Check-In Post June 17th 2023

[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: At the request of new member cora... In light of new members, where are we all in the world? No need for exact locations, just general country is fine! Leaving this question open for a few more days so anyone who hasn't answered it yet still can.


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]

Another 10 spiders made, all with varying degrees of wonkiness. I have come to the conclusion that no matter what lengths I go to in my effort to arrange the legs in an orderly fashion, it makes no difference. These spiders seem determined to be their authentic wonky selves, resisting conformity, so I might as well get used to it. Wonky spiders FTW.

[matsushima]

What are the wonky spiders for?

[badly_knitted]

They're novelties to hand out to kids at Halloween (I love Halloween). Last year I re-stocked my knitted mice (like the one in my icon) because I'd almost run out, this year I decided I needed more spiders since I had less than a dozen left. They'll be hung on thin elastic once they're finished so they can be bounced. They've been popular in the past, so hopefully they will be again.

[matsushima]

Oh, that's so fun! I love that all the kids can enjoy them, too - no need to worry about food allergies.

[badly_knitted]

Yes, that's another reason. I want all kids to enjoy Halloween. It wasn't a big thing when I was a kid, and my parents were kind of anti-Halloween, lock all the doors and turn the light out so people think no one's home. Now I live alone I can indulge my love of Halloween and have fun.

[wiseheart]

At least they have personality. *g*

[badly_knitted]

I think that's pretty much guaranteed!

[matsushima]

I started my Vash the Stampede amigurumi doll! I'm using this pattern for the doll base (with a modified arm for Vash's prosthetic) and then freehanding his coat and boots.

I've never done amigurumi hair, so any suggestions about how to make the undercut would be helpful! I was thinking I'd almost do it like a yarn wig and brush it out a bit with a cat brush?

[wiseheart]

Alas, I have no clue what amigurumi is, but this doll really looks cute.

[matsushima]

Amigurumi are crocheted (or knit) dolls and plushies! (I've always seen it used for crochet but I just looked it up and it can include knit, too.) I'm not usually an amigurumi crocheter but I wanted a doll of my new fave and they don't make one that I like so I had to do it myself.

[wiseheart]

they don't make one that I like so I had to do it myself

Yeah, I know the feeling. It happened to me with several things.

[badly_knitted]

Wish I could crochet well enough to make amigurumi! I'm vaguely familiar with Vash, so there will obviously need to be adaptations to the doll pattern. Can't advise on the hair though, sorry. I've never done anything like that, I wouldn't know where to start. Good luck!

[matsushima]

I crocheted for several years before I even attempted amigurumi and I don't do it often, so we'll see how it goes!

[badly_knitted]

I knit more than I crochet, granny squares are about my limit. I keep meaning to take the time to get better at it, but there are so many other things I want to do. Hope your amigurumi turns out well.

The best laid plans of meeces and men

[wiseheart]

... often go awry, but I decided that I'll do some crafting, even if it kills me. Fortunately, I already had cut the large felt sheets I had bought yesterday to the right size. I happened to buy a bit too much felt, but those things never go to waste in our house.

I also cut out 14 clouds (for the two songbooks), 5 trees (for one of the books) and the bases for two ants and two cow. Coming up: the bases for two bears, another 3 trees (for the other book), the crowns for all 8 trees, 14 suns, 10 grassy srtipes, 14 pockets for the finger puppets, 2 ovens, 2 mills, 2 carts, 2 fleas, 2 mosquitoes... and a few other details. And when all that is done, I can finally start sewing.

No progress on the baby book, of course. The deadline starts haunting me in my dreams. Or nightmares. Whatever. When did the days become so short?

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[matsushima]

I happened to buy a bit too much felt, but those things never go to waste in our house.
Isn't that how it always goes?

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[wiseheart]

And it leads to the uncontrollable multiplication of craft projects. *g*

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[badly_knitted]

Better to have too much than too little.

That is a LOT of cutting out. Hopefully the fleas and mosquitoes aren't life-sized. They'd be way too tiny to cut out.

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[wiseheart]

Nah, nothing is life-sized. Would be a bit complicated with the bear and the cow. *g*

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[badly_knitted]

True, they wouldn't fit on the page!

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[darkcedars]

14 suns!

Re: The best laid plans of meeces and men

[wiseheart]

Well, I'm making two identical books, and most of the scenes take place outdoors, so: suns and clouds. And trees. And lots of grassy stripes. *sigh*

[darkcedars]

I'm in Kansas (mid-USA)

I have been stripping paint slowly on the bathroom door trim. The door has so many layers of paint it can't shut. :D

Right now I am going to start on a giant crochet butterfly for the porch.

[badly_knitted]

Stripping that paint must be hard on your hands >.<

Good luck with the butterfly!

[wiseheart]

I've only stripped paint from one long table once, and it was a pain in the backside. We used some sort of chemicals and they were killing my eyes. I couldn't stop crying for hours!

That giant crochet butterfly sounds good.