Check-In Post January 26th 2022

[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.


IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: THE MEECES HAVE LAUNCHED! IF YOU PUT IN A MEECE REQUEST, WATCH YOUR MAILBOX!


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]

5 meeces completed, and 8 arm warmer rows, getting me to 100 rows.

Meeces have been posted!

[smallhobbit]

I am looking forward to meece arrival!

[badly_knitted]

I hope your package will meet (meece?) with your approval. =D

[wiseheart]

Aww, great! Thanks!

[badly_knitted]

Hope your package arrives safely!

[nagi_schwarz]

...What is a meece? Inquiring minds want to know.

And kudos to you on those arm-warmers!

[badly_knitted]

Meeces are the little knitted mice I've been making.

See here: https://get-knitted.dreamwidth.org/109517.html

[nagi_schwarz]

Those are adorable!!!! Can you share the pattern for them?

[badly_knitted]

I can, but I'll have to type it up first. It's mostly an old Jean Greenhowe design, but the ears are... I never liked the ears she used, so I crocheted them instead of knitting, and I don't really know what the crochet stitches are called. I'll have to make my best guess, although I vary the number of stitches depending on the thickness of the yarn. It's a bit of guesswork, figuring out what works best. Then instead of a crochet chain tail, I made a twisted cord. Do you know how to do those?

I can send you a meece so you can get a better look, and PM the basic pattern once I've typed it up.

[nagi_schwarz]

Goodness gracious you are too kind, for reals. I...don't think I know how to make a twisted cord, unless you mean where you twist a string and then fold it in half? Or a string of Josephine knots?

[badly_knitted]

Yes, like that, although you'll need to use two strands for a good tail, or a double strand if you use one colour. The tricky part is that you have to thread the twisted cord through the end of the mouse before you let it twist back on itself. I bung a crochet hook through the mouse. then anchor one end of the cord under something heavy, twist it tight, hook it through the mouse's rear, gather the ends together, knot, and pull tight.

I've sent meeces all over the world already, so just let me know your colour preferences and PM me an address to send it to. Might take a while, because I don't know when I'll be in town next, but you'll get it.

[peaceful_sands]

Well done on your progress and neece meece news is exciting!

[badly_knitted]

I hope you'll be happy when your package arrives!

[smallhobbit]

Another square of my throw completed. This one is called 'meadow'.

[badly_knitted]

That's lovely! How many have you done now?

[smallhobbit]

That's square number 15. I have one more botanical square to do.

[badly_knitted]

You're making great progress!

[wiseheart]

Oh, very pretty!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much.

[nagi_schwarz]

That's lovely!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you.

[peaceful_sands]

The square looks lovely

[smallhobbit]

Thank you :)

[wiseheart]

I've managed to squeeze in some crafting; I even finished Page 5 of the baby book by being absolutely ruthless with myself. I told myself I wasn't allowed to leave the desk until it is done - and it worked. This time...

[badly_knitted]

Well done! Some days it's so difficult to squeeze crafting time in.

[wiseheart]

Oh yes! Especially paper crafting that needs lots of time and working space and ingredients and tools. I'll be relieved when I can return to sewing...

[badly_knitted]

Yes, paper crafting requires a lot of preparation and cleaning up afterwards.

[nagi_schwarz]

Well done!

[wiseheart]

Thanks.

[peaceful_sands]

Well done - your effort and willpower are showing results

[nagi_schwarz]

One of my goals this year was to craft more! (And as a result write less but whatever.)

Unfortunately this did not translate into checking in here more ooops.

Nevertheless I made a baby afghan for a friend expecting a girl in a few months. This is my first time trying the tight continuous joining technique, and as advertised it is quite fiddly, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.

[smallhobbit]

That is really lovely!

[nagi_schwarz]

Thank you!

[badly_knitted]

That looks really lovely, I'm sure the recipient will be thrilled!

[nagi_schwarz]

I hope so! After I started making it she said she didn't want pink for her girl so I'm hoping it won't offend her too much...?

[badly_knitted]

It's mostly blue though, a nice mixture, not gender stereotyping to have a bit of pink in it.

[wiseheart]

It is beautiful!

[peaceful_sands]

Lovely afghan I’m sure your friend will love it

[peaceful_sands]

Spent a bit of time watching some YouTube videos as I was curious about Kaleidoscope granny crochet blankets were achieved and whether it was something I wanted to try. Then got sucked into origami heart bookmarks

[smallhobbit]

Naturally - watch one crafting videa and disappear down a rabbit hole not surfacing without pieces of complicated folded paper.

[badly_knitted]

Both sound fascinating, if rather different. You never know where you'll wind up when you go down the youtube rabbit hole.