Crafty randoms

[mrspez07]

Feel free to add yours!

My quilt guild and other local groups were asked to submit quilts for a display at Denver Airport (DIA), and while I don’t have anything on display, lots of great, creative pieces are up until February on the A bridge (before security) and the C mezzanine (inside security), so if you’re traveling through, keep an eye out!

I also came across this a few weeks ago, an interesting piece for all you cross stitch/embroiderers.
www.theverge.com/23833322/palestinian-embroidery-digital-archive-tatreez-wafa-ghnaim-tirazain



ETA: my timing on posting the Palestinian embroidery was not tied to current events, I’d been off media before posting. Sorry if it comes across insensitive, that was not my intention.

[wawa]

I'm currently trapped in a pile of UFO's bigger than I've had in a while, and of course the urge to start a new project is nearly overwhelming.
I've got a baby blanket I need to finish this month.
I've got a hat that's intended to be a christmas gift, and I need to make two more matching for the other siblings.
I've got my ornament.
I've got a pair of socks that are currently in the heel phase and I hate that because it's only my second pair of socks so I have to double check what I'm doing constantly and can't just rock out with a steady rhythm so I want to work on it, but can only do it when I can focus.
And the lifetime project of the giant sock yarn gauge king size blanket I saddled myself with.

I feel like this is the most "active" UFOs I've been working on in years and it's giving me the fidgets.  I wish I could just take a week and do nothing but get crafty.

[aprilsails]

I can't craft right now. I made my son a sheriff badge and a Jean vest for his Halloween costume this past week and although they both whipped up super fast it took all of my available free time for the week. And that was forcing it, I'm now more behind with work.

I have so many things I would like to make and I just can't. I've been able to continue to pick away at a pair of socks but that's just thirty minutes at a time in front of the tv twice a week.

@@@ when do kids get easier? I'm wiped out as soon as they are in bed every night. I think my major issue is one kid is a morning person and one is a night owl and their schedules are quite skewed as a result and I can't do anything. DH has also been having MH struggles as a result of a variety of pressures so I've been trying to give him time off. So while he now needs new shelving for all his Lego projects i have literally one pair of socks to show for my efforts of the past year.

[wawa]

Oct 15, 2023 17:18:39 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I can't craft right now. I made my son a sheriff badge and a Jean vest for his Halloween costume this past week and although they both whipped up super fast it took all of my available free time for the week. And that was forcing it, I'm now more behind with work.

I have so many things I would like to make and I just can't. I've been able to continue to pick away at a pair of socks but that's just thirty minutes at a time in front of the tv twice a week.

@@@ when do kids get easier? I'm wiped out as soon as they are in bed every night. I think my major issue is one kid is a morning person and one is a night owl and their schedules are quite skewed as a result and I can't do anything. DH has also been having MH struggles as a result of a variety of pressures so I've been trying to give him time off. So while he now needs new shelving for all his Lego projects i have literally one pair of socks to show for my efforts of the past year.

@@@@ l was just having this conversation with a coworker with a 1 year old and a 3.5 year old who is in a constant state of wanting to hide under his desk and take a nap...my kids are now 10 and 8 and over the past 2 years it's been a NOTICABLE shift in difficulty level for the better. Steady improvement.  How old are yours?

[aprilsails]

Oct 16, 2023 13:52:47 GMT -5 wawa said:

Oct 15, 2023 17:18:39 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I can't craft right now. I made my son a sheriff badge and a Jean vest for his Halloween costume this past week and although they both whipped up super fast it took all of my available free time for the week. And that was forcing it, I'm now more behind with work.

I have so many things I would like to make and I just can't. I've been able to continue to pick away at a pair of socks but that's just thirty minutes at a time in front of the tv twice a week.

@@@ when do kids get easier? I'm wiped out as soon as they are in bed every night. I think my major issue is one kid is a morning person and one is a night owl and their schedules are quite skewed as a result and I can't do anything. DH has also been having MH struggles as a result of a variety of pressures so I've been trying to give him time off. So while he now needs new shelving for all his Lego projects i have literally one pair of socks to show for my efforts of the past year.

@@@@ l was just having this conversation with a coworker with a 1 year old and a 3.5 year old who is in a constant state of wanting to hide under his desk and take a nap...my kids are now 10 and 8 and over the past 2 years it's been a NOTICABLE shift in difficulty level for the better. Steady improvement.  How old are yours?

The oldest is 8 with ADHD struggles with school, and the youngest is 4 and just started jr kindergarten. We didn't qualify for after care since we don't need it every day, so I feel like the period from 4pm to 9pm is ridiculous between us trying to make dinner, entertain, work, and just survive. I get up at 5 most days and so I want to go to bed at 10. The youngest tends to wake up by 6:30.

[statgirl]

@@@
Mine are 8 and 11 and I found at 6 and 8 they got easier. Or I got less hard on myself.

I always tell the story of the craft group Christmas tree. We would make a tree for a charity auction—did it for years. My oldest was born in October (early) and I had to make ornaments (crosses for the theme, because why not?). The head lady was like “You will have the time to do it. Babies sleep all the time.” Lies. I was so exhausted and tried to make cinnamon dough crosses. They looked like something from a sick dog. I ended up asking my father-in-law to help me cut out crosses from thin wood and I decoupaged them. That man is a saint.

[wawa]

Oct 16, 2023 16:43:44 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

Oct 16, 2023 13:52:47 GMT -5 wawa said:

@@@@ l was just having this conversation with a coworker with a 1 year old and a 3.5 year old who is in a constant state of wanting to hide under his desk and take a nap...my kids are now 10 and 8 and over the past 2 years it's been a NOTICABLE shift in difficulty level for the better. Steady improvement.  How old are yours?

The oldest is 8 with ADHD struggles with school, and the youngest is 4 and just started jr kindergarten. We didn't qualify for after care since we don't need it every day, so I feel like the period from 4pm to 9pm is ridiculous between us trying to make dinner, entertain, work, and just survive. I get up at 5 most days and so I want to go to bed at 10. The youngest tends to wake up by 6:30.

4 was hard. Mine are 8 and 10 and it's noticably easier from 4 years ago. They don't need to be entertained all the time. They can get their own snacks and take showers and legitimately help out with chores (they do dishes and trash, occasional vacuuming and match their own socks) they can be home alone which simplifies scheduling and means I can even run a quick errand without them. And they're like...people. who can talk about their feelings and needs semi-coherantly and have totally rational conversations about why things are the way they are. They even take my feelings into account sometimes. They're still kids, but the 10 year old is getting so so mature compared to even last year and it makes so many things easier and more fun and less stressful. It does get easier for a while usually! Especially that feeling of never getting to rest.

But then hormones and angst are gonna make it harder again so I'm really trying to be cognizant of how nice this is right now.

[wawa]

speaking of kids and craftyness - I started to teach the 8 year old how to crochet, and then last year he got a wooble kit for christmas, and he hasn't finished the thing (like mother like son), but he has watched the videos enough times that he now has at least single crochet firmly muscle memoried in. He just started a "blanket for his stuffy" (which was a scarf till he realized how long three rows took him) and he totally gets it! His tension is nice and even and everything. Classic sloped sides were happening for a bit there, but I think I got him fixed on that (he was skipping a stitch when he turned). I just had to do the foundation row for him and he was off! He was working on it last night when he was supposed to be sleeping.

Highly recommend woobles if anybody has a kid (or grownup) who wants to learn. The videos are really VERY step by step and easy to follow.

[Scout'sHonor]

I've been knitting & crocheting off and on for many years and last year found a local group that meets weekly at different breweries to sit and craft. It's been amazing for my mental health. A few of them were planning on going to Rhinebeck with some others from the local yarn shop, and when they had a cancellation, they invited me! So I get to visit NY later this week, revel in yarn, wool, sheep and sheep dogs. Very excited!

I also recently tried to teach my 5 yr old crochet, but she's a perfectionist and got mad she couldn't immediately make a blanket :/ Like child, it's going to take some practice and you haven't even gotten down a chain.

[wawa]

I didn't buy any yarn during the black friday/cyber monday/just kidding one more day sales and I'd like a cookie for it.
But I'd also like some yarn.
dammit.