Episode 313: Fresh

 

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 313 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
• Some Years Later
• Knitting in Passing
• KAL News
• Events
• Life in Focus
• On a Happy Note
• Quote of the Week

 

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

 

I mended Hattie's mittens (store bought) and added snaps to her mermaid's removable tail.

 

Granny Square Ski Helmet Balaclava

• Pattern: none
• Hook: I (5.5 mm)
• Yarn: Knit Picks Brava in Dove Heather & Marina, Big Twist Value Solids in Aqua, Vanna's Choice in Charcoal Gray + 1 unknown blue worsted weight acrylic yarn.
• Ravelry Project Page
• I did one square to practice and see how I liked the colors together. Originally had a pop of a lime green in there. Liked the colors but didn't love the square. I also used that square to see for the smaller skeins (~30g) would I have enough yarn. I made a second square and that one I really enjoyed.
• 7 colors- from center out- light gray, medium/bright blue, white, aqua, charcoal, marina (teal), white
• I made 8 squares. Check out this Instagram post from Grandma.era on how to seam them together.
• Chroma Twist Bulky in Cousteau for trim around the face and along the bottom edge.
• It was riding on the train with me in my AdoreKnit Pigskin Party bag.
• Did you see that Steph from Adoreknit donated 10% of her Down Cellar Studio KAL items to our FearLESS Living Fund? With your help she donated $613 in 2025!

 

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

 

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)
• Back to the Future Sock set- gifted to me by Sue & Chelsea- part of their 4 Sundays of Advent yarn in 2025.
• About the Colorway- speckles of pink, orange, yellow purple and blue with a blue/purple mini.
• I cast these on before day trip up to Loon Mountain. I am almost to the heel of sock 1.

 

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) in a sage green
• Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) & US 4 (3.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• Size: 3
• Drawstring- fingering weight yarn- US 6 DPNs. I washed it several times, because it was bleeding yellow. I had to wash it several times before all of the rest of the dye let go.

 

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
• 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.
• I plied up about 8.5 grams of the BFL with the Finnsheep. 23 wraps (690 inches/19 yards)
• Knit up a swatch on a US 4 and got gauge almost exactly
• To knit another size 3 Traveler I think I need approximately 19 ounces of each fiber.
• I did a lot of spinning during the big snowstorm we got last weekend. I am so into it! I cleaned my wheel and wound off fiber onto storage bobbins.

 

Woolens & Nosh 2025 Advent Socks

• Yarn: Woolens & Nosh, 75/25 Superwash Wool/Nylon 2025 Advent 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: worked on the foot of the second sock during game night at home

 

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.
• Inspired to pick it back up after see Sue (from Legacy Fiber Artz)'s version on their latest podcast episode. She bordered with cream before seaming. I love it. You can see a peek in this Instagram post.
• Progress- made one more. Total to date: 12

 

Hattie's Rainbow Mittens

• Pattern: Little Waiting for Winter Mittens by Susan B. Anderson
• Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Worsted in the Vegas Baby colorway
• Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)
• Cast on at Fiber Club at my library. The next morning my train was slow so I finished all but the thumb on the first mitten.  Cast on second
• About the colorway- stripes of gray, blue, green, mustard, red and pink.

 

From the Armchair

 

• Podcast: The Walkers- The real Salt Path (Tortoise Investigates/The Observer)
• The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. Amazon Affiliate Link
• Beyond That, The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash. Amazon Affiliate Link. (recommended by Paige)

 

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.

 

Some Years Later

 

A look back my 2025 fiber crafting and podcast related items.

 

60 projects- click here to see these projects in Ravelry.

• 47 gifts/ 13 for me
• 34 knit/ 26 crochet
• No finished spinning projects
• 1 bag
• 3 blankets
• 6 cozies
• 8 hats
• 25 socks
• 1 Christmas stocking
• 1 sweater
• 2 tops
• 13 toys

 

Other fun numbers:

• Podcast Episodes- 23
• Videos on YouTube- 33
• BostonJen1- Instagram Followers-10,275 - I finally hit 10k!!!!!!!
• Ravelry Group Members: 3137  (up from 2981 in 2024)
• 1 Interview for Love in Stitches Group
• Podcaster Meet-ups: 1 with Natalie at Flock; 1 at Rhinebeck
• I was paid to do social media for the Cape & South Shore Yarn Haul

 

Knitting in Passing

 

• I am teaching classes on the OMG Sock at Staci's Stitches, my LYS and enjoying seeing my students progress!
• My friend Mara texted me from the Celtics game the other night saying she was fairly sure one of the other fans in her section was wearing an Ice Time Hat (one of my designs)- you can find the pattern on  Ravelry & LoveCrafts

 

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.
• Coupon Codes are listed in this Ravelry Thread
• Exclusive Items from our Pro Shop Sponsors are listed in this Ravelry Thread
• Questions-  ask them in this Ravelry Thread or email Jen at downcellarstudio @ gmail.com

 

Updates In This Episode

• Official Sponsor for Quarter 4 (January)- Yarnaceous Fibers. Check out this Ravelry Thread for  4th & Goal with Yarnaceous Fibers Challenge Details
• Wild Card WIP Bonus- check out this Ravelry thread for details (ran 1/5/26 through 1/16/26)- 43 projects finished. Check out this view of the Ravelry chat thread which shows all of the Projects mentioned. A few highlights:
• ScrapperChris made a beautiful snowflake cardigan (started in 2020)- Ravelry Project Page
• TXHeather crocheted a 2k+ meter Christmas Tree skirt (also started in 2020)- Ravelry Project Page
• IWillKnitUaSock- finished knitting a beautiful Angel's Eyes cabled cardigan sweater by Thea Colman that she started in 2022- Ravelry Project Page
• ImaginedLandscapes finished not 1 but 2 beautiful sweaters, the Diona Pullover (Ravelry Project Page) & the Sonrae (Ravelry Project Page)

 

Commentator Update

We are in the home stretch of the Pigskin Party and players are working hard to finish their projects before the clock expires!  

 

I wandered over to the end zone dance thread to see what players have finished recently. Here are some amazing projects that caught my eye:

 

• Adrie9 finished a knitted knockers blitz!  Some of them are specific requests and others for general donation. https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/down-cellar-studio-podcast/4375943/951-975#965
• Katanorand finished an amazing spinning project! 26 oz of beautiful 3-ply  yarn! https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/down-cellar-studio-podcast/4375943/951-975#960
• Players have also completed some beautiful intricate socks!
• Rosberrycrafts completed some beautiful Christmas colorwork socks https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/down-cellar-studio-podcast/4375943/951-975#962
• Fgcreations posted a picture of her second completed pair of socks for 2026! Amazing! They are another beautiful colorwork pattern and the colors she chose are beautiful https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/down-cellar-studio-podcast/4375943/951-975#955
• Sandima finished a lovely pair of mosaic socks that used 4 colors for the q4 challenge. So pretty! https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/down-cellar-studio-podcast/4375943/951-975#954

There’s been a lot of conversation in the January huddle about laundry…yep, you heard that right. It’s actually pretty fascinating. I’ve learned a lot. But whether you are into laundry or not, come on over to the friendliest place on the internet before the PSP is over!

 

Events

• New England Farm & Fiber Festival- Sunday February 8 from 10a-4p in Boston, MA
• Fiberfest at the Boston Public Market- March 21 & 22nd from 10a-5p in Boston, MA
• Fiber Witch Festival- April 24-26th in Salem, MA
• NH Sheep and Wool - May 9 & 10 in Deerfield NH

 

Life in Focus

 

26 in 2026 List

1. A-Aim for one night at week at the pool in July and August- make it regular and invite friends to pop over
2. B- Blood- donate at least 5 times
3. C- Christmas Sleepover
4. D- Declutter 26+ items
5. E- Events- go to at least 26 ticketed events
6. F-Find 2-6 new things and try them out!
7. G-Go on a trip with Dan (just us)
8. H- Headshots for Hattie
9. I- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum- GO!
10. 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)
11. K- Knit at least 2 projects with handspun
12. L- Literary pursuit- read at least 65 books
13. M- Museum- go to at least 1
14. N- NYC- go visit Laura at least once
15. O- Organize a FearLESS Living Fundraiser
16. P- Puzzle- do at least 1 with Dan
17. Q-Quarterly review of calendar/photos & goals (to make Year in Review easier and faster)- calendar it!
18. R- Restaurant- try at least 1 new local restaurant
19. S- Socks- knit 26 pair
20. T- Tattoo
21. U- Up the amount of muscle in my body- at least 1 pound by end of the year.
22. V- Vlogmas- take the year off (even if you're tempted)
23. 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)
24. X- Cross 1 thing off this list that no longer serves me
25. Y-Yoga at least 2-6 times
26. Z- Create Zone to keep important papers

 

• 2026 Word of the Year: Fresh (think: fresh start, fresh foods, fresh powder, fresh air,  etc
• new & therefore interesting or exciting
• recently made, done etc & especially not yet changed by time
• in a natural condition rather than artificially preserved by a process such as freezing
• clean and pleasant
• energetic, enthusiastic, and not tired:
• (of a face) natural, healthy, and young looking
• (of air) clean and cool; found outside rather than in a room:
• recently done

 

On a Happy Note

• Wonder at ART- extended through 2/5. Check out their website for tickets.
• Sound of Music at the Boston Opera House
• Game night with Liz, Jay, Riley and Dan.
• A snowy slow MLK weekend.
• Car shopping.
• I've been able to hack 3 classes a week at my gym.
• A cold walk with Megg at Wompatuck.
• A cute message about Miles enjoying his Christmas gifts- "emotional support calendar"
• A pipe broke while I was washing woolies on Sunday during snowstorm. Silverlining was that Dan had the part we needed on hand and was able to fix it so quickly.

 

Quote of the Week

"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

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Thank you for tuning in!

 

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• 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.