Check-In Post - Sept 4th 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]

Didn't have much time for crafting. First my friend and I were trying to fix the front door, which has been sticking badly, so I can actually open it without tugging on it for several minutes, then a neighbour stopped by with information on another neighbour's funeral... Someone I'd known for 60 years.


Anyway, I did finish the last two mini meeces I had knitted, and also sewed up and stuffed two regular meeces and sewed their ears on. I'd hoped to finish that pair, but I had a pile of dishes to wash, and a headache, so I'll have to finish the meeces another day. There are about 18 more to make up as well.

[wiseheart]

Grapefruits are apparently cursed. I used a different recipe, and yet the results are the same as two years ago: something between jelly and syrup. At least the... thing is properly pink this time. I'm going to sell it on the fair as jelly, and if someone disagrees, well, that's their problem.

The lost battle against grapefruit... whatever took all morning. Afterwards, I wrote the labels for the little jars (containing the misinformation that this is jelly), worked a little bit on my pillow cases. At least one phase is completed and I could start seaming them with blanket stitch.

[wiseheart]

I see the meeces are breeding again. *g*

We are suddenly confronted with our age when we can say about someone that we'd known them for 60 years, eh?

[badly_knitted]

Yes, but these were already part made, I'm just trying to finish them.

It hits hard, I feel old most days, but now I feel ancient.

[badly_knitted]

Grapefruits are weird. At least you got something out of them...

Well done for managing a bit of crafting.

[wiseheart]

Believe me, I know the feeling. *sigh*

[wiseheart]

Actually, I've just checked on them, and after having spent a couple of hours in the fridge, the gelatine suddenly realized that its job was to thicken the stuff and did so. Now to find a nice, cool place for the jars, so that the jelly won't liquify again...

Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I managed to finish up the Poetry Fishbowl yesterday, except for needing to write the unsold poetry and report posts. :D 3q3q3q!!!

So I should have time this month for other things, like some of the craft projects I've been wanting to do.

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

Yesterday's hobby post was on Sewing, with a ton of links.

[althea_valara]

Stitch Club today. I brought my Zoom Loom on a whim, thinking I’d knock out another square for my Great Woven Blanket project, but I only got as far as warping the loom. Otherwise, I brought my Sylvan Tee project and finished the first repeat of the cable pattern.

I would like opinions! While I have knit clothing before, most of it has been for dolls and I just used the same needles for the clothing as I did for the dolls themselves. I did do the Harvest sweater but it turned out just okay... I really want this tee to turn out nicely, but since I don’t have much experience with knitting clothing, I’m not sure what kind of fabric I should be getting.

Here’s the sample I’ve knit so far:



Does this look too loose for a Tee, to you folks? I’m a loose knitter, and I’ve already dropped one needle size (recommended is US 6, I’m using US 5). The pattern says the cable strip should be about 3.25 inches wide, and mine is about that, so maybe it’s okay… but I kind of feel like I should drop another needle size, still. My yarn is a cotton/acrylic blend, probably not the best for cables but I’m gonna try it anyway. I know cotton can be heavy, so would probably be best at a tighter gauge, yes?

Since I’ve barely started, I don’t mind starting over if need be. Though I do not think I have Chiaogoo needles in US 4... I have some Takumi Clovers in US 4 somewhere but the thought of knitting a cotton blend on a wooden needle is giving me the heebie-jeebies.

[althea_valara]

Mini meeces! Yay!

My condolences on the loss of your neighbor. +hugs+

[badly_knitted]

I know you do.

[badly_knitted]

Ooh, good!

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

Well done! And good luck with your crafting.

[badly_knitted]

It might be better with smaller needles, but you still want the finished result to fit you comfortably. That could possibly be accomplished by knitting the next size up on smaller needles, but I'm not certain of that. I've never knitted with a cotton blend, so I'm unsure how it behaves with washing and wearing, whether it's likely to stretch or shrink.

I like the cable pattern though. Very twisty.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you, on both counts. I've lived on this street longer than anyone, and it's sad losing another good friend from the neighbourhood.

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Today's accomplishment: gathering large amounts of marigold seeds. \o/

[jupiter2932]

I'm sorry about the loss of your friend.

Nice job finishing those meeces up :).

[jupiter2932]

Hey, as long as it tastes good, that's the important bit :)

Re: Done!

[jupiter2932]

Nice job on your poetry!

[jupiter2932]

I don't knit, but I love that color :D

[jupiter2932]

Hello, again! xD I feel like every time I come back on to say I finally have time to be online again, something happens, so this time I'm just knocking on wood and hoping.

I haven't had time to craft anything fun, but I did finally patch up a hole my cat tore in one of my favorite t-shirts tonight, though, so that's crafty-ish :)

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Thank you! It usually takes a lot longer.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you. It shouldn't have been so unexpected, she was 91, but she was still active.

Still got more to finish, but they've been sitting around knitted for a long time, occupying most of my best stitch holders, so I want to get them done.

[badly_knitted]

Repairs definitely count!

Hope this time things will work out better for you and you won't have to vanish again. *fingers crossed*

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

I love marigolds! Well, guess I just love flowers...

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I love many flowers. Marigolds are a favorite because they are cheerful, fragrant, discourage pests, grow in difficult conditions, and the petals are nice in a flower salad. :D

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

They are one of the best multi-purpose flowers to have, it's true. I like nasturtiums, even though they're not fragrant. They'll grow in poor soil and they're very tasty.

[sister_raphael]

sorry to hear about your neighbour.

[sister_raphael]

Same here, same. Life keeps getting in the way. Kitty crafting always counts! :) My cat says so.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you. She was a lovely person. I grew up with her daughter.

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I grow nasturtiums mainly for decoration. I know they're edible but I don't like the flavor.

I like to eat the flowers of borage, basil, mint, and some bergamot. I have bergamot with tasty flowers and some other plants that are just awful.

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

There's a lot of trial and error in finding edible that also suit individual tastes. I haven't tried mint flowers, but that's something to look into.

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Most flowers have little taste, or taste similar to their foliage. Nasturtiums are rare in being so intense.

Borage has star-shaped blue flowers with a crisp cucumber flavor.

Mint and basil have tiny flowers that often taste like the leaves but milder.

Bergamot has tubular flowers of various colors with kind of an herbal flavor (the good ones) or bitter and peppery (that I dislike).

Marigold doesn't have much flavor but lots of pretty petals per flowerhead.

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

In shall definitely try the borage if I can get some and find a place to plant it. I think I'll skip the bergamot, too much trial and error to find a palatable one. Mint and basil though... Once I have somewhere to put the plants. Didn't get much gardening done this year, due to weather and health reasons.