Episode 289: A Sad Goodbye

Down Cellar Studio Podcast

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 289 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. 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
• Crafty Adventures
• KAL News
• Events
• Life in Focus
• On a Happy Note
• Quote of the Week

Content Note: I start the episode by sharing news that most of you probably already know but in case not, will set the tone for the rest of the episode. After 3 long years battling Stage 4 Lung Cancer- we lost my Mom, Diane, on New Year's Day. I share a bit more of the story in the Life in Focus segment, but there are small moments peppered throughout so if death and loss is a difficult topic for you right now, that's ok. I just wanted to give a heads up. If this isn't the episode for you, we'll catch you in the next one. Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Wintermint Socks

• Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the Wintermint Colorway
• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page

Peace & Light Mitts

• Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the Peace & Light Colorway
• Pattern: Soccer Mitts by Erica Lueder. Free Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry.
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• About the yarn: 6 stripes in blues/teals, 3 in creams/yellows
• Cast on with 56 sts like socks.
• Gave to Mom for Christmas. She only ended up wearing them a few times but she loved them very much.

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Woolens & Nosh 2024 Advent Socks

• Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock
• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• Progress: 1st sock done. 2nd is beyond the heel.

Freckled Whimsy 2024 Advent Socks

• Yarn: Freckled Whimsy
• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry)
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• Riley knit a lot on these!
• The 1st sock is beyond the heel.

From the Armchair The Life Impossible by Matt Haig- 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. Some Years Later Wearing mostly Mom's handknits because I was there and didn't have all of my own to choose from.

• I wore some of her socks especially when we ended up sleeping in the family room and it was chilly and I couldn't leave her alone.
• Mom's blue Camp out fingerless mitts (Ravelry Project Page link)- 2021
• Mom's Shift Cowl out of my handspun (Ravelry Project Page link)- 2022
• Mom's Carbeth Cardigan (Ravelry Project Page link) - finished night before Rhinebeck in 2023 (while in Vegas)

Knitting in Passing

• Millie loved her lipstick and nail polish amigurumi.
• Hattie didn't get her Christmas gifts until after Miles' Baptism on 1/12- "be off you boring socks" and threw socks across the room and immediately put them on and was showing them off. It was very dramatic and adorable.
• Laura sent me a text of her friend Arielle wearing the socks I knit her. You can find the Ravelry Project Page here.
• Laura and I went back to my house one day to collect some things and Riley asked me to bring ALL THE KNITTING, so I grabbed a ton of stuff. She opened every single project bag and in the end still decided to knit on the Freckled Whimsy advent socks

Crafty Adventures

• We printed almost 400 photos for 11 posters for the funeral home. We broke out the scrapbook supplies and tape gun which I can't believe Laura didn't steal because after an initial skepticism she and Jenny were very into it. Megg, Oisin and Riley were huge helps and had a lot of fun.
• Megg and Laura searched house for memoriabilia stuff to make 3 displays for funeral home- Red Sox & reselling, Christmas and Wiz of Oz. Incredible. Funeral home did it just as well or even better.
• Megg made these Sox and Bruins "tickets" on Canva

KAL News Pigskin Party '24 #DCSPigskinParty24

• Event Dates: Thursday September 5, 2024- Monday February 10, 2025
• 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
• Tune in to see if you won our Quarter 3 Challenge sponsored by FanGirl Fibers.
• Official Sponsor for Q4: Fibernymph Dye Works- Small Gains Challenge (January 2025). Check out this Ravelry Thread for details.
• Tune in to see if you won a December participation prize.
• Mary's Commentator Updates
• I just finished a sweater--my first big project of the PSP. It took me months and it feels like a great accomplishment. Plus it is enough yards to qualify for a blitz! This got me thinking about blitzes and wondering how the pigskin partiers are doing with blitzes this year. When I just looked, players had already submitted for 202 blitzes this year! Amazing! But even more amazing are a handful of what I am calling super-blitzers!
• 2 players have already completed 6 blitzes so far this year! Can you believe it?
• Spottydogknits finished two sweaters, one cardigan, a vest, a shawl and a scarf. Their Winterwald shawl is particularly pretty. It looks like a lot of fun to knit with a variety of mosaic colorwork.
• Purplemomz has completed 4 blankets! Two were knit and two were crocheted along with two cardigans! I really like their two rainbow ripple blankets--it is so fun to see how the same pattern works up in different yarn. https://www.ravelry.com/projects/PurpleMomz/rainbow-ripple-baby-blanket-3 https://www.ravelry.com/projects/PurpleMomz/rainbow-ripple-baby-blanket-4
• In addition to these super-blitzers, 3 players have completed 5 blitzes and 3 more have completed 3! But don't be dismayed if you are a mere mortal like me--The best thing about the PSP is that you can make whatever you want (as much or as little as you have time for). Wishing you all a very happy new year!

Life in Focus Tune in to hear the last of my Mom's story. I also reviewed my word for 2024, Heart, my goals and my 24 for 2024 list. On a Happy Note

• Seeing a local production of Pippin and introducing it to Riley.
• Seeing Hattie in Funky Nutcracker & her winter dance recital. Check out Day 14 of Vlogmas for more.
• Riley took her first solo drive as a licensed driver, made us breakfast and braided my hair. Later that day, friends surprised my Mom by caroling. Check out this video for more. Oisin got his license the following Saturday. Mom was so proud of both of them.
• Silly moment putting TJ's gummy mustaches on our faces. Mom even got in on the action resting it on her oxygen tube and giving crazy eyes for a photo.
• The Christmas eve cling wrap game that my cousin Lea hosted. You can see it at the end of my Vlogmas Day 24 video
• Fun Christmas morning with G & Z who enjoyed the power wheels Jeep. Doing puzzles with G while Z played the piano.
• Low key Christmas afternoon at my parents'. At one point Mom got confused and said we were at a wedding so that turned into a running joke all day. My cousin Jenny, mom's Goddaughter, came over for a bit and showed Mom the video that over 40 people sent in clips for. She said it was her fav Christmas gift.
• Laura, whose timing is impeccable and who was everything I needed during the hardest time.
• Shopping with friends to find attire for Mom's funeral.
• Conor led the kids in singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow at mom's services and our friend Michael Hammond led a group singing Seasons of Love to finish the service at the Cemetery. My cousin Rita Marie sang at funeral mass.
• Folks flew in from 12 states to attend which was lovely but also it got crazy once we realized we had way more people coming than would fit in he luncheon venue we talked to. Dad said it was like the Jerry Lewis telethon w/ everyone making phone calls trying to find a new venue. By the next morning, we found a place that worked, visited and picked out the menu by that night.
• As ever, this segment is meant to focus on the highlights. Not the lowlights of which there have been many. Grief sucks. Its hard, but we also got 68 beautiful years w/ my Mom- and we lived it up royally in the last 3 since she got sick. We'll always more time but I don't have any regrets and that's something to be truly grateful for.
• Miles' Baptism. It was a beautiful service with brunch after at Conor & Carly's.
• Just before Christmas, we gave away $10k in FearLESS Living Fund scholarships to 2 gentlemen the Blind Center of Nevada. Friends attended and sent us videos. Just incredible. I hope it helps to really give them a leg up this year.

Quote of the Week "There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love." Washington Irving ------ Thank you for tuning in. Contact Information:

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• Knit Picks Affiliate Link
• Bookshop Affiliate Link
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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.