The Stash-down Diaries Ep. 49 | Cast ons Cast off

[@Sherrynunu]

I look forward to your weekly podcasts and today resisted the urge to skip the adds but watched them to help with your plans to repaint the house..

[@pameladombek1695]

Your tale of woe reminded me of the time I was knitting a first sock. Although I liked the color, I decided I would never wear it as socks. So… I ripped back past the heel and made fingerless mitts instead. Just a thought. Anyway, I love watching your channel. Toothy yarns are my favorite so I’m with you there! And I had a blast casting on 12 new projects. Thank you for doing what you do. ❤

[@elenabeyers2088]

Stripes with the speckled and either blue or red . Then use one of them for contrast cuffs, heels, and toes. I can see them right now in my head. So cute. At less I think so.

[@melaniebalzer7806]

Even when I do not wrote a comment in the past. Watching your content is helping me to feel some sort of company. I am glad that I found your channel.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I appreciate that! So glad you’re here. I feel the same way about the people that I watch.

[@croxalls]

Love watching your podcasts, you're so down to earth and I can relate to you because I grew up in Nova Scotia.

[@stamdl]

I enjoy your podcast because you knit interesting things and are a pleasure to listen to. I wish I didn’t enjoy casting on! That’s how too many WIPs are started at my house. I’m reorganizing my stash and then will factor in some stash specific themes for 2025. I like having monthly or quarterly goals. One thing I’ve noticed lately is I am hoarding my more expensive yarns and want to change that this year. Knit the good stuff after I finish some projects.

[@JoanneB65]

The lonely knitter and Giddy Yarns are doing a gnome along where they are aiming to knit 8 gnomes throughout the year. If you'd like to check it out . Think it's called friends who grimble together x

[@sandracroley9784]

I love my Coorie In Poncho ❤. I knit it 2" longer than in the pattern.

[@travelandlivebravely1646]

Your geese mitts are lovely.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

They were fun to knit.

[@barbaragrant4857]

I also love the geese mittens and have some rustic yarn from Maritime Fibers in Maine that will be perfect!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I need to go back to Maine on a vacation so I can visit the yarn shops that I missed out on last time. Now I want to go to New Hampshire too so I can go to the Woolly Thistle and browse the toothy yarns. I love a toothy yarn! 🧶

[@marshawoods2634]

Gotta admit I thought 12 cast-ons was nuts, but seeing your rapid progress has me rethinking it. Nice!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I think making the 12 cast ons consist of projects that you are really excited about is the key to really enjoying it

[@FirnMamaMakes]

❤❤❤

[@maureenlehman139]

I just love the mitts. I have many robin Hansen books. I may have to make a pair

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I hadn’t heard of her so I looked up her books. They are very intriguing, definitely some fun patterns there!

[@jeaninegunn4118]

I'm really liking the idea of casting on gift socks a batch at a time - going to give this serious consideration this year.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yup, same!

[@allisonlittlefortin4891]

Just want to say that you have inspired me to spend January doing the swatching and the math to set me up for 5 projects to work on my very old stash. I am swatching for a trellis cable pattern with eyelet lace in the diamonds, in some worsted weight natural yarn I bought in the 80's, that I want to make a top down cardigan, as well as a colourblock top in fuschia and royal blue, with a repeating motif a la engineering knits, with 1980s Eaton's lady fair super wool, a pair of socks for my husband from an old beehive sock book with the alladin heel, a tea cozy from some handspun that is a bit too rustic to wear, and a scrappy pillow for my neighbour when we realized that the leftovers from a number of baby knits would perfectly match her new tv room couch. I am moving along well, and am finding doing the heavy lifting to adapt patterns, or just work out stitch counts all in the same period, is really motivating. I really enjoy your content, and am thinking about a trip out to the East Coast to visit some of your favorite yarn sources,

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Sounds like those are some solid plans! Knitting from old stash is so satisfying. I love those old beehive books, I’ve found them in thrift stores. The East Coast is full of excellent yarn shops and farms. One of the gentlemen from Cabin Boy Knits said that Nova Scotia has the most yarn shops per capita in Canada. I’m inclined to believe him.

[@ladydii-ce4br]

Your flying geese mittens are wonderful!

[@elenabeyers2088]

I am currently knitting a sock in KFI Collection Teenie Weenie wool. It is toothy but I am enjoying it. The yarn doesn’t have a whole lot of stretch but I have figured a way to work around that. Good luck.

[@marielchan5147]

I enjoy watching your channel. You have inspired me to knit from stash. Your fire season blanket is beautiful:)

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

That moment when you find the perfect pattern for languishing stash yarn is the best. 😁

[@barbararobson2098]

Lovely podcast! I like the idea of casting on several pairs of socks - I’m not overly keen on knitting them, but everybody loves them and I wear wool socks myself all the time now. I could knit a few rows a day and have a few finished pairs for gifts.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

That's a great idea!

[@jenniemills5093]

Hi Jenn! I am on cast on 12! I’m so excited to get working on them. Todays cast on is the Garter Marler by Stephen West. I have 2 pairs of socks, 2 hats, 1 Earwarmer, a wrap, and 6 sweaters! I love all of them. I love your mitts!

[@lynnmcentire4014]

I’m doing the KAL and I’m doing WIPGO with some older projects and a few new things!

[@kcraig5442]

When I saw Angela cast on a batch of socks for her first project, I thought about you with your two pairs of socks as one project, and said to myself, 'Jenn doesn't need to worry about breaking the rules', lol. I'll keep in mind when I plan my 12 for 2026, that I'm the boss of my own knitting and anything goes!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Same! Maybe next year, one of my days of casting on will be a batch of gift socks, however many I have needles for.

[@jennenns654]

Hi Jenn. I don't have a local knitting in person group either so I enjoy watching you talk about your knitting. One of my 12 days of cast ons are 12 pairs of socks. 1 is the monthly Stephen west year of 2025 socks and the other is the 12 months of the summer lee colorwork cuff club.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Summer Lee is one of my favourites!

[@foreverchasingthesunsets5842]

I love your Gnana! 🥰 Geese mitts are lovely too! Homebody socks are gorgeous colours! I will have to look up that pattern. How can you get so much knitting done? Between knitting, spinning, fiddle, reading and my full time job and caring for my Mom, I feel like I cannot get much done. I DID finish mitts. I used a free pattern and doubled white lace weight baby alpaca with a striped fingering. It created a nice pattern. They're also my shoveling mitts but the winter has been good so far. Early storms in December and nothing since except for super cold temps. I discovered that the wonderful sickness I got was COVID. First time ever getting it! ICK!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

When I’m doing patterns that don’t require much attention, I knit much faster. And also, I have less hobby time this time of year so it’s basically just knitting and reading. I also take whatever time I can to knit, for example if I am taking training, in a meeting or am a passenger in a vehicle, I have something to work on. Your mitts sound lovely!

[@rustysknitwitcorner]

You are such a joy! Your 12 days of cast on videos were a highlight to my holiday season. Thanks to you, I've cast on a cabled shawl, a long garter stitch coat , a hat and my first pair of colorwork socks. I needed some knits for me after a month of gift knit socks. My brain is knitting faster than my hands, but I'm having a great time. Big love from Chicago

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Thank you! That’s so lovely to hear! I think you and I are on the same page…knitting for ourselves after the pile of gift knitting 😉

[@sun101rype]

Morning Jen, love to watch your podcast. I'm wondering now if I'm also making my socks to big, hmmm. I'm a newer knitter, I have size 10 feet I use size 2 dpn's with 64 stitches. They fit well enough but at times do get a bit slouchy on my foot. What size foot do you have ? Keep up the wonderful work from your Alberta fan ! 😊

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

My feet are a size 7 and I always use 64 stitches on a 2.25mm needle. I might try 56 for my next pair and see what happens.

[@elenabeyers2088]

Don’t know how much you have of ech. Could also be shorties.

[@PeggySveeakaTheGardener]

Anyone looking at your socks that closely either lives you deeply or needs a restraining order, just sayn 😊

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I think you have a point 🤣

[@maschadudko7452]

I love watching your podcasts because you are a very pleasant stotyteller but also you are not like some beige ladys who are almost only knitting petiteknit and i am thankful for that. ❤ I don‘t have anything against petiteknit and beige, but it is just no fun to watch.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Sometimes I wish I was “aesthetic” because it seems like it’d be less complicated and more orderly buuut I enjoy playing with colour too much. 😆

[@susustrabsi2911]

I love your videos, you‘re great just as you are!❤ I also send you a message on instagram some weeks ago but you didn’t accept the invitation. Perhaps there are more messages from other knitters waiting for you? 😃