Check-In Post - October 8th 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 went outside at lunchtime to try to clear the weeds growing in cracks in the driveway in preparation for Halloween because I don't want anyone tripping. Haven't done a great job, everywhere was too wet, but I've done the best I could. Also dug up three more dock roots from my cleared patches of ground. Good thing I went outside when I did because an hour later we had a hailstorm, and then heavy rain.


This afternoon, I finished sewing the first sleeve on the red sweater, then sewed the second one on as well. All that's left is to sew up the sleeve and side seams and finish off any ends. The pattern for this one was a pretty and not too complicated lace, I wouldn't mind making it again.


Finished knitting the second of a pair of arm warmers last night, so that's another pair to sew up. I did cast off last night, but I re-did that this morning as I wasn't happy with it. And I've started another pair for myself in the teal yarn, I'm 20 rows into the first one.

[wiseheart]

Wow, busy day! Go you, having managed so much!

Those arm warmers sound very practical to me; my arms are freezing when I sit at my desktop computer, right under the window. Perhaps I should exercise my rediscovered (pathetic) knitting abilities by trying to make a pair for myself?

[badly_knitted]

They're really easy, just a rectangle of knit one, purl one rib, then sew up the long side leaving a gap to stick your thumb through. They really make a huge difference to cold arms and hands. I think people must lose a lot of heat through their wrists where the blood is so close to the surface. I know I'm always warmer if my wrists are covered with something close-fitting.

[fred_mouse]

Oh, that sounds really easy to make. I suddenly have ideas on how to crochet something that would be useful. Maybe I'll remember before the weather turns cold next year!

[badly_knitted]

Let me now how a crochet version works out!

[fred_mouse]

Having thought about it, I think that crochetting in the round for 2cm (for the bit on the hand), then back and forth to get the length to the wrist, and then back into the round, with the odd increase to get to elbow would be the simplest option, and then doing the whole thing in singles (argh, tedious, but better for something that will be stretched a lot). Am resisting the temptation to go find a spare bit of yarn that should be enough - I have things to do this morning, but it might be something I can work on later today.

ETA: I am assuming some need to increase, because the muscles at the elbow are significantly further around than my wrists. But I guess feeding some hat elastic through at the wrist might be the better choice, because around the hand and around the elbow are much closer together in measurements. Definitely some thinking needed.

Also, I note down thread you mentioned number of stitches for knitting; I'll have to go and look at comparisons of my crochet and my knitting to make an estimate, but it is a useful starting point.

[badly_knitted]

Good luck! I don't know if there's anything comparable to rib in crochet, that's what allows me to work straight all the way up and have the arm warmer stretch where it needs to so it fits close top the skin. But of course crochet results in something thicker that holds its shape better and is less likely to slip down the arm even if it is a bit loose. Elasticating the wrist part could work well, I just don't know enough about crochet. I'll be interested to see what you come yup with.

[fred_mouse]

There is a rib stitch in crochet, but it goes sideways - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8H3lrvm-sQ has three examples. Which means that I'm going to have to revist how I do things. But straight up and down the arm until enough to go around the right bits should work. I hope. I'm going to experiment and see what I get.

[badly_knitted]

Good luck! I'd try all the methods, see what works best. Sideways to get the rib effect, or lengthwise worked in the round, one is bound to come out right!

Just looked at the video and the first method for ribbing looks the best, lots of stretch there, which is what you want.

[fred_mouse]

So, hilariously, after I poked at the crochet option and decided to knit instead, it turns out that the offspring-in-law has been making crochet ones. I don't think they have the same stretch, and I don't like the look as much, so at least I've learned a thing.

[badly_knitted]

Heehee! How sneaky!

I think crocheted ones would be thicker, but they would definitely have less give to them. I like using knitted rib because then the arm warmer sort of moulds itself to the shape of the wearer's arm. It's all down to personal preferences, of course.

[wiseheart]

I'll really give them a try - assuming I find the time. The good thing with such things is that it doesn't matter if they're lopsided or ugly, since no-one else will get to see them.

[badly_knitted]

Exactly!

I use 3.25mm needles, British size 10, cast on about 53 stitches when I make them for my neighbours who have more normal sized arms (mine are thin as twigs). Anywhere from 70 rows in length, depending on how long you want them to be.

[wiseheart]

I have fairly thick arms, so I guess I'll just have to try out how broad I'll have to make it. Thanks for the instructions!

[badly_knitted]

53 will probably still be okay as long as you cast off loosely - use a bigger needle and keep the stitches loose as you cast off. The rib stitch means the arm warmers are really stretchy and you don't want them loose or they'll keep slipping down. My neighbour's daughter has arms twice as thick as mine, at least. For me I cast on 47 stitches.

[yarnofariadne]

You did a lot today, well done!

[badly_knitted]

Thank you! I'm very pleased =)

Even made some progress in my spook_me fic.

[wiseheart]

In the morning I finally finished Christmas Card #30. Behold my little angel of the mismatched eyes and crooked mouth:



I've made several mistakes with the swirls but am fairly content with the outcome nonetheless. She's cute, I think.

[badly_knitted]

Sweet little angel!

[wiseheart]

I like her well enough, even though she's cross-eyed. ;)

[badly_knitted]

Nothing wrong with being a bit cross-eyed!

[pastelpom]

looks lovely!! the gold thread stands out beautifully on the blue background

[wiseheart]

Thanks. In real life the background is actually purple; I don't know why the colours appear differently on the photo!

[yarnofariadne]

Lovely!

[wiseheart]

Thank you. :)

[fred_mouse]

very cute!

[wiseheart]

I'm glad you like her. Even angels need love!

[spiralicious]

She is very cute.

[wiseheart]

You think so? Well, thank you!

[spiralicious]

:D

[pastelpom]

started in on a very last-minute birthday present for a friend, a little crochet amigurumi of a character from the video game Signalis. I've only made 1 amigurumi before a long while back with a pattern, so I'm winging this one from my vague memories. not too bad so far!

and, slowly but surely, the tapestry grows. 67 out of 150 rows done!

spent most of today walking around a local art museum to celebrate finally getting important tasks done, and they added a whole section for Meissen porcelain!! so inspiring, and I may have some more design ideas for future tapestries now ^u^

[badly_knitted]

Good luck with your amigurumi character, hope she/he/they turn out how your hoping them to!

Great progress on the tapestry!

That sounds lovely, inspiration can come from anywhere, especially when you're not expecting it.

[yarnofariadne]

Excellent progress, and the museum visit sounds lovely!

[wiseheart]

Wow, you've been busy! Meissen porcelain is very pretty.

[yarnofariadne]

Didn't make any progress on the baby blanket, but I acquired some split pins for some paper puppets we've had hanging around for months which we picked up from a local museum exhibit. Spent my evening cutting out and making Hermes and Cerberus puppets!

[badly_knitted]

That sounds fun! Especially Cerberus *grins* I think the last time I did anything like that was in school, forever ago.

[yarnofariadne]

In fact I may have picked up the split pins from school today after we were using them to make dancing skeletons with my class XD

[badly_knitted]

Hah! Smart move!

[wiseheart]

Impressive! Turning a three-headed hellhound into a puppet requires some serious creativity.

[fred_mouse]

Crochet blanket is done - sat and focused on it while 'watching' a video, now all it needs is a photo and a home to go to (I ran out of baby welcome blankets, am working up my stash again). Have also done a tiny bit of the binding on the patchwork lap quilt, but my hands are hurting, so I'm taking a break.

I've also handed on the yarn remnants, to someone who will use them, so I don't have to make squares :)

[badly_knitted]

Yay, well done! Looking forward to seeing the finished blanket!

Always best to stop when something starts to hurt. Hands can be so finnicky.

[fred_mouse]

I'm going to have to work out that whole 'sharing pics in comments' thing. I've been avoiding doing that for years! But I do like seeing other people's stuff, so fair's fair and all that.

[badly_knitted]

It's not that difficult really.

Click on 'home' at the top left on your account, hover over 'create' and select Upload Images, you'll see how easy that is to do if you have your pics already on your computer.

Once you've done that, select 'View Your Images' and you'll see you have two of the https codes, Image Embed and Thumbnail Embed. Use the thumbnail one and just copy the code into your comment. When you post it, the picture will be there and clicking on it allows it to be viewed as a full size image.

I'm kind of useless at tech stuff, so if I can do it, I'm sure you'll be able to as well.

[wiseheart]

Wow, I'll have to try that one day, too! You are a source of valuable information!

[badly_knitted]

Let me know if you have any problems. I learned from someone on here =D