Check-In Post - June 5th 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 kinds of organizers do you like to hold your arts and crafts supplies?


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]

16 of the bees now have their wings!

[yarnofariadne]

Yay bees!

[badly_knitted]

Lots of bees! Eyeless at the moment though...

[spiralicious]

Did any bells ring?

That is wonderful progress :D

[yarnofariadne]

A few more rows on the hat bringing it to 31 - next are decreases but I'm saving those for a night I can focus on it more.

[badly_knitted]

Excellent progress!

Sensible, you don't want to find you made a mistake from lack of focus.

[spiralicious]

Well done!

Progress!

[dialecticdreamer]

I just finished the sixth partial block (orange center and white triangles on two sides) in ONE WEEK!

Organization tips--

You know those fabric pencil holders with a zipper above a clear panel and three grommets to make them easy to put into a three ring binder?

I use one of those for my assorted tools in my project bag. I use one to hold all the crochet hooks. I use another to hold all my DPNs in small bundles.

When quilting, I use one to hold cardboard templates and a wooden needle holder, snips, and a spool of thread, et cetera.

When traveling by train for a week, I used one to hold my hand sewing kit, with a few buttons pinned onto a quilting safety pin.

With all of the uses, the view window is incredibly useful. I've never bothered to put the containers into a binder, but I got the idea from a friend who wrote the needle size on the window in permanent marker and did keep all of her DPNs and circular needles sorted into a dozen pouches in a three ring binder.

In theory, I could use a half-inch binder with sheet protectors for a printed pattern, put the tools in a zippered pouch, and just have to worry about a bag to keep the yarn clean. In practice, I use a 1.5 gallon zip bag (you know, the one big enough for a decent salad?) to hold the project and the zippered pouch for tools, especially the snips.

Re: Progress!

[spiralicious]

Very nice!

That's a really cool storage idea.

Re: Progress!

[dialecticdreamer]

After seeing the other person's use of it to organize knitting needles, I expended the uses. I've fit small embroidery projects in a pouch, or a basic hand sewing kit, and other crafting projects. Anything that fits in the zipper and pouch without crumpling is wonderful for turning into a "kit".

[spiralicious]

Today was fiber group, though I only got one row done on the cable blanket. I'm okay with that. It's one more than I had.

Tonight I attempted to make ahead some more things to make with Lynne. It's getting hard to come up with stuff that she can do, that she might be interested in doing, and that I can prepare in triplicate (one completed sample and stuff for the two of us to make together). I got this book from the library on activities to do with people with dementia and it has not been helpful. Most of it is for scenarios that don't fit our particular situation or are things I already know she hate, like potentially tantrum inducing hates. I'm going to run out of things to do with her pretty fast.

[yarnofariadne]

One blanket row is a great amount of progress! Even if it's just one, it's a long row.

I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with options for Lynne. Wishing you luck in finding a solution.

Crafting ideas

[dialecticdreamer]

An acquaintance of mine bought the accu-quilt cutter so her mother could cut out the patchwork pieces for a lap throw, then the acquaintance sewed together sections. That's an expensive solution, but it worked because they both had a passion for quilting.

Which adult day cares in your area are the best? If you call them, asking for project ideas, would they spare five minute to help you get started?

ABSOLUTELY call your local library, and ask the librarian(s) to help you find other books meant for the people working with seniors, especially those with dementia. About half suck, but the other half are jam-packed with ideas that were more interesting. Borrow ONE book, find ONE thing to try, and you're a half step ahead.

Another option might be to look for project ideas meant for a child with parental supervision, like sewing, crocheting, or knitting doll clothes (which are almost the size of newborns, in many cases). I don't know what crafts you like, she likes, or what time you have to spare for the whole thing.