Check-In Post - May 3rd 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 do you wish you could get right first time, every time?


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]

No crafting, no gardening (rain). Spent all afternoon sorting through paperwork, looking for certain things I need to sort out something with my broadband supplier. Haven't found what I need yet, but I did clear out a lot of junk, so that's progress. Still got more stuff to sort through, so that's probably going to be my life until I find what I need.

[wiseheart]

It is so annoying when you look for a particular thing, going through mountains of stuff and can't find it. But clearing out a lot of junk is progress indeed.

[badly_knitted]

I will find the information I need, I hope. Has to be there somewhere... I have several other places to look.

[spiralicious]

*hugs* I hope you find it soon.

[badly_knitted]

So do I. I need to get this sorted.

[wiseheart]

I've reached a milestone: all twelve mini-scarves are done! Next step: stitching the little teddy bear faces. But I didn't feel like doing anything more today. Instead, I took two naps: an hour-long one and a short one. Now I almost feel human again.

[badly_knitted]

Well done!

Glad the naps helped =)

[wiseheart]

Naps always help. *g*

[spiralicious]

Congrats on finishing the mini scarves!

Naps are important.

[wiseheart]

Indeed, they are; the older one gets, the more so.

[chromatic_crow]

Had to restart the cowl I had just cast on due to not liking how wide it was going to be and the cat chewing it. Luckily I think it should be fine once I get it going again, the house showings are really messing with my hobby time though.

I did find a new pattern I wanted to make but quickly realized that all of the yarn it called for/I wanted to use for it (or rather all of my yarn besides my kitchen cotton) is packed up in a place that I can't get to so that's a bummer. Not to mention that I need to get my car fixed so I don't really want to drive the 10+ miles to the nearest Michaels and buy more yarn. Though maybe I will once I get it fixed....I have a 5 dollar rewards voucher, I deserve a little treat of a single skein of yarn after I get all that done I think.

[badly_knitted]

Hopefully the cat didn't ruin the yarn too badly. Good luck with the second attempt at the cowl.

If it's not one thing it's another. Hope you can get the car fixed and get the yarn you need for the new pattern. Sounds like you're juggling a lot!

[chromatic_crow]

Luckily I was able to stop her before she chewed too much! Just split the small start I had going from the skein, annoying but not unfixable at least.

Life has a tendency to pile on more doesn't it? Thank you though!

[badly_knitted]

That's good. Many MANY years ago, my mum's puppy got hold of my knitting, I'd only put it down for a moment. She chewed the baby bootee I was knitting for my sister, shredded the 3-ply yarn. It takes no time at all.

It surely does. Hoping it will let up on you a bit.

[spiralicious]

Good luck with everything!

[althea_valara]

Worked on a new swatch for a knitted tee today. Copypasta from a Ravelry post:

Hmm.

So when I chose the Sylvan Tee for my yarn, I did a search by recommended gauge of my yarn vs. pattern gauge - but I only checked stitch gauge. My yarn is Softfun Denim which is 153 yards to 50 grams.

The pattern yarn is two yarns held together, but the designer does give single-yarn alternatives. Those alternatives are DROPS Belle (131 yards/ 50 grams) or Sandnes Garn Line (120 yards to 50 grams). So, both are plumper than my yarn.

I’m getting stitch gauge with US 5 needles for knit side / US 4 for purl side, but my row gauge is off. It’s about 34 rows in 4". Pattern gauge is 29 rows in 4".

So, I’m not sure what to do. I can try going up a needle size. I believe the pattern does suggest US 6 needles, but I’m usually a loose knitter so I automatically went down in size. Or I can try to adjust the pattern for my gauge, but that sounds like a lot of work…

I really don’t want to buy new yarn. I suppose I will if I have to, but then what am I going to do with my current yarn? This is the third pattern I’ve tried for this yarn. Ugh.

Open to thoughts / suggestions.

Suggestions so far is to try washing/drying my swatch, and also try the US 6 needles. I'll try washing it first, I think. I need to look up how to wash this yarn. I think it's machine washable, but I don't know if I want to machine wash a swatch. I do have lingerie bags I can put it in, so maybe I should? dunno, too tired to decide tonight.

[spiralicious]

I've no advice on the gauge issue, but I hope you find a fix.

Personally, I would put the swatch in a lingerie bag, if you are going to machine wash it.

[badly_knitted]

That is a seriously complicated problem, I have no advice to offer I'm afraid. I've always been a tight knitter, and my gauge doesn't tend to vary much.

I guess you'll just have to see what happens when you wash the swatch. Good luck!

[jasleh]

got a bit of work in on my randomly-found needlepoint project (lack of time aside, it was WAY too hot today to touch the curtain, it's big enough now to have a blanket effect)

and uh... I think I'm playing... thread chicken? with this current color. some strands have been moth-nibbled which does not help, but I'm not all that sure there was enough to start with. no way I'd be able to find more when this project is of deeply unknown but considerable age, but on the plus side, I'm not so much invested in it as finishing on stubbornness alone, so if I do run out, I'll probably just toss the damn thing. would be disappointing, but it's not like I even know what I'd do with it if/when I finish it

could be wrong tho, I'm not known for being an accurate judge of such things lol

[spiralicious]

Well done! Good luck with the thread chicken. May the usable fiber length be in your favor.

[jasleh]

🙏

[badly_knitted]

Yes, big drapey things are not good -to work on when it's hot.

Good luck with the needlepoint. You never know, it might work out.

[jasleh]

ty! yeah I'm hoping my eyeball estimate is wrong, and it very well might be lol

but if I run out, it is what it is

[badly_knitted]

Very philosophical attitude. *nods* Wish I could be like that.

[spiralicious]

I was incredibly sick all day, until about 10 pm my time, which I suddenly felt better. And I've spent the last hour and a half ish knitting 4 rows on the cable blanket. That means that for the moment I am caught up on my knitting. Yay.

Now to prep the laundry I was supposed to start this morning.

[badly_knitted]

Ugh, glad you're feeling better, and yay for catching up on blanket rows.

Ah, laundry. It never goes away.

[wiseheart]

Oh, poor you, I'm glad you are feeling better!

[chromatic_crow]

Boo for being sick but yay for feeling better and catching up on your knitting! Hopefully you continue to feel better!

[elwendell]

I am finally making progress with my jacket. I have all the bodice pieces of the lining stitched together and am about to work on the collar lining. Real progress at last.

[badly_knitted]

Yay! Well done! May it all come together smoothly.

[jasleh]

woo! sounds like you're getting close!

[wiseheart]

I knew you'd force the stubborn thing in the knee! Go you!