Check-In Post December 9th 2021

[badly_knitted]

Hello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.

Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?

There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.


Today's Question: No question today.


If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.

I now declare this Check-In OPEN!

Comments

[badly_knitted]

The rest of the meeces have their tails now! Just have to stitch their eyes and noses.

Also knitted the bodies for the first three of the next batch. Colour combinations are deep purple, paired with shades of pink — light pink, rose pink, and bright pink. Eye-catching ;)

[wiseheart]

Sounds adventurous, the color combinations. But I've found my sunglasses, so I'm looking forward to the picture(s). ;))

[badly_knitted]

The bright pink and purple is quite dazzling, the other two are a little more muted. I'm sure there will be more dazzlers though!

[smallhobbit]

Those meeces are definitely making a statement.

[badly_knitted]

Possibly that I have no sense of colour? Heeee!

[wiseheart]

Chores and one batch of baking for me today.

[badly_knitted]

That's one step forwards towards completing your Christmas baking!

[wiseheart]

I wish! But the things on my baking master list multiply when I'm not looking! Mostly because there are always leftover ingredients I just don't have the heart to throw out (wasting food of any kind was heavily frowned up when I was young, basically because we were rather unromantically poor), and so I make things that weren't originally planned.

Either that, or the things have sex during the night and that's why there are more on the list every other day.

[badly_knitted]

Baking breeds like rabbits?

I'm with you on not wanting to waste perfectly good food, especially when something tasty can be made from whatever ingredients are left over from other projects.

[smallhobbit]

I'm currently knitting sheep for our new vicar - her nativity set is without sheep!

[badly_knitted]

A sheepless nativity? That's terrible! Good luck with your sheep. How many are you making?

[smallhobbit]

I'm not sure how many. I'm going to knit a couple and see how they go with the shepherd.

[badly_knitted]

Yes, there definitely need to be two at least!

[wiseheart]

Knitted sheep must be very cute!

[smallhobbit]

There will be photos!

[wiseheart]

I'm looking forward to them!
And BTW, those birds in your icon are precious, too!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

One zombie undertaker!

[badly_knitted]

*giggles* He digs the bodies up instead of burying them!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Yes, indeed!

[wiseheart]

He has personality!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

:)

[althea_valara]

I decided to make snowflakes for my nieces and nephews, to include with their Christmas card this year. I had some size 10 thread, but it was feeling too fiddly, so I stopped at Joann while out yesterday and picked up some size 3 thread. Made a snowflake today. It's not too bad, but it is larger than I like and absolutely needs to be blocked and starched. I think I'm going to try a smaller, simpler design. Snowflakes are quick.

I live with my parents, and don't have much money myself because I don't work due to crushing anxiety. I wasn't planning on giving anything to my sisters this year, but mom urged me today to make something for them, perhaps a Christmas-related softie. Bleh. It's not that I don't want to give my sisters something -- I'd like to! -- it's just I don't think mom realizes just how much work that is, and I'm already trying to finish a blanket for myself for Christmas.

But still, I am dutifully looking at patterns even though I am disinclined. I suddenly recalled this pattern:

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dash-away-reindeer

I think it looks classy, which would be good for my older sister. But... all that work... do I want to do it? and spend money I don't really have to buy the yarn?

Nothing is jumping out for younger sister.

Not sure what to do. I don't have much time these days in spite of not working -- I am someone who needs a lot of sleep, plus I have my own plans for my days already.

[smallhobbit]

That's a great reindeer. I hope you manage to find something you're comfortable making.

[badly_knitted]

I hope you can get some smaller snowflakes done.

I can empathise, I too suffer badly with anxiety and as a result remained living with my mum until she passed almost 7 years ago. I'm still in the same house, just alone now and having to pay all the bills and expenses myself, which isn't easy. Thankfully I stocked up on craft supplies while mum was still here, and inherited all of hers, so I'm not short of yarn and stuff. Still bought a 100g ball of peach DK last time I was out though, because I only have a tiny scrap of peach left for making knitted mice.

Those reindeer look brilliant, but they also look quite complicated. And is that a naked Santa in one of the pictures? o_O

How about fingerless mitts for your sisters? Or a festive coaster? Things that don't take an awful lot of time but are still lovely to have.

[wiseheart]

Knitted bookmarks could also work, couldn't they?

[dirtypuzzle]

I'm new! But I just finished a crochet sweater for my sister for Christmas/birthday, and I'm pretty proud of it. It's a canary yellow and definitely not the right weight for this season, but I've been working on it for months because I've been so busy at work. All I have left is to mattress stitch it together.

[badly_knitted]

Hello and welcome to the community! I hope you'll have fun here.

The sweater sounds gorgeous, I love yellow - can't wear it, I look awful in yellow, regardless of the shade, but it's such a lovely, cheerful colour! I'm sure your sister will be delighted. Hope you'll share a picture once it's finished. I'd love to see it!

[smallhobbit]

The sweater sounds wonderful. And even if it's not the right weight for this season, there are other seasons and it will give your sister something to look forward to.

[wiseheart]

Welcome to the club! I'm the odd one out, as I can't either knot or crochet, but I admire everyone who manages those high arts. :)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Sounds great! Welcome!

[annofowlshire]

Knitted facecloths continue. (And sometimes dishcloths.) They are my current go-to. Part of me feels like I should be doing something more ambitious, but they are cozy and comforting and useful.

I feel like my family has enough scarves and hats, although at the rate husband and son tend to lose them, maybe I should be knitting a backstock of those, too!

[annofowlshire]

Although, to be fair, I did accidentally leave a knitted facecloth in the hotel on my recent business trip.

[badly_knitted]

Some lucky person probably claimed it and took it home with them. *grins*

[badly_knitted]

It's good to have a useful go-to project, something quick and easy that you can work on when you have the time. At this time of year there's so much else going on it can be hard to find the motivation for anything complicated.

[wiseheart]

Knitted dischcloths are a blessing! They are small, so they don't go up in flames if you have a gas hearth in the kitchen (unless you are me; I've managed to burn several of them), and yet thick enough to protect your hands. I love those things!

[smallhobbit]

Maybe brightly coloured hats so you can spot them at a distance ;)