Thank you for tuning in to Episode 255 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. For full show notes with photos check out my website.   This week's segments included:  

• Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
• On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
• Brainstorming
• From the Armchair
• In my Travels
• KAL News
• Events
• Contest, News & Notes
• On a Happy Note
• Quote of the Week

  Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins   Carmen Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn: Gusto Wool Carmen Sock Weight Yarn (80/20 Merino/Nylon) in Colorway 1402
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• About the yarn: Half of the skein is navy blue the other half is a neon rainbow. At my gauge it is microstriping!

  Scrappy Helical Socks

• Yarn: various fingering scraps
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Ravelry Project Page
• I am using Cate's Clasp Weft Join when joining a new yarn. Using this method, I only have 4 ends to weave in even though I am changing yarns often.

  On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins   Mini Skein Hexagon Blanket

• Pattern: Basic Crochet Hexagon Pattern & Tips from Make Do and Crew Website & YouTube Tutorial
• Hook: F (3.75 mm)
• Yarn: Mini skeins from 2022 agirlandherwool Advent Calendar, 24 Days of Cheer Swap minis + other scraps/swap yarn
• Ravelry Project Page
• I've been closing the end of each hexagon with this join- link to Instagram post
• 4 rounds per hexagon.
• Learned double magic circle from this YouTube video.
• Progress Update: 225 hexagons done on 5/22/23 (74 unwashed + 151 washed)- goal is 374

  Chevron Scrap Blanket

• Pattern: Chevron Scrap Blanket by Maria's Blue Crayon (free crochet pattern) available on Ravelry & the Maria's Blue Crayon Website.
• This pattern presumes you already know the c2c crochet technique.
• Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted in White & Tranquil (light green), Lion Brand Pound of Love in Pastel Pink and Loops & Threads Snuggly Wuggly Big! in colorway Soft Lilac
• Hook: J (6.0 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page (I crocheted one of these in summer 2020- click here for that Ravelry Project Page)
• For help learning the Corner to Corner Crochet method you could check out this free Ravelry Download from Lauri Bolland or this video tutorial from Lion Brand on YouTube.
• Each section is 11 squares tall. Green, white, pink, white, purple, white.
• Progress: 3 strips finished. 1 more started.

  Summer Scrappy Helical Socks #2

• Yarn: various fingering scraps
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Ravelry Project Page
• I am using Cate's Clasp Weft Join when joining a new yarn. Using this method, I only have 4 ends to weave in even though I am changing yarns often.
• Progress: Sock 1 is close to the heel. Sock 2 has a cuff.

  Ninja Turtle Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn: Qing Fibre Dashing Fingering Yarn in the Ninja Turtle Colorway
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• Laura chose this yarn when we were shopping at Loop London in the Fall of 2022.
• Progress: almost to the toe on the second sock

  Summer Rainbow Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn:  Desert Vista Dyeworks Viso base in the Summer Rainbow Colorway
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• Progress: 1st cuff down + a few inches into the leg

  Curiouser & Curiouser Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn:  Legacy Fiber Artz Steel Toes in the Curiouser & Curiouser Colorway
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• I purchased this as a Micro Sock set; 50g of main color + a 20g mini. I also had another LFA mini that I liked with it, so I have green and purple to choose from.
• Progress: ready to start heel on first sock

  Purple Spring Spin

• Fiber: Fluffypuf #130 Hand Dyed Roving Batt Purple/Pink. 1.4 ounces. 50% BFL, 40% merino, 10% Tussah Silk.
• 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.
• Ravelry Project Page
• About the Fluffypuf braid: contains purple (various shades), yellow, orange, gray, blue, pink
• I purchased 4 oz of 100% Rambouillet from Kingdom Fleece & Fiberworks at CT Sheep & Wool.
• I will plan to do a 3 ply
• Update this episode: I broke my new driveband! Will replace w/ kitchen cotton yarn for now

  Brainstorming

• With the announcement of the Legacy Fiber Artz MAL, I decided to wind up all of my LFA minis on the sparkle base to knit some scrappy, helical, clasp-weft sparkle socks!

  From the Armchair  

• The Cartographers by Peng Shepard. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.
• Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson. Bookshop Affiliate Link. 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.   In My Travels

• Friday night we had dinner at Water Street in Wiscasset, Maine
• Maine Botanical Gardens.
• The girls and I especially loved the 5 giant troll sculptures
• We loved the flowers and other exhibits too. One especially neat thing was The Lerner Garden of the Five Senses which made me think of Gretchin Rubin & her new Life in Five Senses book which I reviewed in Episode 254
• Life in Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.

  KAL News   Splash Pad Party 23: May 26-July 31, 2023

• Sign up using this Google Form.
• To confirm you're signed up, check the Stats/Registration Spreadsheet here.
• Click here for the full list of Sponsors with all the links you need to their websites & social media.
• Many of our Sponsors are offering coupon codes. Find them here- Google Doc or Ravelry Thread.

  Events

• Stash Dash, hosted by Leslie & Laura of the Knit Girllls Video Podcast starts May 26th and runs through August 31, 2023. Check out details in the knit girllls discord
• Jasmin (aka cuteknitter) & I will be doing our annual, mostly-friendly challenge.
• 2 pairs of socks so far= 548 meters
• You can check out my Stash Dash 2023 Progress on this Google Sheet.
• Legacy Fiber Artz Knit Your Stash MAL- check out the details on the Treehouse Fiber Arts website
• Runs May 29- September 4, 2023
• #legacyfiberartzknityourstashMal and #flashyourstash
• Crafty Bingo- Craft Cook Read Repeat Podcast
• May 26-September 4, 2023
• Grab the Bingo card over on their Instagram feed
• The Grocery Girls are hosting Hot Granny Square Summer MAL. Check out details in their Ravelry Group & in Episode 183 on their YouTube Channel.
• Summer Sock Camp hosted in the Crazy Sock Lady Ravelry Group
• 5/26- 8/31/2023
• Maine Fiber Frolic: June 3-4th at the Windsor Fairgrounds
• Vermont Sheep & Wool: Sept 30 & Oct 1 at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds
• Check out some West Coast (US) Events on the Seattle Knitters Guild site (thanks Kristen- kips206)

  Contest, News & Notes   Check out my latest shawl design- Mas Vida! Find all of the details on my website. Mas Vida is available on Ravelry & LoveCrafts for $7. Use code mas for 30% off on Ravelry through 6/2.   On a Happy Note

• Mother's Day celebrations seeing Millie in Matilda followed by dinner at a local brewery
• Flowers from Chris & Margarita
• Vikki & Katy visited from Las Vegas. I picked them up at the airport and then we met Mom, Dad, Trish and Liz for dinner.
• Dan & I celebrated our 19th Anniversary at a local brewery after work.
• Thank you Steph for the beautiful AdoreKnit Splash Pad '23 Exclusive Bag & Stitch Markers
• Getting video messages from Riley about her crochet project! Riley joined one of our Patrons-only Zooms during the Splash Pad Party and that was a lot of fun!
• Memorial Day weekend visits to my parents'.  Mom shared a cool tip on how to clean jewelry which I'll share on Instagram. Sunday after the pool, the 4 of us headed to Matt & Kris' to celebrate Matt's birthday and Carly's birthday. I gifted her the Carmen socks I'd just finished! She's a skiier so I'm hoping she enjoys them.
• On Monday, a bunch of my cousins and their kids came! We got a fun photo of 9 kiddos together on my parents' swing! The kids swam and ate ice cream. I played bocce with Garret.

  Quote of the Week   In the beginning I was so young and such a stranger to myself I hardly existed. I had to go out into the world and see it and hear it and react to it, before I knew at all who I was, what I was, what I wanted to be.   –Mary Oliver   ------   Thank you for tuning in!   Contact Information:

• Check out the Down Cellar Studio Patreon!
• Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group
• Instagram: BostonJen1
• YouTube: Down Cellar Studio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarstudio
• Sign up for my email newsletter to get the latest on everything happening in the Down Cellar Studio
• Check out my Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel
• Knit Picks Affiliate Link
• Bookshop Affiliate Link
• Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link
• 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.