Check-In Post - January 25th 2025

[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: If you're making any, what are your crafting resolutions for 2025?


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]

Having looked over the pattern I WAS going to use and the new pattern that's far nicer, I've decided to use single rib instead of the pattern's double rib, it'll work better for the button and buttonhole bands. Old patter was cast on 93, new pattern says cast on 90, that won't make much difference since with the new pattern there's an increase row, so I unpicked what I already had knitted for the original pattern back to the last row of rib, just before I need to increase. I'll just carry on from there using the new pattern, and do one stitch extra on the ribbing of each of the fronts. Now I just need to work out my increases =)

[wiseheart]

I must admit that I don't understand a word of the technical parts, but I'm really glad you like the new pattern and can make it work. Go you!

[wiseheart]

The day after the doll disaster was marked by a defiant attempt to prove myself that I can still sew. In this spirit I cut out the necessary parts for a toy elephant - a fairly simple pattern that I hope I'll be able to finish in a couple of days. *fingers crossed*

[badly_knitted]

*crosses fingers* May your elephant turn out perfect!

[badly_knitted]

Thank you! I think it's going to be lovely =)

(Mind you, the yarn is a teal blue, and I know you're not a fan of blue.)

[wiseheart]

Depends on the shade of the blue. Teal is okay. 😊

[wiseheart]

Amen.

[peaceful_sands]

That sounds complicated to start but hopefully things will go smoothly and you'll finish up with a lovely finished article.

[peaceful_sands]

Good luck! I hope it all goes well.

[peaceful_sands]

More rug progress last night - It's kind of slow progress, I'm lucky if I have time to do a row a day but I'm now reaching the bit where I've got to keep a closer eye on the pattern and my counting as I'm already up to 4 colours and the picture is beginning to build (I'm working on hats as well as sky and snow!). I manage a few 'stitches' (not sure what the correct word is in this situation) and then I get my angle wrong or whatever and struggle to get the next one in or the wool starts to separate. Still I think it will be okay in the end.

[badly_knitted]

It's one of my favourites. So bold.

[badly_knitted]

It sounds more complicated than it is, I just didn't want to start over completely when I could get away with just undoing a few rows =)

[badly_knitted]

Slow progress is better than no progress, and as long as you're enjoying it that's the important part. I'm sure it will look beautiful when it's done =)

[spiralicious]

Quick check in to let everyone know I'm still kicking. I hope tomorrow I will have the energy to check in with all the craft shenanigans.

Today the closest I got to crafting was reading all the posts here I'd missed and sorted one box of craft supplies. I am not sure the sorting actually did any good, nor was it my idea.

[spiralicious]

Glad to hear it looks like the new pattern is going to work out :)

[spiralicious]

Good luck with your elephant!

[spiralicious]

You are doing great. Progress is good progress.

[badly_knitted]

Well, reading the posts is crafting adjacent, and sorting supplies can be good, even it is wasn't something you intended to do. Gives you some idea of what's there.

[badly_knitted]

I'm hopeful, I really love it!

[wiseheart]

Thanks. I really need a bit of reassuring in the sewing area right now.

[wiseheart]

Thanks, luck will definitely be needed.

[wiseheart]

God, I'd need to sort my craft supplies the worst way! Only that they are stored in every available place in the flat (meaning at least three different rooms), and I just can't bring up the energy. You're much braver than I am.

[sister_raphael]

I'm way behind in my reading catch up too, so that's two of us! I sorted some stuff hoping to get motivated, but stopped.

[spiralicious]

Good luck!

[spiralicious]

Even after a week of going through things, I don't feel like any real progress was made. Mostly I got sad about how I used to make cool stuff more often and I don't anymore. It's a very daunting task.

[spiralicious]

:)

[spiralicious]

Very true

[wiseheart]

I can imagine that it's saddening. Why don't you do more cool stuff anymore? Is it the lack of time?

[spiralicious]

I've been trying to come up with a succinct answer to this since you asked and it's a lot of things. Lack of time is a big one, but it's more lack of time when I have the energy to be creative. And when I do get to be creative, it's usually used in the service of someone or something else, like when I design for and make cards with Lynne. That time is about taking care of her, making sure the project is something that will keep her interest, making sure it's of a fussiness level that I can pause working on it and help her if needed, having to keep things as uniform as I can for a sample card & 3 people crafting at the same time, etc. It's not about my whims or tastes or embellishments. Or even workshops at the library, they are fun, but they are regimented step by step activities where I don't get a lot of leeway and even when I do, because I have done and excell at pretty much "all the crafts," and generally just work faster because I know what I'm doing, there is an expectation that I will jump in and help other people the whole time.

I've also lost a lot of supply and tool access over time. I have lost all three of my main workspaces.

And while I've been working on rebuilding it, I've lost all of my in person crafting & art communities. The art association overworked me to the point I had to resign. I was bullied out of the life drawing class I used to co-lead (only 1 person was the problem, but they were that much of a problem). The group of friends I thought I had from being on the design team at the scrapbooking/paper crafting store informed me after the store closed that I was not welcome to join them in their new craft circle they were forming because my designs were "too weird." Only Lynne stuck by me from that group. (My personal projects that included things like blue on Valentine's cards, including hand drawn elements & collaged items for things I didn't have stamps or die cuts for, and a scrapbooking page about friendship that included a picture of a friend of mine that was a drag queen in it, were the issue, not anything I designed for the store or any classes I taught, I found out later.) and pretty much anyone else I used to create with in person has moved (we are still in touch & friends) or passed away.

That's all before the anxiety disorder and the depression.

It's all just kind of combined to feel like the person who was able to do all those fun things was someone else and I feel a bit divorced from them most of the time.

Sorry, that was a lot.

[wiseheart]

No need to be sorry - I have asked, after all. Now I understand why you might have lost inspiration. It is very hard to overcome those things you have been through. *hugs*

[badly_knitted]

*hugs* So sorry, it sounds like a lot of your joy of crafting has been drained away by ungrateful, ultra conservative people who like to gatekeep crafting. I wish I lived near you, because your ideas sound fun and inventive, it would be so good to craft with someone who thinks and crafts outside the box, and isn't afraid to experiment.

[spiralicious]

*hugs* Thank you. Typing it all out helped more than I realized.

And things are getting better. I've been reaching out to make friends at the library workshops and someone in my book club asked to see my main sketchbook. And in the last couple weeks I've gotten a little kick in the pants to try to make some things for myself. It's a bumpy road, but I'm still going forward.

[spiralicious]

*hugs* Thank you. That means a lot.