Check-In Post December 10th 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 meece factory production line continues. Five of the second batch now have faces, leaving 20 to do.

I've knitted two more bodies for the third batch, so now there are five. The ears for those five have been crocheted, and the tails for them and for the next five have been cut, as I also have the yarns picked for them.

[wiseheart]

Impressive! You'll be able to open that pet shop sooner than expected. ;))

[badly_knitted]

Knitted pets are a lot easier to care for than living ones!

[smallhobbit]

I hadn't realised until now that meeces came in batches.

The wonderful thing about meeces
Is the fact they all come in batches
Their ears come ready with creases
Because that is how they hatches

[badly_knitted]

*giggles* I love it!

A batch is now the collective name for meeces. (In this case, batches number 25).

[medievalrosalie]

You really would have enough to decorate an entire tree by now!

[badly_knitted]

I only have 30 completely finished, and 20 awaiting faces... Still, I'm almost halfway through the planned 100. Yay!

[wiseheart]

I baked two batches of biscuits today, decorated them (and another two batches from yesterday), and the day was half over already. *g*

[smallhobbit]

You continue to be incredibly productive.

[medievalrosalie]

She is, right? I like baking but this is a whole different level of epic cookery marathon!!

[wiseheart]

TBH, it's my way to deal with Covid and all the shit it has brought into our lives. I'm wrestling my Christmas back from the dratted virus, being virtually present under the Christmas trees of all those families through my baked goods.

[badly_knitted]

Baking takes time, all the measuring of ingredients, mixing, cooking... You did very well!

[wiseheart]

Thanks. The fact that I enjoy it enormously helps. :)

[badly_knitted]

It's always good to do something you enjoy.

[medievalrosalie]

Wow!

[smallhobbit]

Button band of mini Hobbit cardigan is knitted and sewn on. I've decided to have 6 buttons and not 5 as the pattern suggests - the next size up is 6 and I think it'll hold together that bit better.

[badly_knitted]

Excellent, you're almost done! I think some knitted garments have too few buttons, then you end up with that annoying gapping when they're buttoned.

[smallhobbit]

That was what I thought.

[wiseheart]

This was mini Hobbit will always be warm and comfortable. :)

[medievalrosalie]

6 will definitely hold together better. Good plan!

[smallhobbit]

That was my thinking.

[medievalrosalie]

Finally finished making the strings for the pouch, so now it's just making and attaching tassels and it's done! woohoo!
Got a request for Grandbabe boy who needs a new tutu skirt (brown) as his old green one is worn out. I've been looking around for fabric but brown netting is hard to get but there are brown curtain sheers which look like they can be cut lengthways and doubled over to make a 4 layer floof which might be perfect. Off for a trip to Spotlight to check it out this morning. I also need some nice fabric for book photo backdrops since fabric has a nice non-reflective glare for photos.

[badly_knitted]

Yay for finishing the pouch!

IO always wanted a tutu, but never got one. So glad your grandbabe will be getting a replacement for his worn out one. Hope your idea works and he gets great joy from the new tutu. =)

[medievalrosalie]

His sister is getting one for Xmas and he really likes the one he has. The mother said, they love chasing each other around the house in them and I've just discovered that their mother has not been told about the dinosaur and llama costumes the kids are getting tomorrow, so that will be fun! Visions of chasing and squealing.

[badly_knitted]

*grins* Now I'm picturing dinosaurs and llamas in tutus! What fun!

[wiseheart]

That would be a sight for the gods!

[badly_knitted]

I have a weird imagination, but I'm sure you already knew that *grins*

[smallhobbit]

Enjoy your fabric shopping.

[althea_valara]

Have a picture of a snowflake:



Second one is in progress. I showed mom, who liked it, but first suggested getting ribbon that my sister could write the year on it, then suggested charms. Looked on Amazon and found some 2021 charms for an affordable price (the kind where shipping is almost as much as the thing itself; I don't have Prime). I opted to get the "colorful" set of charms. I only need 6 charms and it comes with a bunch, in various golds and silvers.

Mom also suggested ironing the snowflake (!!!). I was aghast, as I fear that will flatten it out and lose some of the sheen from the thread. But she said that's how her spray starch works. I would like to starch them, so I might investigate other methods. I hear you can use Epsom salt? Anybody have any experience with starching snowflakes?

Otherwise haven't done much today, not even play my MMO much. Feeling kinda tired.

[badly_knitted]

The ribbon and charms both sound like great ideas. Hope the charms arrive quickly!

I have to admit I've never starched a snowflake *grins* Spray starch does sound a good idea to stiffen them... Maybe put the snowflake on a thick towel, fold the towel over to cover it, and lightly iron it to avoid flattening it?

The one in the picture is really lovely!

[smallhobbit]

That's a very pretty snowflake.

[dirtypuzzle]

My nana would spray starch with a specific brand when she wanted to avoid ruining anything delicate, and then kind of almost steam it with the iron. It's been years though and I don't remember what brand of spray starch it was, I just remember she liked it because it would work without direct pressing, or with very light pressing and a buffer layer. If the thread is cotton or linen, though spray starching and directly ironing it should be perfectly fine. It's wools and synthetics that really shouldn't get starched.

[medievalrosalie]

wooooow! That's so nice!!!

[wiseheart]

Very pretty!

I heard somewhere that you can use egg white to make crocheted things stiff, but I have no idea how to do it, sorry.

[dirtypuzzle]

I'm getting my wool yarn in later today (sorry about always posting at weird times, I work thirds), and the project I have lined up for it is desperately needed now that it's winter. It's a masked hood, so it will both keep my ears warm and add another mask layer over my kn95. Now I just need to save up for the alpaca/silk yarn I've been eyeing for a hooded cable scarf.

[badly_knitted]

We have community members all over the world, so all of us post at what seems like weird times to someone in, say, Australia, or Hungary, or Britain, whatever. Post whenever works best for you, we're open 24-hours a day!

The masked hood sounds like a great idea for warmth with an added layer of protection. What colour will it be?

Also, the alpaca/silk yarn sounds deliciously decadent and soft, although definitely expensive. Well worth the price though.

[dirtypuzzle]

I'm thinking I want a royal blue because I'm working off of a really beautiful Japanese knitting chart. I'm on mobile but I can link the pattern on Ravelry when I get access to my laptop. It's free from the publisher (which I believe is a Japanese yarn company).

As for the masked hood, it's a dark, browny-gray because it's undyed natural fiber. I'll post a pic when I get it in, hopefully with the finished sweater for my sister.

[badly_knitted]

That sounds luscious! I'd love to see the pattern when you get the chance to put up a link.

Natural fibres are lovely, there's a lot to be said for the more earthy colour palette. I know many people go for brighter, more eye-catching colours - I do myself most of the time - but the natural shades have their own appeal, they're more subtle. Looking forward to pics.

[dirtypuzzle]

Here's the link. I really like the cabling, which is why I chose it. This is the link for the masked hood. It's a crochet pattern, and that's getting the fisherman's wool yarn.

[badly_knitted]

Both designs look brilliant, just the thing for winter weather. Royal blue will look great for the cabled design.

I love knitting cables, I gravitate towards cabled patterns, or diamond patterns of any kind. Probably three-quarters of the patterns I knit for myself are one or the other, and sometimes both. I completed 4 sweaters this year before turning my attention to stocking up on knitted mice for next Halloween. Two of those were diamond lace, the other two had cables. Then there's the one I still need to sew up, which has a tiny bit of cabling in a design of lace panels and double moss stitch.

[medievalrosalie]

I like the sound of a hooded scarf! I've not seen one, but can totally get behind the concept! And silk sounds divine!

[medievalrosalie]

I've got the rocking horse mane and tail on and I'm delighted! I'm going to add the forelock separately. The saddle is terrible, but it's padded, so it's functional. The bridle is glued and will be put on in the morning. Pretty pleased overall!

[badly_knitted]

Brilliant! Sounds like the rocking horse is nearing the finish line!

[medievalrosalie]

The finish line is in sight! I've got some phone photos of the mane and tail but need to put them on my laptop and into a lj post to share them easily. I put one on fb, but I know a lot of people don't do fb.

[badly_knitted]

Yes, I'm one on the none fb people, lol!

[medievalrosalie]

The tail isn't as full as I planned, but only so much hair will go into the hole I made fo
r the tail. It's still ok (though I wish it was twice as fluffy!

[badly_knitted]

If that's all that will fit, there'd nothing you can do. I'm sure it will be fine even if it's not quite what you were aiming for.