Check-In Post - Sept 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: 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]

Another 6 sparkly meeces completed except for their faces. Also found the right yarn and knitted a final meece. Sort of had to, because the ears were already crocheted and the yarn cut for the tail, I just hadn't knitted the body.

[allezhop]

They sound very cute!

[wiseheart]

The sacrifices you have to make to keep the meece population healthy and growing... *g*

Another project finished

[wiseheart]

Meaning the Christmas tree garlands made of tinfoil. This year I've produced six of them, thanks to a friend's contribution (her family heroically ate lots and lots of chocolate, marzipan and candy that comes in tinfoil packaging), and with the three left from last year, I'll have nine to offer. In order to make them more appealing to potential customers I'm planning to take the upper part of my artificial Christmas tree to the fair and decorate it with the garlands. I hope it will help.

Anyway, here are the new garlands:



I think they've turned out well enough, even though the stuffing proved too thick so I had a hard time to push the needle through. Might have deformed the little balls a bit in the process, but hopefully they'll sell nevertheless.

Re: Another project finished

[badly_knitted]

Well done, they look very pretty!

[badly_knitted]

I know. it's a terrible chore ;)

[badly_knitted]

Thank you, they are!

Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I took pictures around my yard, although I don't have them posted yet.

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

When downloading free patterns online, they often come in small size that you are supposed to scale up. But that small size works great for things like doll clothes or pet costumes.

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

Well done for taking the photos!

True, if you can print them out you can adjust the size to whatever works for what you need.

[nagi_schwarz]

Way to go on the meeces!

Re: Another project finished

[nagi_schwarz]

They look so pretty! Way to go! If I lived closer I would also offer to heroically eat loads of chocolate in service of your art.

Re: Done!

[nagi_schwarz]

Oooh, thanks for that tip! I am trying to decide if I want to make doll clothes for my kiddos or not...

[nagi_schwarz]

Played yarn chicken and lost twice but still made excellent progress on the blanket!

22/22 purple motifs complete
26/30 lavender motifs complete
30/30 white motifs complete
0/6 vertical half-motifs complete
0/10 horizontal half-motifs complete

I reckon if I bust my tail I can finish all the motifs this week. From then on, it'll just be...sewing them all together...

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

At least give it a try, to see if you enjoy it. Doll clothes can be really fun. Plus they're way cheaper to make than to buy, because you can use scraps.

Do look for lighter weight fabric, because when making tiny garments, heavier fabric feels too stiff. Handkerchief or scarf weight works well for many purposes such as blouses or skirts. For practice, hit a thrift store and look for old handkerchiefs or lightweight headscarves. Fabric store remnants can also work.

https://peekaboopatternshop.com/our-blog/doll-clothes-pattern-guide

https://threadsmonthly.com/18-inch-doll-clothes-patterns/

https://chellywood.com/

Re: Done!

[nagi_schwarz]

Thank you so much for the links! Been thinking of using old clothes to make doll clothes...

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Old clothes are ideal because they tend to be softer, worn down, so they move better -- especially natural fibers like cotton, linen, or wool. Doesn't cost anything to try.

To break down old clothes:

* Seam-rip or cut out the seams so you have flat pieces of fabric. If you cut out the seams, you can make a very durable mop head or braided rug from them!

* Remove any reusable findings such as buttons, zippers, etc.

* Remove any embellishments you want to use separately, like embroidered jean pockets.

* Cut off any damaged portions with holes, stains, etc. These can be used as stuffing or torch wicks.

What's left can be used as sewing scraps or cleaning rags.

[spiralicious]

I keep putting off checking in until I can do it earlier in the day, but at this rate, I'll never check in.

I'm not sure where I was on knitting the lace sampler last I checked in, but I've finished the fourth pattern chart of six. The sixth/last chart is the one that is obviously wrong. I rewrote it how I think it should be and test knitted it with some yarn I was saving for a hat. It looks great and I got the double decreases in the right spots, but comparing what I knitted with the tiny, grainy black and white picture of what the finished product should look like, I think I was supposed to use 2ssk instead of sl 2 k1 psso. (I hope I typed those out right.) Which I will keep in mind when I knit that chart on the sampler.

The lace panel scarf I finished knitting a while ago, last night I gave it fringe. So much fringe. I love it.

I am also still detangling the yarn. Honestly, the 2 days I wasn't really well enough to get out of bed, it gave me something to do. It is starting to look less like a disemboweled Muppet and more like a very sad wig. I'm still considering putting googly eyes on it and naming it Steve. Everyday, this becomes less of a joke.

Sort of crafting adjacent, Saturday I got to watch a samurai sword maintenance demonstration on a 300+ year old sword, live and in person. It was cool, I just wish my fellow audience members were better behaved.

[spiralicious]

Huzzah!

Re: Another project finished

[spiralicious]

Very nice!

Re: Done!

[spiralicious]

Well done!

[spiralicious]

Yarn chicken is an evil game. Excellent progress.

[badly_knitted]

That's great progress! Good luck with completing the motifs! The sewing together is always the most tedious part of any project.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you!

[badly_knitted]

Thanks!

[badly_knitted]

I often alter what's written anyway to get things so they look nice to me, even if it isn't what the pattern actually says. Patterns are more guidelines than anything. You're learning to do stitches and to adapt them, which is a valuable skill.

Yay for fringing the scarf!

I have a feeling you'd be better off with Steve instead of using that stuff as yarn.

Oh, that sounds fascinating! I would have enjoyed seeing that.

Re: Done!

[nagi_schwarz]

Thank you for the extra tips! I saved them on my phone

Re: Another project finished

[wiseheart]

The sacrifices people are willing to do to help are really touching. ;))

[spiralicious]

Thanks. I actually really needed to hear that.

Everything is better with fringe! Lol.

Most likely. Though I am starting to wonder how it would work as glued on texture for multimedia painting.

If you ever get the opportunity, I do recommend!

[badly_knitted]

Glad to help!

So true. Although I'm not sure meeces with fringing would catch on...

That's a possibility! Although it sounds like you have a lot of that yarn.

[spiralicious]

:)

Meeces with fringing would also need glitter and tiny cowboy hats.

I have Steve and 2 more hanks that are still untouched.

[badly_knitted]

Now I wish that was possible. Line-dancing meeces, rocking to... Mmmm, something by Midland, I think. Then I could don my Stetson and join in!

Eeep, Steve in triplicate!

[spiralicious]

If only!

I live surrounded by bits of Steve and even I find that terrifying.

[badly_knitted]

How to knit tiny Stetsons though...

Steve would make a great Halloween horror story monster...

[spiralicious]

It would probably require teeny tiny needles.

Steve would.

[badly_knitted]

I have enough trouble using 2.25mm needles, but that might be partly because I accidentally bent them a few months back and I straightened them as well as I could, but... They're not entirely straight now.

"Oh no! It's Steve!" *Characters run screaming in terror to avoid getting caught in Steve's tangles*

[spiralicious]

That could be the issue, yes.

Lol. Exactly!

[badly_knitted]

Like something out of The Blob!

[spiralicious]

Yes!