Check-In Post August 1st 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.


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]

Got outside in the garden and did some more clearing up on the path behind the greenhouse, lots of leaves and berries still to collect but the rain the last couple of days has complicated things.

Moved the laurel logs to more or less where I want them, so that's good. Also filled two black bags with rubbish out of the greenhouse.

I also did another logic puzzle, but I messed it up twice before I got it right. That was frustrating.

[smallhobbit]

Your logic was a trifle fuzzy I suspect ;)

[badly_knitted]

I used to be really good at logic puzzles, guess I'm out of practice, like with a lot of things *sigh*

[darkcedars]

Probably the next one your brain will be back in the loop. I do that with Set when I haven't played in a while.

[badly_knitted]

I don't know, I've done 4 so far and they're so hard! And these are supposed to be the easy ones... My brain is old and uncooperative.

[wiseheart]

Logic is such an individual concept. ;))

[badly_knitted]

True, but not when it comes to these logic puzzles. There's only one right answer and if I make a mistake I have to start from the beginning again.

[althea_valara]

I've been doing logic puzzles myself! I found a free app of them on the Amazon app store for my Fire tablet. Some have been easy, but I messed up yesterday's daily puzzle on the first attempt and had to restart it to do it again.

[badly_knitted]

They're fun, but they can boggle the mind! It was supposed to be an easy one but I had to rub everything out twice. Mine are in a puzzle book.

[sister_raphael]

Gardening is good, as I keep saying! The results are always right in front of you!

[badly_knitted]

Too much bending for me at present, lol! Also, I don;'t seem to be making much progress now the trees are gone.

[smallhobbit]

I finished the pastel poppies I was colouring at the weekend:

[badly_knitted]

They're really pretty!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much!

[darkcedars]

Those are great!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much.

[wiseheart]

Oh, lovely!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you.

[althea_valara]

This is so pretty! I really like it.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much.

[sister_raphael]

They're really great!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much!

[wiseheart]

All 33 Kings are now equipped with heads and I have started on the headbands/tiaras/whatever. Still taking it easy on behalf of my poor fingers.

[darkcedars]

Still sounds like good progress!

[wiseheart]

Well, progress in any case. There are so many little details in this pattern...

[smallhobbit]

I'm sure they appreciate having their heads attached.

[wiseheart]

Well, I certainly hope so, considering the pain they caused me! ;)

[sister_raphael]

Terrific progress!

[badly_knitted]

All having heads is good. The embellishments can be done at a slower speed.

[wiseheart]

Yeah, headless kings would be a tad unimpressive! *g*

[badly_knitted]

And not very suitable for the festive season, lol!

[darkcedars]

It's project day here. Michael has been working on the next window. Struggling because a previous repair to the tracks used poor materials and was not done square, which is a problem for a window.

I made a heart shaped coaster thing to send with the blanket for the older child in the family. It's a bit wonky, maybe a second one will turn out better.

[sister_raphael]

Ah but most hearts ARE wonky, so it's... perfect?

[wiseheart]

Besides, it is the thought that counts, right?

[badly_knitted]

I hope the window can be sorted.

Kids tend not to mind things being a bit wonky.

[althea_valara]

BIG NEWS! (a) I found a craft fair (b) in my area, very close to me (c) with a low space rental fee (d) happening in October (e) that hasn't started accepting vendor registrations yet!

!!!!!!!

Registration opens August 9th and can be done online. I have set a calendar reminder for the 8th - I'm often up past midnight, so I'll try to register once the clock turns over, and if not, register early on the 9th.

I am very proud of myself, because I physically went to the venue to ask about the fair, which is quite nerve-racking for me! But it was less nerve-racking than calling on the phone.

So, today I've been testing other patterns. I made the pieces for Heart Gnome Ornament except for the nose because I lack size 3 thread in an appropriate color. It was easy and quick so I think this will be a contender.

I've been searching the vast collection of pumpkin patterns. I did try an Amish puzzle pumpkin ball which is COOL but decided it's too many pieces / too fiddly to do quickly and make it worth my while. Now I'm knitting a tiny pumpkin, but will have to finish tomorrow as it's almost dinner and I'll be streaming afterwards.

I did some window shopping at Amazon for supplies for the craft fair. I want 2022 charms for ornaments (oh yeah, I also made a snowflake today!) and need sign holders (4x6 acrylic picture frames) and a coat stand for my shawls. The total in my shopping cart is about $31 which isn't too bad. I'm holding off buying the stuff, though, until I'm for sure registered for the fair.

[smallhobbit]

That sounds brilliant. Good luck with booking a table.

[sister_raphael]

Oh that sounds very exciting for you!!!

[badly_knitted]

That's terrific news, and well done for going to the venue to enquire! A lot of people don't get how nerve-wracking that can be.

The gnome ornaments are cute! If you like, I can PM the pattern I used for knitting pumpkins, which is super simple. It's a Jean Greenhowe design. Let me know.

Also worth looking here for ideas - there are free patterns, I just downloaded some.

https://www.jeangreenhowe.com/patterns.html

Good luck with registering!

[wiseheart]

The heart gnome is very cute. I hope you can register for the fair in time and will have fun with the whole thing.

[sister_raphael]

No crafting today but I did run around buying ingredients to make a recipe for hair powder from the 12th century, so that will be a thing. I am back working on the Polish Kontusz and the tassels I got for it are perfect!

[badly_knitted]

I am so looking forward to seeing the jacket when it's finished!

The hair powder sounds intriguing. What was it used for? Cleaning or what?

[sister_raphael]

To make hair smell nice. Apparently it does that and some people have said a weeks use improved the condition. The ingredients smell divine except the watercress.

[badly_knitted]

Sounds like good stuff!