Check-In Post February 28th 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 10 rows altogether last night. Hoping to knit at least another 10 tonight while watching a DVD... We shall see.

I managed 20 rows! Woohoo!

[spacedogfromspace]

Nice! What are you knitting?

[badly_knitted]

I'm on the last sleeve of a sweater for myself. It's red, and it's a diamond lace pattern, fairly straightforward. Almost finished the sleeve shaping, then I just have to work straight until it's the same length as the first sleeve. It's drop-shouldered, so no fiddling. I'd originally hoped to finish it by the end of this month, but life got in the way a bit.

[spacedogfromspace]

One day I hope to be good enough at knitting to make a sweater! That's impressive!

[badly_knitted]

Thanks. I've been knitting for over 40 years, so in spite of my username I'm pretty good at it. I have made A LOT of sweaters.

I always say the best way to learn is just to do it. Find a pattern you like, start knitting, and figure it out as you go. It's what I did when I first started, making baby clothes when my older sister was expecting her first. I knew the basics, how to cast on and off, how to knit and purl, but I learned everything else just by trial and error. If you like the pattern enough, you just don't give up until you master the techniques.

[spacedogfromspace]

I've got the basics down I just need to knit more often to learn more advanced things. I can't just keep making toques forever! Well, I can, but I can only wear so many. I'm planning on learning cables to spruce things up a bit!

[badly_knitted]

Cables are great fun! As long as you've got the basics down you're ready to try something new. Find a pattern for a drop-shouldered sweater that you like and have a go. No armhole shaping or top of sleeve shaping makes it way easier. You'll still have neck shaping, but if you take it slowly, you'll figure it out.

Also, if you're not already doing it, try slipping the first stitch of every row as if you were going to knit it, then knit the last stitch. It makes for a neater edge and easier sewing up. Someone taught me that 40 years ago and I always do it now. You get a row on nobbles along the edges and if you match them up you can make an invisible seam. There might be a youtube vid showing how, I'll have to see if I can find one.

[spacedogfromspace]

I'll have to try that seam with the scarf I'm going to knit! It sounds like it makes everything super clean looking!

[badly_knitted]

It does, and sewing up from the right side leaves an invisible seam, which I love =)

[meridian_rose]

As it is for you at least there's no deadline to meet :) It sounds lovely.

[badly_knitted]

This is true, and the yarn is being knitted up for the second time since the first sweater I was making with it was turning out ridiculously small, even for my tiny person. I like this pattern much better than the original.

[wiseheart]

Go you!

[badly_knitted]

Thank you!

[spacedogfromspace]

I've been doing FebuWhump and I am almost done! Had to write three fics a day for the past two days to catch up, but now I am caught up, so the last two days are going to be a breeze!

[badly_knitted]

Wow! Congrats! That's some serious writing going on! I copied all the prompts, but I was working on other things and never got around to writing for any of them, which is par for the course for me. I have good intentions, but weekly challenges and WiPs get in the way, and then I forget...

[spacedogfromspace]

Thanks! And yeah these monthly challenges are a lot of work, I've had to sacrifice weekly challenges and wips for it... But I decided to do it because it seems like all the challenges and events that I do are at the very beginning and ends of the year so I'll have lots of time for other stuff in the coming months xD

[badly_knitted]

Kudos for tackling a month-long challenge! I tend to dip in and out of those (looking forward to Spring Renewal, which I had fun with last year), but I have to keep my fan_flashworks streak going. I haven't missed a challenge since I started writing for that one.

[spacedogfromspace]

Its always a good feeling to have a streak going! I suck at streaks, I always end up playing catch-up after missing challenges...

[badly_knitted]

I'm very stubborn and determined, which helps. Have written every day for over 10 years, and hoping to continue with that. Sometimes it's only been a few words, but getting into the habit makes it easier to stick to.

[spacedogfromspace]

Wow I'm proud of myself for writing every day for a month! Ten years is a lot!

[badly_knitted]

It's helped me through coping with caring for my mother after she had a stoke and then her death 18 months later. I needed an escape from the pressure and stress, and writing has been the best form of therapy I've found.

[wiseheart]

Again, no crafting done. The morning hour and half in which I can do such things got sacrificed for the slave labour otherwise known as housework. For the second day in a row, and tomorrow won't be any different. I hate it not to have a quiet hour for such things. :(

[badly_knitted]

*hugs* Sorry to hear that life and chores are eating up all your crafting time. I hope you'll find some time for yourself soon.

[wiseheart]

That would be... therapeutic indeed. *sigh*

[badly_knitted]

Good luck!

[shaddyr]

I'm making progress on the lace shawl!

[badly_knitted]

Woohoo! Looks awesome!

[wiseheart]

How beautiful! It makes me think of my Grandma who could work true miracles with a crocheting hook.