Arts & Crafts: A Rolling Thread

I have been terrible for flitting between different crafts for the past few years.

Pretty gutted that the silversmithing classes I was taking became too much for me because I would love to do a lot more but it is so impractical to do in this house.

Current main thing (aside from continued origami stuff, which these days is mostly making animals for R to play with, useful skill that one) is drawing. I love it because it is so easy just to do a little bit in the evening with almost no setting up and it is quite relaxing. Especially relaxing as I have given up trying to draw ‘things’ as such and just do abstract stuff with rhe occasional made up sci-fi plants. Making a lot of bookmarks which are nice small projects, though have a sketchbook I want to do something in which is kind of narrative without having a narrative, so like shifting in tone… I don’t know, it makes sense to me.

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Answered that in my last post kind of - pretty difficult to do much without going to the classes with all the stuff to use, and what I can do at home is a pain because I am in everyone’s way and it is too loud for the evening. One of those things that I can maybe do more of when I move out (can make a little workstation in my room and have things semi-set up). Really want to do more.

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It is just as much the bits before the cutting, oinning everything up and that. Should probably watch some tutorials. I tend to work better on a tiny scale though, it might just be too big for me. I should just make doll’s clothes :sweat_smile:

Yeah it can get frustrating and difficult but I try to get that bit over and done with as quick as possible. You could start with tops? or a cami? That will be a lot smaller. It’s when you get into the realm of big dresses or trousers that it’s hard work!

I tried a kids pattern and gave up almost immediately :grimacing:

Might try again later in the week if I get a chance :+1:

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Thank you for starting this thread!

I knit every day, I stopped smoking (I was a 20 a day smoker) nearly 5 years ago and I don’t know how I’d have done it without knitting. I knit a lot of socks and Steven West shawl type things but I’m trying to knit more jumpers and cardigans and make useful items in my day to day life. I haven’t bought a pair of socks in about three years. At the moment I’m knitting Sipila and a White Horses both by Caitlin Hunter. I really want to improve my fair isle colourwork.

I also spin. On a wheel not a bike. I’ve got a Kromski Fantasia double treddle and am about to inherit an Ashford Traveller which I’m pretty excited/nervous about. My dream wheel is a shacht Matchless.

I’m Cristaltips on Ravelry too so feel free to friend me on there.

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You can do it! You should show us your colours! Have you made a jumper before? I thik it’s a farly basic top down raglan pattern? I haven’t done any of the fades but I’m making a Nightshift by Andrea Mowry which is my first mosaic knitting and first project from my own handspun. Her designs are so clever.

When we’ve picked them I definitely will.

The closest I’ve made (never completed) was a baby hoodie. I ran out of yarn before finishing the hood and button strip. Then R grew really quickly and it would have been too small and I never got round to getting an extra ball which would be slightly different colour probably too and now I have the pieces all sitting there taunting me. I’m mostly scared by the size - I’m really only used to making baby stuff and socks (my 3m scarf apart)

Nighshift looks :heart_eyes: so lush

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I think the thing is, for a jumper it really is worth swatching and if I’m going to knit in the round I do the swatch in the round and block it because if you’re using superwash wool it WILL grow. And it’s a lot of knitting to come out the wrong size. I do love the massive stocking stitch telly knitting section when you’ve split for the arm holes though.

My other tip would be to find a jumper or t shirt that you already own and like the size of. Measure it and then try to make the same size rather than the amount of ease she gives in the pattern.

Look forward to seeing it!

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Is that all of it?! That’s a really small stash. My stash is, erm, larger! I have to keep mine in freezer bags because of the effing evil moths. Unfortunately I don’t keep my actual clothes in them too because the bloody things have just eaten a hole in my best handknit jumer. Sadness.

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I’m afraid to ask tbh.

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this is one of the things im most excited about for moving house in a month or so, just being able to leave stuff out coz weve got much more room. music shit all over there, sewing machine there to finally get to grips with, all that. its going to be mint

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Well stash is a private matter so that’s probably for the best until anybody reaches SABLE and requires an intervention/serious destash.

Stash Aquistion Beyond Life Expectancy.

Partners and housemates of serious stashers should keep in mind the insulating properties of wool and the positive impact it can have on domestic fuel bills.

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:smiley: i was literally talking to my mam this weekend about how she inherited my gran’s stash of cross stitch threads

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I would definitely recommend the 100 Acts of Seeing patterns for beginner sewists who want to make their own clothes. They are indie patterns with really clear instructions. The designer Sonja Phillips also has Creative Bug classes for a few of them but you can buy hard copy patterns in the UK from the Beyond Measure shop https://shopbeyondmeasure.co.uk/collections/patterns-magazines

Edited to add this shop should have a credit card warning. If you have a crafter in your life buy them presents here!

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I think that’s a lovely thing to inherit though, and unlikely to take up an entire room unless she was a VERY keen cross stitcher.

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The one thing I wanted when my nan died last year was her old tin of buttons :heart:

(I used some to make pictures for various family members, still have so many for future button needs!)

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sewing
knitting
jewellery making
embroidery
occasional crochet

knitting is a good de-stresser and is easy to put away if you need to hide it from marauding pets. i would sew more if i didn’t have to put the machine away every time and expand/unexpand the table before and every time i cut pattern pieces

Most recent completed knits
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByfX14WHA8c/?igshid=18r9puq60s453

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Love your cardigan. What pattern is it?