Check-In Post - September 23rd 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]

We were supposed to get heavy rain today, but as far as I could tell, it just drizzled, which was a relief. We had more than enough rain the previous two days. Naturally, I stayed in the dry. I've sewn up two pairs of arm warmers and pinned the next pair. Two still to sew up because I found another pair lurking. This evening, I knitted 12 rows om the current arm warmers because I promised my neighbour's daughter a couple more pairs and since they're planning on moving, I'd better get them done.


And, my Aran yarn arrived, in a HUGE parcel, because it's thirty 100g balls. I've decided on the blue for a cardigan, the pink for a V-neck sweater, the third colour I'm undecided, I want to see how much yarn I use for the other projects before I make up my mind.

[wiseheart]

Arm warmers lurking in every shadowy corner - that sounds like a horror movie. And they all demand to be sewn up? *shudders* (well, not really)

[badly_knitted]

They are sad things, desperately longing to fulfil their purpose, which they can't when they're only half made. Pity them! ;)

[wiseheart]

They have a cruel fate indeed.

[badly_knitted]

And they are still waiting to fulfil their destiny... Didn't get any sewn up today.

[sister_raphael]

Yay the wool arrived!!!!!

[badly_knitted]

And it is gorgeous! Just need to make up my mind which pattern I want to knit first...

[pensnest]

If someone wanted to have a go at knitting, I think my first and best suggestion would be to find a local knitting group so they could be in touch with people who have some experience! After that, YouTube is a great resource. And you can buy cheap yarn and an abundance of knitting needles in pretty much any charity shop, so you can start without too much investment, and see how you like it.

*

I just finished a feather-and-fan scarf in a green/blue Zauberball. It needs blocking (quite hard) but seems to have worked out well. The yarn was a little less smooth than I'd hoped, but the colour changes are fun.

[badly_knitted]

Excellent advice to knitting novices!

I love the feather and fan pattern, I hope there will be a pic once your scarf has been blocked. The colour sounds delicious!

[sister_raphael]

Yay for finishing a project! Pictures?

[wiseheart]

I've finished one more lavender sachet - I'm up to seven now, three more to go. These late ones don't look as well as the first batch, I must have measured the bases wrongly, but I really can't be arsed to remove the lace and the appliqués and redo the whole thing. I'll offer them for a reduced price on the fair.

[badly_knitted]

I'm sure people will appreciate having a choice, especially those with less money to spend.

[wiseheart]

That is my nefarious plan, yes.

[sister_raphael]

People do like options :)

[wiseheart]

I hope that will be the case.

[missvivisx]

off to sleeve island for me - making my wife a "psycho" sweater, based on the black turtleneck mr anthony perkins wears in the movie, and finished the body of the sweater just this weekend. she's emphatic that it's long enough but I think she should've asked for another inch or two, lol

[sister_raphael]

Great getting the body done! Can't wait to see pics!

[missvivisx]

ty!! I'm excited to be finishing a sweater just in time for winter, lol!

[badly_knitted]

Argh, the dreaded sleeves! *grins*

I remember that sweater, not surprising considering how many times I've watched Psycho. =/

There's nothing worse than finishing a sweater and then finding it's just a little too short. I usually add an extra inch or two when I think it's long enough, just to be sure, providing I have enough yarn. Especially ion the sleeves, because too short sleeves are so annoying. I hope it proves the right length for your wife.

[missvivisx]

HOPEFULLY these two don't give me too much trouble and I can just power on through them - my biggest hurdle is always picking the stitches up, lol. And thank you, I hope so too, though she's INSISTING it's just fine. I made her try it on three times beforehand so at the very least I know it looks okay ... (if a bit short, cough.)

[badly_knitted]

Good luck with them! Are you working from the body down to the cuff? I've heard a lot of knitters work downwards these days, but I'm old-fashioned and working from older patterns (pre-2000) so I knit sleeves from the cuff upwards, then have to sew them on. I hate the sewing up, but it's what I'm used to and it gives the tight cuff that I prefer.

At least she tried it on, and apparently likes it a bit shorter than you'd prefer.

[missvivisx]

down from the body - the whole thing was neck down, which is actually how I've made most of the sweaters I've ever done. I'm not sure I'd know what to do with cuff-up! this pattern has the "live" stitches set aside pretty early on, once the yoke is finished, so I've got half of them hanging up there on closed circulars, lol.

her reasoning was, "he's very long and it's short on him". XD

[badly_knitted]

That seems the popular manner of knitting these days (hark at me, I'm such an old lady *grins*), but honestly I couldn't manage top down knitting of a sweater. I have enough difficulty knitting the neckband when I only have the weight of the back and front to contend with. My wrists wouldn't handle a whole sweater. I think if you learn one style, that's what feels natural, and trying to switch would be difficult. Plus, naturally, it's dependent on the designs we each choose to knit. All of mine are knitting the back, front, and sleeves as separate pieces, which works for me even though I hate the sewing up stage.

Well, I guess that's as good a reason as any!

[missvivisx]

you know what's funny - I've never really liked doing it top down, because starting the yoke is so stressful & you have to balance so many stitches at a time. though, I have read that doing it piecemeal - or in any fashion that reinforces the seams, as opposed to something "seamless" - is better anyways because they'll last longer! the seams will hold the weight of the garment better & keep it from falling apart/stretching out so badly. so I've been looking into doing it that way too. :D

[badly_knitted]

I can understand that, and yes, I do think the seams can help a sweater hold its shape. Some of mine are almost 20 years old and still look pretty good.

I'd suggest if you do decide to try knitting a sweater in sections, look for a pattern with either raglan shaping or dropped shoulders, they're easier to get the hang of, not to mention easier to sew up, than the ones with set-in sleeves, where you have to shape the top of the sleeve, and shape the armhole, then try to match the two pieces. It can be a bit of a headache getting everything to fit. Drop shoulders are simple because there's no armhole shaping and when the sleeve is the length you want, you just cast off. I'll admit, as I get older I get lazier, so even if a pattern doesn't have drop shoulders, I often just do them anyway. It depends on the kind of sweater though. Something dressy I'll do inset sleeves if the pattern has them, but for more casual styles I take the easy way out ;)

[missvivisx]

tysm for this info!! I'll keep these in mind!

[badly_knitted]

You're welcome. If you have any questions, just ask.

[illariy]

Day 2 of crocheting. Undid everything and started a second gauge with a bigger hook because I read on a blog that it would be good with this herringbone stitch. The blog was right LOL. I think now I finally understand how this stitch works in the even rows. I guess the proof is going to come tomorrow... or not.

[sister_raphael]

It sounds like it was worth the undoing.

[badly_knitted]

Fingers crossed that it works out this time!

[sister_raphael]

No crafting as I needed to back do some posts to catch up with myself and I have more finishing touches to do to the green buttons which I feel guilty I haven't done more of yet.

[badly_knitted]

Cute little buttons though!

[wiseheart]

What a vibrant colour! I love it.

[fred_mouse]

small progress today:

• lap quilt - determined that the old mattress protector isn't big enough to do double thickness as wadding, so cut it and have it ready to sandwich. started on the backing, but mostly by realising I didn't need to trim the large piece, I just have to assemble the long piece. Did not go raiding the stash
• wash bag - the rice we buy comes in bags; these used to be heavy cotton but are now a plastic fabric that will disintegrate. salvaged the zip, threw the bag, made a lingerie wash bag from some netting.
• misc - found a stash of small things that need to be either disassembled or binned; pulled apart two old scrunchies where the elastic has gone. Also found and frogged a test swatch (probably not mine); there are other bits of knitting in that box to consider frogging.

[badly_knitted]

Excellent lap quilt progress!

Wash bags for smaller or more delicate items are so handy. Many years ago, my late mum made a bunch of drawstring net bags that I still use.

Sounds like you're doing great sorting the oddments!