Daily Check-In Post 3rd 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: Where do you get your materials? Do you have a favourite supplier?

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

[pensnest]

I'm going to start... with Posh Yarns. They're a small dealer of very fabulous silky yarns, and they produce a selection every week which goes on sale on Sunday (I think with a preview), and if your favourite yarn hasn't gone by Tuesday there's a 20% discount on it. I've knitted a few things now with yarn from them, the colours are gorgeous and the yarn is a treat to knit with, though as I've mostly bought laceweight it... really, really lasts a long time.

[shopfront]

I'm a big fan of ye old LYSs, and I have one very nice small business in my city that stocks lovely fancy yarn which is where the bulk of my purchases come from. I've found two other (also small businesses) sewing stores that stock some also nice but more economical/big brand yarns when I need to fill in the gaps between all the hand-dyed lovelies. I'd say my sewing supplies are about 50/50 between those small businesses and a bigger chain store here called Eurokangas though, that's mostly down to what I can find where and the fabric selection isn't as wide. I keep hoping I'll stumble across a local smaller business with more fabric choices though.

I have also been very absent but still knitting here and there. February was an awful, slog of a month but I have started and finished a lovely cable and lace hat already this month (that I swatched for back in... Jan, oops.) Still largely plodding along a few rows at a time at my big cotton rainbow scarf/shawl though.

[pensnest]

I have a lovely local yarn shop here, too, and it is nice indeed - in my previous location there was one that sold a fair selection of big brands, but I've developed an addiction to Extra Nice Yarns, and the LYS sells Manos del Uruguay, which I have promised myself I will use one of these days.

A rainbow scarf/shawl sounds delightful! And well done on finishing the hat.

[smallhobbit]

I use LoveCrafts for my bigger knitting projects, and my husband bought me my cross stitch kit for my birthday from there. They have free patterns as well, so I feel that if I'm using their patterns I should at least look at the wool/needles etc. For the small items I've been knitting I bought bags of mixed colours off Ebay.

I did some cross stitch this evening, but I'm feeling tired tonight.

[pensnest]

I've just had a look at the site, and I see the appeal.

I have a knitting group friend who has been crocheting small toys - an ideal person to receive my ends-of-balls, but eBay sounds like an excellent rabbithole which I had better not go down!

[smallhobbit]

Yes - I bought the wool for my granddaughter's jumper from there and also for the hat which I'm knitting. Not the cheapest but really nice to work with.

[badly_knitted]

4 more arm warmer rows!

I used to get my supplies from small local craft stores and wool shops until they closed. After that I bought yarn by mail order and I still have a fair bit. There are a couple of local shops that sell yarn, nothing fancy but it knits up well and is hard wearing.

There's also a craft section in the local pound shop so I occasionally pick up bits there, but recently most has come from ebay, including more aida for cross stitch than I'll probably ever use. Such bargains!

[pensnest]

I was going to say, it looks as though I should investigate eBay for supplies - but no, I must restrain myself! I get quite covetous enough over yarn without having the opportunity to buy it at bargain rates!

[badly_knitted]

Yes, ebay is a temptation too far on many things! It's why I have so much cross stitch fabric.

[m_findlow]

For me, I really miss the trade shows. It's where I've got 95 percent of everything I currently have. Craft shops basically don't exist in bricks and mortar here anymore and the art shops that are around only have cheap, tacky stuff for kids.
Mum and I loved the trade shows because everyone does demo's and lots of stuff is heavily discounted at shows so you pick up twice as much stuff for the same price and don't feel too bad about buying stuff you have no idea what to do with yet. Cross stitch kits were the best because I always like the really big, fancy ones which are upwards of $100 normally and I'd get them for maybe $60.
I haven't been to one for many years for various reasons and now with covid I don't know if we'll ever see them again. The downside was always how ridiculously packed it was, and a real bun fight to get to anything at the stalls, but I do miss just thinking about them not being here. Buying online isn't reply something I've tried. I like to be able to see things first hand and not having to pay additional postage. There are two major shows for the year and the first is always in March and the second in July so doubtful well get either this year. :(

[pensnest]

That's a very good point - I miss those shows, too. I used to go to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Alexandra Palace, which was *enormous* and horrifyingly crowded, so that you had to buy that thing that you liked the look of on your first pass, or you'd never fight your way back to it! There was a really excellent small show every summer called Fibre East, which was basically all about the yarn, with loads of small creators and high class yarns in fabulous colours, plus all the things that you might conceivably need to go with your yarn. I got some ammonite buttons there once. A chance to see lots of different things and stroke all the yarn, which is important!

For me, buying online works when I am already familiar with the brand so I know I will like it. Can't be so brave about trying unfamiliar stuff - and actually, it's a whole lot harder to find as well. Let's hope our big shows come back next year.

[alafaye]

Everythingcrossstitch.com I just found this website this year from a tumblr post so I took a risk ordering from there, but they've become my favorite cross stitch supply place. So many patterns and kits; the only place I found aida bookmarks that don't come with a kit that weren't over $6.

And a friend told me about knitpicks.com which I love for knit things. I'm hoping to get a ball winder from them soon.

[medievalrosalie]

Supplies are hard. I have a lot of things custom made by craftsmen because making them myself is too hard.

Getting woolen cloth in Australia is hard which is hilarious as we export so much wool. I get a lot of fabrics from Super Cheap Fabrics in Australia and Silk Trader, (also Australia, maybe?). Renaissance Fabrics in USA has some nice wools and there's a fantastic woolen cloth supplier in the Ukraine called Historial Textiles which is great. I know other people who spin and dye wool for sewing and supply linen thread, so I buy from them. Otherwise Spotlight sells threads. Most of my cast buttons for medieval clothes come from Lionheart Replicas in England.

[pensnest]

I suppose woolen cloth is seen as unnecessary when you are mostly living in shorts and other cotton stuff. I remember meeting a bank manager in Cairns, very dapper in smart shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. But you are obviously going for something quite different—which looks like an amazing thing to do.

[pensnest]

It's such a relief to find a supplier you can trust.

I shall have to take a look at knitpicks.com - thanks for that! I wish you luck with the ball winder, though: my own is a pain to use, as the yarn will slip under the winder and tangle itself into the mechanism in a microsecond, and causes me *so* much frustration. I do love my swift, however.

[medievalrosalie]

Cairns is further north than most people realise and blindingly hot at times. We still get cold winters in Brisbane, so most of our re-enactment is then. I live mostly in jeans except at work (pants and a wooly vest is my go-to) but I have a great array of knitwear and a long, black wool overjacket which I've hard for years now from the Ukraine. It's my absolute favourite piece of clothing.

[medievalrosalie]

ah Ebay, thou art a heartless cow. Always showing specials when least afforded! (But can you ever have too many craft supplies?)

[pensnest]

My father in law lived in Tasmania for several years, but we always visited in the summer (except in his final year, when I went out in April, when the weather was just to my English taste, and my poor husband went in July and nearly froze to death at night). So light jeans and T-shirts were mostly the order of the day. Cairns (we went for a wedding, many years ago) was Something Else Entirely!

I must admit, I approve of winter weather. I *like* my knitwear.

[pensnest]

Too Many Craft Supplies, like Too Much Yarn or Too Many Books, is a concept it is hard to get my head around. And yet, when I look around my overcrowded dining room, I wonder whether there might be something in it. One day, I will have my own craft room, but at present it is the kitchen/computer room for my father in law.