Check-In Post - March 6th 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: Do you remember the first thing you made in school?


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]

A bit late, because I was doing some work on a fic that refuses to end. It's over 6k now.


Another two pattern repeats on the second sleeve, so that's 7 out of 13 completed. Getting there slowly.

[peaceful_sands]

Oooh, it’s lovely when the words flow like that. You’re doing well with the knitting progress too.

[badly_knitted]

The trouble is, right now they're not flowing. They were to start with, and for most of the first 5k, but I've reached a tricky bit where I have to either launch myself into a whole new and very involved section, or tie up what loose ends I can and leave things open for a possible sequel. Sometimes my muses are menaces.

Thank you!

[peaceful_sands]

If you ever need a sounding board- I’d be happy to help.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you, I'll keep that in mind. I'm hoping the scene I added this evening might have set me on the right track... still needs some work, but I'll re-read tomorrow and see what I've got. I really like the first two sections, it's just this third part that's been giving me grief for the last 3 days. I was sitting up in bed this morning jotting down notes.

[wiseheart]

Slowly but steadily, right? :)
And forcing the fic into obedience is important, too.

[badly_knitted]

It's usually better than rushing.

At the moment I'm trying persuasion, my muses react badly if I try to force them.

[nagi_schwarz]

Way to go on getting all those words on your fic! And you're still making awesome progress on your sweater!

[badly_knitted]

Thank you! I wanted to post the fic on Thursday, that was the plan when I started it, but now I have to split it into 3 chapters and it still isn't finished. =/

[spiralicious]

Good progress on the fic and the sleeve.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you!

[peaceful_sands]

Ploughing on with the rug - just 9 rows left to do. Hoping to finish before the end of the weekend, so I’m starting to contemplate which unfinished project I should work on next - crochet or cross stitch?

[badly_knitted]

Excellent! So close to the finish!

Maybe pick the one that requires the least concentration?

[wiseheart]

Good luck for the last stretch.

[nagi_schwarz]

Wow, way to go with the rug! Look at you go!

I vote...cross stitch! Even though I am a crocheter.

[spiralicious]

You are doing great with the rug. So close!

Whichever project would drive you least crazy.

[wiseheart]

I've bought some patterned felt - little white stars and hearts on a dark red background - for the Hello Kitty themed folding book and some tulle that I won't need till Christmas but you can never actually *get* them before Christmas, so I thought I'd lay in a stock well in advance. They'll keep. I also bought narrow lace trimmings - the ones crocheted by Grandma some 60 years ago are 10-15 mm wide and won't fit every project - and a bag of styrofoam eggs that I'm planning to decorate with leftover fabric scraps. We'll see how they'll turn out. I applied some stickers to the small candles; they're nothing spectacular that way but will serve as Easter gifts.

[peaceful_sands]

Good plan to stock up when supplies are easily available.

[wiseheart]

The only problem is: where to put them so that I'd actually find them once they are needed?

[badly_knitted]

Sounds like you're well stocked with things to keep you busy! Good luck with your plans!

[wiseheart]

Thanks. I already had to drop the fabric-covered egg idea - the test piece looked horrible. But I'll think of something else. Hopefully.

[badly_knitted]

Sometimes ideas just don't work. I've had a fair few of those myself.

[nagi_schwarz]

Always wise to stock up on craft supplies while they're to be had, especially since they're often seasonal. The folding books sound like they're going to be so cute! The candles sound like they'll be cute!

[wiseheart]

The candles are fairly bland, but they'll have to do. I have tentative hopes for the folding books, though. *fingers crossed*

[spiralicious]

Sounds like you made some good finds. The patterned felt sounds perfect for a Hello Kitty book.

[wiseheart]

I love patterned felt, it has so many possibilities. Alas, it's rarely available in the shops, and I still haven't developed the mystic ability of online shopping.

[spiralicious]

Patterned felt is a wonderous thing, indeed.

[althea_valara]

Today I:

* worked on a crocheted phone pillow
* did a teensy bit on the crocheted cardi
* helped a Stitch Club buddy fix her knitting

Stitch Club buddy was doing a type of ribbing, messed up on which stitch was next, dropped down to try to fix it and made a mess of things. So I got to sit there with my crochet hook and puzzle out just what happened. It took dropping down yet another stitch to fix things! But we got her back on track.

No gnome-ing today. Now I'm going to finish the phone pillow -- there's just a bit left, and it will be handy for streaming / work's virtual happy hour tomorrow.

I also scored the February projects for Nerdopolis for my team & individual players, and really enjoyed the eye candy! Everyone is making such wonderful things. Oh, and the phone pillow will be for a Nerdopolis challenge, of course (plus, just handy in general!). The challenge is "Oceanography", and I'm using a cotton yarn in a colorway called "Ahoy!" which is sea greens, white, and orange variegated. It looks like a foamy ocean with starfish!

[nagi_schwarz]

Wow! You got so much done! That's awesome! That phone pillow sounds AWESOME for reals. And so kind of you to help a friend!

[spiralicious]

Well done!

Sounds like your friend got herself into quite a pickle. Wonderful you were able to help her.

That yarn sounds beautiful.

[badly_knitted]

Well done for rescuing your stitch club buddy! And for your other progress. I love the sound of the yarn you're using for the phone pillow, that will be pretty as well as useful.

[wiseheart]

A busy day with a good deed! And that yarn sounds awesome.

[nagi_schwarz]

I worked a teensy bit on my circle shawl just to not be totally lazy while watching a hilarious short film. And I made two more puzzle purses to send along with packages, one to my niece, and one to a friend just because. Mostly it was an excuse to try out some shiny new stamps I picked up at the Joann sales, and also to try my new wax warmer and a new stamp!

Puzzle purse one: https://www.instagram.com/p/DG4iXHfA8fQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The pictures are from before I wrote the actual letter portion of them.

Puzzle purse two: https://www.instagram.com/p/DG4iSwpgpwZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Wax warmer for seals: https://www.instagram.com/p/DG4iH9CgDoP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

(My niece is a huge HP fan so I use the one HP seal I have whenever I send things to her, though she claims herself a Ravenclaw. My friends got me a bunch of Slytherin gear when I got into law school though.)

[spiralicious]

Excellent work!

[badly_knitted]

Those puzzle purses came out so well, your new stamps are gorgeous!

The wax warmer is fascinating, much better than lighting a candle and dripping some wax to seal things the old-fashioned way!

Well done for working on the shawl.

[nagi_schwarz]

I do have some regular wax candles I use, but with the warmer I can use the scraps after they burn down to stubs. Also the warmer is helpful for when I use a seal with a bigger surface.

[badly_knitted]

So cool!

[wiseheart]

You make he most intriguing things!

[spiralicious]

Today, I looked at 4 projects that need tending to, but didn't end up working on them.

Yesterday, I finished the end border and started working on the body on the cable throw. I've worked through one pattern repetition. I also discovered that the color of yarn, lovely as it is, is dark enough it makes it hard to see the change in stitches. To save a bit of my sanity, I've got stitch markers marking the side borders from the body and where each chain starts. It's an insane amount of stitch markers, but it helps. Also, once I've worked enough of the blanket to be able to feel the stitch changes, I'll probably be able to take them off.

[badly_knitted]

Deep coloured yarn does make it difficult to see what you're doing. Glad the stitch markers are helping!

At least you looked at the projects, that's a start. Now you can think about them for a bit. Eventually you'll do some work on one or more of them. =)

[spiralicious]

Yeah, they are mostly functioning as little plastic road blocks to remind to switch what I'm doing, right now. They are also slightly musical, kinda like a muffled rain stick when I move the blanket around.

Yes, they just stare at me accusatorialy while I work on other things, lol.

[badly_knitted]

Musical knitting =D

[spiralicious]

Yes :D

[wiseheart]

It must be an interesting sight, with all those stitch markers. But they're helpful, and that's what counts.

[spiralicious]

It definitely is, and slightly musical when I move the blanket around and bump into each other.