Check-In Post - Aug 18th 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: Share your favourite crafting tip, if you have one.


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]

6 knitted bee brooches are finished and in my bag to see if they meet with approval. If they do, I'll make some more.






Also knitted 3 pumpkins while watching TV.

[wiseheart]

I worked a bit on my dollhouse quiet book project. The little bushes of the front pages now have somewhat oversized berries (plastic pearls, actually) in red and orange, respectively. That was finicky work. I also added tiny stripes of lace to the windows. I think they look quite nice. Now I only have to make up my mind whether I want to add chimneys or not, since there's no way to make the disappearing and reappearing smoke that I originally wanted. The house is too big for that, and the narrow stripe of sky above it is already full enough with two clouds and the sun. Ah, well.

[wiseheart]

Awww, they are so cute!

[yarnofariadne]

One row on the blanket for 34 total completed!

[alexcat]

My round blanket. My shoulder still bothers me but I can manage about half an hour a ay so here is my blanket. I'll make it as big as I can until my Pound of Love Yarn is gone.

[wiseheart]

It is beautiful!

[badly_knitted]

As long as you like how it looks, that's what matters. There are always bits that are fiddly to do.

Coal fires aren't ecologically friendly anyway. Your houses are better running on solar power.

[badly_knitted]

You're progressing! Well done!

[badly_knitted]

That's a really pretty pattern!

[badly_knitted]

Thank you! I hope they will meet with approval.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Still sweltering, but my groundcherries are ripe! :D These are tiny, chickpea-sized things with a somewhat pineapple flavor rather than the bigger ones I've bought at the store.

>>This Week's Question: Share your favourite crafting tip, if you have one.<<

Worried about the impact of AI on art? Consider traditional crafts made with bare hands, such as ceramics or stone knapping, areas where AI has not ventured. Also if you want to learn a traditional craft, look for a club. They're often super eager to teach new folks; our local seatweavers guild will talk your ear off at a street fair. Take pictures of your work in progress; AI sucks at consistency so cannot easily replicate that. Connect your art with your locale and make it precise enough to indentify specific flora and fauna; AI doesn't know what goes where. Capitalize on other details that AI does badly, such as perspective and fingers. Always target the enemy's weakness and play to your own strengths.

Then if you wish to sell your crafts, market your work to the many, many people who hate AI. Use the above measures to show your audience that you are an actual person. Sell face-to-face when possible, and when selling online, highlight events you will be selling at so shoppers can confirm that you are made of meat.

Re: Thoughts

[badly_knitted]

Never heard of groundcherries before! They sound tasty.

Excellent advice. AI will never do anything creative as well as a human, and we need to support real craftspeople.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Groundcherries are related to tomatillos and tomatoes. They grow inside a little paper husk that looks like a lantern.

>> AI will never do anything creative as well as a human, and we need to support real craftspeople. <<

Sooth. I think AI has some useful applications, but also I support people's right to avoid it if it displeases them.

Re: Thoughts

[badly_knitted]

Oh! I used to have those growing in the garden. Never knew they were edible though.

I avoid AI like the plague. It may have useful applications, but I don't think it's reached any level of reliability yet.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

I wouldn't call it reliable, but it can make quite interesting inspiration. I think the most creative example I've heard of is artists using it for underpainting. Some writers have used it to brainstorm ideas, pick the best ones, and then write the story themselves. We'll see what other people make of it over time.

[wiseheart]

But solar planes on the roof are ugly. These are traditional little doll houses. *g*

[badly_knitted]

Maybe the panels are on the back of the house, out of sight ;)