Crafting

[TheStrawberryThief]

I agree about over-buying. I have yarn from when I first started crocheting that I'll likely never use and should give away or to charity, and now I only buy for specific projects or if I know for certain I can make something with the yarn.

My last big projects were the Jamie Crow Persian tiles blanket in the eastern jewels colourway (I've done the original colours before) and a granny square blanket in 70s orange and peach type colours for my friend's baby. I'm chuffed I've managed to use almost all the leftover stash on another Jamie Crow pattern (magical lanterns), I've done 110 of 157 pieces, although I'll probably have to buy yarn to join them with.

Pictures of my most recent finished projects...

These are lovely. I haven't tried making anything that involve joining so many parts together as I think I would get bored or mess it up. The colours look gorgeous.

…

These are lovely fresh spring colours. Aldi are always good at making the craft event colours match the upcoming season.

 

[emmer_moans]

I love a bit of dressmaking. I wish I could crochet but last time I tried I nearly chucked it across the room, I just can’t figure it out

I know what you mean about crochet - I initially tried when I was a teenager but couldn’t get it, and I remember having a strop about it I tried again a few years later and after some practice, it seemed to click...so maybe try again in the future.

Opinions on gifting a Sentro to a knitting novice? This is for Christmas.

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I’m curious about this too.

 

[orangelolly]

Glad to see there are others on here who enjoy cross stitch What are you all working on at the moment?

I'm currently working on a piece called "Puppy Love" by Disney

 

[HoGi]

Did you make your frame cover thing? Not sure what it's proper name is. I could do with some of those myself.

The grime guard?

I would love to make them myself, and I have a sewing machine, but I'm too lazy! And not sure I'm good enough.

I got it from ebay

 

[Penguinfeet]

Ooh a crafters thread I shall pull up a chair! Someone please talk me out of buying 3000 pony beads and making my own weighted blanket - how many crochet projects does one girl really need in progress at any one time?!
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I know it sounds a bit naff but I’d like to crochet something as a wedding gift, does anyone have any ideas as to what I could make?

Blanket in wedding colours with the date crocheted into it?

 

[Islawight]

That’s gorgeous!
I’m currently making this one https://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/aria-blanket.html
By the time I’ve finished I might feel brave enough to post a picture.

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

 

[Days28]

I learnt to knit when I was pregnant and made a blanket, about to make another for my second baby but need to re learn again as I haven’t made anything since my one and only knitted project would love to make a cardigan too for baby but need to research best wool etc

Where did you learn? I’ve tried YouTube but couldn’t get my head around it

 

[Miss Begotten]

Have you got one of those handheld quilling devices or is that all by hand ? i saw one of the devices in instagram

Yes it’s all by hand. I’m a right clumsy git and I don’t think I’d be able to control a motorised one !

 

[supertickedoff]

Just started trying to learn crochet.. does anyone know any good YT channels for beginners? The ones I have found are too fast or hard to follow. I follow along but my single/double crochet just turns into a big knot.. I have got the chains down though. Have a few several feet long but I want to move on..

Definitely Bella Coco Crochet, I learnt from her tutorials and I think they’re excellent.

 

[Purrrrrrr]

For many collecting craft, stuff is a hobby in itself. I had so much each craft had its own huge pile.. Was so overwhelming .. I have now got rid of it all. Gave it away on a reuse site. all brand new and now someone else clutter

All I have kept is the children's craft things for pictures and cards etc. and my collection of odds and ends for making fiddle/twiddle quilts for care homes. as that is what I want to concentrate on. I will still do other things like the hanging towels but will buy those supplies as I need them.

 

[Woolmercardington]

Help! Can anybody give me any inspiration?

Years ago, I made lots of small cardboard giftbags. They're about the size of a party favour giftbag and would fit in a small item the size of something like a tealight, small piece of jewellery, sample cosmetic pot, etc. The ideas was to embellish the bags, so each one was unique, and I was going to pop in little hand creams, eye creams, etc (decanted into my own pots from a wholesaler).

However, it's something I just never got around to, but I have all these cute little bags and really want to do something with them. Not sure I want to go down the route of my original idea as it's just quite a faff with all the labelling and obviously if I don't sell them, they will go past their sell-by-date. I could just leave them as giftbags, but it seems a bit of a waste.

I also used to make cards and want to try and start it back up again. My theme was always vintage/showgirl/burlesque - I'm trying to think of matching the cards and bags up but just can't think of anything good I can utilise them for.

Any ideas?

 

[WeepingCassandra]

I’m really into creative journaling at the moment and love the company “Note and Wish” they’re closed at the moment for maternity leave so I wondered if anyone had any good small companies I can support? I’m specifically after stickers, more specifically the clear PET stickers. Help a girl out!

Miso Paper, Nishura East, Art from the Heart and Suteki Stickers are my go tos!

 

[colouredlines]

Hi fellow crafters just new here but longing this thread! I'm a crocheter mainly but started off by knitting. This post perfectly sums up knitting and crocheting. I picked up knitting very quickly but took years to master crochet. I prefer crochet because it's quicker and easier to follow a pattern. When I knit, I make small toys but when I crochet I make large blankets... I can't do it the other way around!

I've tried a lot of different crafts over the years, about 10 years ago I was really into card making. I still have all the equipment but don't use it much. I'd love a cricut machine though.

My most recent thing has been making miniature rooms-they come in kit form and you put them together, customise them, wire up electric lights etc. I've done 8 so far and I'm running out of space!

Those miniature rooms sound awesome, do you have any pics?

 

[Piff paff puff]

That is really good idea. I have not seen one of those before. It is really cute
This looks gorgeous. It looks like something you would pay for.


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The Aldi Yarn Wars are back. It was the craft event and I don't like what it brings out in people. Saw one person in my group posting a haul picture that took up their entire bed, and then saying that they had 13 storage boxes of yarn already so it would just be put away until they need it.

Lots of people bragging about how much they have bought, but then also asking for help as they don't know what to do with it.

This morning I saw someone asking about how often the events happen and mentioning that they were not ' allowed ' to go again, the comments were all really nasty and saying things like 'are you a child?' And ' please sir, can I go to Aldi', as if some people are not on a budget.

I really dislike how craft communities encourage over consumption and hoarding of supplies, and people try and one up each other.

I have to much, mostly because when I started crochet I didn't understand how much yarn I needed for things, so I have to much or to little of some things. I am making an effort to get through it all this year. I know it is a very easy hobby to over buy for, and sometimes you do buy something because price is good and you put it away for later. But I have seen people hoarding entire rooms full of yarn they will never use in a million years.

I think I get so annoyed about this as I know I struggle from impulse control with buying, and I really have to fight the urge to binge shop when I am stressed or down, so it really gets to me seeing people encouraging each other to do it.

Thank you I hope it inspires others, especially since they are small and satisfying projects and great for beginner crafter's or anyone who can otherwise get easily overwhelmed

 

[veronica71]

The last yarn I got from Aldi was in autumn and again lovely autumn colours. I made a lovely scarf out of them. It’s very good quality for the price. Like quite a lot of ALDIs stuff.

 

[ElectricDreams]

If you are beginning any craft, do not beat yourself up If it takes time to get the results you want. Some people are amazing from the get go, others take more time.

When I first started I saw someone on reddit say something I found incredibly helpful, you don't have to be good at your hobbies, you just have to enjoy doing them. I try and remember this when I am getting annoyed at myself for the way my work looks ( it doesn't always work, the pattern nearly had me crying last week until I realised how silly I was being and put it away for the night)

I have been crocheting for just under 2 years. Each time I finish something I think it the peak of what I can do, and then the next thing blows it out of the water. I am proud of how far I have came from my first scrappy and uneven Granny squares, but I have still far to go on a journey that might take years but that is okay.

I really needed to hear this, I get so frustrated when things don't turn out as planned or are harder than I expect. I need to chill out a bit and enjoy it

 

[Heidi88]

Hi guys, I just started crocheting today so please try not to judge too much aha, I'm having trouble with curling and apparently it’s because the stitches are too tight? But does anyone have any advice as I’ve tried again and tried to make it looser and used a larger hook but it’s still happening

It's been a while since I started to crochet but I think this is caused by tension and this is only something that comes with practice. As you practice more your tension will get better. Does your hand hurt after a while? That was a big sign for me that my tension was too tight when I started.

What are you planning to make? I think a granny square is a great place to start.

 

[Millie2023]

You sound very much like me! I'm currently looking into getting a cricut machine... I'm very tempted, just put off a bit by the lack of space to do it in! I keep falling down a rabbit hole looking at you tube videos and Facebook groups

<whispers> do it! I don’t have a dedicated craft space, I just wing it!
jennifer Maker is great, unless you don’t want to buy one, in which case, don’t look her up! Please yell if I can offer any advice Or enabling

 

[Lunagooner]

I have made soap, but only from those kits when you melt the soap onto a mold and add scents and colours before setting. It is only for my personal use to don't have any useful advice sorry.


I have been in a bit of a craft slump recently. I was working away for a week and then I ended up making a scarf that I didn't enjoy working on and I just kept putting off finishing it. I have spent the first 3 months of year focusing on using scraps, and I am getting bored so I think time to inspire myself with something new.

I am considering giving this a go

as-we-go stripey blanket

Here is the finished pattern for the as-we-go stripey blanket that was written up during not your average crochet’s very first crochet along! I hope you enjoy it! (Click here for the PDF ve…

notyouraveragecrochet.com

I have a lot of balls of DK yarn , and it will force me to try new stitches .

I am going to push through the last bit of scarf later ( should be less than an hour to finish) and then I will take a close look at this.

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

 

[EllenDeGenerate]

I revived the Arts and Crafts thread with this so please accept my apologies if you've read this already (also posted to the Christmas thread).

Our local library is holding a Christmas craft market in early December. I've recently started playing around with air dry clay and made myself some ornaments to imprint my LOs hand onto as I didn't want to pay £30 for a PIYP place to do it XD. They look really smart and I'm very pleased with them. It takes me about 20 minutes to do maybe 5 or 6. I was thinking I could perhaps take a stall and sell them. I'd sell shaped ones (Christmas trees, snowmen, normal 'baubles' both in white and with paint on), imprinted ones (just the bauble shapes) and plain white baubles with instructions on how to do the hand or footprints. Was thinking about £3 for the fancier ones and £2.50 for the plain ones. I've also made some ring holders and could easily make some little trinket trays too. Would probably sell those for a similar price.

Bearing in mind I'm committed to a panto (rehearsals twice a week) and have an 8 month old baby... is that a dumb idea? I reckon I could do it, dedicating one or two evenings a week to making stock. The longest part of it all is letting it dry.

The stall is £10 and then I'd need public liability insurance, the clay I use is about £4 for a kilo and I can get maybe 20 ornaments out of it. Other supplies would be ribbon (maybe £2 a roll in hobbycraft), paint (I've got most of it already but perhaps £3 a tube), varnish (more expensive - £10 a can for the one I like) and branding supplies (I've got a shop design from many failed Etsy attempts, but nothing printed - though I do own a Cricut). I suppose tissue paper to wrap things in would be useful too.

I like the sound of your wares! I think you should just go for it. I don't think you have much to lose. It may lead to bigger things.