Check-In Post October 19th 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: 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]

Not much in the way of crafting, but I've picked out a pretty paper to go behind the stitching for the card, so the white fabric won't be against a while background. I'll have to cut it to size though, it's too big for the card at present.

[wiseheart]

Selecting the right materials is important!

[badly_knitted]

Indeed it is!

[wiseheart]

Today I had to redo one of the keyring hangings because the piece of felt I had selected unexpectedly clashed with the rest of it. So yeah, I know what you're saying.

[badly_knitted]

How annoying for you. Hopefully it looks better now.

[spiralicious]

Very nice. Sometimes finding the right paper can be tricky.

[badly_knitted]

I went through practically every pad I had, but I found a nice green one with a leafy vine pattern that looks good.

[spiralicious]

That should be lovely :D

[badly_knitted]

I think it should work out =)

[wiseheart]

In the morning I worked on the doughnut keyrings; one is finished, three others are decorated, all six are equipped with hangings and the actual metal rings for the keys, so I'm making progress.

In the afternoon I went with my goddaughter and her mum to the discount craft shop. I bought some narrow satin ribbons in various colours and three small packages of sequins. The other two were more... acquisitive. But again, this was their first time in that shop, while I go there semi-regularly, so I only buy what I really need in these days. ;))

[badly_knitted]

Well done on the keyrings, and yay for craft shop purchases!

[wiseheart]

In fact, the best part was seeing their astonishment over all the things that are offered there. ;)

[badly_knitted]

Were they rubbing their hands together with glee before filling their shopping baskets?

[wiseheart]

No, they were too busy picking up their jaws from the floor. *g*

[badly_knitted]

*grins*

[spiralicious]

Well done!

It sounds like you had fun on your shopping trip :)

[wiseheart]

Actually, I love shopping - except for clothes or shoes, which is a never-ending frustration for me. But craft stuff and groceries... I just love it to browse in those shops when I have the time. I wish that would be more often the case, but even so, I enjoy it greatly.

[spiralicious]

:D

[tielan]

Still trying to finish off a tunic for my Frocktails event on Saturday.

[spiralicious]

I have my fingers crossed for you!

[badly_knitted]

Fingers crossed for you!

[spiralicious]

Last night our internet went out before I could check in and didn't come back until I was going to bed so, I'll start with a shortened version of yesterday: before work I got some inside decorating done, but not nearly as much as I'd like. I just feel so far behind on everything. And I knitted on the mitten.

Today, after a much needed post work nap, I finished knitting the mitten (except casting off). It looked really nice, but I was right about not having enough stretch. Getting my hand in it would have been a serious struggle and if I was even able to get it on, it would have stretched so tight, it would have probably popped a seam and the pattern in the knitting was lost visually. So I frogged it and started over. It's too soon to tell how much stretch it's going to have this time, but it already feels more flexible. The only set back was I accidentally knit almost the entire second row with the long tail left from casting on (to sew it together at the end) instead of the yarn from the skein. At least that was a simple fix.

Cross your fingers I will get some writing done before the drabble challenge at the froday comm ends tomorrow.

[badly_knitted]

Gah, stupid internet! At least it came back though.

Well done on the seasonal decorating, even if it's not as much as you'd have liked.

It sucks you had to frog the entire mitten, but at least the second attempt sounds more promising.

Oh, I've done that when joining a new skein in at the edge, picked up the wrong end and realised halfway through the row that I was using the end I knew wouldn't be enough for a row. So annoying.

I always sew up from the cast-off end, so I only have a tiny tail at the start of knitting. That works better for me, especially on sweaters where I sew up the side and sleeve seams downwards towards the ribbing.

[spiralicious]

Yes. It's been thankfully going out less often lately, but now it goes out for longer at a time.

Thanks. I'm hoping I won't be working Sunday and have energy to tackle some things. Fingers crossed.

Yeah, at least I knew I was going to probably have to do it early on. That made it a little less frustrating.

Very annoying.

I prefer to have a tiny tail, but I'm also new to projects I have to sew up. This pattern suggested leaving a long tail when casting on to sew up halfway when it's done and to sew down from the cast off end for the rest and I thought I'd try it out and see if I like it that way. The long tail is annoying me though.

[badly_knitted]

That's very annoying.

I hope you'll have Sunday free, Sounds like you could use a break.

Wind the long tail up and pin it to the bottom of your work with a safety pin to keep it out of the way.

[spiralicious]

Most definitely.

I did! It was a very nice break.

That's great idea. I am going to do that. Thank you!

[badly_knitted]

You're welcome, hope it helps.

[spiralicious]

It is helping a lot.

[badly_knitted]

Yay!

[wiseheart]

I'm afraid I can't comment on the knitting part because I don't even understand the terms you guys are using. But I know all about writing frust and close deadlines, so my fingers are crossed for you.

[spiralicious]

Thank you!