Crafting

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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.
 
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I dabble in mostly everything but just now I'm trying collage art with a bit of journaling on there too. I cannot bring myself to put words onto an image for the life of me, so I'm trying to make myself merge the two things in the same page. Just to see what happens.
 
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Blacksheep Wool is a good website for wool and patterns. I bought half price merino wool from there last week.
 
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I have finished knitting my first adult garment (cardigan) have mainly been an accessories and kids knitter up to now and hate seaming - this was a top down long circular needle job from Mrs Moon and I very much enjoyed it, minimal sewing and she wasn’t picky about the number of stickers picked up for the button band so bonus.
Edit 🥕
 
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I'm a crafter! I've had a silhouette machine (similar to a cricut) for over 5 years but like somebody else said every bugger has one now! I mostly use it to vinyl designs on clothes for me and my partner. CBA with the drama that comes from selling anyhting from it!

I've just ordered an new ipad to get into procreate drawing. I don't know who I think i am. I want to make cute sticker/art designs but I can't draw for tit so it's going to be hilarously bad!
 
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I cross stitch and have designed some of my own kits. I've been trying to sell them on etsy but I'm just not getting many views which is frustrating because I'd love to do this full time. I'd also like to be able to knit, but I can never get the tension right! Aaand I'd like to be able to crochet but find it so difficult.
 
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I'm a crafter! I've had a silhouette machine (similar to a cricut) for over 5 years but like somebody else said every bugger has one now! I mostly use it to vinyl designs on clothes for me and my partner. CBA with the drama that comes from selling anyhting from it!

I've just ordered an new ipad to get into procreate drawing. I don't know who I think i am. I want to make cute sticker/art designs but I can't draw for tit so it's going to be hilarously bad!
A friend of mine took up drawing and painting a couple of years ago. I kind of stupidly assumed that artistic talent was something you have or you don't, but holy tit, the difference from when she started to now is insane. She's come so far, and it's amazing to see the development.

I'd quite like to try my hand at pixel art, but there aren't enough hours in the day...
 
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I cross stitch and have designed some of my own kits. I've been trying to sell them on etsy but I'm just not getting many views which is frustrating because I'd love to do this full time. I'd also like to be able to knit, but I can never get the tension right! Aaand I'd like to be able to crochet but find it so difficult.
Hi I have an Etsy shop and sell my crafty bits! I’ve been doing it for a few months. It’s very hit and miss sometimes but it’s started to pick up for me now and getting quite a lot of sales. Hang in there 😊

I cross stitch and have designed some of my own kits. I've been trying to sell them on etsy but I'm just not getting many views which is frustrating because I'd love to do this full time. I'd also like to be able to knit, but I can never get the tension right! Aaand I'd like to be able to crochet but find it so difficult.
 
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Hi I have an Etsy shop and sell my crafty bits! I’ve been doing it for a few months. It’s very hit and miss sometimes but it’s started to pick up for me now and getting quite a lot of sales. Hang in there 😊
Thank you. Fingers crossed for things picking up. I only started in lockdown 1 but I'm so impatient!
 
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I meant to post some of my cross stitches here to show you all ages ago! I do have a story about one of the chart suppliers I used to use but I don't want to take over the thread with multiple posts, so I'll hang fire til I've reminded myself of all the twists and turns!
xs f2a.jpg

This is my current work in progress - 3 years into it, just over halfway done. The original art is Farewell to Anger by Leonid Afremov.
xs got.jpg

One I did for a friend retiring from work, massive GoT fan!
xs stairs.png

Above my stairs on the landing.

I have more but I feel like I've taken enough space already! 😂 😂 Love seeing all your work and sharing with fellow enthusiasts!
 
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@Professor Slop Those are absolutely incredible as well as that watercolour style one being beautiful! I’m new to cross stitch as an adult, not having done any since primary school around 1980 when we did embroidery. I’m slowly working my way through quite a complex floral pattern, but it’s nothing compared to what you have shown. It’ll probably take me six months to finish it as I’m so slow. 😊
Cross stitch definitely helps to pass the time during lockdown though.
 
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@Professor Slop Those are absolutely incredible as well as that watercolour style one being beautiful! I’m new to cross stitch as an adult, not having done any since primary school around 1980 when we did embroidery. I’m slowly working my way through quite a complex floral pattern, but it’s nothing compared to what you have shown. It’ll probably take me six months to finish it as I’m so slow. 😊
Cross stitch definitely helps to pass the time during lockdown though.
Honestly, I know they look fancy but once you can follow a pattern and do a cross with consistent tension you can do anything. My gran taught me when I was about 8 and I've done it ever since - I'm still very slow but one of the joys is that speed truly doesn't matter! As one of my favourite authors writes, "Journey before destination".

The only advice I'd give is try not to travel your threads over what should be white space on the finished piece - you will see them through the fabric once mounted (speaking from experience!). Massive knots on the back can be a pain so avoid if you can, but no-one ever sees the back once it's done so it makes no difference if it's a mess!

I'd love to see things others have done if you feel confident enough to share!
 
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I have good intentions, but having less daylight hours has a massive impact on me - I just can't work when it's dark outside, even though I have a SAD lamp

I've bought myself an embroidery stand as my hand cramps up when holding an embroidery hoop, so expect that will help a lot.

I do paper crafts too. I've got a huge amount of old maps, but don't know what to use them for. I naively assumed the creases would come out of them when pressed for a few weeks, but they don't!

I've got quite a bit of fabric too, and was hoping to make some freehand textile art. I'm waiting on some plain cotton from etsy to make a start.
 
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I have good intentions, but having less daylight hours has a massive impact on me - I just can't work when it's dark outside, even though I have a SAD lamp

I've bought myself an embroidery stand as my hand cramps up when holding an embroidery hoop, so expect that will help a lot.

I do paper crafts too. I've got a huge amount of old maps, but don't know what to use them for. I naively assumed the creases would come out of them when pressed for a few weeks, but they don't!

I've got quite a bit of fabric too, and was hoping to make some freehand textile art. I'm waiting on some plain cotton from etsy to make a start.
Oh, I love old maps, if you're not adverse to chopping them up they are brilliant for decoupage. A few years ago I used an old school atlas and cut out some of the places that I have visited, glued them onto an IKEA coffee table that cost £5 with PVA and finished it off with two layers of varnish. I covered every bit of the table rather than the Victorian way of gluing separate pictures, but either way would work.
 
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I meant to post some of my cross stitches here to show you all ages ago! I do have a story about one of the chart suppliers I used to use but I don't want to take over the thread with multiple posts, so I'll hang fire til I've reminded myself of all the twists and turns!
View attachment 400096
This is my current work in progress - 3 years into it, just over halfway done. The original art is Farewell to Anger by Leonid Afremov.
View attachment 400099
One I did for a friend retiring from work, massive GoT fan!
View attachment 400100
Above my stairs on the landing.

I have more but I feel like I've taken enough space already! 😂 😂 Love seeing all your work and sharing with fellow enthusiasts!
Those are so beautiful! My granny was a prolific cross-stitcher and my mum does a lot too. I've tried, but I find I can only really get excited about crafts I can wear. 😂 Stunning work from you though, please share more pictures if you have them!
 
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Of the ones that I can find (some are in my mam's loft from my teenage/early 20s stitching).


xs miners.png

Did this for my mam, it's on her wall. My grandad was a miner and it reminds her of him. ❤

xs tyne.png

This one I did for my grandad a few years before he died as a christmas present. Was on his wall, now on my mam's wall too.

xs room.png

This is in my front room, one of the Chinese immortals. Terrible pic but OH is asleep on the sofa so can't take a clearer one right now!

xstitch law.jpg

This is what I'm working on at the moment in breaks from the gigantic Afremov piece. These are artworks by Stephanie Pui Min Law, left to right these are Spring, Autumn and Winter. Working on Summer at the moment then I think I might frame them separately and display them going up the stairs. Open for suggestions though!
 

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I have good intentions, but having less daylight hours has a massive impact on me - I just can't work when it's dark outside, even though I have a SAD lamp

I've bought myself an embroidery stand as my hand cramps up when holding an embroidery hoop, so expect that will help a lot.

I do paper crafts too. I've got a huge amount of old maps, but don't know what to use them for. I naively assumed the creases would come out of them when pressed for a few weeks, but they don't!

I've got quite a bit of fabric too, and was hoping to make some freehand textile art. I'm waiting on some plain cotton from etsy to make a start.
I have an angle poise lamp with a daylight bulb for sewing. Also, downstairs I have a “proper “ freestanding lamp with a daylight bulb (also a magnifying glass attached to the stem of the light). It really makes a difference to evening and winter day knitting and cross stitching.
 
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