Craft Corner

Hi @Snowie and @OhanaSystem 👋 Thank you for your kind comments. I love my craft - it is true @Snowie - it is a good distraction and helps lift my spirits and to relax more. Looking forward to seeing your craft when you have the chance and time xxx

Wow @Former-Member that's so beautiful - I can't believe that's a 'simple' one!

@Former-Member I decided to wait for my new needles to arrive with my new yarn. Should be this week I hope. They are 10mm which would suit the current yarn I have much better but I will show you more of that when it all arrives and get your opinion plus I want you opinion re simple scarf styles. I just want it all to be perfect 😄

As for someone offering you $20 what planet were they on ?? Honestly some people.

@Former-Member How beautiful is that merry-go-round horse. So delicate and feminine 😄

Thank you @eth and @Bunniekins - that was one of the first ones I stitched - I am a glutton for punishment at times and am stitching on a much finer linen (28 to 40 count, very fine holes hardly visible 😵 - the carousel horse was 14 count Aida which is less fine ). Will post some more at a later date. 😗xx

@Former-Member Looking forward to seeing them 🙂

@eth thank you, but I don't see myself as being patient at all really. It's more of an I have to do this to achieve this type of discipline in my mind, because if I go the pace i'd like to go, the end result would be a total mess. My sewing machine MUST be able to sew REALLY fast, as I don't have the patience for those slow things. LOL Perhaps discipline is all that patience really is? I don't know to be honest. Others have told me I am patient too, but I don't see it. I just see the way to a positive outcome. Gosh, I do hope that makes sense.

@Former-Member thank you for your kind words - they mean more than you might believe because of 'reasons'.

My word, that is exquisite work! Can't hold a needle without severe pain anymore so embroidery of any type is pretty much off my list of things to do. Doesn't mean I don't do some tiny bits, but something like that is way out of my reach these days. I cannot imagine working on the even finer fabrics. How beautiful your work is.

Wonderfully inspiring work! I look forward to seeing more of your pieces should you wish to/ be able to share them.

@OhanaSystem so glad you enjoyed it and I agree @Former-Member's work is truly exquisite.

@Snowie yes, it's really nice not to have all those 'must do' around the house maintenance tasks at this new home. So nice to have time back to myself. Have had to rework the way I deal with stress because there's nothing to clean etc. So funny and sometimes so so differently stressful, until it's not. I've found new ways to relax tht include more self care.

Hoping you might find a moment here and there to craft something that will help to give you a lift. I read somewhere where it's not motivation that is needed to pick up something to do, it's that the pushing of oneself to do the doing of the thing that provides the motivation to do more. I think they might be right for the most part. Would really enjoy seeing your works too.

@Bunniekins oh, I completely understand now! yes, new properly sized needles will make a huge difference to whatever you're working. Nice going. It's hard to know what to invest in when getting orgainsed for new or expanding crafts. Glad you are spreading your wings and seeking more to enjoy for yourself.

Can we maybe work on the pattern before the yarns and needles arrive? Are you able to link/ tell me the yarns and needles you have purchased and maybe find a 'look' that you'd like for your son, and for you? We can go from there if you're up for it. Gives us time to discuss things too. I do so enjoy the whole journey of making a new 'thing' so much fun and keeps my mind busy through the day thinking creative thoughts too. Does it do that for you too?

@CheerBear - thinking of you and hoping you packed enough crafty projects!

@Phoenix_Rising - hoping your crochet adventure is still going nicely for you.

@Pepsimax - I hope you don't mind, I thought I'd tag you as you mentioned you liked to do craft in another thread and wondered if you might like to pop in over here from time to time. We'd love to hear your craft stories and admire your projects with you.

Here's lots of good wishes for everyone today and many craft hugs for those who might need any, maybe we all need craft hugs, hey.

@Former-Member Hi SunShower how are you going today? I have included the yarn that I have purchased and am waiting on to arrive. I have also purchased 10mm needles ... I had size 25 before!!!!! (they are like vampire stakes lol).

Here is the yarn and colour

and

@BunniekinsOh, very nice indeed with the yarn and colour! I have a couple of vampire stakes myself, never know when you might need to defend yourself! LOL You'll find the process of knitting, and the resultant knitting, much different using the smaller sized needles. Not saying better, just different. There's a lot to be said for lacey knitting with big needles and thinner yarns, same for crochet.

I had a look at the 2 videos. They are very basic and do only Garter Stitch. I like the Wool and the Gang one as the better teaching video, she shows you how to knit properly from the get go, whereas the other one is all 'all you need to know at first is how to do the stitches', which just makes me shudder as she isn't showing how to keep the stitches even or how to hold the needles properly.

Just an FYI too re yarns: Both of those videos are using ROVING yarn, that is, the yarn is not twisted to hold together, it's just thinned out not much more than carded wool. You can identify it by the look of it, it will not be identified on the label.

Items made from Roving yarn will stretch into breaking really really easily. If you were to pull the yarn to break it, it just shreds apart. I hate it with a passion and it's usually so expensive too. I have a scarf made from a roving yarn, and it grows every time I wear it.

Your Homespun is a roving yarn BUT it has a 'carry thread' through it, that skinny white yarn down the middle of it - that is what holds the weight and keeps the roving part of the yarn from shredding from the garments' own weight. Well done on choosing that.

Scarf Pattern: Choices here will depend on how confident you are with your knitting, Pea, and if you've done a scarf in this way before. Garter stitch in a soft yarn like you have is a nice feel, and look, for a scarf. Also, the yarn is self striping so a plain stitch will allow the yarn to show itself to best advantage.

Stockinette is an option, done by alternating rows of knit stitches and purl stitches, repeated to the end. Note that stockinette edges curl, so one either embraces it in a scarf or incorporates an edge stitch such as garter or seed stitching about 4 stitches on either side, to combat it. like this stockinette-scarf

Oh, just realised - the amount of yarn you are getting will dictate the length of your scarf too, so there is that to take into consideration when choosing the pattern for the scarf. ie: how long, how wide will it be?

I think the garter stitch would look very nice in this yarn with it's self striping tweedy look.

@Former-MemberHi SunShower I bought 5 bundles of the yarn I thought that would be enough in case I made a mistake. Gosh you are knowledgablel I had no idea about these differing yarns .... (I wont forget what you said about them thanks for the heads up on the fagility of roving yards).... gable stitches.... etc. So much to learn but that is great. I saw a beautiful dusty pink woolen coat today in Myers and I thought one day I will be able to knit myself such a coat. It was such a pretty colour pink.