The Crafting Thread - Show Us What You've Made!

[seela]

That is beautiful! I love the blend of colors. Painting like that is fun because there are so many ways to interpret what shape it takes on.

I had to look up that grub and it is cute! I found several crochet versions and they look fairly simple to make with basic skills in crochet. I hope you get to make it one day.

I tried to make a human-ish blob because I had this big vision of what I wanted to make, and that attempt went to hell. Then I thought I’d just add whatever to it because it already wasn’t what I wanted to make. And then at some point I realized that now there are sort of two human-ish shapes hugging/dancing and it was so much better than what I had wanted to make in the first place. After that realization, I managed to keep that vision alive, sort of, and I ended up really liking that piece.

The grubs are very cute and I’m sure they’re not too difficult to make. I’ve looked at a few crochet patterns and a friend has done her best to explain them to me in a way that I might understand. But I just don’t get the patterns at all. I’ve never been taught the terms and I don’t seem to have the patience to learn what the words mean and what the moves are and the be precise enough to actually execute the pattern after I’ve learned to interpret it… I really hope one day that’ll change, because I’d love to be able to make something like the pretty things you and Bunny have posted!

In the meanwhile I’ve been thinking about making another blanket, because I really enjoyed making the one I did. The problem is that I don’t really need another one… Maybe I could somehow make a less warm one for summer time use? Less warm sounds holier and intentional holes sound like trouble for my skills, though. I’ll have to think about it.

Ooh, very pretty!

Thanks! I’m always in awe of what you make so this coming from you counts for a lot.

 

[sallysparrow23]

I tried to make a human-ish blob because I had this big vision of what I wanted to make, and that attempt went to hell. Then I thought I’d just add whatever to it because it already wasn’t what I wanted to make. And then at some point I realized that now there are sort of two human-ish shapes hugging/dancing and it was so much better than what I had wanted to make in the first place. After that realization, I managed to keep that vision alive, sort of, and I ended up really liking that piece.

The grubs are very cute and I’m sure they’re not too difficult to make. I’ve looked at a few crochet patterns and a friend has done her best to explain them to me in a way that I might understand. But I just don’t get the patterns at all. I’ve never been taught the terms and I don’t seem to have the patience to learn what the words mean and what the moves are and the be precise enough to actually execute the pattern after I’ve learned to interpret it… I really hope one day that’ll change, because I’d love to be able to make something like the pretty things you and Bunny have posted!

In the meanwhile I’ve been thinking about making another blanket, because I really enjoyed making the one I did. The problem is that I don’t really need another one… Maybe I could somehow make a less warm one for summer time use? Less warm sounds holier and intentional holes sound like trouble for my skills, though. I’ll have to think about it.

Thanks! I’m always in awe of what you make so this coming from you counts for a lot.

I find that video tutorials help me more than written patterns because I am a visual learner. I taught myself to crochet via YouTube. I'm a lefty and the patterns I've found over the years are almost always right-handed so seeing someone do it in front of me and going along with them, or pausing and practicing has been a godsend.

I love how your ideas shifted and the finished piece wasn't exactly what you were going for but that you love it. Those end up being my favorite pieces when that happens.

 

[seela]

Why is there so much math involved in knitting/crocheting??? I’m trying to figure out how much yarn to buy and my pretty little head hurts again.

Is there a tool where I can just put in measurements and how much yarn those measurements need when using yarn A, and then, hey presto, with a push of a button the tool will automatically tell me how much yarn I need for a similar project in a different size or using yarn B that’s slightly heavier?

Please tell me such a thing exists.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Why is there so much math involved in knitting/crocheting??? I’m trying to figure out how much yarn to buy and my pretty little head hurts again.

Is there a tool where I can just put in measurements and how much yarn those measurements need when using yarn A, and then, hey presto, with a push of a button the tool will automatically tell me how much yarn I need for a similar project in a different size or using yarn B that’s slightly heavier?

Please tell me such a thing exists.

Yeah, there are a lot of crafty things where some kind of calculating tool would be really handy.
The guest bed we built once was hilariously over dimensioned.

 

[sallysparrow23]

I hate the math involved in crochet projects. Why can't it just look right without counting or measuring?

 

[seela]

FWIW, my head gave up on the math. For now.

 

[seela]

Sooo… I decided to try to learn granny square, which is like the most basic thing people crochet after learning the basic stitches.

I keep ending up with a granny circle.

Following directions clearly isn’t my strong suit. I just don’t get the patterns and instructions at all, ever…

 

[BiBunny]

Sooo… I decided to try to learn granny square, which is like the most basic thing people crochet after learning the basic stitches.

I keep ending up with a granny circle.

Following directions clearly isn’t my strong suit. I just don’t get the patterns and instructions at all, ever…

I think everyone's squares end up like that at first! Keep trying (if you want to, that is), and I bet they'll start looking right after a bit.

 

[seela]

I think everyone's squares end up like that at first! Keep trying (if you want to, that is), and I bet they'll start looking right after a bit.

Omg it’s beginning to work! A friend of mine gave me a tip that instead of trying to count which hole to stick the hook in (like the instructions I used told me to do), I can just go through the big middle hole every time and that made all the difference for me. Woot!

 

[seela]

Hello, summer blanket.

7 granny squares done, 560 to go! The ultimate goal is to get it done by next summer.

 

[BiBunny]

I started back working on an old project I haven't worked on in a while. Note to self: When I say, "Oh, I'll remember which hook I was using on this later," that is the devil talking.

Two different hook sizes and three removed rows later, I'm still not sure I picked the right one. But I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope I did!

 

[IrisAlthea]

I started back working on an old project I haven't worked on in a while. Note to self: When I say, "Oh, I'll remember which hook I was using on this later," that is the devil talking.

Two different hook sizes and three removed rows later, I'm still not sure I picked the right one. But I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope I did!

Anything that starts with ”Oh, I’ll remember…” is doomed.
It’s some kind of rule, just like with ”I’ll put it here do I can find it later”.

 

[seela]

I started back working on an old project I haven't worked on in a while. Note to self: When I say, "Oh, I'll remember which hook I was using on this later," that is the devil talking.

Two different hook sizes and three removed rows later, I'm still not sure I picked the right one. But I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope I did!

Oh no, I haven’t even thought about hook sizes! I hope you’ve picked the right one now.

I took the pic above so that I can see the color codes of all yarn, so that I have them handy when I need to buy more. So that’s a step up from my previous failings in the world of buying yarn… But I think I’ll have to take a pic with the hook showing too, so that I can refer back to that after a break.

(3.5 is the hook I’m using. Might as well record it here as well.)

 

[MrDevereaux]

Subbing to thread!

 

[seela]

20 squares done, 547 to go!

 

[BiBunny]

20 squares done, 547 to go!

Those colors look great together, and the squares themselves are really nice, too.

 

[BiBunny]

Started an embroidery project (not cross stitch) today. First time in forever. I should be working on the other things I've started and not finished, but what's the fun in that?

 

[seela]

Started an embroidery project (not cross stitch) today. First time in forever. I should be working on the other things I've started and not finished, but what's the fun in that?

Embroidery sounds interesting. I went to a museum in Copenhagen last year and they had a station there where people could do embroidery. I, of course, just jumped in and started embroidering for the first time in my life, because how difficult can it be, right? Turns out it was damn difficult.

What are you making?

 

[BiBunny]

Embroidery sounds interesting. I went to a museum in Copenhagen last year and they had a station there where people could do embroidery. I, of course, just jumped in and started embroidering for the first time in my life, because how difficult can it be, right? Turns out it was damn difficult.

What are you making?

Lol, that sounds like something I would do!

I'm making an embroidered Hello Kitty to go in my room with all my other Hello Kitty stuff, lol. Not sure how I'll display it yet, though.

 

[seela]

Lol, that sounds like something I would do!

I'm making an embroidered Hello Kitty to go in my room with all my other Hello Kitty stuff, lol. Not sure how I'll display it yet, though.

Sounds very cute! I think is nice that you display the things you make yourself. I always feel a little embarrassed doing that, but I’m working on it.

When I visited my parents last weekend, I brought back this whale I whittled when I was in school. I took wood and metal working rather than textile, so I still know better my way around bandsaws and welding machines than knitting needles or a sewing machines.

The whale now lives on a shelf in the living room next to real paintings by real artists.

 

[BiBunny]

Sounds very cute! I think is nice that you display the things you make yourself. I always feel a little embarrassed doing that, but I’m working on it.

When I visited my parents last weekend, I brought back this whale I whittled when I was in school. I took wood and metal working rather than textile, so I still know better my way around bandsaws and welding machines than knitting needles or a sewing machines.

The whale now lives on a shelf in the living room next to real paintings by real artists.

Oh, I love the whale! He's very well-done.

 

[BiBunny]

Things y'all should know about me: I love Hello Kitty.

Other things you should know: So I decided to try to make her!

View attachment 2244544

So she's just a head right now, but I'm trying to decide if I can live with the placement of the ears and whiskers. The eyes and nose are, unfortunately, pretty much stuck where they are, but the ears and whiskers can still be moved if necessary.

Also, I have to decide what color to make her dress. She's usually in pink or red, but purple and teal are my favorite colors. Or maybe I should do something totally different. What do y'all think?

Finally finished this, over a year after I started it. She's wonky af, but she's finished.

 

[seela]

Finally finished this, over a year after I started it. She's wonky af, but she's finished.

View attachment 2363472

She’s absolutely adorable! I can’t see the wonkiness. Your projects are always so sleek and even, I dream of achieving that level of quality one day!


I’m about 10% through my square project (55/567 done) and I’m stating to wonder if I’ll get it done by next summer. I overdid it big time when I started the project, I just crocheted away like the wind. Then my hand started to hurt so bad that I had to take a break for several weeks.

Now I’m trying to make 1-2 a day and be extra mindful of how position my fingers to keep the yarn tense. I kind of balled up my pinkie in a weird way and that caused the pain, because the yarn is so thin. I’m trying to adjust to a little more ergonomic position but it’s not easy…

 

[sallysparrow23]

Finally finished this, over a year after I started it. She's wonky af, but she's finished.

View attachment 2363472

Well done! She's adorable!

 

[BiBunny]

She’s absolutely adorable! I can’t see the wonkiness. Your projects are always so sleek and even, I dream of achieving that level of quality one day!


I’m about 10% through my square project (55/567 done) and I’m stating to wonder if I’ll get it done by next summer. I overdid it big time when I started the project, I just crocheted away like the wind. Then my hand started to hurt so bad that I had to take a break for several weeks.

Now I’m trying to make 1-2 a day and be extra mindful of how position my fingers to keep the yarn tense. I kind of balled up my pinkie in a weird way and that caused the pain, because the yarn is so thin. I’m trying to adjust to a little more ergonomic position but it’s not easy…

Thank you so much! All I can see when I look at her is what's wrong--the ears aren't on straight. The arms aren't, either. Her head is oddly shaped, and the bow isn't quite right. I have a hard time stuffing separate parts with the same amount of stuffing (hence the difference in the arm sizes) and especially with sewing parts on evenly. I'm really gonna start sticking with no-sew patterns, I think.

I think you can finish your square project by next summer. I know what you mean about having to take a break from it sonetimes. My hands/elbows/shoulders will start bothering me, and I'll have to stop for a bit. Then, sometimes, I just get bored with it, too. But you're making good progress, in my opinion!

I crochet with a death grip on the project (my left hand). It is not conducive to pain-free crocheting, lol. Good luck with your project!

Well done! She's adorable!

Thank you so much!