Crafting

[knivesnflowers]

ooh didn't know this thread existed - i'm one of those people who jumps between crafts so don't really have a 'niche' per se but do love craftng in general, some of my best childhood memories are making things from the recycling pile! at the moment i'm beading some xmas ornaments as gifts for the first time so will post those when finished (hopefully this weekend). i'm thinking of starting an etsy shop so if i get good feedback then i might make some up over the year. using felt so far but i do have decent access to fabric samples (interior design student) so might use any scraps i have to make more general non seasonal items.

talking xmas, i made this wreath about five years ago as a novice and it's still going strong. my mum still loves it so i'm glad it's not fallen apart. love flower arranging too, the bouquet was from xmas last year using an m&s bunch! would love to take a floristry short course or something once i've graduated

 

[Piff paff puff]

I was prompted to make this cover for my wicker basket after losing items from it on windy days also to put off any potential thieves grabbing my purse.
I found this pretty cotton offcut in a charity shop and I've got enough left to make something else
How to make:
Take measurements from top of basket
cut a square
round of the corners
pin the hem
sew the hem
thread through elastic

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

This is my progress so far at the ' As we go stripey'. I had a bit of a fail with the 'Catherine Wheel' section. I just couldn't get it right. It looked right but I somehow ended up with to many stitches, so when I went back to a more simple stitch on row below I could not get the numbers right again.

Anyway, after 3 days/5 hours of trying to get that bit right I gave up and removed it and did some rows on pretty colours instead. Then I got to the star stitch row and I didnt like how they looked, so I replaced them with Suzette stitche.

So the blanket isn't really following the pattern anymore, but I thought I will try and stick to it where I can, and stick to the principle of changing colour and stitch type each row

 

[Flash]

Love this thread! You’re all so talented!! I’m a lapsed sewer but to be honest I only ever used to do small hand stitched projects like lavender bags etc as I get impatient and never learnt to follow patterns etc. Though I suppose it’s never too late to learn. I have my grandmother’s sewing machine from the 1970s/80s which last time I checked is working fine but I’m a bit scared of it tbh.
Recently I learnt basic knitting via YouTube. I’ve just finished a scarf but it is wider at one end than the other and full of holes So I have a lot to learn!!
I would like to learn to crochet too.

 

[FlowerOfTheEast]

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!

 

[Nena]

I didnt realise there was a craft thread. A friend taught me to crochet early March last year as I wanted to make blanket for my friend's baby. It was perfect timing as it was right before Covid and I made the blanket during lockdown.

Since then I've made 3 hats and 3 scarves. I bought a pattern for a fair isle crochet hat recently and tried to start it tonight but am struggling with the super chunky yarn as it splits (not sure if that is the correct word for it). I think I need to do very loose stitches for it to work.

I also got a sewing machine last month for my birthday but haven't made anything yet. I have bought fabric to n ake facemasks so I need to give that a go.

 

[JoeBloggs]

I do a wide variety of crafts (glass, pottery, sewing, knitting, silversmithing) bit of a Jack of all trades master of none

I really want to get in to crochet but I’m just struggling to really get much further than granny squares.

Im trying to compile a list of 2021 craft projects but there are so many I want to do.

 

[Jenna_Maroney]

Hello all! So pleased to see this thread

I’m dreadful at crafting, I have neither the talent nor patience but I’m determined to crack one. I had a baby 5 months ago and for my own sanity I need to do an activity for me. I’ve got a cheap sewing machine, I’ve been trying YouTube beginner videos (I’m so basic, I’m still struggling with the bobbin!) but after seeing a few mentions of Tilly & the Buttons on here I’ll check out what they may have to help.

Looking forward to chatting about all things crafts with you all!

 

[GiggleBee]

What is diamond art?
I would love to see more pictures of all your crafting skills.

So it's little plastic circles or squares and you stick them down following a pattern and they make a picture. You can get generic ones like this or you can order personalised ones.

 

[Heybooboo]

The little red baseball jacket with cream sleeved I posted was the first thing I knit after making a square blanket, it was relatively easy. I use lovecrafts.com and I just searched for free patterns to begin with so I could download them and read them to see if I could follow them. Lovecrafts tells you what wool to use and needles and how many balls of yarn for which size. So I just ordered it all from them and off I went. Any stitches or instructions I didn’t understand I googled and there was always a helpful YouTube video Which i would watch a few times! But I just filtered the patterns to ‘beginner’ on lovecrafts to start off with. They have loads of baby blanket patterns on there too.
I’m only a year in and I still struggle with some patterns and instructions but I just love the challenge and find it so rewarding. My mental health has really taken a knock with being furloughed and not seeing my family, especially my young nephews and niece, my mum looks after my dad who has Alzheimer’s and she got diagnosed with cancer in September thankfully it’s been removed and no further treatment is necessary but it was a rough ride for a while with dad not remembering and having to retell him and also not understanding that she couldn’t do stuff for him after the op, she still can’t drive for another few weeks, but anyway things are better now but it’s been a good way to keep my mind occupied!

to crocheters you can also get crochet patterns on lovecrafts and some of the women’s jumpers are gorgeous is crocheting hard to pick up from scratch because there’s some patterns I would love to make!

Thank you so much I’m going to have a look tonight and find one I think I can manage! This has really spurred me on to start! The baseball jacket is amazing

My mum is going through chemo so I’ve got her knitting booties and hats to keep her busy and occupied. She’s about to start a cross stitch pattern of Cornwall she’s put off for years it’s amazing what crafting can do. I think it’s underrated

 

[colouredlines]

It's often really hard to recognise where the problem is. Almost everyone has to make some fit adjustments, which is normal. But bad drafting is another thing altogether.

Then you see all the gushing reviews online and naturally you blame yourself for getting it wrong...

@PortiaControl socks are easy to knit but quite tedious - second sock syndrome is very real! The back issues of Knitty have loads of great free sock patterns. I'd recommend top-down patterns at first, toe-up can be a bit harder. I like to use the magic loop method with a long circular needle because I find DPNs annoying. I have a drawer full of handknit socks and I only wear them about four months a year because of the climate here...

Anyway, a few recent finished garments. The hippie pants are McCall's 7786 in viscose, and I like them a lot more than I thought I would! Worn with Simplicity 1916 top. The knitted dress is a DROPS pattern in DROPS Paris yarn. The teal knitted top is Rosarian from an old issue of Knitty, with a skirt that I made a few years ago and is still a favourite. What can I say, I've had some free time lately!

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

My very sweet boyfriend made me a gift basket of nice things for my birthday, some tea and chocolate I like, a new book, a cute soft toy etc...

He also put in 3 balls of 50g cotten yarn. I thought this was a very sweet thing to do, but he obviously doesn't understand how much yarn things need. He has seen me admiring cotten yarn in stores and then putting it down because it is expensive. I don't make soft toys either, so small balls are of no use to me.

I have decided to use this as an excuse to buy some cotten yarn to add to it and make something. I have picked up some more, and I should have enough for a nice shawl or a baby blanket. I am looking forward to trying it.

 

[pixxyy]

This is my fave of all the pictures i've done. It has metallic thread which drove me crazy

 

[PortiaControl]

I've found crochet so much harder to get to grips with than knitting. I'm slowly getting there with it but it definitely doesn't come as naturally to me. I get confused about which hole is which. Which hole is the right one to put the hook in for the next stitch or whatever. I can't read the patterns as easily. I also think it really helps to be shown in person. Which obviously, at the moment is a bit tricky.

 

[Marie Clare]

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

The little red baseball jacket with cream sleeved I posted was the first thing I knit after making a square blanket, it was relatively easy. I use lovecrafts.com and I just searched for free patterns to begin with so I could download them and read them to see if I could follow them. Lovecrafts tells you what wool to use and needles and how many balls of yarn for which size. So I just ordered it all from them and off I went. Any stitches or instructions I didn’t understand I googled and there was always a helpful YouTube video Which i would watch a few times! But I just filtered the patterns to ‘beginner’ on lovecrafts to start off with. They have loads of baby blanket patterns on there too.
I’m only a year in and I still struggle with some patterns and instructions but I just love the challenge and find it so rewarding. My mental health has really taken a knock with being furloughed and not seeing my family, especially my young nephews and niece, my mum looks after my dad who has Alzheimer’s and she got diagnosed with cancer in September thankfully it’s been removed and no further treatment is necessary but it was a rough ride for a while with dad not remembering and having to retell him and also not understanding that she couldn’t do stuff for him after the op, she still can’t drive for another few weeks, but anyway things are better now but it’s been a good way to keep my mind occupied!

to crocheters you can also get crochet patterns on lovecrafts and some of the women’s jumpers are gorgeous is crocheting hard to pick up from scratch because there’s some patterns I would love to make!

 

[Readingismyhobby]

There is a charity called “Knit for Peace”. I send them hats, children’s jumpers and scarves etc. They send them to refuges in the UK and to refugees abroad. They also support women’s knitting groups in African countries as well.

 

[wastelandbaby]

I'm having a go at a temperature blanket this year - I learnt to knit when I was probably around 8 but I haven't done much at all over the last few years, and I've found it helps with my anxiety. I've ordered some yarn today so hopefully I'll be able to get started soon. It won't be expertly done and probably will be a bit messy but I don't care! For now I'm just knitting without purpose to get back into the swing of it, with a cat trying to play with my yarn!

 

[PortiaControl]

Bobbles are easy - just working increases and decreases into the same stitch - but tedious. You'll get the hang of them quickly, then swear off them for a looooong time when you finish the project.

Here are some pics from 2 or 3 years ago...I was sewing a lot, mostly cotton dresses in various New Look patterns, and also knitting a lot of cropped cardigans. I still have these, but my style's changed a bit (maybe another reason why I haven't been crafting much lately?). I have a jacket that I started a year ago and is about 80% done, I'll try to finish it this week to give myself a kick up the ass!

PS I had fallen over running not long before these photos were taken, hence the scabby knee!

Oh I love those particularly that first one! I think everyone tends to start out sewing similar things and just getting to grips with everything. I've tried to be really conscious the last year and a half about patterns and fabric choices so that I'm actually sewing stuff I will wear. Also, circumstances change, tastes change. It's cool when you can harness that and adapt. I've certainly sewn a lot more loungewear in the last year!

I've been sewing up some active wear this evening in the hope it might inspire me to actually do some exercise!

 

[colouredlines]

View attachment 385857

This is January Hat by Courtney Kelley in DROPS Nepal (I love DROPS yarn so much!). I hadn't made a pompom since I was a kid, so that was fun. Bobbles got a bit tedious, but still, a quick little project!

 

[PortiaControl]

Hello! All around craft slut here I do 'em all, just try and stop me! Although garment sewing is my main hobby. I did a lot of cross stitch gifts for Christmas so sewing was on the back burner but now I'm ready to sew up a storm in January.

I also treated myself to a Cricut Maker just before Christmas but so far have only done a test cut to check it was working. Bit scared of it to be honest