Check-In Post - March 24th 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]

No knitting today, I was outside battling my way through nettles, brambles, and rose briars instead.

[wiseheart]

Ugh, that sounds unpleasant.

[badly_knitted]

Mostly quite satisfying, although there was a hole in one of my gloves so I stung one fingertip on the nettles. Still got a lot to clear, but I made very good progress.

[peaceful_sands]

I hope you had something nice planned for after all of that hard work.

[badly_knitted]

Nothing much. A few online jigsaws and a bit more writing.

[peaceful_sands]

How’s the writing going. are you over the block you had and meeting your deadl8ne?

[badly_knitted]

Didn't completely finish the fic, but turned out there wasn't much of a deadline for that challenge so I'll polish and post when I have time, still need to figure out an ending and split it into 3 parts. As usual I'm juggling umpteen challenges, and still writing for threesentenceficathon, so my word count for the year is already over half what I wrote in the whole of last year. o_O

[peaceful_sands]

Endings - sometimes they’re an absolute nightmare to figure out. I’ve got a couple of good (relatively) ideas for stories but I have zero idea how they’d end.

[badly_knitted]

Endings and titles, both are nightmares! I'm leaving this one kind of open for a potential sequel, but it still needs to be rounded off to a suitable end. I'll have a look at it when I have more time, but I need to write something for fan_flashworks, don't want to break my streak when I'm almost to the point where I can claim my 11 year badge...

Good luck with your writing - maybe the endings will pop up during the writing process, that does sometimes happen.

[nagi_schwarz]

A worthy battle, though!

[badly_knitted]

And the finger I stung on the nettles still feels weird...

[wiseheart]

Detailed report of my crafty day can be read here, as it is long and rambling, so I don't want to clutter up this space with it. But I managed a lot, so I'm only half annoyed.

[badly_knitted]

The marbled effect is very popular when decorating eggs, most people work hard to get that effect. I'm sure they will be liked.

A shame about the metallic paint, but hopefully you'll find something it works on. It's worth experimenting with a few things before throwing it out. Could the school perhaps use it if you can't?

It sounds like you got a lot done. Some carrots are a more reddish colour. I'm sure no one will complain anyway.

[wiseheart]

I asked our arts teacher, but she couldn't use the stuff, either. So I put my hopes into the lolly sticks.

[badly_knitted]

Fingers crossed it with work on them.

[peaceful_sands]

Sorry everything was such a trial for you when it should be fun. I’m not sure what kind of paint you were using, and I’ll be honest, I can’t remember ever trying this with styrofoam, but have you ever tried mixing some glue with your paint - I used to do that for projects with the children like papier mache- I used a PVA glue like this one . You do have to wash any brushes really really well afterwards.

[nagi_schwarz]

Sorry for the frustrating day, but I am with you. Marbled eggs are in!

[tielan]

I have been doing little bits and pieces here and there. A seam or two here, a press or two there. I made a cloth bag in which to store some nice wire cloches for keeping the flies off food and they're now stored away and won't collect dust. (Hopefully.)

First thing I remember making in school was probably these cross-stitched mouse Christmas ornaments. That would have been...year 5? I made one, then another, then about four or five others. There was apparently a whole set of them! I might even still have the pattern somewhere...

[badly_knitted]

That sounds like an excellent bit of work there. Storing things so they stay clean is so important.

The mouse ornaments sound sweet!

[peaceful_sands]

Well done on your useful creations - cloth bags to save you having to do extra cleaning sound excellent.

The mice sound lovely.

[nagi_schwarz]

Those mouse ornaments sound super cute! Also sounds like you've been making some crafty progress indeed!

[peaceful_sands]

Started a new painting kit today. Out of curiosity, is anyone else here familiar with using acrylic paint? I’ve had a couple of the mini tubs be set solid or almost solid, is there a trick to making it useable again?

I’m working on the cardigan this evening.

[badly_knitted]

Sorry I can't advise you with the acrylic paint.

Enjoy your crochet this evening!

[nagi_schwarz]

Sorry, no advice on acrylic paint, but yay for a new painting kit!

Wishing you much enjoyment working on the cardigan.

[nagi_schwarz]

No fiber art crafting today, but I finished formatting the pages for my mini book bind and got the signature prints generated, so that's one step forward, but then I remembered a good friend's birthday is right around the corner so I am scrambling to prepare a gift!

[badly_knitted]

Great progress with the mini book!

Good luck with making a gift for your friend in time. Although I'm sure they'll understand if you're a bit late, what with having a new human to care for.