2025- Monday February 9, 2026
  • Find everything you need in the Start Here Thread in the Ravelry Group
  • Official Rules
  • Registration Form  (you must be Registered to be eligible for prizes)
  • Enter your projects using the Point Tally Form
  • Find the full list of Sponsors in this Google Doc.
  • Questions-  ask them in this Ravelry Thread or email Jen at downcellarstudio @ gmail.com
  • Our Official Sponsor for Quarter 1 (October): Love in Stitches with Knitty Natty is hosting a Cozy Up Challenge. The challenge doesn’t start until 10/1 but you can start planning now. Check out the details in this Ravelry Thread. Join Knitty Natty & me for a special zoom hangout Thursday 10/2 at 8p Eastern. Details will be shared in the Start Here Thread.
  • Check out this Ravelry Thread with helpful tips for the event, crowd sourced from our incredible players.

Updates In This Episode

  • Thanks to Mary for her Commentator report. She talked specifically about these 2 large projects that have already been finished. 904Stephanie (my teammate!) has already finished a blanket- Ravelry photo & cmfamigli has already finished a pullover- check out her Ravelry Project
  • Thanks to Sarah for starting a Pigskin Tips Ravelry Thread!
  • Add your Super Bowl Prediction- details in this Ravelry Thread
  • Our first Official Sponsor of the Quarter is Love in Stitches! Check out all of the details in this Ravelry Post. Join Knitty Natty & me for a special zoom hangout Thursday 10/2 at 8p Eastern. Cast on, chat, learn about some of Natalie’s cool cozy patterns and have some fun.
  • Official Sponsor for Quarter 2 (November)- Twice Sheared Sheep
  • Official Sponsor for Quarter 3 (December)- Suburban Stitcher
  • Official Sponsor for Quarter 4 (January)- Yarnaceous Fibers

Events

Ask Me Anything

Tune in to hear my answer to kjkrochet’s question: How did you come up with the concept for Pigskin Party?

On a Happy Note

  • Saturday of Labor Day weekend- Clear the Needles Event w/ Love in Stitches group
  • 2 fun pool days over Labor Day Weekend complete with cornhole tournament
    • I gifted my friend Megg her “I’ll bring the dance moves” hat to go with my “I’ll bring the alcohol” hat since my dad always teases her for dancing constantly.
  • Dinner with Melissa of Maple Roots Creative
  • Dinner with friends including my dance teacher from middle/high school
  • Pigskin Paty Kick Off Weekend was so much fun!
  • Seeing Passengers at American Repertory Theater

Quote of the Week

“It’s a particular kind of pleasure, of intimacy, loving a book with someone.”

― Lily King, Writers & Lovers

Thank you for tuning in!

Contact Information:

Episode 304: Flock

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Thank you for tuning in to Episode 304 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
  • From the Armchair
  • Knitting in Passing
  • In my Travels
  • KAL News
  • Events
  • Life in Focus
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Thank you to this episode’s sponsors: Stitched by Jessalu & Love in Stitches

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

The Muses Socks

  • Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the colorway The Muses
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • About the Colorway- 3 stripes in pink, green and purple. In between each color, there are thin stripes of white, gray, white. Cuff, heel & toe all knit in gray contrast mini
  • Total for Stash Dash- 263.2 meters

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Same as it Ever Was Hat

  • Yarn: fingering weight yarn from stash (no ball band); maybe MCN base
  • Needles: US 2
  • Pattern: Same as it Ever Was by Sarah Jordan $6 knitting pattern available on Ravelry
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • About the yarn: all different shades of gray with blips of a mustardy/rust and turquoise

Traveler Sweater

  • Pattern: The Traveler by Andrea Mowry ($9 pattern available on Ravelry & the designer’s website)
  • Yarn: Hazel Knits Small Batch Sport (90/10 SW/Nylon)
  • Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) & US 4 (3.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Progress: I’m in a few inches into the body

Tie Dye Day Socks

  • Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Steel Toes base in the Tie Dye Day Colorway
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Progress: on the heel of sock #2

716 Splash Pad Socks

  • Yarn: 716 Knit Sock Set  in the 716sock base in the colorway: It needs to be ok with getting on a boat with Levar Burton and never coming back.
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • About the yarn: stripe of black, stripe of bright poolside colors (orange, yellow, peach, greens & aquas .
  • Jenna of 716 also sent me the mini skein set which is part of her SPP Exclusives.
  • Progress: on the heel of sock #2

Four Leaf Clover Granny Square Blanket

  • Pattern: Four Leaf Clover Granny Square by Apinya Roszko
  • Hook: H (5.0 mm)
  • Yarn: Knit Picks Brava 500 in colorway Mint & Loops and Threads Impeccable in Colorway 01808
  • Center square (in darker green)- 4g. Three rounds on outside of clover (in mint)- 12g
  • Size:  6 inch square.
  • Planning 5×7 blanket (30×42”) before border.
  • Modification- the pattern calls for attaching new yarn (at the end of the square) to make the stem for the clover. I just chain to get to the center, make the stem and cut the yarn. I find it easy to crochet the granny square around it in Mint. No issues and one less end to weave in.
  • I am joining squares as I go. I used this YouTube tutorial to remind me how to do this.
  • Progress: Nearly done with 6 of 7 rows. 6 squares left. Should be finished Labor Day weekend.

From the Armchair

  • stitchintime82-Dani recommended: Gmorning, gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me and You by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Amazon Affiliate Link.

I finished:

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 shared stories about 2 ready to wear items we saw in Seattle, a crochet dress & a granny square style tank.
  • I visited 8 local yarn stores to creat Social Media videos for Cape & South Shore Yarn haul which you’ll see on my Instagram feed soon.

In My Travels

Tune in to hear a bit about Flock Fiber Festival. Check out my Vlog video for much more. In this segment, I focus more on the part of the trip with my friend, Laura.

KAL News

This Episode

Events

Life in Focus

Tune in for an update on my 25 in 2025 list.

On a Happy Note

  • I hit 200 workouts at my gym this summer
  • Dinner at Yvonne’s before seeing The Wiz
  • Drinks with Dan’s cousins
  • Quality time with Laura in Seattle
  • I managed NOT to contract Covid
  • Celebrating my grandmother’s 91st birthday. I watercolored a birthday card for her.
  • Cool mornings and evenings. I wore wool socks during the day last week and it was kind of fun!
  • Back to school photos on Facebook! Thanks to everyone who shares them (or texts me with them).
  • I bought these huge denim with painted flower overalls in Seattle and I love them SO MUCH.
  • Whatsapp texts from my friend Marta in Barcelona.

Quote of the Week

“I can tell he lost someone close somehow. You can feel that in people, an openness, or maybe it’s an opening that you’re talking into. With other people, people who haven’t been through something like that, you feel the solid wall. Your words go scattershot off of it.”

― Lily King, Writers & Lovers

——

Thank you for tuning in!

Contact Information:

Episode 303: Ask Me Anything Returns

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Thank you for tuning in to Episode 303 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
  • From the Armchair
  • Knitting in Passing
  • In my Travels
  • KAL News
  • Ask Me Anything
  • On a Happy Note
  • Quote of the Week

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Gabriella’s Unicorn

  • Pattern: Shy Little Unicorn by Ana Paula Rimoli
  • Hook: C (2.75 mm)
  • Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (white), Knit Picks Brava Worsted (cotton candy & various solids)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Total for Stash Dash: 116 meters

Sum-Sum-Summertime socks

  • Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the colorway Sum-Sum-Summertime
  • Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
  • Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • About the Colorway- thinner stripes- 2 colors of aqua, lime green, pink and an orange/peachy yellow. CC mini in lime
  • Total for Stash Dash: 293.3 meters

Stash Dash Total for this episode: 8,715.2 meters

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

Hot pink spinning

  • Fiber: Mountain Vewe Coopworths Fiber in hot pink (no specific colorway name)- three 4oz bumps
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Twist direction: singles = Z plied = S
    • This means when I’m spinning, my wheel is spinning clockwise and when plying my wheel is moving counter-clockwise.
  • Progress: ~1/2 way through first bump. 1st bobbin full and the second is started
  • I’ve now spun in July and August so I’ve only missed 2 months so far this year.

Log Cabin Blanket

  • Pattern: Log Cabin Square by Julie Harrison. Free crochet pattern available on Ravelry. Video tutorial available on the Little Woollie Makes YouTube Channel
  • Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Minis (mostly from Advent calendars 2023 & 2024)
  • Hook: I (5.5 mm)
  • Ravelry Project Page
  • Inspired by Rachel (treehousefiberarts on Instagram) and Sue & Chelsea (Legacy Fiber Artz on Instagram). Check out the Floss Toss Ravelry Group for details on their Scrappy Blanket CAL. Ends December 21st (but you don’t have to finish. 2 prize drawings will be done).
  • My color placement is inspired by this project/pattern available on Ravelry.

From the Armchair

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. Amazon Affiliate Link.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman. Amazon Affiliate Link.

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 shared a story about a little girl in the nail salon who asked her mom if they could come talk to me because she wants to learn to knit.

In My Travels

Travel packing tips

  • Packing cubes- here’s an Amazon affiliate link to the set I purchased 6 years ago and still love!
  • I always pack some clothes pins/ metal or wood that I use for snacks/drink mix pouches and/or to keep curtains closed in hotel.
  • I have a standard packing list in Evernote that I customize for each trip. It saves so much time and frustration.
  • Pack a travel power strip- to keep all of those chraging cords in one place (also less likely to leave one behind)
  • Knitting project approach
    • At least 2 socks/stockinette hats for waiting, sitting etc.
    • A project that occupies my brain and makes a long flight go by easier.
  • Queue the audiobooks & download podcasts

KAL News

  • Splash Pad Final Winners were announced!

Pigskin Party ’25

Sponsor Sign Up is Open- click here for details

Key Dates:

  • Registration starting Thursday August 20, 2025
  • KAL Starts- Thursday September 4, 2025
  • KAL Ends- Monday February 9, 2026
  • Form Teams- starting Monday August 25, 2025
  • Virtual Kick Off- Friday September 5 & Saturday September 6

Ask Me Anything

Tune in to hear the answers to these questions:

  • Pat- loonyhiker asked: I know you have probably told this before, but I’d love to hear how you and your honey met. I also would love to hear how your parents met. (bonus audio of my parents talking about this by the pool in 2017)
  • Sandy, sjh801 asked:  Favorite children’s book? Both as a child and now as an adult.
    • Children’s Book (purely for sentimental reasons): Walk Rabbit Walk by Colin McNaughton. Amazon Affiliate Link. Hardcover available for ~$20 & paperback for around $7
    • Adult book: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Amazon Affiliate Link.John Lee does the audiobooks for what is now this series of books. Book 1 of 5 now in this series. I love them all.
  • Dianne, woohoogirl asks: Do you have a Dream project that you’d really like to make that you just haven’t made the time, or plans, for yet?
  • Carrie, Gooberdawn asks: Do you have a project you have created that you feel most proud of? If so, which one and why? ETA: it doesn’t have to be yarn-related.
  • Laura, LauraKnitsPA asks: What is one book you would read over and over, and one movie you would watch over and over?
  • Dani, stitchintime82-  Any updates on designing? I’ve enjoyed your patterns and am wondering if you have any plans to make more patterns.

On a Happy Note

  • I was able to get my Apple watch to charge again after I thought it was dead.
  • Oikos yogurt shake/drinks with 23g of protein.
  • My friend Nathan had a heart and kidney transplant just over 1 year ago. He’s still learning to walk again after ECMO caused major nerve damage in his legs- and we just went to see the musical he directed. Sometimes this world feels so dark right now but this made me incredibly happy.
  • The night we had tickets for the show, we lost power, so we made it a full date night and went for dinner too.
  • A visit from my cousin Gayle. We enjoyed a great pool day on Sunday and dinner in our town Monday night followed by a walk along the harbor.
  • Gayle chose Mom’s Trickle shawl as the item she wanted of hers. I took a photo of her and Google photos turned it into a pop-out.
  • I gifted Gayle the pair of Stranger Things 2 socks from DVD as an early birthday gift and she sent me a cute photo of her wearing them the next morning.
  • Great customer service from an Etsy maker to order pins.
  • I had fun putting together photos Millie, Teaghan and Rhiannon asked me to take a couple weekends ago at the pool of them jumping off the diving board and making their bodies into the shape of the letters of the alphabet. Fun memories!

Quote of the Week

“It’s not hotels and nightclubs I crave, or even spectacular beaches — it’s isolation and solitude, time away from the human world and a chance to measure life on a different kind of yardstick.”

― Peter S. Adler

——

Thank you for tuning in.

Remember show notes for this episode can be found at www.downcellarstudio.com/#

If you have a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, I’d greatly appreciate it.

I can be found on Ravelry as BostonJen and I’d love it if you came over to join our lively and engaged Down Cellar Studio Ravelry Group.

Check me out on Instagram at BostonJen1 if you want to see what I’m up to between episodes.

Check out myDown Cellar Studio YouTube Channel

Email me at downcellarstudio@gmail.com

For website:

Thank you for tuning in!

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