Daily Check-in Post 1st March 2021

[pensnest]

Hello everyone, and welcome to the regular daily check-in post, for this week hosted by me, pensnest. 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: How/why did you take up your craft? (Answer for as many crafts as you like!)

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 post and leave a comment.

I now declare this Check-In OPEN!

Comments

[medievalrosalie]

Crafting has always been the joy of making things. I really don't remember when I went down that slippery slope, but I have a very early memory of my Granny teaching me some needlework and even though I was small, I made something nice and it was enough to discover the wonder of starting a projects with bits of things and ending up with a finished product.

[pensnest]

Grannies are very useful that way! I don't remember when I learned to knit, but I do remember my Grandma showing me how to carry the yarn across the back in order to change colours.

[badly_knitted]

I never had a granny like that, but my mum taught me the basics of a lot of things - sewing, knitting, crochet... I taught myself other crafts.

[darkcedars]

Also just like to make things. I learned as a child.

It's a little after 3pm here. I have done the chores (except for the minor dishes) and am trying to get a couple rounds of the afghan border done before husband gets off work at 5.

[pensnest]

It's funny - I don't remember whether or not I made things, as a child. I mean, I think I must have done, I'm sure my mother would have done that kind of thing with me, but I have no memory of it.

Now, I do remember how I got into knitting: it was because my father had bought me Kaffe Fassett's book 'Glorious Tapestry' (stay with me here), and as I did a rather large tapestry (half cross stitch) picture, he concluded it was a success and bought me 'Glorious Knitting' as well. I was a bit bewildered, but soon fell in love with the colours, and had to revive my dim memory of how to knit, and get on with some.

But that's oddly specific, I think!

[badly_knitted]

Good luck with the afghan!

[medievalrosalie]

A couple of hours! Woohoo!

[badly_knitted]

8 rows on my arm warmers, 4 on each! Wooo!

[pensnest]

Splendid! \o/

[badly_knitted]

Thank you!

[medievalrosalie]

You are a knitting machine!!
You always to get a few rows done!

[badly_knitted]

Thanks! I want to make sure I do a bit each day, but it can be difficult finding the time.

[smallhobbit]

I've done a little cross stitch and a row of my hat, but time seems to have walked out on me today!

I learnt to knit from my mother, then took it up again in my thirties, knitted for the kids, stopped again and restarted this summer just past. I started cross stitch when four years ago I decided I needed to do some new things, I got my flist to suggest various things to try, so I did one new thing per month for a year. Cross stitch was one of those new things, I loved doing it, and have been cross stitching regularly ever since.

[pensnest]

I love the idea of doing something new every month for a year! I wonder what I'd learn...

My first usable sweater was knitted for my daughter (she was five). I don't think I've stopped knitting since then.

[badly_knitted]

Knitting is addictive.

[smallhobbit]

It was a really interesting experiment, which I was very glad I'd done. Some things I wouldn't do again, others I really enjoyed.

[badly_knitted]

It's all progress!

I came to cross stitch through a friend who stitched.

[smallhobbit]

Definitely!

[pensnest]

I've never taken up cross stitch, but I had a 'tapestry' phase, where 'tapestry' means sewing rather than weaving. Was inspired to do my biggest picture by my mother-in-law, who bought a *gigantic* base - about five feet wide - and took me to the shop where she got it. Of course I found a picture I liked....

[badly_knitted]

That sounds like a massive tapestry! I've done small sewn tapestries but I prefer cross stitch, lighter and easier than a weighty tapestry.

[pensnest]

It's enormous! I designed her a border for it, so the whole thing is massive. It took her years, because she wasn't very strong, and was sometimes pulling the needle through with pliers! She was a bit dismayed when she saw what I was doing with my picture, because I'd decided to go a lot more free-form with it, and not make the whole thing half-cross-stitch. So I have long horizontal stitches for water, and long verticalish stitches for trees and reeds, which makes for a much more realistic result. I think she'd have gone for the same style, but that she had already done several inches from the top when she saw mine.

[badly_knitted]

Ah, you used longstitch. That can be very effective.

Pliers can come in handy for a lot of things, I've found!

[medievalrosalie]

Cross stitch is really wonderful! And the results are so great!

[smallhobbit]

I really enjoy doing it.

[badly_knitted]

I started knitting when I started work at the tender age of sixteen. Several of my colleagues knitted during breaks and lunch, and I already knew the basics, so I figured I'd give it a go. Started a couple of things, but never got far. Then my older sister announced she was expecting and I changed tack, started knitting baby clothes instead, and I never looked back

[medievalrosalie]

Babies change the world in so many ways!

[badly_knitted]

Knitting was enjoyable, but I left everything else for my sister. I don't do babies. Zero maternal instinct. My nephew is 40 now!

[pensnest]

Did the colleagues help you out with techniques and such? I've found it so useful to knit in the company of other knitters.

[badly_knitted]

One in particular taught me a lot, we'd knit together at lunch, but I taught myself a lot too just by choosing difficult patterns and figuring out how to do them. Sometimes it took multiple attempts, but I always got there in the end.

[pensnest]

Very brave of you! I found a very useful knitting group several years ago, from whom I learned the joy of tension and the pleasure of actually knowing what you were knitting with. (In my Kaffe Fassett phase I'd only ever gone for the right colour.) And, watching other people cheerfully knitting socks inspired me to try my own - I'd always assumed socks would be way too difficult, but someone taught me 'magic loop'.

[badly_knitted]

I've always gone my own way with colours and yarns. Sometimes it hasn't worked too well, but... *shrugs*

I don't think I've ever heard of the 'magic loop'.

[pensnest]

I agree - I'd much rather make something in colours that *I* like than follow someone else's. Kaffe Fassett knitting is fun for that, because his basic philosophy is, why use ten colours when you could use forty?

Magic loop is a way of using a circular needle to work a sock (or a hat). I am terrified of DPNs, so it was just what I needed! I don't think I can explain it succinctly, but there are loads of tutorials on YouTube if you're curious.

[badly_knitted]

I have a couple of Kaffe Fassett books but I've never made anything from them. I don't do a lot of knitting with more than one colour because I tend to knit tight and that does not work for multiple colours, lol!

I'll have to look that up. =)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Interesting to read everyone's replies.

For me, it was a having kids thing, I think. I didn't do too much crafting before then, except a tiny bit of cross stitch for gifts, once in a blue moon. I don't know where I picked cross stitch up. All the women in my family were crocheters, but it never appealed.

I made two tiny felt fried eggs today.

[pensnest]

I am totally charmed by your tiny felt fried eggs! The more so because that final sentence of yours seems so delightfully random - but perhaps you are creating an entire English breakfast in felt? I do hope so!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I am a bit random :) But, yes, I am hoping to make some rashers and buttered toast, too.

[pensnest]

I love it! I hope to see more pictures, then.

[badly_knitted]

I love your fried eggs!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you!!