Recent Entries

Every Kind of Craft now open!

Do you make crafts? Do you like to look at crafts? Would you like to get (or give) advice about crafts? All crafts are welcome. Share photos, stories about projects in progress, and connect with other crafty folks.

You are welcome to make your own posts, and this community will also do a monthly call for people to share what they are working on, or what they've seen which may be inspiring them. Images of projects old or new, completed or in progress are welcome, as are questions, tutorials and advice.

If you have any questions, ask them here!

Entry tags:

ravelry,
ribblr

Ribblr

Does anyone here use Ribblr? I made an account but haven't really used it much. How do you feel it compares to Ravelry?

Life after Ravelry

Hi! *shy wave from long-time lurker*

Since I’m one of those suffering ill effects from NuRav, I expect to spend little to no time there in the near future. I rarely participate in the forums, but it has been a useful tool over the years and I’ll miss the convenience of the notebook and database. I’ve tried to be patient but it doesn’t seem like they acknowledge, or care about, the actual harm they caused. Anxiety they apologize for, but not for causing seizures, migraines, and other damage? I found the recent “apology” underwhelming, and I’m ready to move on now.

What alternatives have you found helpful? I’m rediscovering blogs for inspiration and tutorials, shopping for patterns at Lovecrafts and Indy Pattern Portal, and now looking for good alternatives to my notebook.

Airtable seems promising but I was too lazy to figure out how to set it up myself. Last week, I found a free template shared by Victoria Marchant. Trying to enter my stash had me pulling my hair out at first, but I think I’ve figured it out now. Entering my library seems a bit daunting, but I think I’m going to use this for my stash, needle inventory, and new projects, possibly even my queue. Mine doesn’t look pretty like Victoria’s examples, but it’ll do,

If Airtable doesn't work out, I’ve also seen templates for stash and needle and hook inventory for Google Docs. Carrie Craftgeek’s Fiber Indy List looks like another good resource. I’m not very chatty in groups, but I love to admire FOs, and learn new techniques, or ask a question occasionally. I was recently invited to join a small but, so far, very nice knitting community on Mighty Networks, so now I feel like I’m ready to pack up (download my patterns and project notes) and leave Ravelry for good,

If anyone has found other alternatives and sources to share with us, I’d love to hear about it. I don’t use Facebook, and have till now avoided Instagram as a time sink, but may give in and start using it to follow knitting news. If this group becomes more active again, I’ll try my best to stop lurking and participate more often. 😊

MD Sheep & Wool Canceled (Hen Day, 5th of Germination, Year 228)

The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is officially cancelled this year.

I kind of expected this to happen, but it's still disappointing. It's one of the more fun activities of the year for me.

I Have A Sock!

I finished my first sock yesterday! It's knitted toe up, in sparkly green worsted weight yarn.

Current Mood: accomplished

Entry tags:

Stash-busting

*waves hello to the comm after a long absence*

Last year I set myself the task of reducing my knitting stash by half. I wasn't successful in that task but I did make a lot of projects last year using stashed wool. In fact, with the exception of the first two projects I made last year - which were made with wool I bought in the January sales - everything I made was with stash wool. I made lots of projects that used up a ball or two of odd wool I'd picked up in bargain bins, at wool swaps and had leftover from other projects.

If my knitting had a theme this year it was 2015. First I picked up and finished a project that I'd mostly knit back in 2015, part of it need re-knit and for a long time I couldn't face doing it. However, I finally frogged the part that needed frogging, re-knit it up, and then assembled the cardigan. It took me less than a fortnight from restarting it to getting it finished and now it's no longer hanging over me! We had a really nice summer this year and I got a great deal of pleasure being able to actually wear it!

Most of the rest of my knitting in the first half of the year involved wool that I picked up at a yarn swap when I first joined the knitting bee I'm part of in Inverness, I made a small throw out of leftoveer sock yarn that was lots of fun, used up some random chunky wool as a hot-water bottle cover, knitted two kerchiefs - discovering along the way that I'm not really a kerchief wearer - and made a small cowl out of the leftovers from a kerchief that has been the single most useful knitted item I've made all year. I may not be a kercheif wearer but I'm definitely a cowl wearer, so I'll be making more of those!

I made my first pair of double-knit socks this year which despite having chosen a somewhat confusing pattern I actually finished in a short enough time that I actually wear said socks - mostly as house socks but they get worn. My last project of the year was a cosy hat, as I lost the hat I had that matched my duffle coat so I made myself a waffle hat with leftover wool from a tunic I made a couple of years ago which was satisfying on lots of levels.

Also my first completed project of the new year was actually started in November and was my single biggest stash project, as it was a jumper that I bought the wool for in the sale a couple of years ago and hadn't got round to. I've still got a couple of ongoing stash busting projects - I'm making a patchwork cushion and a striped throw that are both projects that use up odds and ends of wool - but mostly in the year ahead I want to tackle the sweater volumes of wool I have in stash that I bought years ago in over-ambitious hope of knitting something with them. I want to give them a concerted effort and either knit a finished project with them or pass the wool onto someone else who will. (Some of them were bought over a decade ago so both my knitting skills and preferences and my own style have changed considerably in the intervening period.)

What successes have you folks had in stash busting over the last year? Or conversely what's the oldest/longest lurking wool in your stash and what did you originally intend to knit with it?

(no subject)

I'm starting to plan my Christmas gifts 2019 knitting campaign (which I should really have started months ago...), and I thought it might be nice to liven things up around here by talking about knitting things as gifts. Is anyone else planning a campaign of holiday knitting, or if you're more organized than me, already working one one? What are you planning/working on?

Likewise, does anyone have any go-to patterns that you would recommend for gifting? For instance, I've knit several versions of TinCanKnits' Beloved bonnet recently to give as baby gifts. I think it hits the perfect balance of fun to knit, quick to knit, and extremely cute once completed and put on a baby!

So yes, let's talk about gifts! What kinds of things or patterns we like to knit as gifts, what gifts we're working on or planning to make, or whatever else we have to say about knitting things for other people!

(no subject)

Does anyone know of any knitting patterns that involve really funky beads? There's a fabulous little bead shop nearby, in which I spotted (among many, many other things of joy) some giant beads that appear to be chunks/shards of crystal. I'd love to incorporate them into a shawl, but I've never done anything with beads other than sewing them onto the edges of the occasional garment, and I'm not sure how these ones would work. I think the hole is at one end rather than in the middle of the length.

Have you spotted any patterns that use unusual beads? Can you link me? Any advice?

(no subject)

I forgot how small sock weight yarn is.

Help, it's like knitting with thread.

Current Music: "When You're Dead," by Voltaire

Entry tags:

I Finished My First Hat!

Yesterday, I took my first hat (and non-flat project) off the needles!

A knitted hat in mistaken rib stitch, the hat is navy blue with a black and silver pom pom on top.

A knitted hat in mistaken rib stitch, the hat is navy blue with a black and silver pom pom on top.

This was a gift for a family member, and he loves the hat. I knit it in about 8 hours or so, spread out over 4 days. I knit it using the City Beats pattern [link] and using Lion Brand super bulky yarn in navy blue. The pom pom is made of yarn leftover from another project.

The pattern was very easy to read, and the written instructions were very easy to follow. I’d gladly use a pattern from this designer again. The only area I had difficulty with was at the ending, when I had to decrease at the crown of the hat (but that’s more because I’m new to hat knitting, not any fault of the designers’.)

I learned a new stitch, the mistaken rib stitch. It was an easy stitch once I got into the rhythm of it, and it was easy to read if I accidentally lost my place (which I did a few times.) The hat knit up fast, due to the bulky yarn and needles used, though knitting two stitches together could be difficult because of how bulky the yarn was.

I’m very happy with how my first hat turned out, and I can certainly see myself using this pattern again in the future. I’d recommend this pattern even to new knitters, due to how easy it was to follow.

Current Mood: aggravated

Entry tags:

Boucle Yarn, Never Again

Years ago, I bought some boucle style yarn because it was on sale (I was very new to knitting.) Over the weekend, I tried to start a blanket out of it and, well, I realized what a mistake that was.

At first I liked the warm, drape-y texture. But then knitting two stitches together was a *nightmare*, and the pattern I picked required picking up stitches, and I couldn't see the stitch I was supposed to be picking up. Then I tried to bind off, and it's like the bind off *shrank* as I did it.

Overall, 2/10, would not recommend.

single ply wool

I'm looking for a few yards of single ply worsted wool to repair a hat. In all my yarn scraps, I don't have any single ply at all. The hat is a variegated blue, but honestly I don't care what color the yarn is if you have some.

It is, of course, one of my partner's favorite hats and the hole just keeps getting bigger.

Let me know if you can help; thank you!

Entry tags:

Another WIP finished

After a month of basically working on only this, I finally finished my Hue Shift Afghan!
More pics and stuff @ my blog

Current Mood: accomplished

Entry tags:

Chunky Cable Knit Cowl

We had what will probably be our only Snow Day last week and I finished the cowl I started for the holiday break back in December.

Pale blue cable knit cowl. Laid flat on the left and on my neck on the right

Pale blue cable knit cowl. Laid flat on the left and on my neck on the right

I found the pattern here. It wasn't the worst choice for learning cables; the pattern is easy to understand and it is worked flat and sewn together. I did talk briefly about my early struggles in a post to my own journal, but on the whole I am very happy and cozy with it.

In other knitting news, I am about 75% of the way through my first pair of socks! For my next project I am hoping to combine with another passion (tea) and make a tea cosy for our pot. I really prefer knitting in the round so I am staking out some nice wooly yarn so I can learn steeking. Finally, I think I have figured out Ravelry, so if anyone would like to interact with me there, I have the same username.

Entry tags:

Anyone Want Some Yarn?

I have five balls of Rowan felted tweed yarn to give away. It’s lovely yarn, a bit rougher than some others I’ve worked with, but knits up very soft. Due to being associated with a family member that passed away (the yarn was for a project that was going to be a gift for for him) I can’t keep it anymore, due to painful associations.

Each ball of yarn is 191 yards, making this around 955 yards total. There’s one ball of yarn I’ve used part of, but not very much; however, I’m unsure of the weight of that ball, or exactly how much yarn is left.

The yarn is a DK weight, and knits up very soft. It’s a blend of wool, alpaca, and rayon. It has a felted effect when it’s knitted, and has a tweed-y texture to it. It’s a deep red, almost rust colored, with flecks of blue and white in it.

I’ll happily send the yarn to whoever wants it, or trade for another yarn if anyone wants to set up something like that. Either comment here or email me (between.stars.unknown@gmail.com) if you’re interested.

Five balls of Rowan tweed yarn, in a rusty red color. Four of the five have labels on them, the fifth is not labeled, but is wound in a ball.

Five balls of Rowan tweed yarn, in a rusty red color. Four of the five have labels on them, the fifth is not labeled, but is wound in a ball.

Fannish knitting

In the year 2019, I would like to build upon the Tardis shawl I did twice last year (finished weaving in the ends on the second just before new year's), the Captain America blanket, the Luna Lovegood vest that I need to finish in the next week or so (on hold due to pain making me unhappy about blocking, and it needs blocked before I can finish it up), and my usual slew of projects.

So in my fannish projects queue are (I will probably not do all of these this year, but I might):

* a Stargate scarf (it will have a ton of the glyphs in it, because apparently the only thing anyone made in Stargate were dishclothes. Since I don't like dishclothes, I'll just knit the glyphs in a scarf)
* Borg inspired fingerless mitts: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/borg-fingerless-gloves-star-trek
* Pretty sure I want to knit this: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/star-trek-phaser-softie-original-knitting-pattern
* https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/to-boldly-go-2
* https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/batleth
* https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/to-boldly-go-2

I've also got a couple cable and dropped stitch projects on needles or already in the queue and I have a couple WiP that I can't get back to yet. (My hands haven't been great of late.)

How about y'all?

Magazines

Hi folks, hope it's ok to post this. I've got a large number of knitting magazines (100's) that i need to get rid of quickly. I'd rather pass them on than just recycle them, any suggestions? I'm in Leyton, Walthem forest in n/e London.

Diane

Current Music: "The Time Has Come," by Gregorian

Entry tags:

Knitting with Thick and Thin Yarn??

I need help finding a pattern for this yarn.

I have two skeins (220 yards) of this yarn [link] in a lovely variegated green color, and unfortunately this yarn has been discontinued. This morning I tried to do a simple ribbed pattern with size 11 needles, and found that it was awkward to knit with, because the thick-and-thin texture of the yarn.

I'd like to make a scarf, since I only have 220 yards of this yarn. Does anyone know any scarf patterns that work well with thick-and-thin yarn?

Entry tags:

rant

(no subject)

that feel when something has been a WIP for long enough that your skill level has completely changed, and you've gotten so little done that it's easier to frog and start over :/

Entry tags:

links back to my blog post

Pie Potholder - Done!

A couple more pics and info here