allbingo | NATIONAL CRAFTING MONTH MEET AND GREET

Current Mood: Sociable

Entry tags:

NATIONAL CRAFTING MONTH MEET AND GREET

Welcome! Here is our space to squee about the current theme and tell others a bit about our crafting interests.

Below are the thematic questions for this months fest. Fill in as much or as little of it as you wish, depending on your interests as they relate to National Crafting Month.

My Name (how I wish to be known):
Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried:
I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other:
Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed:
Project I’m particularly proud of:
Something I learned the hard way:
Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try:
Biggest crafting frustration(s):
Something else I'd like to share:

Feel free to copy this Meet and Greet into your blog as well as filling it out here.

Threaded | Flat

My Name :
meridian_rose, Lisa

Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried:
outside of virtual things like writing and graphics/photography I've dabbled in sketching, knitting, needle felting, scrapbooking, resin, baking, latchhook and I've got a punch needle kit to try. Also diamond art/crystal art which is less 'creative' but very mindful. I also made some Christmas gonks and walnut dioramas amongst other Christmas crafting (this post has some photos)

I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other:
Mostly a beginner. I dabble a lot and am pleased when I actually complete a project.

Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed:
needle felt projects! A mindful craft ~~when you're not stabbing your fingers~~ and it can be as basic/creative as you wish. My knitting is amateur hour but I've made some gift projects.

Project I’m particularly proud of:
I've got 3 things in this post with needle felt cat, latchhook cat cushion cover, and a diamond art robin

Something I learned the hard way:
felting needles are sharp. The warning culture has made me more sceptical of just how dangerous things actually are but these needles are SHARP for real.

Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try:
so many; leather, metalwork, stained glass, mosaics. I'd love to try resin again as it didn't go well last time I made paperweights.

Biggest crafting frustration(s):
expense. That's the major factor for not trying more things. Also crochet; I did it in the past but every time I try now I cannot get the tension right so I go back to knitting! No matter how much I try to always knit/purl and end on a purl row in a project (so I always begin with a knit row) I often mid-project get it muddled/twisted and end up with a 'wrong' row in my otherwise flat piece /sigh/

strong>Something else I'd like to share: I've been making craft posts at my journal usually tagged #crafts: other to distinguish from crafts: cooking but at some point I may have to add more specific tags. Also

ysabetwordsmith rec'd the craft community

get_knitted which hosts discussions and provides encouragement for all kinds of crafts and I've been very much enjoying that one

My Name (how I wish to be known): nsfwords, Brandy.

Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried: I've taken a shot at many different crafts, but stuck with relatively few. My paternal grandmother taught me how to crochet; didn't stick. Same grandmother taught me to sew; much success! So at this point in time I focus on sewing/costuming as my main crafting outlet (other than writing) and when I decided a few years back that I wanted to get good at a second craft I looked for one I felt was sewing adjacent so they could work together. I choose to self-study hand embroidery and cross stitch. That way I could further embellish the costumes or decor I created with my sewing machine.

I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other: Intermediate sewing, beginner needlework.

Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed: I adored watching my grandmother crochet. She could do it while watching TV and never once looking down at the incredible creation draped over her lap. How?! I hate that I'm not good at painting. I'm so-so with doing pencil drawings, but paints don't do what I want, the way that I want them to.

Project I’m particularly proud of: I'm proud of myself every time I conquer my inner critic and actually write something, no matter how short. I'm very proud of my early hand embroidery pieces, especially the Huginn & Muninn I embroidered on the back of my Samhain ritual garb.

Something I learned the hard way: Joann Fabrics and Michael's are not safe places for my wallet. I've never left a craft store without finding a treasure or ten.

Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try: Cosplay! Its another way to stick with sewing, but add more crafty options.

Biggest crafting frustration(s): My WIP pile. I tend to get about 30% through a project, then stall. I have an entire cedar chest of neatly stored fabric bundles, each a potential finished garment, but the oldest is from 2013 and it bugs me.

Something else I'd like to share: I've been sharing my Cooking Adventures lately as I begin to start using sourdough starter. I know, I know, its too "on trend" right now, but I don't care. Its delicious and I feel like a fucking Wizard! See my struggles with the Basic Round Loaf and the delectable Cinnamon Rolls. I'll be posting soon about my triumph with Bagels!

My Name (how I wish to be known): Small Hobbit
Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried: cross stitch and knitting, have also done a bit of crochet, embroidery and quilting, bits of painting, drawing
I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other: Intermediate at cross stitch and knitting, Beginner otherwise
Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed: I love both knitting and cross stitch and do both most days
Project I’m particularly proud of: I go to a monthly Dare to Dabble class locally and try out various crafts and I've always had a go, even if I wouldn't want to repeat the experience
Something I learned the hard way: That with a complicated cross stitch pattern it's vital to mark off the stitches done on the pattern as you go
Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try: Making felt decorations. I had planned to do some last year for Christmas, but didn't get my cards finished on time
Biggest crafting frustration(s): The number of times I miscount when cross stitching and have to unpick
Something else I'd like to share: I post a monthly crafting post on my journal. My latest, showing my current projects, is here

My Name (how I wish to be known):

ysabetwordsmith

Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried: Gosh, more than I can count. Off the top of my head, I've done beadwork, ceramics, embroidery, polymer clay, scrapbooking, sewing, and upcycling. A lot of doesn't fit into neat categories, though, like making suncatchers for the windows or building a Wicker Man for a ritual.

I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other: Hmm, probably intermediate with crafts in general. I can usually make something that works and looks good. I excel at scrounging and improvising though.

Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed: I had no luck with learning to knit or crochet.

Project I’m particularly proud of: Making a Crystal Ornament for the Window

Something I learned the hard way: If it doesn't fit, adjust the angle, don't increase the force.

Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try: Marbling.

Biggest crafting frustration(s): Not enough time.

Something else I'd like to share: I love sourcing craft materials from my yard. When I was little, we used to tie-dye things with windfall mulberries or fresh-cut grass. We've made Wicker Men for rituals several times. We've woven flower crowns and leafy crowns. The window ornament I made has the crystals hung from a weathered branch that I found.

My Name (how I wish to be known): Jix

Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried: writing, drawing (analog and digital), sewing, knitting, origami, baking, scrapbooking, tie-dye, painting TTRPG miniatures, screenprinting, cricut-ing, cosplay.

I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other: Beginner at everything, and happy there! I love to dabble.

Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed: I've loved playing with a cricut, especially to make designs for clothing! I feel unreasonably powerful when I borrow one. And I greatly enjoyed tie-dye. I will bake when I have to, but I don't enjoy it much.

Project I’m particularly proud of: I ran a tie-dye station at my workplace last summer and it was a big hit. Everyone had a blast. I learned how to solder this fall so I could make a light-up battleshell for a ninja turtle Halloween costume! For writing, my Hold Every Memory AU (TMNT) is what I'm most proud of!

Something I learned the hard way: Don't overbuy on supplies for your latest hobby just because stuff is on sale and you have Ideas. It may sit in your closet for decades. ...my closet is very full of Things.

Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try: Leatherwork, I suppose. (It seems like it would be very useful for my cosplay/DnD purposes.)

Biggest crafting frustration(s): I don't have much space to myself with my current living situation, so I don't have a dedicated table to lay supplies out on until they're done. It adds extra steps every time I want to sit down and work on a project, so I rarely find the drive to fully finish things.

Something else I'd like to share: I'm new to this community and just made this dreamwidth journal last weekend, so no crafting tags to share.

My Name (how I wish to be known): Shaddyr

Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried: Sewing, candle making, jewelry making/bead-work, scrapbooking, kitting, crochet, drop spinning, quilting, painting, card making, book binding

I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other: I think I'm intermediate - journeyman. You need a LOT of experience to be a master of something.

Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed:
Loved: I used to get together with a couple of my best girlfriends for a weekend and we would do beading and jewelry making together. It was so much fun. Very best times, doing a fun thing I loved with people I loved.
Loathed: When I was a kid, my mom got me this latch rug kit. I HATED it. I'm too impatient to do any craft that doesn't give me a fairly immediate ROI.

Project I’m particularly proud of: I really love the wrap I made last winter. I bought this delicious malabrigo washted yarn in Cereza and Poción because when I saw the colours, I just knew they would go together and be amazing.

Something I learned the hard way: Do not weave in the ends too early. Especially if you are not sure you're happy with a project and might decide to frog part of it, or throw it completely back into the pond. Because OI. I'm way too good at weaving in ends and WHAT A PAIN to frog something when you do that.

Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try: I am trying really hard to NOT get sucked into anything new.

Biggest crafting frustration(s): Not enough time to do everything I want to do. If I did have the time, I'd complain I don't have the space. If I did, well, everything is so darn expensive. I guess not having enough time could sorta be a blessing in disguise...

Something else I'd like to share: I have expressed this to my children but they do not agree. I have found that acquiring yard is really as separate hobby/interest from making something with said yarn. Does anyone else find this to be so?

My Name (how I wish to be known):

ruric

Type(s) of Crafting that I’ve tried: Lets see - writing (not active any more), knitting, sewing, embroidery and blackwork, patchwork, jewellery making (beading and wirework), furniture restoration, dabbled with photography, a tiny bit of drawing and painting and started crocheting in Nov 2023. Also I'd stretch the boundaries and consider DIY gardening and allotmenting an offshoot of crafting *G*

I consider myself a Beginner, Intermediate, Master, or Other: intermediate with regard to most of the ones listed - though probably halfway between beginner and intermediate with crochet. Very much a beginner with drawing and painting which I haven't really done in the last 50 years.

Crafting I’ve loved and/or loathed:I've really enjoyed most of the crafting I've done. I loved jewellery making and plan to go back to this when I retire and have more time and branch out into silver clay and metalwork. At the moment I'm really enjoying crochet - started in November with a beginner's class at Hobbycraft and I was hooked. *G* Within 3 weeks I had a very basic very chunky half treble blanket. I followed up with a 6 week course on making a Granny Square blanket (they taught 5 different types of GS) and I'm adding in some extra squares to that to make a bigger blanket and I've almost finished a rather a simple granny square lap blanket which I made to use up 8 balls of spare wool. I've got yarn for my next 4 projects too (maybe 8 projects if you include knitting)! *G*

Project I’m particularly proud of: several of my furniture restoration projects, a fantastic jumper I knitted in my 20s (which alas is no more), several jewellery pieces and my recent quick crocheted granny square lap blanket.

Something I learned the hard way: allow time for projects and don't try to rush things. You'd think as a lifetime gardener this is something I'd understand but I find myself hopping from foot to foot wanting to crack on with furniture restoration and have to really ensure I leave adquate times between coats of varnish/finishes.

Something I haven't done yet, but I'd like to try: so MANY things. Pottery, stained glass, silver clay jewellery and metal work (in the jewellery sense not the blacksmithing kind)!

Biggest crafting frustration(s): lack of time and space! I live in a small flat - half my crafting supplies are in the attic and the rest are taking over my living space. I work a job that is seasonally very busy (and being a keen gardener/allotment grower) I find my time for other crafts is pressured. I knew I wanted to learn crochet so cannily timed my courses/learning in the November to March period. My local Hobbycraft also runs a crochet club 2 x week and since I work flexi hours I plan to try and attend at least one of these a week so I finish my damn projects!

Something else I'd like to share: I decided last year (before I got into crochet) that I was going to have a year of finishing projects and sorting out my stashes. Then I got the crochet bug and now have 4-5 more proects to add to the list. But I will (a) get together a proper Project Masterlist of every uninished project (b) try to NOT take on any new projects and (c) start finishing the semi completed ones and finally (d) sort out my materials, embroidery, wool, jewellery and art supply stashes and get more organised!

Also if anyone has links to good crafty communities on DW please hit a girl up!

Threaded | Flat

no subject

no subject

no subject

Hello!

no subject

no subject

no subject