Rest for a bit then start working on the project.

As Derpy would say, take a nap!
XD

Derpy does have the best advice. Lol
Unfortunately I was unable to sleep in much on my day off, but I did get about an extra 20-30 minutes.

I have a few big blankets
I also got to use a weighted blanket once. In Florida. I woke up in the middle of the night sweating through my pjs, and they were light summer pjs and the house was cool
Nice as the weight is, I like the airflow that can get under, especially when it's so hot out

It's definitely one of those things where either you love it or it's getting yeeted off of ya every night
At least your dog likes it

if all else fails, come summer, I'll just sleep with the sleeping bag on top of me.

Smaug is half done... the back half...

https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/u...217_154251.jpg

next month, I'm going to get a bunch of fresh fruits, and dry them in the oven so I can have dried fruits that don't have sugar added.

Smaug butt!

Picked up a skirt pattern today. To use with some really pretty fabric I bought a couple weeks ago. But just realized I either have to go with the shorter version or be VERY careful and not mess up because the pattern calls for 2 5/8 yards and I have 2 2/3.

tee hee

as for the skirt pattern, sometimes if you put the pattern pieces on the fabric just so, you can make the pieces fit in less than the amount of the fabric called for. i've done that every time i've ever made anything, and i usually end up with a bit more fabric left over. i mean i get the amount the pattern calls for, but end up with a bit left over. unless there's like stripes or a nap or design on the fabric...

I'm 99.9% sure it doesn't have a pattern, my only concern would be a difference in the direction of stretch as, for the first time ever, I'm using an apparel fabric instead of cotton.

so you'd just need to make sure the fronts and backs of the skirt pattern pieces are all facing the same direction, but maybe you could make it only a tad shorter if need be?

Yeah....step 1: prewash fabric
Step 2: lay out fabric and pattern
Step 3: adjust accordingly.

I should have enough fabric, but we'll see.
May buy a plain color knit to test the pattern first as well so I don't waste my good fabric while learning...

personally, i'd layout the pattern pieces first, just to make sure they'll fit... then wash the fabric. (i believe it's returnable if it's more than a yard, yes?)

(honestly, i've never prewashed any fabric before i made anything, but that's just me...)

I prewash because a) fabrics can actually shrink a lot which can lead to puckering along seams
And b) because of all the chemicals that get sprayed/used on the fabrics to preserve and keep bugs out of them when being transported and stored.

oh i'm well aware of the fact that i should wash everything before i wear it, but.... lazy

What is this washing thing you speak of :L

I need to get some black and some gold fabric for a costume...

Got my loom ready for the entrelac shawl and even found a series of YouTube videos showing how to do entrelac on the loom. Thinking I may do a smaller project like a scarf and follow along with the video before jumping into a shawl.

oooh awesome! yeah, sometimes it's good to do something smaller to start, even if it's just a swatch to learn how to do it, and then you end up taking it out once you've got the hang of it

i'm almost done the first/front part of Smaug

Nice! I am almost done with a hat (just doing 1 or 2 more rows, then bind-off). Because I wanted to get an estimate of how long they take. For possible class.
It's taken me around 1.5-2 hours. So double that to be on the safe side for teaching beginners and I'd sat it'd take 2 class sessions (out of 6) to make a hat. And have started a scarf to time out as well and also to determine how much yarn for each project, because I never really pay attention to that stuff tbh.

Looks like 1 skein of bulky weight is enough for a hat since I was using a partial skein and have only had to use a different color for maybe 3 rows.

And I'm hoping 1 skein of worsted weight is enough per scarf, but they could take 2 or 3.
Not that it matters, I have plenty to spare.
XD

yes, times are important to know for teaching. the classes i taught at michael's varied from 2 to 2-1/2 hours. i don't remember anyone actually finishing a skinny scarf in a class though. they were also one-class lessons, and i'd give everyone my card if they wanted to learn more, but we didn't meet at michael's after that first class. i had few people who followed up for more learning, but not too many though.

Yeah, our classes are 2 hours usually but are a 6 week "semester". So classes 1 and 2 can be starting and finishing hats and classes 3-6 can be scarves (possibly with simple color changes or stitch variations) and maybe simple round scrubbies/coasters if they finish the scarf by class 5.

the only michael's classes that were more than one class were the wilton cake decorating classes, they were four weeks.

in other news, AC Moore is closing and they're down to their last 9 days. i got one of those four-peg quick-knit looms for like $3.50 instead of $17. but i really don't see myself making a ton of huge scarves! XD

A Zippy loom? I'm jealous! I want like 10 of those! Plus the corner connector pieces! So I can make some cute, chunky projects!

Man I’m gonna miss AC Moore xP I got so much yarn there before Christmas

Zippy looms are amazing!

i have just the one zippy loom. XD

the yarn is only 50% off, while the rest of the store is 70-90% off.

9 days left you said? I need to get over there haha

Yeah...unfortunately that store doesn't exist here.
So I get to 100% miss out.

well, 8 days now, since they're now closed for thursday.

yeah, i think AC Moore is an east coast thing, centered in NJ. at least, the warehouse is in NJ, i think.....

It definitely is. I’m from the pacific northwest, lived in NC 10 years now. And can confirm it’s not anywhere over there xD I’m really glad to have Hobby Lobby tho I gotta say. We didn’t have that either. Not sure if they do now or not but...it’s better than Michael’s and Joann’s in my opinion lol of course it depends on what you’re looking for though.

Bish, don't diss my store! Hobby Lobby is not better than JoAnn!
D8<

(They do have more craft stuff, but their yarn is mostly about the same imo and their fabric selection is garbage.)

Lol

Hobby Lobby is overpriced
And the ones over here are more about home decor than crafts

I dunno, I think the prices are about the same, however, pretty much every time I go in, all the stuff I want is already on some sale, so I can't use any coupon.
At JoAnn, I usually can use a coupon. Or at the very least, the sale is usually better.

Yeah here the entire center of the store is home decor and jars/storage containers and then the outer section of the store is all the aisles of craft items....and half the home decor stuff is religous themed. Which is fine I guess as HL is actually a mormon-owned organization, but it's kind of obnoxious to go there for yarn and get slammed in the face with bible quotes and crosses.

I already live in the south, bible verses and crosses are kinda just a normal thing anymore xD and I’m not religious lol I don’t mind it tho. It’s not hurting me at all to walk past it.

JoAnn is definitely better for fabric. As it is a fabric store technically. But for what I do I prefer Hobby Lobby. Michael’s is overpriced imo. HL isn’t so bad. Idk maybe it’s a regional difference?

Also Hobby Lobby’s brand of yarn (I love this yarn) is f-ing amazing imo. So soft and easy to work with and so many wonderful colors ~
My JoAnn is incredibly small and has such a lack of yarn it’s sad.

Back on the west coast JoAnn was my go to. So I get it and I’m not knocking it lol. Each one has some advantage/disadvantage again to what you’re going in for.

I personally love all the decor things HL has xD

Mom works at Michael's and holy crap sale price plus employee discount means she can get some stuff obnoxiously cheap. Some so cheap she hits the minimum price required point lol

It's just an annoyance. I get enough toxic religious opinions thrown at me by my family that my reaction to anything religious is negative.

I haven't used too much of the yarn I've bought from HL yet, but I have picked up a lot of really pretty stuff. Most of it on clearance. For most craft stuff I buy, Michael's seems also to be similarly priced to Joann and HL, but I also seldom shop there. Partly because their yarn selection is kinda bad and partly because it's way out of the way and hard to get to without a car.
I will say, the yarn selection at the JoAnn I work at isn't the best in the world, but it is actually sufficient for most projects I do. We even have a couple shelf sections of just yarn cakes and they're really pretty! I'm using one for a shawlette and the color gradient is absolutely gorgeous.

I'm not much of a "Instagram perfect home decor" kind of person. My apartment is pretty bland; I prefer function over form, but HL does have some chairs I want to pick up soon to replace my bulky, space-eating chairs and loveseat with something more sleek and space-saving. Plus they're prettier and will brighten up the space more.