Check-In Post - Sept 28th 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 (courtesy of ysabetwordsmith): For those of us who do yarn crafts, what kinds of yarn do you prefer working with and why?


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 5 pumpkins have been sewn up and stuffed. Only 5 more to do to reach my goal of 100! They're already knitted, just need to be finished.

[matsushima]

I have been making slow but steady progress on my pastel rainbow half circle blanket since communal_creators started. I'm at the point where each row takes a long time and since I'm only halfway(ish) through the pattern, I know each row is only going to get longer from here.

For those of us who do yarn crafts, what kinds of yarn do you prefer working with and why?
I like inexpensive acrylics, like Red Heart Super Saver and Lion Brand Pound of Love. It's not too cheap/plasticky, like a lot of the really cheap yarn at the ¥100 store (tho that adds up if you're making anything bigger than a hat) but it's easier to use and more affordable than higher quality natural fiber yarns.

Lately, I've been using mostly Stylecraft Special DK.

[badly_knitted]

Excellent progress on your blanket. Those long rows take a lot of effort though, and I imagine it must be starting to get heavy.

Yes, I too like inexpensive acrylics, as long as they're of a decent quality. I used to use Patons Knit 'n' Save, and I still have some I haven't used yet. Can't seem to get that now. Stylecraft is one I've used before and quite liked.

Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Yesterday we went to the Harvest Frolic, which was mostly historic crafts and demonstrations, so that event report is mostly about said crafts.

>>This Week's Question (courtesy of [personal profile] ysabetwordsmith): For those of us who do yarn crafts, what kinds of yarn do you prefer working with and why?<<

One of the crafters yesterday was a dyer / spinner / weaver. She had some gorgeous handspun yarn in soft multicolor shades. Sooo pretty.

Also I spotted a new use for some types of art yarn a few days ago -- there were commercially made canvas shoes covered in textured yarn. One was a multicolored art yarn type, another was eyelash yarn, a third chenille, and so on. I figure it wouldn't be too hard to add yarn by couching it onto a shoe you like.

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

That sounds fun. Demonstrations of historic crafts are fascinating.

That really dies sound pretty.

A fun idea! Not very practical for outdoor shoes in rainy climates though.

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> That sounds fun. Demonstrations of historic crafts are fascinating. <<

I discovered that I can still drop-spin. :D

>>A fun idea! Not very practical for outdoor shoes in rainy climates though.<<

I think these were meant as summer shoes, which around here is dry weather. But most shoes are not washable, which means in wet areas your options are much more limited -- unless you have outdoor shoes and indoor shoes.

Re: Done!

[sister_raphael]

yay for historic crafts fairs!

[sister_raphael]

so. many. pumpkins!

[sister_raphael]

Spent the morning finally catching up with posts and uploading photos to go with them, and all I need to do now is post the book things onto the book page feed. I uploaded a heap of website updates too, including new items to my INVENTORY and finally the breath fresh page (which I did a post about on DW yesterday). Really itching to do some more sewing, and possibly time I bite the bullet and add the embroidery pattern to a cote which I have had ideas about for months now.

[jupiter2932]

That is a lot of pumpkins!

[jupiter2932]

Nice job making progress. Those long rows really can feel like a slog.

[jupiter2932]

Doing admin on posts and sites can really eat up so much time, it's so nice when you can get a chunk of it done like that.

Re: Done!

[jupiter2932]

Oh, that looks like so much fun :D Though seeing people do historical crafts just makes me want to add dozens of new hobbies to my plate when I don't have enough time for my existing ones XD

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I know that feel. When I was younger, I experimented with most of them! So I know enough to have fun conversations about them.

However, I also learned some things that I really use. I'm a bifocal cook; I can use measurements from a recipe or cook without one using hand measures. I can sew by hand, whereas a sewing machine is too hard for me to keep running. Blanket stitch is one embroidery stitch that I've memorized because it's useful for repairing a serged seam or making applique on anything.

Re: Done!

[jupiter2932]

Oh, I'd never heard the term bifocal cooking, but I love it.

I'm not really that knowledgeable about crafting--I generally know the basics in sewing, embroidery, and crochet, but haven't done a lot of difficult/intricate projects, but it is neat how skills can carry over; I've used blanket stitch to repair holes and add patches before.

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Oh, I'd never heard the term bifocal cooking, but I love it. <<

It's uncommon. Most people have a definite preference for cooking with utensil measures and recipes, or hand measures without recipes. I learned recipe cooking from my mother and freestyle from my grandmother. I'm good enough that if I devise I recipe, I can write it down and replicate it.

>> I'm not really that knowledgeable about crafting--I generally know the basics in sewing, embroidery, and crochet, but haven't done a lot of difficult/intricate projects, but it is neat how skills can carry over; I've used blanket stitch to repair holes and add patches before.<<

A craft doesn't have to be complicated to be fun and useful. Some things I learned from classes, others from people I knew, some from books, and so on. It's worth keeping an eye out for opportunities -- you never know what you might find at an event. The last new craft I encountered was a lady who was making intention seals, that involved melting tiny plastic pucks in a tiny metal cauldron and pouring them out to make a puddle for the metal seal to sit on. Mine's a dragon. :D

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

Yay! Impressive!

Here in the UK, summer means rain. We do occasionally get hot, dry spells, which take everyone by surprise, but every season here tends to be wet. And often cold.

[badly_knitted]

Well done with all the photos and website updates. Sounds like a big job!

Good luck with the cote embroidery!

[badly_knitted]

Yep! But they're needed. I did promise the kids pumpkins this year. I ran out last year.

[badly_knitted]

Got to have plenty for the kids this Halloween! =D

[malurette]

I decided that The Roll was getting too big after all + I didn't like the alternate green yarn I used to fill up the last two rows after my first green ball ran out so I carefully cut off right after the last good green bit + right before I started the first white part, tink'd them a bit and crochet-stitched the parts back together. I'm not very happy with the way I did it, but it's done.

[badly_knitted]

As long as it works out, I'm sure the recipient will be happy.

Re: Done!

[ysabetwordsmith]

That's got to be hard on natural fibers in general. Synthetic does have the advantage of not getting so soggy. It doesn't breathe well, but knitting or crochet helps with that.

Re: Done!

[badly_knitted]

It's hard on everything, but we Brits are supposed to be hardy. Complaining about the weather is like the national pastime. No matter what weather we get, we complain *grins* We're very good at it.

Synthetic fibres are my preference for knitting because they're easier to wash. They don't shrink with regular laundry detergent. It's getting hard to find a safe detergent for wool and silk, no one seems to stock the one I used to use pre-pandemic.