Overshare No. 16: Puppy Plot Twist, Multi-Craftual Inspo & My Current Binge/Playlist
My Weekly Roundup of Ooh Shinies
Happy Monday, Friends!
Sorry if you missed the Overshare last week—life got a little topsy-turvy. Between fulfilling yarn club subscriptions and Dennis being away visiting family, it was a lot to juggle: work, two pets, and still carving out creative time. Somehow, I managed! 😅 Willow kept me on my toes without a second pair of hands to help, but we still had a great week—lots of park outings and even some quiet crafting moments.
Oh, and we just got her DNA test results back. When we adopted her, the records said Golden Retriever/Newfoundland mix, so we were expecting a big, mellow dog. Turns out she’s actually 50/50 Golden Retriever and Aussie Shepherd. (What?!) The energy levels make sense now. 😂 So instead of a gentle giant, we’ve got a normal-sized, perpetual energizer bunny. She’s worth it, though!
Anyway—enough puppy talk. I’m back with some things I think you’ll find fun and inspiring.
A Few Patterns On My Radar
Stellar Tote Bag by Thai Charm LLC
Bubble Pup Sweater by Stephen West
If you’re reading this, I’ve already cast one on for Willow. Stay tuned for pix! 😂
Magic Circles Scarf by Jane Crowfoot
I have no business casting this on as I still need to finish my Fruit Garden blanket (also by Jane Crowfoot).
Joanne Brozinski’s Epic EPP and Appliqué Quilts
I’ve been stalking Joanne Brozinski’s Instagram (@Jo_Broz) ever since I fell in love with English Paper Piecing. Her EPP and appliqué quilts are incredible—right up my alley with their scrappy, anything-goes charm. I’m also in awe of her mad fussy cutting skills and her unapologetic love for leopard print fabric. She doesn’t have much of an online presence beyond Instagram, but honestly, I could scroll her feed for hours feeling inspired.
Lisa Doherty’s Freeform Yarny Things
Freeform crochet never fails to fascinate me—I’m endlessly amused by those wonky, textured spirals and really want to give it a try someday… if I can only get out of my own way, lol.
I just stumbled across Lisa Doherty’s Substack, and it’s a glorious colorwash of inspiration and tutorials for getting started. She even has patterns available on Ravelry that I might make.
I think what’s holding me back is feeling like I don’t have a scrappy enough scrap stash—I keep telling myself I need a wider mix of fibers and textures before diving in. Right now, I mostly have fingering and DK. Realistically, I’m probably just overthinking it.
What I’m Watching: Upstairs Downstairs (1971-1975)
While Dennis has been away visiting family, I’ve been spending my evenings happily crafting and re-watching Upstairs Downstairs. I first saw the series as a teenager, but watching it again now, I feel like I’m visiting with old friends. I’m also realizing just how surprisingly spicy some scenes are—and how they tackled controversial topics for a show in the 1970s. Sure, the look of it feels a bit dated, but if you’re a fan of Downton Abbey or The Gilded Age, I think you’ll really enjoy it. Plus, the acting is absolutely top-notch.
What I’m Listening To: Pulp
If you’ve ever seen the ’90s adaptation of Great Expectations with Gwyneth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke, you might remember the song “Like a Friend” by Pulp. I loved it so much I bought the soundtrack and played it on heavy rotation until my parents’ ears practically bled. 😂 They’ve been one of my favorite bands ever since.
Dennis once surprised me with tickets to see them live at Radio City Music Hall—easily one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. It’s always extra magical when you know every lyric to songs like “Misshapes,” “Common People,” and “Disco 2000.”
It’s been a while since they’ve released anything new, so I was surprised to learn they recently put out a new album, More. I’m still feeling it out—their newer sound kind of reminds me of Arcade Fire (who I also really like), just not what I was expecting. It might grow on me, but in the meantime, I’m having a blast revisiting their older stuff.
Here’s a track I actually quite like off their new album:
That’s it for this week! If you’d like to support more of what I share, you can become a paid Substack subscriber, join me on Patreon, or support me on YouTube—whatever works best for you. 🖤
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What’s been inspiring you lately—a pattern, podcast, playlist, or something totally random? Hit reply and tell me!
Thanks so much for mentioning my newsletter in your post, Kristin. I'm glad you enjoyed looking around on my site, and I do hope you'll try some freeform. You don't have to have lots and lots of colors to start, and having a little try at it will give you an idea of what you want to do want to have on hand. My best advice for stash enhancement is to look for mini-skein kits or slow color change yarns. Both will give you small amounts of more colors for the money than investing in loads of single color skeins. Happy crocheting!
I love that you share pics and the going ons of both Willow and Bella! Always brings such a smile! As always, Kristin, you are pure inspiration and because of you I have jumped down some rabbit holes myself :)