Check-In Post - April 2nd 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 change crafts with the season or stick to the same crafts year round?


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]

Another sunny day out in the garden, pulling up weeds, getting ready to dig for whatever dock roots and bindweed still lurk in the ground I was clearing last autumn.


I really out to try to at least knit a couple of rows a day... Maybe I'll start trying to do that tomorrow. Too tired tonight.

[peaceful_sands]

You’ve earned a restful evening with all your garden work. Glad to hear the good weather is continuing though.

[badly_knitted]

It does make a nice change to spend time outside, after the best part of 6 months indoors.

[yarnandglue]

Yay for a sunny day! It's been thunderstorming here :)

[badly_knitted]

Yikes! Definitely indoors weather!

[wiseheart]

A bit of rest will do you good. *hugs*

[badly_knitted]

I hope so. I need an earlier night.

[nagi_schwarz]

Yay for another sunny day and gardening progress!

[badly_knitted]

It was very enjoyable, even if the wind was a bit chilly again.

[peaceful_sands]

Some time ago, I started a sort of journaling/scrapbook project about a travel trip that I took a while back. Today I got it out and started looking at where I got to and what the next step is. I hope to start putting together the next set of written entries tomorrow and also stick the next set of photos and mementos in with labelling if I can manage a walk to the nearest pen shop and they have the right type of pen.

Going to relax for the rest of the evening with the cushion cover.

To answer your question about seasons altering my crafting habit- I don’t think it does although it’s sometimes driven by upcoming events (birthdays & Christmas spring to mind but there have been others) & sometimes the light/type of light might effect my choice on a particular occasion- cross stitch is good in terms of weight/space when on holiday but many hotels don’t have good enough light for me to do much. I think it is more often driven by mood and how much concentration I can muster.

[wiseheart]

That journaling/scrapbook project sounds interesting. Where did that trip go?

[peaceful_sands]

I took most of a year off work and travelled- it was a while before the current global situations so some of the countries would be more difficult in the current climate but the part I’m working on is finishing the photos for visiting Moscow and starting the writing for travelling to and visiting Mongolia.

[badly_knitted]

That must have been quite a trip, well worth remembering!

[badly_knitted]

Good luck with getting a suitable pen so you can work on your travel scrapbook. Enjoy your cushioning.

Light levels and portability do affect what crafts are suitable for different times and places. Like you, I need good light for cross stitch, which is why I only do that in spring and summer. It's so much easier if I can see what I'm doing.

[peaceful_sands]

I found a magnifying glass that I can hang around my neck when cross stitching - pretty sure I bought it before I got glasses (which is a very long time ago now - thinking decades) - thinking of trying it again. I’ve also bought a spotlight for home (actually I’ve recently replaced it because the first one stopped working but the new one keeps falling over - I’m going to have to try to make a weighty base that I can screw it to - I have some leftover wood from when the kitchen worktops were done a few years ago.

[badly_knitted]

I've got one of those magnifiers, I've used it a time or two. I've also got Mighty Sight magnifying eyewear with an LED light. They're a bit clunky to wear, but they do work. I just keep forgetting I have them...


Good luck with fixing your light so it stays upright!

[nagi_schwarz]

That journal project sounds like so much fun!

Also I agree — seasonal events do affect how I prioritize crafts as well.

[yarnandglue]

Here's a beaded necklace I made recently! https://yarnandglue.dreamwidth.org/7350.html

[peaceful_sands]

I love the necklace

[yarnandglue]

Thank you!

[wiseheart]

Oh, this is very lovely!

[yarnandglue]

Aww, thank you!

[badly_knitted]

Lovely! Well done!

[yarnandglue]

Thank you so much!

[nagi_schwarz]

That’s so pretty! Way to go!

[yarnandglue]

Thank you!

[wiseheart]

I prepared a few of my newly acquired empty toilet rolls to be turned into egg baskets. Originally I wanted to do them all, but I stopped by 7 - too unmotivated. And that's just the preparation: taking measures, make some small cuts and the likes. I still have to make those actual baskets yet!

[peaceful_sands]

It’s a shame you’re not enjoying them as much as you hoped.

[wiseheart]

I think it's the accumulating stress that's taking its toll on me. Not having had a day off for more than five years can do that to an old hag like me.

[badly_knitted]

Hopefully you'll feel more motivated tomorrow *hugs*

[nagi_schwarz]

You have a lot going on. Progress is progress! You’re doing awesome!

[nagi_schwarz]

I managed to get the pictures measured and cut last night. Went much faster and simpler than originally anticipated, for which I am grateful, because then I was able to refill my bobbin and attach new threads in the tarting and make some progress on the hankie edging. Hoping to do more tatting tonight, though I might make some puzzle purse letters to send to people instead.

[badly_knitted]

Well done, that's great progress! Good luck with the tatting and / or puzzle purse letters.

[wiseheart]

You are multitasking like a pro!