Check-In Post - Jan 21st 2026

[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: What are your crafting goals for 2026?


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]

Argh! Day from hell, so no crafting =(


It started to pour with rain just as I had to leave to take my car in. Got to the garage, left car, walked all the way into town in the rain to take the bees, the shop was closed. Picked up a few things in charity shops, mostly more yarn for bees, walked all the way home, still in the rain, just got in and the phone's ringing. It was my mechanic. Car needs work. Costa a lot. Probably ready Friday. Went out again and locked the garage. Came back in, watch strap had broken. Fixed that at least. My cross stitch magazine was delivered while I was out, so that was all wet and I had to hang it on the radiator. Found my cheese sticks have gone off, and I've run out of eggs...


January hates me!

[wiseheart]

*hugs*

[badly_knitted]

Thanks, I can really do with them. Spare a thought for my poor car, undergoing major surgery as soon as my mechanic can get the parts.

[sister_raphael]

I've ordered more beads to make more paternosters, and thinking I might go to as Mothers Day market, which I don't normally do, but really might this year. I've sold one of the pink paternosters already and they aren't even for sale yet! :)

[sister_raphael]

Oh what a frustrating day for you! Hugs.

[sister_raphael]

That sounds expensive.

[badly_knitted]

Ooh, good luck, and well done selling one already! (Although I'm not surprised, because the they're lovely, especially the pink ones.

Might be worth doing the Mother's Day market.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you *hugs back* It hasn't been fun, that's for sure.

[badly_knitted]

Certainly not cheap, and it's on top of a roof repair and a load of coal. About twice as much money going out this month already as is coming in, and that's before car tax. Not a good start to the year.

[elwendell]

Just popping in, as a newbie, to say, "Hello".

I'm between dressmaking projects at the moment...waiting for delivery of some calico and a pattern to mock up a jacket. Lately, I have had more dressmaking fails than successes, so I'm doing a full mock up this time.

[badly_knitted]

Hello! You're very welcome.

I have to admit, I can't dop dressmaking to save my life, so I'm impressed by anyone who can. I hope doing the mock up will help to ensure jacket success. Let us know how it goes!

[hylianchai]

Hi everyone!! I'm kinda new to knitting and 2 weeks ago knitted a swatch and my wrists were KILLING me. It's still quite painful, but has been going away. I went to the doctor a few days ago and they gave me some medicine to help, but I just wanted to ask if any of you have had something similar? I was doing some stretches, and I switched to circular needles but could it be the way I'm holding the needles?

I plan on seeing a physio if it's not better by next week to check, but yeah, if any of you have had somehting similar I'd love to know!

[badly_knitted]

Repetitive strain type injuries are fairly common with knitting. Changing the way you hold the needles might help, but it's important to hold them in a way that feels comfortable and natural to you. There is no right or wrong way, just what works best for the individual.

Physio exercises can help to strengthen your wrists, but it's the same with anything people do that they're not used to, because you're using muscles and joints in ways you maybe haven't before. Stretches are good, don't knit for too long at a time, and some people find wrist supports help. Mostly though, you and your knitting just need to find a way to co-exist. Try not to hold your needles too tight, tensing up only makes things worse.

I've been knitting, off and on, for over 40 years. I have weak wrists and arthritis, so I've had to find ways around those things so I can enjoy knitting. I'm confident that with time, practice, and physio exercises, you'll find what works for you, and then knitting can be a pleasure for you instead of a pain. I hope that's some help.

[hylianchai]

Thank you!! This was so encouraging and helpful. I've had moments over the last fortnight where I've been worried about whether I could ever complete a project, so it's lovely to hear that you've worked out a way that's comfy to knit <3 When my wrists have healed I'm going to try and experiment to find a style and way that works best. I hope to post updates on whatever I'm working on in here soon! :)

[malurette]

Welp, I decided to tink part of my sleeves to adjust the colour scheme. Not much, but I'll have to redo several centimeters on both sides.

[badly_knitted]

Happy I could help, it's what we're here for, to encourage and aid crafters of all kinds and all levels of experience. I do hope you'll find a method that works for you. There are YouTube videos demonstrating different ways of knitting, so it might be worth checking out a few and seeing if any of those feel comfortable, or even a combination of them.

[badly_knitted]

The important thing is to get the sleeves how you want them so you don't end up feeling dissatisfied. Good luck!