Episode 11

I had so much fun recording with my good friend Kim!

This Week’s Segments Include:
On the Needles
Off the Needles
Brainstorming
From the Armchair
Events
On a Happy Note
Knitting in Passing
Crafty Adventures
A Contest
Quote of the Week

On the Needles

Jen:

• Rocky Coast Cardigan
• Second sleeve is nearly done- a few rows of ribbing are left!
• Milo Vest #3
• Finished garter stitch upper portion that goes over shoulders. I'm ready to split for the sleeves
• Heirloom Blanket
• Getting bored. Not surprising I suppose.

Kim:

• Natural Cables Throw - a free pattern from Lion Brand using Wool Ease Chunky in the Fisherman colorway

Brainstorming

Jen

• Ysolda Teague's Marin Shawl (might be started next if I finish my Ravellenics projects in time)

Kim

• Milk Run Shawl by Cat Wong

From the Armchair

Review: Mom & Me Knits by Stefanie Japel

Overall impression- give it a look! Baby knits were overall cuter than their adult counterparts but the photography is beautiful and there were several things we could see ourselves knitting.

Events

Ravellenics 

Official Dates: 27 July-12 Aug 2012 

Official Start Time: 21:00/9pm BST London (4:30p EST- here in Boston)

Mass cast on begins the moment the Opening Ceremonies start in London

My Ravellenic Plans:
Odd Ends Cuff by Carina Spencer (Free Ravelry Download)

• Yarn: Manos which I bought in Plymouth at Fancie Purls

Turn a Square Hat by Jared Flood (Free Ravelry Download)

• Yarn: Malibrigo- Rios in Paris Night Colorway

Crochet Tulle Scrubbies by Nadine Borovicka (Free Ravelry Download)

• Using Tulle I have on hand from last Christmas season
• I don’t crochet very much and am not very good at it, but I have enough basic skills to muddle my way through this.
• They make great pot scrubbers and I’ve already had some requests from the people I gifted them to last year.

Tagging your projects is easy. If you need information here's a
Link to post about how to tag your projects in Ravelry and how to tag your yarn and fiber

The Greater Boston Yarn Crawl 2012
Friday, September 28 though Sunday, September 30
There are 16 shops participating!
For more information about this yarn crawl check out:
Ravelry Group
Webpage
-- and if you're interested in meeting up, definitely contact me!

On a Happy Note

• Kim and I both talked about the new iPad which we've each bought recently.
• We're each trying out GoodReader to edit pdf knitting patterns and mark where we are in our projects. More to come on that.
• I also mentioned Flipboard

Knitting in Passing

• Kim told a story about knitting her ruffle scarf on the Commuter Rail and giving her pattern copy to the rider sitting next to her.
• The basic recipe we used for this scarf was given to my grandmother by one of her friends and I've pasted it below but here's a link to a similar pattern on Ravelry which is a good reference for yarn + needles (the main difference being that the Rav pattern has you do the short rows from the opposite direction- so knit 4, turn, knit 6 turn, knit 8 turn and do all 20).
• 1. Cast on 20 stitches with size 10 needles
  2. Knit 8 stitches & turn
  3. Knit same 8 back to beginning of the row
  4. Knit 6 & turn
  5. Knit same 6 back to beginning of the row
  6. Knit 4 & turn
  7. Knit same 4 back to beginning of the row
  8. Knit all 20 stitches
• Jen told a story about knitting at Jury Duty.

Crafty Adventures

• Jen and Ryan are still finishing up the Retro Apron with Jen's Mom Diane.
• Thus far Jen's learned how to knot the string when threading a needle, basting, sewing over ruffled fabric and how important it is to read a pattern all the way through before starting!
• In the Down Cellar Studio- the rest of the cabinets are sanded. Now I just need to sand the rest of the cabinet frames that have already been installed.

A Contest

• Please consider making a donation towards my friend Claire's Pan Mass Challenge 2 day bike ride to raise money to fund Cancer Research through the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
• Make a donation of even just $1, send the confirmation email to me at: downcellarstudio@gmail.com and you'll be entered to win one of the following prizes:
• • The Autumn Vines Beret Pattern
  • The Winter Trails Hat Pattern
  • The Cream and Sugar Cowl Pattern
  • 3 winners will each receive the Ravelry pattern of their choice- up to a $5 value.
• If we hit 25 donations before this contest ends on August 3rd, I will throw in one more prize- and its a GOOD one, so please enter today!

To Donate- CLICK HERE!

Quote of the Week

All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.   George Harrison

Thanks again to Kim for joining me on this episode! It was so much fun. Hope you all enjoyed it as well.

You can reach me via the following sites: Ravelry: BostonJen
Ravelry Group: search Down Cellar Studio Podcast
Twitter: @BostonJen1
email: downcellarstudio@gmail.com
Facebook: Down Cellar Studio Podcast

Talk to you again in 2 weeks!

Episode 10- Double Digits

Thanks everyone for listening! Its great to be back from vacation and podcasting again!

This Week’s Segments Include:
On the Needles
Off the Needles
Brainstorming
From the Armchair
In My Travels
Life in Focus
Events
On a Happy Note
Knitting in Passing
A Contest
Quote of the Week

On the Needles

• Milo Vest

• Rocky Coast Cardigan

Off the Needles

• Abyssal Shawl- Round 1 - purple Sheep Shop Yarn Co yarn

• Abyssal Shawl Round 2 - Turquoise and purple yarn from Unwind Yarn Co.

 

Brainstorming

• Can't wait to cast on the Color Affection Shawl by Veera Valimaki
• Ordered Berrocco Alpaca Fine yarn from Webs before vacation
• I think I'll be using #1285 Oceanic Mix, #1294 Turquoise Mix and #1207 gray
• Promised myself I’d wait until I finish the left sleeve of my Rocky Coast Cardigan before I cast this on though....

From the Armchair

Book review of “The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos” by Heidi Adnum

Recap:

• I think there’s a lot of great information in this book. Some of it is a little basic, but that will depend on your current skill level.
• Great eye-candy and inspiration for different backgrounds, angles, color combinations, styling.
• Fantastic resource if you’re looking to start an etsy shop or website of your own, but still applicable if you're a crafter who wants better photos of your own work for personal use and enjoyment.
• I'd definitely recommend you check this out one out!

In My Travels

Dan and I had a wonderful time with his family in New Smyrna Beach FL.

• I highly recommend the movie Ted (if you're ok with some bad language and some raunchy subject matter)
• We enjoyed the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway
• Shopping at Bealls

Life in Focus

• Focus this week is on Tips for Vacation Photos

• If you have a DSLR and a point and shoot- bring them both! You won't regret it.
• Try to get some photos in the evening. the bright summer sun can be tricky- waiting until later in the day  might work better- even if it just means that your subjects won’t be squinting.
• Other tips details with an example in each shot below:

Events

Get ready for the Ravellenic Games [AKA do as I say, not as I do]!

Join me on Team Sasquatch!!


On a Happy Note

Looking to learn more about short rows? Check out this free Craftsy Class on Short Row Shaping by Carol Feller! Can't beat FREE!


Knitting in Passing

• I took my knitting to the Coke Zero 400 Nascar Race in FL, on the trains and planes I've traveled on and to the Beach!!
• Why do some people stare SO intently but never speak to us knitters? Does this happen to you? What do you think about it or what have you done in similar situations?

A Contest

Help me support my friend and a really great cause! I have a good friend, Claire, who is riding in the Pan Mass Challenge. Along with 5,500 other cyclists, Claire will travel one of 11 routes, logging between 25 and 190 miles over one or two days, through 46 Massachusetts cities and towns. Their collective goal is to raise $36 million for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund and bring the organization's 33-year fundraising total to more than $374 million

The PMC donates 100% of every rider-raised dollar to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

To be eligible to win, please donate (minimum $1) to Claire's fundraising efforts by the end of the day on 8/3. Send me your donation confirmation to downcellarstudio@gmail.com and you’ll be entered to win.

To Donate Click Here

I will announce the winners when I record on Thursday August 9th.

We will have 6 winners this time around (and if we're getting a lot of entries by the next time I podcast, I'll up the ante and throw in some more prizes!):

• The Autumn Vines Beret Pattern
• The Winter Trails Hat Pattern
• The Cream and Sugar Cowl Pattern
• 3 winners will each receive the Ravelry pattern of their choice- up to a $5 value.

Quote of the Week
Arrange whatever pieces come your way- Virginia Woolf


Thanks for listening! Talk to you in 2 weeks!