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 Dragon Belly

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

  Ball Band with a Twist

• 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)
•  

Garret’s 2019 Christmas Hat

• 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. 

  Dad’s 2019 Christmas Hat

• Pattern: prototype for new hat design
• Yarn: Patons Classic Worsted (black)
• Needles: US 5 & 7

Soccer Ball

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

  Millie’s Lipsticks

• Pattern: none.  Improvised crochet
• Hook: Says 0 but not sure what that means.
• Yarn. Leftover fingering.

  Gram’s 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)

  Scrappy Sock Yarn Hat

• 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

  The Parker Baby Booties

• 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 Official Rules for 2019 

• January- Fish Belly Fiber Works
• February- KnitCircus Yarns
• March- Holly Press Fibers
• April- Fibernymph Dye Works
• May – Another Crafty Girl 
• June- Flying Finn Yarns
• July- Sponsored by WindsweptMonique
• August- Knit Style Yarns
• September- Artistic Lilly 
• October – Infinite Twist 
• November- 716 Knit 
• December –  Hypnotic Yarn

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  2 Guys Yarn Company Abstract Fiber AdoreKnit agirlandherwool Designs of Acadia (Pigskin Logo Bag) Fibernymph Dye Works Holly Press Fibers Imagined Landscapes Designs Infinite Twist JDStudios480 Jennifer Lassonde Designs Knitosophy Designs Knitters Brewing Company Knit Style Yarns Prairie Bag Works Progress Keepers by Meliabella Sunsoaked Yarns Yarn Love   Snack Shack Sponsors  Anne Beady Designs APLCrafts Birch Hollow Fibers Brenda Castiel Designs Designs by Meliabella Geektastic Fibers IrocKnits Designs Kino Knits Kitchen Counter Crafter Knit/Wit Designs Leading Men Fiber Arts Lilliput Yarn Lolodidit Love in Stitches Nicole Simmons Designs Queen City Yarn Remade By Hand Designs Shanalines Designs Tangerine Designs Teal Torch Knits The Project Bag UNICORN CLEAN Wild Branch Design Windswept Designs Woodsy and Wild     January Interception posted!   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:

• Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group
• Twitter: Instagram: BostonJen1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarstudio
• Sign up for my email newsletter to get the latest on everything happening in the Down Cellar Studio!