Join the Conversation & Bring Your Stitching |Hey BrownBerry Knitting Podcast EP 112 

Gosh, you are so lovely! Your voice is soothing and gentle. I love your podcasts! Blessings from Switzerland 🇨🇭

Thank you for showing we can take our time with our making. It is not a race, but a journey. You remind me to enjoy the process:)

I have lots of quilted (hand and machine) art quilt practice pieces. They are various sizes and we use them as pads for hot dishes on the table and other things around the kitchen. When a guest comments on how gorgeous that is - I send it home with that person! I love doing that 🥰

You have such a calm voice that it is relaxing to listen to what you say. And what you say is very interesting and fun to listen to. Thanks for sharing your time with us. 😃

I embrace slow making and enjoy hearing all of your reflections regarding learning, slow making, and practice pieces. You are a very wise woman. Gardening is another process of slow making. I find I have to listen to what the plants and my garden are trying to tell me. I am going to read The Long Thread soon. I just finished "All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, A Black Family Keepsake." It was wonderfully written - nonfiction, history, and textiles.

I can always count on you to bring me back to center. You are such a calming presence here on RU-vid. I had to giggle when you described your "circuit" - I do a similar thing in our yard but not intentionally. Often I will walk down to check the mail and end up wandering the yard (or along the trails my oldest has blazed in our woods) for longer than intended. We recently moved onto a large piece of land and I worried that my kids (who are 11 to 20 in age) would feel isolated and bored. But I think we all welcome the return to nature. The adventure of living in so much nature - especially right now when everything is starting to wake up.

Always such a pleasure. I think my pandemic craft journey (and life really) went from so rushed to enjoying more. Coming out of the tunnel vision that is life a little bit and having an opportunity to really *see* what is happening. I love your quietness. It helps to quiet something in me, honestly. I am also very grateful for audio books.

I just happened across your podcast tonight and am so grateful! I really appreciate your process of slowing down. I think the reason why I really connected with you is because of the way you show up authenticity ❤️ I love the mug too!!!!

I come hear to listen to your calming voice!

I love audiobooks and agree, having language and dialect behind the "book voice" (I don't know how else to say that) provides me the cultural connection that I need. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is one of my favorite writers and now I have access to her audiobooks...its been wonderful for my whole family. Between you, Cozycardigans and Woolen Forest, I'm totally inspired to finish my patching jobs I've had languishing from last year (possibly longer). Thank you for all that you share with us

It's been four or five years since I have quilted. I used to enjoy it immensely. Once I made the firm decision to volunteer my free time to helping others learn crochet and knitting, I started reading with audiobooks more. Now, I cross-stitch, too and read both paper books, as well... finding it equally enjoyable!!! Happy Stitching!!!🌻🤗💖!!!

My headache has gone, such a relaxing moment shared with you, slow making is for me , thankyou Marce x

So many interesting topics you've discussed in this episode! I love that you are sharing the slow progress on your sweater! Not only are we getting to see more of this wonderful project, but it's good for newer garment knitters to see that garments take time, and we can enjoy the slow process of making as well as celebrate the achievements along the way. Your whole cloth project and the hand stitching journey you are taking is very inspirational! I'm primarily a dressmaker when it comes to stitching, so am used to making toiles of garments. However unless I set out to make a wearable toile, the toile itself has no real use once you've made all the tweaks and adjustments to get the fit right. I always find that problematic as I don't like the wastage! I'm also really fond of audio books. I mostly listen in bed as a way of getting to sleep, I love the sleep timer!

Lovely to have a catch up again ! Your jumper is going to be really lovely and I was delighted to hear you will be traveling again soon to the yarn show! I used to do a lot of hand quilting as it’s slow stitching is so relaxing. I’m a recent convert to listening to audio books while I’m crafting but it will never replace turning the pages of a good book for me personally! Take care of yourself and thank you x

Always great to see your lovely smile, follow your progress and hear your thoughts. The stitching looks amazing. I understand the need for the practice piece to be "useful". I have often thought about turning swatches into a patchwork blanket, or similar. Audiobooks? I am a fan. I have found that since listening, rather than reading, the range of genres has increased, as well as the diversity of the writers and narrators. This may also be a product of my own learning and curiosity, but I am very grateful that these books are available - as you say, hearing different voices (literal and narrative) is a great thing. You're off to Wales? How wonderful! I hope you have a fantastic time xx Thanks and take very good care xx

Thank you for sharing lovely lady, keep showing us all your progress!

I so agree with slowing down the process. You reminded me of why I love knitting. No need to rush. It's not a race. I'm a quilter, knitter, sometime crocheter. and sewist. Never made a whole cloth quilt, though. I have a friend who did one in French knots. Yikes. You have a soothing demeanor about you that is so pleasant. Thank you.

I do so enjoy your podcast, I also find since covid that I am not so in a rush to finish my knitting. I thought it was my age, but no its not necessary to be in a rush all the time. In Ontario, Canada we are still having a cooler spring, I have not started any seeds as yet, its too cold, nor have I cleaned out the garden beds as yet! Just finishing up a heavy cardigan & starting some baby socks & hats for a friend, first time grandma! Come on spring I am ready! Lol

I'm a serious audio book listener but getting back into reading something gentle each bed time. I love books about rewilding and wild life in general. Letting nature into my life makes such a huge difference to me and I've noticed my kiddo is starting to feel it too. I totally get what you mean about narrators that add to the book experience. Sam Peter Jackson reading the Ben Arronvitch book October Man is just lovely.

One of my most loved books in the last year was "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Every single book-side is a pleasure to read and a source of informations and inspiration.

Beautiful podcast. I appreciate your slow knitting and am working towards it as well.

Starting off my Monday work morning listening to you share your reflections on making practice & life. I’m consciously creating a habit of starting each morning knitting or stitching or gardening. (The best benefit of the home office situation.) Love the idea of whole quilting - slow, meandering stitching suits me.

Hooooray. I can’t believe you’re coming to Wonderwool ❤️❤️❤️. I’m looking forward to seeing you there. The first Wonderwool I went to was the coldest I’ve ever been in my life. But there have been plenty of years when my group of friends have sat outside on the grass to eat our lunch…. I’m sure your sweater will be perfect. Wonderwool was the first fibre festival I went to when I got back into knitting and it’s still one of my favourites.

Another thought and feeling provoking episode. I really appreciate your thoughts around slow making and sharing your project over several episodes rather than the "what is new or finished". In our society, despite the slower nature of what we do as makers, there is still this feeling of missing out on the latest pattern, yarn, fabric, kal and the list goes on. I am going through a significant life changing time and your words are resonating with my heart in terms of what I want to do/be going forward. Rather than taking a step back to evaluate which is my tendency, maybe taking slower steps to appreciate the journey more might be the way forward for me. I love audio books as well. Thank you for sharing about Tatter Blue courses. More than a few that are appealing.

Always thought-provoking, thanks!

I guess it has never bothered me to have long slow epics of projects. I do enjoy when I'll finish one project, put lots of focus on the other, and then cast on 2 new things when I have cast off the second. It's a pleasant semi-monogamy. I don't remember when I switched to that from straight one project at a time. If anyone thought that was silly they quietly left. I like seeing the evolution week by week. It's the story of the make, not just the beginning or the end. By the end you haven forgotten about part of the journey already. Molly : )

New viewer here, I just wanted to comment about the hand sewing and quilting you're doing. That sentiment, about how it can be freeing, is exactly how I feel about embroidery. I've always been a cross stitcher on aida cloth, the stitches practically make themselves. All you have to do is stitch the same way with the right color and you can make the pattern as it was Meant To Be. Embroidery was always *scary*-- scary for exactly what you talked about, you can tell when you mess up right away. But when I did take it up, I let it be. I let the stitching do what it does, and it was freeing. And really it became so enjoyable! Another comment, I do enjoy your commentary about slow making and learning to enjoying the process and slow down. I've been a progress crafter for as long as I can remember, but as a SAHM with children in school, there's a lot of things I end up with. So I've been learning to pick slower crafts in the last few years and really buckle down on technique rather than focusing on progress and finishing all the time. Anyway, I can't wait to watch more of what you're making! Cheers!

Really appreciated you telling us about your making... I've been feeling less than because with all I have to do my making is so slow. I feel better about my making. Thanks

Great content today...as a senior gardener.get a lot of top soil..that dirt is so sandy that root veggies should do well..but the top soil is what matters. I love the new quilting..so very pretty..something so tranquil about hand stitching.🙏

Great podcast! Nice variety of topics. The sweater is beautiful.

Love it all, and was surprised to hear about your hugelkultur bed. I must've missed the episode where you first talked about it. This will be my third season with my hugelkultur bed (in Maine) and WOW, I think every vole in town moved into it and set up house. This year I'll run a soaker hose and hope they'll move along to drier ground. I love the interplay of gardening and hand work, just that feeling of producing something while so enjoying the work, and even though one takes time from the other:) So I'm always happy to hear about your gardening ventures as well as your making.

I like fantasy and am currently stuck in the Wheel of Time series. I’m on book 6 and in love

Your pullover is beautiful! Thank you for sharing its journey on your needles. Would love to see what you’re growing in your garden if that’s something you feel comfortable with sharing on RU-vid.

I can listen to you all day everyday 😍

Let me go grab my coffee, I'll be right back 😍 Just what I need, a nice visit with you!

I never came to your podcast to see what you'd finished. Rather I've always enjoyed your explorations of the various crafts/projects and your reflections about these processes. That is much more interesting to me. AND here's a perfect example...you just asked "What do you do with your practice pieces?" I've been exploring hand sewing via embroidery but where do I put them? I'm not interested in home dec with them. I'm thinking of a special binder set up like an old fashioned photo album?? HUgs and love.

Interesting podcast. I was definitely saying you should use that beautiful stitching material as a place mat! How exciting to be going to Wales! I now have high expectations of a photo of us wearing the finished jumper in Wales (preferably with some Welsh sheep, but some fellow knitters would also do). 😉 I have 7 wips (6knitting and 1 crochet) and just finished a second sock on a pair yesterday. I enjoy the variety that multiple wips brings. Though your episode has made me reflect on the things I tend to share (cast ons and finished objects, unless I'm on a beach, when I tend to pose my wip with beach in the background!). I've been doing make 9, but often knit other things too, as I find any sort of reason to cast on yet more things. Then I get stressed about the knit 9 not making progress, 🥴 so maybe next year no knit 9 and just go with the flow! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You asked about breaks from the day, mine is when I am on the sofa having fed the baby to sleep, with a podcast on, cup of tea beside me and knitting in hand! Happy crafting!

Lovely podcast today. Always great to hear about what you are sharing. As I was listening to you explain the difference in length between the sleeves in your sweater project, I was thinking about how I might have responded to a situation like that! The way you found a constructive way to resolve the difference in length is inspiring, and I hope it works out. Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable trip across the pond and back!

Audiobooks for sure. I need my hands free for. Crafting! 😊

Its so lovely to catch your podcast. I love the process discussion / conversation. Audio books for me lately! Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James; "Mother Night" by Estes, oh and revisited "The Yearling" by Rawlings. Many many more.. Thanks for all the sock help too!

I completely agree, share throughout the process. I love to hear what thoughts develop as the project unfolds. I love your sweater and it will be worth the time you took on it! Whole cloth quilting sounds like a lot of fun. I might try a little coaster.

If you’ve not listened to it the audiobook of Sing, Unburied, Sing is absolutely amazing. Not sure if there’s an audiobook version, but The Sound of a Wild Snail eating is really great too. I just read the Gambler Wife, a biography of Dostoevsky’s wife, Anna - she was such an interesting woman and founded the first woman owned publishing company in Russia. As always thank you for such an amazing podcast, I think my blood pressure actually goes down during your podcasts!

I like when you have FOs but I mostly like to hear what you have to say. Your words resonate with me❤️

Thanks for the visit. I was gifted two spindles today and am stoked. I am currently reading Diana Beresford-Kroeger's To Speak for the Trees. I recommend it.

I come to listen what you have to say and the experiences you want to share. I love the intention of your making and as much as it is nice to see a finished piece it's not as important to me as the journey to it. I also enjoyed hearing about your sewing and whole cloth quilting ... I had not heard of that before and could see giving that an attempt much easier than say English paper piecing which I absolutely love but I don't think I would ever do it myself. Enjoy your time across the pond ... I'd love to make a visit home but can't see it unfortunately in the near future. Take care 🤗

Hi Marce: recent convert here. Whether outdoors under a shaded tree or indoors in your living room I love your engaging, analytic, soothing and genuinely crafty vibe and ambiance. Not a big fan of electronic books either audio or Kindle. Mostly die hard printed and tangible. There is something about the printed copy experience that is more joyful to me personally. And Here’s to more intentional slow and joyful making!

Just a lovely blog. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I too have embraced slow knitting… mainly due to work schedules and life. I think you might have me sold on audio books.

You think like I do. Ingenious to switch needles for you sleeves.

Just getting around to finishing watching and I saw your comments about going to wonderwool. I’m sorry to miss it, but I just can’t justify the trip as I’ll be travelling to wales the following weekend. I don’t know if you’ve been to Wales before but I hope you love it. I grew up there and my heart will always live there.

I prefer audiobooks... just because I feel like my time is limited and I can listen to them pretty much anytime! I'm trying to pick up my Kindle or a physical book more... I just don't get to as often as I would like 🙂 Thanks for the awesome podcast!!!

I love your vegetable talk Marce. I’ve dived back into growing veggies as well this year, though many are still in trays on the windowsill.

I tend to have many projects going. As I get tired of doing one thing and I have fibromyalgia and arthritis so I have found if I change needle and yarn size it helps to not have so much pain and stiffness in my Hands. Also loved hearing about your gardening. You might try adding more compost. It can give plants a variety of nutrients and they can use what they want. If you’re just getting leaves and not root growth it might be too much nitrogen and a good organic compost could help. Also like growing plants to dye with. Trying to get some rhubarb started as I like it eat it but also because the leaves make a great green dye.

I love your quilting project! My input is either a throw pillow or a pocket (or even the entire side of) a project bag. Interesting thing that people who make things, tend to have many interests. I too, garden, sew and knit. Last time my granddaughters came, I showed them a skirt I made from a pair of jeans; embroidery, crewel, applique - it's fun and very 'hippy' like but I made it in the early 70s, so ya know.... :D I also like to cook and create new dishes from ingredients I know my family will enjoy. I also read; Stephen King is my favorite author. I tend to read mostly fiction as well but I just finished Amber Ruffin's book; You'll Never Believe What happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism. As an old white woman, I've been studying a bit about that which I have had the privilege not to experience. Besides, Amber is really brilliant and funny! Typically I prefer paper, but now after getting rid of literally thousands of books to get down to 3 bookcases, I mostly read on kindle. With my adhd, the only time I've enjoyed audio books was when driving on long trips - which used to be a normal thing for me but now caretaking for hubby excludes travel. Used to love my time at the gym but covid and his needs took that away along with my hiking. But I'm trying to get back to at least walking and might try audio books for that. Right now I'm reading book 2 in a series by a good friend and got it as an ebook to read while I wait for the hardcover to arrive. The author promised to sign it before shipping. Just a side note; when I see your beautiful smile and hear "It's Podcast Day" It makes me SO happy!!!!!

I have found it best to do both sleeves at the same time, on magic loop (for circular) or long circular (for flat). They will be pretty much same gauge and length too. Great podcast.

Another lovely episode♡♡♡ I just moved back to Ocala FL after years in upstate NY. "Those days are coming." The heat! Will I ever wear my knitwear again?!

I am a bit of a newer audiobook convert. I was an early adopter of Kindle, and I still love just reading a book so I can make the voices in my head sound like whatever I want 😂

i like hand sewing my quilts are hand pieced and quilted, had gathered flowers and other plants for dying , working on a hat as i watch you .You have a good trip , hope to hear about your time there .

I have adopted that same practice recently. I went around gathering all my works in progress. I ripped out a lot of them. I found that I am just enjoying the process more than rushing to finish things. ❤️ I frame swatches for Christmas presents.

I'm trying to plant a small dye garden this year in one of my raised beds: marigolds, purple basil, black hollyhocks and coreopsis! I agree with you that it's all a grand experiment but it's so fun to see what works.

Thank you 🙏. Slow making, I need to do it too 🌞🌷x

It is great to hear about your long project journey. I am so impressed with your sleeve solution! I have recently chosen to embrace long projects rather than feel anxious about (not) finishing them. Thank you for the book recs! Your thoughts on learning/processing other perspectives is spot on. Please keep those recs coming. I am finishing The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (definitely flip the pages for the artwork) and about to start The Killing Moon by NK Jemison (The Broken Earth Trilogy is my favorite series). Happy crafting & reading!

PS. Although I love novels, some other kinds of books occasionally grab my interest. One of my sons gave me "The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload" by Daniel J. Levitin, 2014. It was fascinating and gave me some great ideas about my craft organization too. HUgs

Some of my practice/ experiment pieces are displayed in my sewing area, but I'm *that person* who keeps swatches, quilt blocks, etc. filed away to refer to later. Oh, also, wholecloth quilts: I've made two in my lifetime (and I do hand quilt), both bed-sized. They're wonderfully soothing to work on, but always take me forever, lol. And I only quilt on larger quilts in cold weather months anyway; Dallas is too warm in summer to have a queen-sized quilt on your lap while you're stitching away, lol.

Hello from Mounds Illinois. It takes me about two days to seam up my sweater. You can frame it. Your sweater is going to be awesome!

Enjoyed your podcast, I am also a quilter and instead of using a marking wheel, they make a tool called a Hera marker, it’s great.

My current favourite writer is Mary Lawson, a Canadian living in England. Her four novels are set in northern Ontario, take place from early 1900’s to ‘60s, She is a wonderful story teller. I expect they are on audio but I am not a fan of audio books. I love library books on my IPad.

Hey, I think I am your twin 😂. I am in IT too and have similar hobbies it was funny how similar except I am novice at machine sewing. Anyhoo, the vlog theme spoke to me esp the decision to intentionally craft. lastly, to answer your question I walk to destress something about moving helps.

Even before the pandemic, hospital workers dealt with a lot of chaos. My breaks were for food, coffee, puzzles, and knitting. Our director would be very concerned if I WASN'T knitting when he arrived at shift change in the morning.

Great podcast 😊 I highly recommend The Story Graph as an alternative to goodreads - it's completely independent and has much more information such as the themes that readers of the book identified. For a small subscription you can also get personalised recommendations 😊

Hugs!

Such an interesting podcast.I especially enjoyed hearing about your whole cloth journey. I took classes in quilting years ago & loved them but haven’t stitched for years. It’s inspired me to maybe do some sewing. Thank you from Scotland.

Very interesting to see another maker's evolution. I've been pretty much on the same trajectory towards slow making, because of the jobs and also as I got back into doing more sports... the making time does inevitably decrease, so I'm also focusing on one or two projects at most. I wish I could listen to audiobooks, but if I'm not paying complete attention to what I'm listening to, it doesn't stick. Even running while listening to a podcast is too much for me to remember what I heard.

My fav author is J. California Cooper. Her short stories are the best (in my opinion). Have you read any if her work?

I would have switched the needles around too.

OK...that sleeve thing is weird. I just bought a sweater quantity of yarn (first sweater) and my OCD would have me ripping back. I was going to do what you are doing...knitting both arms at the same time. Maybe I should just do a blanket/throw. I wonder why the sleeves are different like that????

I don't know the pattern you are making. But if you have a set in sleeve it could be problematic to have 2 different size needles because the cap of the sleeves should be the same length to fit in the armhole.

It is absolutely impossible for me to focus on listening, so audio books are not working for me (i keep rewinding the same chapter over and over again, because my mind just stopps listening after a couple of sentences). I read a lot of physical books (literally have not missed a day since my childhood, I'm 37), the ones you read with your eyes not ears, on my Kindle. All fantasy though.

Hmmmm you should have already eaten your radishes, my guess it that your garden spot is too high in nitrogen. That will give you lots of leaves but no veggies.