Crafting

[emmer_moans]

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

They probably don't do anything else all day though.
---
I once threw my crochet hook across the room when I was trying to learn

I also advise investing in a good tapered hook. I love the Clover Amours because they glide like a hot knife in butter. Some of the plastic ones and wooden ones get on my nerves.

 

[Gingercream]

Can anyone recommend a good circular needle set? I took up knitting in the last few months and am thinking of making a purchase. I am leaning towards Knitpro Zings. I have mainly plastic and wooden straight needles and the wooden ones have worn done a lot over the last couple of months so I want to stay away from wood/bamboo.

I like the knitpro karbonz personally. They are light but strong

 

[Marie Clare]

These are all amazing but the bobble cardigan is I've been lusting after one pretty much the same on chicwish for at least a year which I've attached. Where was that pattern from please? I can do basic knitting (like straight lines haha, I make a great scarf of blanket) but my Nan is a pro so I'll maybe ask her for "help"

Haha I saw it on there too! I just happened upon the pattern whilst looking for inspo. About to start my 5th one
Here’s the pattern, it costs £7.90 at the moment. I’m wondering how I could give you it as I have it downloaded already. It’s basic stocking stitch and the bobbles are dead easy to make so it looks more complicated than it is.
Edited to add: I didn’t use the recommended wool I used hayfield chunky with wool. I have however ordered the recommended wool for the next one, as the person I’m knitting it for was happy to pay more for it, so it will be interesting to see how it comes out in the 100% Wool!

BUBBLY LOVE Cardigan Knitting pattern by made.by.MoMi | LoveCrafts

BUBBLY LOVE Cardigan is a Knitting pattern by made.by.MoMi, available as a Downloadable PDF and includes instructions in English. Discover more patterns by made.by.MoMi at LoveCrafts!

www.lovecrafts.com

 

[colouredlines]

@colouredlines that was epic. I love it. This is a bit but I came second in the BHL fabric design competition attached to that Kickstarter. It took ages to get my £100 prize (had to chase them) and I never got my commission for the fabric they sold even though they told me it had sold really well (probs a lie tbf but my family bought some so I was owed something!) so I am not a fan of them. Again, their patterns need a lot of adjustments but I did love the Elisalex dress. In 2013 or whenever it was - not now! I also thought I liked the Anna but yes, so many adjustments!

That is shocking! Christ.

With regards Big 4, I think they have a couple of problems. The ease thing is a huge issue for new sewers, so there should be clearer instructions to choose a size based on the pattern measurements not the size table. And the styling on the envelopes is HIDEOUS. It takes a lot to look past that, so I get the indie appeal. Plus the indies are generally far better at social media marketing.

The thing is, though, once you've got the size down that's it. I've made 100s of patterns and I know the adjustments I have to make every time, because the block & drafting is consistent. So I'm happy with that.

Burda and especially Patrones make more fashion forward designs and have better styling. Dunno if Patrones is available for you guys but they do a lot of designer copycat patterns. The tracing is a pain in the ass though!

 

[ElectricDreams]

Has anyone tried selling their creations on Etsy? I did. The stuff I put in my shop was well worth the modest prices, I think. I got barely any views, never mind sales, despite carefully chosen tags etc.. So, about 20 quid DOWN, I pulled down the shutters. The only winner here was Etsy, and I'm disgusted. I'm bringing my creations to the local charity shop, and they are welcome to any money they make from them. Sod Etsy.

I haven't, but I've heard that Etsy isn't really worth the effort a few times now. I haven't the confidence to sell at the moment but there are two shops in my local town that rent shelf space out to local crafters. I'd love to be brave enough to apply for one!

 

[pixxyy]

Your diamond painting must've taken you hours to do! It looks so festive. Do you frame them once finished?
The stained glass pieces are lovely. I'd love to try making a stained glass piece.

The ones i've done so far minus that pic are in a folder. That 1 atm is lying on a shelf til I find a frame big enough.

You should have a go, Dad did a Day course & got the bug he did everything from making Tiffany Lamps to little Hearts/Stars

 

[drusy]

Can anyone recommend a good circular needle set? I took up knitting in the last few months and am thinking of making a purchase. I am leaning towards Knitpro Zings. I have mainly plastic and wooden straight needles and the wooden ones have worn done a lot over the last couple of months so I want to stay away from wood/bamboo.

I have the Knitpro Zings, which I like, but I love my Chiaogoo ones. They are more expensive than Knitpro, but they are worth it. The cable has no 'memory', so doesn't twist or kink and they do feel like they're better made.

 

[mindlessness]

I didn't realise how different crochet terms were between the US and UK! (This is not a craft I've explored...yet )

 

[Moongirl69]

I need to make a crochet blanket for a baby boy and found a pattern that I like but after showing my mum what I plan to make she said it’s a bit OTT
So, I’d like some opinions please, is my mum right and I should just do something a bit more plain? Any recommendations on a pattern would also be appreciated.View attachment 4057494

I love this although I prefer it in all one colour.
It will make a beautiful gift.
My go to for a baby blanket is the Call the Midwife pattern. Its so pretty and works up quickly.

 

[anniemouse]

I've embroidered a monogram onto some scrap fabric I had. I want to attach it to my little ones stocking but I don't really want to stitch it on, as the edges will look really messy I think. Any other ideas on how to attach it?

Could you make it into a little tag and hang it on the stocking?

 

[Moongirl69]

Finally the bunting is out at Begotten Towers as I have finally finished the bloody scrapgan that was meant to just be a cushion and ended up being a blanket because the person it was for really REALLY liked it.
Never EVER again. I actually hate it.
View attachment 3054927

That is a work of art! Beautiful.

 

[veronica71]

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 beautiful

Wow, these are stunning! You're very talented.

I recently used up almost all my mismatched yarns (was given quite a lot when someone I know died, plus a few random balls I'd bought but didn't love) making a big crocheted basket to keep my knitting and crochet stuff in! It was very fun to do, using 4 or 5 yarns together to make a thick, stiff fabric so that the basket stands up on its own.

I personally get much more of a thrill out of using up what I have rather than buying and hoarding materials. I'm now working on some socks using bamboo yarn, and won't buy any more for another project until I've finished these socks.

Pic!!! That sounds amazing

I went to Aldi this morning and I know what I said….but these will be used.

 

[WeepingCassandra]

I've realised very recently that my issues with crochet/knitting/cross stitch (which tbf I used to do a lot as a kid) all stem from the fact that I can't count and I can't remember numbers very easily XD

 

[Heidi88]

I'm trying to use my stash this year. It isnt a huge stash but it is easy to see how people get carried away. When I first started I bought a kit for a CAL which wasnt my style at all but I was so excited that I could crochet anything at all. If I didnt buy that kit I wouldnt have much in my stash

I also err on the side of caution and buy too much for projects. I have found some good stash busting projects and in the last few weeks I made flowers for my Mum for Mother's Day all from my stash. I think having a massive room of yarn would give me such anxiety!

On a local facebook group a woman was asking for yarn to make blankets for charity while she was recovering from surgery so I gave her a bag full and she was delighted with them.

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

The AI posts really annoy me. I followed one page who shares their own work and also shares AI generated images and I had to unfollow. It just goes against everything about the crafts we are interested in...being handmade, creative and not perfection.

I've also seen a lot of chat on craft pages about acrylic yarn vs natural fibres and if you use acrylic its seen as a sin! People should just buy whatever yarn they want. Not everyone has the sane budget.

I agree. It is either going to make people feel sad that they can't live up to an impossible standard, or the poster will get praise for work they didn't do. Handmade goods will have little quirks in it, it is part of what makes them unique.

Yarn can be pretty darn expensive. I am not going to be upset over what someone wants to use.

Being in the Northeast I am lucky enough to be able to go to a Boyes store. They have a large yarn section ( alongside all the other random household and craft stuff they sell).

I have to be careful because it is very easy to just buy random balls of pretty colours without a specific project in mind. When I first started I got caught out and bought some random things that aren't really enough to make anything with.

However saying that, I did get some really nice and soft yarns from them before Xmas. They had been marked down as only a few left in each dye batch, so I grabbed a few to go in scarfs and snoods for people.

 

[CarmenGhia]

So glad I stumbled on this thread, I mainly knit and sporadically sew, and took up a crochet for beginners night class this year.
Just wanted to share my last major project, a 1890 victorian walking suit.
Made this for a Charles Dickens Christmas feast in London, took me weeks, every evening spent sewing.
Flight to London cancelled, that bad weather weekend in Dec when most flights were stopped, so never worn....
Still upset about it, bastard Ryanair.View attachment 1982231View attachment 1982232View attachment 1982233View attachment 19822358

That is amazing. I'm dabbling a bit with sewing/dressmaking at the moment but I'm still getting my head around using a machine.

My main craft is crochet, but I also weave (using a loom I made myself), do needlepoint on plastic canvas and play about with loom knitting. I think I'll always prefer crochet to knitting, because when you drop a stitch in crochet, you just put another one in somewhere else and it's usually fine.

 

[pinkmug]

I enjoy embroidery very much but I lack the patience to work on detailed, intricate stuff which keeps me from improving my stitching. I have a few embroidery and cross-stitch designs at hand, mostly got them free online from Pinterest or DMC website. I've finished one festive bird embroidery last year and I'm happy with it.

I want to learn to sew and considering getting a sewing machine. I'm tired of shopping and trying to find a good seamstress for bigger alterations. It'll take time to get good at it (the Victorian suit had me swooning, that's amazing!) but time will pass anyway. I wonder if you guys think a beginner would need lessons or if one can learn from videos, through trial-error?

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I have accidentally made a blanket to big. Last year I bought 12 balls of Yarnsmiths DK Play Sail. It was on 4 for 10 quid. It is a colours changing yarn that goes through different blue and green shades.

I started using it about 3 weeks ago. Used half double crochet ( American), as wanted a simple and fast stitch as wanted something that worked up quick and showed off the colours.

Yesterday I had a crisis. I made it wide enough for a double bed, I am 4 balls in and just about to change to 5. I have realised the blanket will not be long enough and will look odd.

Luckily Wool Warehouse had some left in same dye lot, so i grabbed a few more.... but they are no longer on offer so had to pay full price for them.

I hope that I will learn from this....but I will not.

 

[emmer_moans]

Also with crochet, I find some yarn is better than others for seeing your stitches, so if you are learning and trying to see the loops in the chains and stitches, then I recommend cotton yarn of a decent thickness, or a chunky acrylic one. Some of the natural wooly yarns are more difficult to see what you are doing, as a beginner.

 

[Luce0331]

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?

Thanks to everyone who’s replied to this, most of you are saying blankets but as daft as it sounds I tend to steer away from crocheting them as it takes me so bloody long! Although there is six months until the wedding so if I start now I may finish in time