Check-In Post - September 19th 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: What piece of advice would you give someone interested in trying your favourite craft?


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 spent a good three hours in the garden, but despite working hard, I've only roughly dug about a third of the patch I've cleared. The soil ids mostly clay and heavy since it's wet, but at least that's made it easier to pull the dock roots out, I've been yanking out roots a foot or more long, mostly intact. Trouble is, it's not just dozens of dock and dandelion roots, and the bindweed. There's couch grass, buttercup roots, bramble roots, and a lot of golden rod I'm having to uproot. I've potted up a couple of pieces to hopefully save. We'll see if it survives.


Late last night, I went looking for some Aran yarn and found just what I wanted reduced in price, not quite half price, but close, so i was ordering two packs of ten balls for only a little more than the original price of one, then realised if I spent a little more I'd get free postage... So, three packs of Aran yarn have been purchased, Kingfisher Blue, Tea Rose, and Dusty Lilac. With luck I can make a sweater, a cardigan, and something else. Exciting!

[wiseheart]

You deserve to have pretty new supplies after all your hard work in the garden. And that for reduced price? Definitely a WIN!

[badly_knitted]

I still have a ton of other yarn though. The only reason I can justify buying this lot is that it's Aran weight, which I don't have any of. All my yarn suitable for sweaters etc. is double knitting, so I had to get Aran yarn so I can make the Aran sweater and cardigan I want.

[wiseheart]

I have no idea what double knitting or Aran are, but I'm glad you now can knit all the nice, warm stuff you want.

[badly_knitted]

Well, Aran is thicker and heavier, that's all that really matters. Aran sweaters usually have a lot of cable patterns.

These show the kinds of stitches: https://badly-knitted.dreamwidth.org/5645.html

[wiseheart]

Oh, I see. Thanks. I've learned something again.

[badly_knitted]

Always happy to share knowledge! *grins*

[wiseheart]

So very generous of you! *g*

[badly_knitted]

That's me *laughs*

[sister_raphael]

Half price! Well done!

[badly_knitted]

Saved myself over £30!

[wiseheart]

I had a hard morning but I still managed to finish *one* lavender sachet and sew on the appliques to the rest of them. Fortunately, such work doesn't require any higher brain activity.

[badly_knitted]

That's great progress, especially on a hard day. Well done =)

[wiseheart]

The problem is that by the time I've finished all the chores and errands being a full-time caregiver requires, I'm usually too brain dead to do anything creative. What doesn't get done in the morning (be it writing or crafting) won't get done at all.

[badly_knitted]

I remember that feeling well.

[wiseheart]

And as I'm knocking on the door of my 7th decade, I'm slowing down, too. *sigh*
I'm just so stressed out all the time. I never seem able to catch up with everything that needs to be done.

[badly_knitted]

I was lucky to still be in my early 50s when I was mum's carer, although she was less able to do things than your mum because of her stroke. It's so stressful and exhausting, but at the same time, it's our mums so we try our best to get everything done, because it's worth it to have them still with us. That's how I felt 10 years ago anyway. I'm not sure I could handle the pressure now. I barely managed even then.

[wiseheart]

Oh, I very much agree! Mine is a jewel anyway, and I'm grateful to have her still. I'm just tired like hell.

[badly_knitted]

Mums are the best, and yours is amazing. Give her a hug from me?

[wiseheart]

Will do. I’m sure she’ll like that. She so enjoys her internet fame through me. ;))

[badly_knitted]

She has earned it! *grins*

[sister_raphael]

One more done is one less to make!

[wiseheart]

That's what I keep telling myself. But it's a bit disheartening when I have to use such methods to keep myself going.

[sister_raphael]

Every bit helps. Literally.

[pastelpom]

not a big crafting day today, managed to get 2-3 rows done on the tapestry though!

I'm finally starting to feel motivated enough to revamp my illustration portfolio, so I spent most of today drawing and fighting hand pain >->" compression gloves save me again

currently attempting to make red sauce from scratch for some pasta... wishing I started earlier cause I'm hungry!

[sister_raphael]

Oooo tapestry!

[badly_knitted]

That's great progress on the tapestry!

Hand pain sucks, it makes everything so difficult, glad you have compression gloves to help. I'm so impressed that you draw! I've never been good at that. What kind of illustrations do you do?

Hope the pasta sauce didn't take too long!

[pastelpom]

I got a degree in concept art for games, but the industry is crazy competitive and overall not very good on mental or physical health, so I'm leaning more towards editorial stuff these days, as well as some personal projects! I've always wanted to get into sequential art as well, but my attention span when it comes to making longform stuff has never been too good lol - one day I'll finally get around to making a comic... eventually...

[badly_knitted]

I hope you do, comic art is still sadly underrated by a lot of people, but well-drawn comic panels pull readers into the story being told. Create what you enjoy and what makes you happy!

[sister_raphael]

The piece of advice I give now if buy the better quality fabrics. Having to replace things later on is false economy.

[badly_knitted]

Excellent advice for any craft really, buy the best quality crafting supplies you can because the cheap stuff doesn't last or falls apart.

[sister_raphael]

There's still room in my life for cheap stuff but I'm more choosy about what it's for and if it's a cheap and cheerful one off!

[badly_knitted]

It does depend on what it's being used for.

[sister_raphael]

Craft wise I've not done anything the last few days. It's been full steam ahead for the finishing off of my next book (not the bathing and hygeine one, this is a totally different one). Sewing after, I hope. I need to make more buttons!

[badly_knitted]

Fingers crossed for the book, so you can get back to your buttons!

[sister_raphael]

Buttons can happen in front of movies in down time also.

[badly_knitted]

Well, that's good!

[malurette]

And the rainbow pattern is done! after only three tries! It's a bit wonky but it's good enough. Now on to the tedious part of knitting further a plain yellow scarf...

[badly_knitted]

Yay for rainbow completion!

Plain knitting does get a bit boring, but hopefully int won't prove too tedious.

[malurette]

Thankfully, short movie festival season is already on so I can take my plain knitting to the waiting parts before each viewing and keep another, more complicated knit project at home. If I'm not fed up and/too tired for it, that is?

[badly_knitted]

That's good! It's always useful to have something to occupy yourself with while waiting.

[sister_raphael]

Woo hoo! You got this!