Knit, Crochet and Natter 6: Where there's a wool there's a way

[lazylinguist]

A thread for all woolly crafters, from total beginners to old hands! Previous thread here

Micro crochet is definitely something I want to try! Mum has all my tiny hooks at hers though so I need to remember to get them tomorrow as I keep forgetting! Should probably book in for an eye test before I try though 😂

Lucysmam I've made up garments for many friends who like to knit but don't like finishing off/sewing up.

I've even frogged whole projects when friends have asked me to finish off a WIP because our tension is not the same. 😉

I'm still hopeless at crochet though.

I've been pondering the talk of academic diaries on and off since they were mentioned - my life runs to an academic year for everything

I use an academic year bullet journal. It revolutionised my life . It has (among many other things) an ongoing knitting and crochet log on it.

I decided to go with random stripes for my blanket. Which made DH twitch initially but apparently he now really likes the different sizes. Not sure if he actually likes them or he knows he just has to pretend to like them and it’s safer to pretend it isn’t making him twitch.

Oh I really like the random stripes! My shawl had unequal stripe widths too, which I liked.

Love reading through this thread most days even if I don't post much.. It does move quick. Micro crocheting sounds like torture a 3mm hook is enough micro for me and makes me want to stamp my feet like a toddler

I have been finishing up the baby blanket and made my very first hat as well its not perfect by any means but am made up I've got another thing finished.

Here is is all folded. Ready to go into gift bag

That looks lovely @ForCluckSake.

I like the stripes to @InTheNightWeWillWish, the blue colour's nice!

@lazylinguist I've often toyed with the idea of a bullett journal, I just don't know where to start. I have notebooks for everything so it'd probably work to condense me into one!

@lucysmam - I love mine. I'm on my 7th or 8th now, I think. I love having everything all in the same place!

They're lovely ForCluckSake!

I couldn't be bothered reknitting my jumper by hand so I hijacked my DM's knitting machine tonight until I rang out of wool. I think I need about another 150g to finish it, oh no, I'll have to go to the wool shop

@ForCluckSake
That's so neat.
Fab colours.

Looks so warm and snuggly.

Flavia - I somehow missed your post where you said you were having to frig tye jumpervbacl to the yoke. How infuriating! Good idea to sort it with the knitting machine though. How's the marine chart interest coming along?

Swell {boom boom} I've learnt a lot about the charts and symbols but I'm only doing it for near to shore trips so I don't need to worry too much about things like the submarine testing area that I had no idea existed

DS's sniffle he picked up as soon as he started nusery school has developed an epic cold overnight so that's thrown a spanner in the sneaking off to the wool shop plans, he's too snotty and grumpy to go anywhere. His temperature is normal thankfully so fingers crossed it stays that way.

@lazylinguist how did you get started with the bullett (I'm not entirely convinced there should be a second 't' there) journal?

Aw Flavia hopefully your ds picks up soon & you can sneak off to the wool shop! Good idea to use the knitting machine for your jumper.

@lazylinguist

I read about the Bullet Journal here in early 2016 and used it ever since.
I colour code the months an don't use weekly planning but as it's tailored for my needs it's the only system that works for me.
love it.
I'm only my 4th Lechtturm 1917 notebook though, I have a separate one for craft stuff

I started a series of threads on here about Bullet journalling a few years back - maybe you were on them, Zing? They were in the Housekeeping section, I think. Thhey started with an explanation of how it works, and had links to the Bullet Journal website and lots of discussion about what people were doing with theirs. Hang on, I'll see if I can find the first one... I had a different username back then.

Hi all! About to have a rwad through the thread wow its been moving fast! Some amazing pictures and what i did see on this page @lucysmam i moved to academic diary 2 years ago best decision ever! So much easier with kids to keep in this time frame!

So my check in is that the 2nd panel is finished matt smith the 11th doctor ready for action! On to the next!!

Can anyone give me any tips on blocking? I have never done it before but obviously will need to as the 2 panels as slightly different sizes when at rest! I just have no clue what i am doing so any help would be much appreciated or a link to a site that would help :)

@lucysmam here is the first Bullet Journal thread.

Wow, @givemebooks - that looks fantastic! 10th and 11th Doctors are my faves! I haven't liked it since Matt Smith left...

Thanks @lazylinguist, I'll have a read over the weekend with a brew or two.

@givemebooks I think that's where I go wrong with them. I've just been eyeing up dd2's new school planner so will definitely pick one up in town over the coming week. I use the calendar on the wall, & millions of notebooks to keep me organised at the mo 🙈

You're quick with the c2c, are you enjoying it?

Do any of you sock makers have any tips to make sure they're both the same size? I'm not too fussed this time since they'll only be bed/house socks for me, but this second one's shaping up to be a little smaller than the first. Presumably because I've done the pattern once so it'll be neater (but I'm not making three!).

I did both socks at the same time for my last pair @lucysmam. It helped keep the tension the same.
So I did the top cuff x 2. Then the leg x2. Then the heel x 2 etc

Aah, that's a good idea, and probably quite sensible! I've found another pair to try, with a swirly heel; and a youtube video I'm going to write out the instructions for, for a cabled pair.

I should finish the jumper, or the scarf first though...

That's a good idea, @CrochetBug. I don't have any tips I'm afraid, @lucysmam - I just knit my socks one by one and don't compare them too closely afterwards .

@givemebooks - I've blocked a few things, but not many. I've done it different ways depending on the item and the advice on the pattern (if any). I think maybe it depends on whether you're just blocking it to get the stitches to settle and sit nicely or whether you're looking to actually shape the item.

So for my sleeveless jumper, which was quite heavy and didn't need shaping, I immersed it in water, put it between two towels to press most of the water out, then just lay it out on a fresh towel to dry. That made the Fairisle section flatten and look more even.

But with finer, stretchier things like shawls, I've sprayed them with water until damp, then pinned them out to the right shape using T-pins and a foam mat.

Thanks @lazylinguist, I'll have a read over the weekend with a brew or two.

Do ask if you have any questions about the Bullet Journal thing. I'm a bit evangelical about it. I usually manage to restrain myself, but if people ask....

Good idea regarding the socks @CrochetBug I had the same problem as you @lucysmam my second sock was definitely neater than the first!

I always wanted to get into bullet journaling as I have so much lovely stationery, I just have quite a boring little life so didn't think there was much to journal about really 🙄😂