Daily Check-In Post 6th 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: 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]

Worked hard today, a whole 10 rows on the arm warmers, that brings me up to 97 rows on each. I might just have enough for 100 rows!

[pensnest]

Excellent progress! You will have to get your arms to grow, at this rate.

[badly_knitted]

Thanks!

They're less than a foot long. The arm warmers, not my arms ;)

[pensnest]

Aww, poot! I'd for some reason been imagining arm-stockings of some kind. Which makes little sense, as if you wanted those you'd probably be making a cardigan.

[badly_knitted]

LOL! They're more like long fingerless gloves, intended to cover the hand (there's a gap left for the thumb when sewing up) and reaching up to the elbow on the long ones, or mid-forearm on the short ones. Covering the wrist and hand helps keep me warm.

[m_findlow]

Yay!

[badly_knitted]

Thanks!

[darkcedars]

Realized yesterday that the reason I'm struggling so much with the tension of the afghan border is I'd misidentified what hook size I used on the center BADLY. I used an F. I was using an H for the border. Frogged, started again, already looks better and I've worked nearly to where I was before in substantially less time.

Also there was comedy routine when the dog jumped into the frogged piles of yarn. You can imagine I've also been untangling that.

Crocus started blooming this week!

[m_findlow]

I think frogging is the reason I don't knit or crochet as that's what I would spend most of my time doing every time I muffed it up. Granny squares are about the limit of my ability.

[darkcedars]

It's at least going much faster now. :)

[badly_knitted]

Argh! But at least you've got it sorted and it's progressing well.

Untangling yarn is so time consuming.

Lovely crocuses!

[pensnest]

I don't crochet, but getting the needle size wrong on knitting would also lead to much gnashing of teeth.

Augh, frogged piles of yarn in a tangle - how frustrating!

Those crocuses are so pretty - thank you.

[darkcedars]

I'm usually really good about making project notes, especially if I used a different size hook etc than normal. Ha!

[m_findlow]

No crafting today, but I did make a ginger spice cake with vanilla frosting.

[pensnest]

That sounds like a *very* good use of your time!

[badly_knitted]

Oooh, that sounds delicious! I love anything ginger or vanilla!

[m_findlow]

Me too. I haven't made this cake in ages. I'm so lazy when it comes to cake making. The minute I see the first instructions read "cream butter and sugar" I move on. I only have an electric hand beater so creaming is hard work on the arm and I refuse to pay hundreds of dollars for a kitchenaid mixer or equivalent. I prefer one bowl wooden spoon recipes, of which this isn't one, but I felt like something different and was willing to make the sacrifice just this once with all the endless beating required.
I just can't do packet cake mixes anymore. They don't have the same fluffy aerated texture. I find them too dense despite being light, if that makes sense. I'd much rather make my own from scratch, and really, all the packet mix is is just flour and flavouring (which often tastes a bit fake anyway). You still have to add everything else and mix just the same.

[badly_knitted]

You're braver than I am, I don't bake at all! I do remember from helping mum long ago how hard all the beating can be on the arms though. I'm sure your cake will be wonderfully light and fluffy! Definitely worth the effort.