Crafting

[Officedoor123]

Ive been knitting since i was about 9 but Im really limited in what I can do. I have knitted simple jumpers before and I've recently knitted the Sophie Scarf and Sophie Hood. I also like knitting miniature things. This year, I am going to learn to knit on circular needles if it kills me! And Im desperate to crochet a granny square, Ive watched a couple of videos, but no one seems to go slowly enough for an absolute beginner who is completely cack-handed with a crochet hook!

 

[Piff paff puff]

Carrying on the black and gold theme and 1920s/30s inspired fascinator made from a removable bra pad

 

[Butterfly88]

Hi! I mostly cross stitch. I made a few Christmas cards, and have a cool geometric Northern Lights pattern up next to start. I'm so slow at stitching though, it will take me ages!

I've signed up for my first ever Zoom craft class too, it's needle felting which I've never tried before. Will be interesting to see how I get on with virtual craft learning!

I cross stitch too - find it so relaxing! Had considered trying needle felting but had no idea where to start, might have search and see if can find an online class, great idea

 

[Millennial Pink]

OOh ooh teach me crochet.. I'm still stuck on where i last reported... the chain

A good tip I found was to use a bigger hook to make the chain, then when you're ready to start doing the crochet stitches, switch to the correct hook size for the project. Game changer.

I had to frog an entire crochet top the other day because it was too small. I can practically hear the sad violin music.

 

[emmer_moans]

Hello fellow crafters!
I have dabbled in most things (except anything needlework related!) and seem to rotate through crafts, as I get bored easily
That said, I seem to be better at collecting craft stuff that actually using it
Current “thing” is my cricut machine and heat press, I’m just discovering all of the possibilities- just need a few more hours in the day….

Every time I go Hobbycraft I look at the Cricut stuff but I'm concerned once I fall down that rabbit hole I will be making personalised EVERYTHING It does look fun! I'm like you, I like to dabble in a few crafts. I crochet and sew at the moment. Have just made lots of summer clothes and now it's getting cold again, I am turning my attention to making Autumn and Winter clothes. It's an expensive hobby, because I seem to keep watching youtuber Sewists who recommend sewing tools etc in their videos and then I end up collecting them

I parked Crochet over the summer because I tend to gravitate towards it in the colder months, I guess mainly because I make scarves and handwarmers and hats, and sometimes bears.

Does anyone have recommendations for crocheting little animals that's beginner friendly an doesn't involve that chunky yarn most use, my yarn is quite thin an the ones I mostly see is that thick stuff

I made a teddy from this book:

It was with normal weight yarn though, but the instructions were good.

For smaller yarn, I wonder if this would be any good? I'm tempted, Ive made a couple of normal sized bears but would like to make mini arigurumi...

I've also seen a few indie patterns on etsy, might be worth a look there

 

[PortiaControl]

@colouredlines I'm on a major grunk of the JM threads and just wanted to see if you'd posted any of the sewing pattern/influencer tea?

Edit: word duplication

 

[anniemouse]

I'm getting so down about this.. I keep seeing ppl on YT - sustainable vloggers, or booktubers who decide to teach themself knitting and crochet and then the next minute in no time al all they're banging out hats and jumpers and doing stuff with no pattern like making scrunchies in different stitches with stripes and patterns and here am i not even getting to the stitch stage or being able to do a granny square or straight one colour scarf

You’ve got this. There’s no telling how long it’s actually taken them to learn it.

 

[colouredlines]

I’ve attached a photo. It says designed by Poppy. I am in the UK (S Wales)

Great fabric &dress. Sewing has kept me sane the last year.

I had kind of forgotten how nice it is to sit down at the machine and concentrate on sewing for a while. It really is good for your mental health, isn't it? I've been struggling a bit lately, so it feels great to be getting back into it.

 

[nothanksbabes]

That is so beautiful. I’ve actually tried that one ( something lanterns? ) but I just couldn’t get the tension right at all. Whatever I did the pattern just seemed too holey, so I gave up.
However now I’ve seen yours it might just have given me the incentive I needed to have another go.

Mystical lanterns!

I feel like stuff with loads of granny-type pieces always look not the best when you start, I'm terrible for not even thinking about tension, I just keep going and hope that once I've joined and washed and blocked it, it'll be alright and they'll all look vaguely the same size!

 

[drusy]

Hi, not sure if this has been posted or not

Am looking to getting into embroidery but I'd like to do designs on clothes, I see a lot of people use this fabric type sheet with the design on it then once done put it in water to wash away the sheet

How an where do I get these? Is it a thing or are people drawing/printing designs onto these sheets? Thanks

Amazon sell water soluble embroidery fabric, with pre-printed designs.

 

[tigerlilly_xx]

Thank you! It's Stylecraft Special DK, I use it for everything that will get used and need to be washed as it washed well. It comes in loads of colours and it's really easy to choose complimentary colour palettes.

I loveeee this brand so much!

I brought colour pegs from Etsy of every colour, so I can swap and play with palettes before buying the yarn.

My idea behind it was, I’d be buying less yarn because I can pick the exact colours I want together. (It didn’t work but the thought was there right?!)

 

[emmer_moans]

How are we getting on with our early spring/late winter craft projects?

I currently have 36 granny squares which are completed and joined together, and around 10 more that need finishing off before joining.

I have enjoyed this project a lot, but i am at the stage when I want it to be nearly done and it isn't anywhere close. I think it is because it looked like lots of squares when stacked on the blocking board, but it didn't look ' big' once I had actually put them together.

I am going to work on finishing up a shawl for next few days, to give myself a little break before getting back to the squares. It is nice not to be weaving in ends all the time.

I hope to finish a hood/scarf thing (knitted) which I hope to wear this weekend for a nice long walk before true Spring weather comes. It's taken me too long to make and the season it is intended for is almost done

 

[Squandaaaaa]

I really recommend the indie sewing patterns as quite a few have sew along videos! It helps so much as I have read and re read the same line over and still don’t have a bloody clue!

 

[emmer_moans]

How have I only just seen this thread?!

I crochet mostly, but in lockdown have also bought sewing machine to make masks and now I am having a go at a wrap dress pattern. So far the bodice is done, I need to do the skirt section next. I'm also learning to knot but am finding it harder to rectify dropped stitches compared to crochet, I find crochet is less scary to undo stitches.

I enjoy making arigurumi.

All of my spare spending money has gone on fabric and wool and sewing tools recently

 

[Miss Begotten]

That’s lovely. It would take me longer to weave in all the ends than it would to make the blanket haha. Yes, please post when finished, I love seeing everyone’s crafts

I really have to force myself to weave in my ends as I go along after I got to the end of my first blanket and realised I had literally hundreds of ends to sew in. Cue massive tantrum!

 

[Miss Begotten]

What do we want?.... More Craft supplies!
When do we want them?..... Now!
What do we want them for .......... errrrr
When will we use them?..... ??????

I hear you!
I’ve never got my head around the thought that there are people who don’t understand that buying craft supplies and using craft supplies for a project are two completely separate things.

 

[Heidi88]

Love this!!! Please update with how the steeking goes! I am yet to try it.

I have finally finished the colourwork yoke on my abeline sweater and carrying on with the body, I added a few extra stitches when casting on for the underarm bit as the pattern looks a bit of a snug fit and I want a more loose fitting one.

I also think I won't decrease the sleeves like it says in the pattern as I want them loose too.

Please update with more photos of your project as it progresses as it looks amazing.
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This is lovely! You must have plenty of patience the seeing together of all the pieces would drive me mad .

I enjoy crochet but don't understand it like I do knitting, I constantly have to check I am doing the crochet stitches right so it takes me ages! Knitting however I find so much easier.
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Has anyone else been busy crafting over Christmas or received any crafty presents?

I got myself some new interchangeable needles as finding my knit pro zing are not pointy enough, I ordered some knit pro cubic jadore wooden needles but the 4mm one snapped within 5 minutes of using so they have gone back, I then tried the knit pro karbon but again not pointy enough! So in the end I have gone with chiagoo 5inch interchangeable needles and they are sooo much better than the knit pro, shame really as I wanted to stick with knitpro as I have lots of their cables etc... but I am finding I knit much quicker with the chiagoo and I am enjoying knitting more.

A friend got me a crochet kit to make a beanie for Christmas. It is lovely. My birthday is just before Christmas and I got an embroidery kit from another friend and a voucher for a local craft store from a sibling.

Crochet is my main craft and in early December I finished a blanket for a friend who had her baby earlier this week. I really need to put a border on it but I am cat sitting and the cat constantly goes for the wool so the blanket is stashed away as I dont want it ruined when 8t is a gift

Instead I am working on a knitted scarf. I dont knit much as I am much slower at it than crochet but I am trying to stick with it.

 

[Piff paff puff]

This is incredible!

Thanks didn't end up like most of my craft stuff half done

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I did this a couple of years ago it was a great way of learning new stitches, as a novice it came out a bit wonky and i'm shit at this 'blocking' business

I started working on this and I am row 8. It gave me the inspiration/kick up the bum to get going.

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

Sometimes what we think is nothing is useful. I have spent hours and hours practicing and unravelling, but it usually means that I get all the kinks out and that the finished product is better.