Crafting

[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.

 

[anniemouse]

My lily pond completed in about 3/4 weeks.

Pretty proud of this one.

Beautiful

 

[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

 

[nothanksbabes]

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

You could do one in a heavier weight yarn, make it a bit quicker? They do take forever!

 

[pixxyy]

oh thats so cute and a great idea

 

[LydiaDeetzHat]

speaking of patterns,,, my front page just served me this which might be of interest Has links to free patterns


These are the key crochet stitches to learn for all your projects

 

[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.

 

[Snippysnips]

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

 

[BabeTakeTwo]

I've been going to a little art class for the last few weeks and I've been learning a few new techniques. We've done acrylic painting animals, tissue paper roses and watercolour landscapes. I'm quite pleased with the resultsView attachment 4040453View attachment 4040454View attachment 4040455

Fabulous Electric I love the cow too, but the Roses looks beautiful. Never seen this before, shall have a YT search to see more.

 

[Snippysnips]

Thank you, it was ophelia talks I think the channel was called, I've done so many now I can do them from memory but I do remember it was quite well explained an very clear to watch in the video

 

[LydiaDeetzHat]

What heat? I'm in Scotland where it's raining and cold. The blanket I'm crocheting is keeping me warm in the evening!

do you have room for guests?

 

[Moongirl69]

@LydiaDeetzHat one of my favourites for tutorials is FiberSpider. He also does beginners videos.

 

[Slaybutter]

I made one of these last night and it’s bringing me so much peace. I used lavender hand sanitizing cream, shimmering gold mica powder, and purple and pink crystal sprinkles. I ended up needing to double bag it. contemplating what to put in the next one already

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I don't, but maybe look at the glue people use for making miniatures, as that would need to have a small nozzle and not be drippy ( although some glues are only for certain materials such as plastic so would have to check it was suitable for what you are making)

 

[orangelolly]

same here! Some months I’m successful and others not so much. I’ve got a little Instagram page and once I’ve made more designs I’m going to try and set a website up but I’m not very tech savvy lol.

I've found, there's so many on there, it's hard to pinpoint mine without using really specific search words. Otherwise it ends up 8 pages deep!

 

[Moongirl69]

I keep seeing the jordan knitted blanket, thinking of giving it a try when I finish the crochet one Im working on.
@emmer_moans definitely frog if you're not enjoying it!

 

[LydiaDeetzHat]

Oh no what a shame

IDK anything about Crafting much but can't the yarn be washed or will that make it not suitable to be worked into projects?

 

[anniemouse]

How are all doing with crafting in the heat? I have managed to get a few sessions of crochet in, but it has been to hot and I don't want to touch my yarn with sweaty hands.

I’ve only done some cross stitch and sock knitting. It’s not overly hot where I am though, not enough to get sweaty hands