Check-In Post February 24th 2024

[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.


This Week's Question: Which craft that you don't already do would you most like to try?


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]

I managed to complete the first pattern repeat on the sleeve last night. Hoping to get a bit more work done on it tonight.

[wiseheart]

Good luck! It seems that you're making good headway.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you! Got a nature documentary to watch so out the knitting will come!

[otpcutie]

Well done!!

[badly_knitted]

Thanks! Second pattern repeat is now completed!

[otpcutie]

Yay thats awesome!!!

[badly_knitted]

Thanks!

[wiseheart]

I've worked a bit on Page 3 of the baby book - well, of both baby books. The basics are done, all I need to add are some embellishments: tags, inscriptions, the likes. I'm pleasantly surprised to have managed this much, despite it being laundry day.

[otpcutie]

Congrats :D

[badly_knitted]

Yay, congratulations! Some days are busier than others, glad you managed to fit in some crafting.

[wiseheart]

Honestly, I was surprised by my progress. *g*

[badly_knitted]

But pleased, I'm sure =)

[wiseheart]

Oh yes, definitely!

[otpcutie]

I hope you've all been well!!

I've been busy with Aro(mantic) Week, I made seven moodboards for it one for each day :3

For the question of the week, I think it would have to be book binding I love the idea of making my own book to scrapbook in or as a notebook.

[badly_knitted]

Well done with the moodboards! I wouldn't have a clue where to start, computer graphics of any kind are beyond me, lol!

That would be amazing.

[otpcutie]

Thanks so much!! It's so natural to me now, I also do some digital scrapbooking :D

Right! Maybe sometime in the future I'll give it a go <3

[badly_knitted]

I admire talent in those areas. I'm old and it still amazes me that I managed to learn to use a computer at all *grins*

[liminaltime]

I worked some more on my sweater and a small beaded bag that I'm knitting.

I'd love to try papermaking, bookbinding, and soap making. I've done a couple of those with a friend, but never on my own.

[badly_knitted]

Well done on progress with your sweater and bag. Beaded knitting looks amazing.

That's quite a variety of crafts! Hopefully someday you'll get the chance to try them solo. You could combine the papermaking and bookbinding buy making books out of your handmade paper.

[althea_valara]

I fell off the crafting wagon for a few days this past week, because I was getting VERY CLOSE to a huge achievement in my MMO (Final Fantasy XIV) and the closer I got, the more I wanted to work towards that achievement. I accomplished it late last night, huzzah! So I am back to crafting.

There is less than a week left in Round 1 of this Nerdopolis tournament. I had hoped to make three submissions this month, but I'm behind, and it's gonna be tough but I think I can squeak out two.

The first submission is for the "Couples/Duos from your Nerdery" theme. I chose Thancred and Urianger from FFXIV, and am making blanket squares with their job symbols on it. I already have Urianger's square done, and Thancred's square is about a third complete. With some dedication, I can finish it today or tomorrow.

The other submission is for the Constellations theme. I am taking my inspiration from the Lepus constellation, and making a doll of a Viera character fom FFXIV. Vieras are basically bunny people, so that fits. Alas, I am still on his body, which leaves the legs & feet, arms & hands, and hair/ears left. Lots of work still, and I'm not sure I can finish in time, but by gods I am going to try.

Which craft that you don't already do would you most like to try?

I'm fascinated with tablet/inkle loom weaving. I did try tablet weaving, but I don't have an inkle loom, so did the warp backstrap-style, tied to my belt and a bedpost. Yeah, that didn't work too well. Someday I'll acquire an inkle loom. I'm not sure what I would do with the straps I make... make belts, perhaps? but it would be fun!

[badly_knitted]

Congratulations on your achievement!

Also good luck with the Nerdopolis submissions. Love the sound of the bunny people *grins*

If you ever get an inkle loom, the straps could be made into bag handles, or headbands as well as belts.

[glinda]

I've started knitting a teacosy for my mum. (Her old one - a pineapple! - has got all tea-stained, so she requested one in darker colours.)

[badly_knitted]

Will this also be a pineapple, or are you going to try a different shape?

[glinda]

Sadly it's not going to be a pineapple, it's just a straight-forward one with a nice simple cable for added thickness/insulation. The stitch that makes it look like a pineapple was really effective but an absolute nightmare to do - I swore I was never doing it again.

[badly_knitted]

That's too bad. Cables are good though! It's be a cosy cosy ;)

[peaceful_sands]

For the first time this week, I've managed to stay awake long enough to do some of the tapestry - I am behind on so many things that I felt somewhat guilty when I've spent some time today crafting and reading.

In terms of crafts, I'd like to try - I've been tempted by the epoxy resin art I've seen, but looks like it would be hugely expensive and how much of it could I make? I'd also like to paint - from scratch. Last year I did a few paint by numbers kits that I enjoyed - but I just don't have the actual artistic talent to begin to create my own works.

[badly_knitted]

Crafting is great for relaxing and de-stressing though, and it sounds like you need some of that, so don't feel guilty for taking a break to do something you enjoy.

That's the problem, a lot of crafts require specific tools and materials, so it's expensive just to get started. Then if you find the craft isn't as enjoyable as you thought it would be, you're out of pocket and stuck with a load of stuff you can't use.

You never know what you can do until you try. Good luck if you decide to give freehand painting a go.

[wiseheart]

Don't feel guilty! Crafting and reading is good for the mental health; you need to do good things for yourself if you want to go on with things that *have* to be done, whether you like them or not.

[m_findlow]

Still pottering away daily on my two current projects - my small(er) cross stitch and my granny square blanket. Have almost used up half the balls of yarn (I bought two in each of nine shades) so I think I'm at about 90-100 squares.

Other knitted scarves are much slower to progress. One has a thick cream wool that I could probably finish in a week if I put my mind to it. The other is a much finer DK wool and will take many weeks of knitting (at my dunce knitting pace). Hopefully can get both done for winter though that's only three months away now.

[badly_knitted]

You're doing well to find daily crafting time! Sounds like the blanket squares are coming along very well =)

You should at least have the thicker scarf done before winter. If the other one isn't finished, knitting it will help keep you warm. Good luck with all your projects!

[wiseheart]

It so interesting to read comments from people who live on the other side of the planet. Over here, winter is just about to end. *g*