Check-In Post - May 7th 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]

Had about an hour in the front garden today, cutting back fuchsia and that stupid grass so I can get to the path at the other side of the house. Because of the gooseberry bushes and my buddleia globosa, I can't easily get to the forsythia I want to get rid of between my garden and my new neighbour's. The best route is to go right around the house and down the other side, so that's what I'm attempting, although I'll need to cut the hedge a bit on my way.


The rest of the afternoon weas spent on cross stitch, and it's slow progress. This part of the design is all greens, four different shades. What I didn't mention yesterday is that I'm stitching on 20 hpi aida with one strand of thread, so it's a lot of careful, delicate work.


Caterpillar count for the day: 55.

[fadingfootsteps]

Careful and delicate can be rewarding, but make sure to take breaks!

With the caterpillars, are we calling it good or bad there's less of them now? I know that first day you got close to 100 some!

[badly_knitted]

I think I'm winning with the caterpillars, so that's good for now, but the flies can have up to 4 generations a year, or at least lay eggs 4 times, so I need to keep on top of this.

My preference is for working on the higher count fabrics, but this is the largest design I've done on 20 count. I did a smaller on on 22 count once, the Holly Fairy, which I made into a Christmas card for my mum, but this design is at least twice the size and every stitch is stitched. 15,680 of them. Really should have started this back in March. I'll never get it finished in time for my friend's visit.

[darkcedars]

Oh my goodness that is a lot of tiny cross stitch.

The rose slugs (aka sawflies) are only once a year at least.

[badly_knitted]

It is, but it should look lovely once it's done.

That's something at least. Sawflies are awful things.

[nagi_schwarz]

Congrats on your battle in the garden! You’re doing awesome! Also that fine of stitch work sounds very intimidating. I am impressed!

[badly_knitted]

Thank you. It's not that difficult. I use magnifying lenses over my glasses.