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Wednesday, May 13th, 2026 07:11 pm

Hello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.

Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?

There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.


This Week's Question: What do you wish you could get right first time, every time?


If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.

I now declare this Check-In OPEN!



Thursday, May 14th, 2026 09:08 am (UTC)
I never thought to ask...why are you making a whole hive of bees?
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 10:26 am (UTC)
Lol. I was just curious. That's a lotta lotta bees, though. I hope they sell well.
Wednesday, May 13th, 2026 08:14 pm (UTC)
mostly caught up in pattern-wrangling a fresh copy of my forever-project pattern (aka, re-xing-out all the stitches I've done so I can read the damn thing) and likely will be for several more days, BUT I just got back from getting the mats for my Amaurot cross stitch project :D
Wednesday, May 13th, 2026 09:09 pm (UTC)
went for 18-count! which tbh does feel a bit small now that I have it in hand XD but I always think of 14 count as being rather large

but at least I knew 20 count is way too tiny for my eyes these days lol
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 03:56 am (UTC)
we recently got a lamp magnifier, and I did try to use it once, but it's only in focus if the cloth is too close to the glass to give the needle room lol

and I always use two strands if I can manage it, just because I can double a single strand and uh... man I can't think of words for it, but I... loop it through the loop? and it lets me start without needing to anchor the thread and that's soooo much easier for me that I hate using an odd number of strands
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 02:01 pm (UTC)
works for me somehow XD and I like the coverage that two strands gives on 18-count
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 09:10 am (UTC)
Nothing more guaranteed to make me ball up and throw away a cross stitch than coming back after an absence, thinking I know where I got to, starting again, doing a big chunk, then discovering I'm one row out.
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 02:02 pm (UTC)
yee, I set this project aside for very long stretches at a time, so crossing out squares on the pattern as I go helps a lot (also why I'm working from copies rather than the original. plus it lets me highlight)
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 05:47 am (UTC)
Today we did some plant shopping. I potted up most of what I bought. The barrel garden is done except maybe wedging in some marigolds. I'm super excited that we found the 'Gypsy' peppers again! :D 3q3q3q!!! I bought six of those. They're a sweet, fruity pepper with zero heat that can be eaten green or ripe. The big blue pot has a purple-and-white spotted petunia, a purple torenia, and a white superbell so far. I want to add some lobelia there.
Thursday, May 14th, 2026 04:11 pm (UTC)
The barrel garden already looks pretty good, although the plants are still growing in.

I'm very excited by the peppers.