I know it doesn't help the feelings, but I do want to say that you could never let me down with any projects/work/videos, anything! While I'm not in the same situation as you, I do understand those feelings of maybe letting others (and sometimes myself) down, no matter how much they might say that you didn't. I've put many projects in time-out because they remind me too much of times I've not been able to do as I thought I could, or told others that I could. I love being able to see what you're doing, and it is always such a joy for me to be able to work on something together, no matter how long it might take. I'm always here cheering you on, and just glad to see you're feeling well enough again to sit up and chat with us❤❤❤
As someone who deals with much of the stuff Claude does, I can say for me that your reassurance doesn't help the current feelings, but it can help diminish the future ones 🧡
As a watcher of both you, @EngineeringKnits and @RetroClaude, I can say that I enjoy anything you show us. No need at all to stress about what you want to show us. 💛
Also if you’re having trouble cleaning the makeup off reusable cotton pads because of the oil, I can recommend adding washing soda to a load. I use it for my sheets because I spend so many hours of the day on them and it really helps.
Ooof. I have so much empathy for feeling excited for something and then being too ill and cannot finish or participate. My ME flare also had me in bed for nearly two weeks, and I missed a work do, and a family event. 😐 No flowery words of it being okay. I will say, you’re not alone in feeling the way you feel, and it’s encouraging to know you are still creating. ❤
Same, though I’m only 4 years in. I cannot overstate how helpful it is to hear that others - especially others who have been in this situation much longer - have the same internal struggle. As an external voice, I will say that every video you share is received as a gift. ❤
If February is all about finishing projects, maybe January can be about finding out what things were preventing you from finishing, and tackling those. Give yourself the best possible starting position to sprint in February. And may I suggest: those are not pumpkins they're tree ornaments?
I can recommend if you want to knit more small drawstring bags is that you can also make them into lavender bags. I sew my bags and I have a little pillow stuffed with dried lavender so that the bag can be reused if the smell goes away, but they are great gifts for people cause everybody has clothes and lavender is an great insect repeller
If you have cats that scratch furniture you can make citrus sachets to hang along the couch fronts & backs to discourage the cars from using it as a scratching post ! You DO need to refresh the citrus rinds every few weeks, but, it should work. (Watch your cat, they sniff before they scratch ! And 99 % of cats HATE citrus smells!)
I am also disabled and holy hell do I feel represented in this! I’ve also been in a flare (and my Botox has been pushed back so 🫣). Thanks for showing all of this and reminding us we aren’t alone.
Also it was so lovely at the end to see the doggo in his coat having fun - and seeing you recover from flares and keep on keeping on is inspiring to those of us in similar but different situations
Can't remember whether I commented this in a previous video with Sagan in it or not: Thank you for announcing the dog's arrival. I'm 36 yrs old and terrified of dogs. I can do pictures of dogs. Anything where a dog is likely to be spontaneous is an issue (videos, real life). I know you probably only did it to warn any dog owners watching on a big screen, in case seeing another dog set theirs off. Still, from this supposed grown-up with a pathetic phobia, thank you.
its not pathetic. i tell you this as a grown adult whos runs into another room and cowers from large insects and gets anxiety at the thought of cleaning and seeing an insect corpse. absolutely not pathetic. youre doing fine out there. keep it up
@@_KarenS Hey, as a person who is terrified of swans and chickens, it's not pathetic to be terrified of an animal. It's okay to be scared of something. Especially if you can't communicate with them and your body language is way different than theirs. I'm not scared of dogs, but to be honest dogs as energetic as Sagan in those clips make me feel uneasy. So I can absolutely understand your phobia.
What a kick in the butt. You make this great realization that the grey was not what you enjoyed in your cardigan and then the only colour you have a lot left for the wrist warmers is the grey! Ughhhhhh
I came so close to crying when you were tearing up, because I have been there so many times. It's been 17 years since I was diagnosed with MS, and I have learned how to say no to things and be mostly okay with that. But I still have to learn how to not feel guilty about changing plans and saying no to things I've already agreed to. Even knowing that the other person will understand, even if I'm saying "not now, but later," it doesn't really matter because you're supposed to keep your word, you're supposed to take your obligations seriously, and most of all you don't want to inconvenience anyone else. It's another one of those things we have to adapt to, and probably one that most people wouldn't even think about. Changing your way of thinking is a lot harder than figuring out new ways to get around, or how you take a shower, or finding tools to help you do daily tasks. Some day we will find our peace of mind, but until then, you are not alone in this struggle and I am sending you only good thoughts and much gratitude for always being real and honest in the parts of you that you share with all of us.
If these power off days keep happening and they have times posted when power gets shut off, boil a bunch of water before the shut off and store it in thermoses. Then you can have tea :) It what we do when our water gets shut off!
You've really taken this "make do" attitude to the next level by foregoing electricity! 😆 In all seriousness, I can completely understand why the daisy blouse is not calling your name -- spring is too far away to get excited about just yet and there's something extra cozy about making a sweater for your tea!
I’m loving the wrist warmers, absolutely beautiful combo of colours. As for the half finished pumpkins, keep them as is and next year you’ll have a head start on your Halloween decoration. Puppers bringing you a slipper melted my heart.
Thank you Claude for being your awesome and honest self. I'm glad you are moving past that rough bit and finding things to be excited about. Not going to lie, my first reaction to the striped tea cozy was it looks like a nice dessert. 😀The wrist warmers are looking fantastic and the recipient will be lucky indeed. I really like the different pattern variations in those colors. 🐑 Take care and I look forward to next time. 🦆
I'm sorry about the cottage cozy. I thought it was really cute but - stashbusting 😃. The arm warmers have turned out beautifully; someone will be really lucky. Be gentle with yourself. This is a stressful time at best and we will be here when you feel better. ❤
The dog coat you made fits so well! My projects grow too often, so I am highly impressed that it fits that energetic dog. Oh, and thanks for enumerating all the knitted items you were wearing of your own efforts. That is beautiful.
I can't believe how well it turned out! And the fact it's real wool seems to make it more comfortable for Sagan to wear. His waterproof one seems to irritate him. Maybe the wool is more breathable?
I love your tea tent! I had some gauge issues myself making a jumper for my aunt, somehow I ended up with it fully twice the width it needed to be. Thankfully I noticed in time to make it a back instead of 2 side seams. I hope you finish your tea tent, you can put it over the whole tea tray, maybe some sort of emergency tea hider? That way if someone comes in, they just see a little cottage and not a full tea set with a poured tea, teapot, and the all important plate of biscuits. (damn now i want a tea tent)
this was lovely to watch! thanks so much for sharing! i love how at the end you're wearing so many of your knit things - it's really wonderful to be able to wear all these things you made yourself!
As a person who has experienced her first and second autoimmune flares since September of this year, I understand. I kept telling people, "What a ride" to stay positive. But in the middle of it, it's just pain. Praying for you ❤️🩹
I so enjoy listening to you share your crafting/artistic life here. Thanks. I have so many "I will have to come back to that later" projects because my brain cannot deal with them at this point. Seeing someone else deal with similar responses encourages me. Again, thanks.
We're here for you not the totals so not even a tiny temp to click away. My little sister would have loved to have your haircut when she was a kid. It was so thick and that bottom half was always tangled in knots and snarls.
Oh man I understand the emotions in this video. I always appreciate that my friends and family are so kind to me when I have a health flare up and cant do anything I agreed to. But its hard because there's so much grief about loss of function in my body, not being able to support my loved ones, and just not being able to fufil my creative ideas. Its hard explaining this to people without them feeling like they need to reassure me - I don't want to be reassured for a minute I just want to sit with these uncomfortable feelings with you for a little bit. The end footage is a so beautiful! It's summer here in Australia and I am very jealous of the cold weather. I hope you have many more happy days and you health stabilises 💖
Thank you for keeping it real, Claude! I hope you're doing better now!💗 The tea cozy looks so cute, I can't wait to see it on a kettle (never thought I'd say this?). I understand what you mean about missing deadlines - I've promised a handknit sweater to one of my very dear friends for her birthday a year ago... it turned out to be one of those absolutely cursed projects and there's a good chance I won't finish it this year either. 🥲 The wrist warmers look absolutely amazing, I love everything about them. I'll wait until after the giveaway to knit myself a pair. 😉 Sending you good vibes!! Take care 🥰
Take it easy on yourself, and certainly don't stress yourself into a worse flare! One of the reasons I follow you is I've got multiple chronic illnesses, some diagnosed & some to be determined, and your channel is encouraging. ❤
Thanks for another great, honest video, Claude. I’m watching this while home sick, and my health has been up and down the past few months, so this has been really nice to sit with. While you’re not letting others down, it doesn’t feel good to let yourself down. I remember your method of “good, better, best”, which I think I learned from your CoCoVid video, and it has helped me a lot with my knitting. I list it here in case you needed to be reminded of it.
My three-year foot injury is driving me crazy. Even though this is an entirely different type of issue, it is very limiting. I really appreciate you doing all of these videos and I absolutely love your channel and whatever videos you make. Thank you! ☘️
Love the colourwork gloves! Sorry that you’ve had a hard time of it recently. I look forward to vlogmas but hope you can do it in a way that works for you! My newly adopted cat Gary was watching the snow scene with great interest!
I just had the same problem with ribbon and yarn over buttonholes. I made the ribbon buttonholes big enough for the round buttons, then just tacked down the knitted buttonhole around it so you couldn’t see the flat buttonhole under the round opening. I made sure to leave enough stretch when I tacked down the knitted buttonhole.
I'm in the bad flare time at the moment. Only just been able to do a little knitting now but still very much stuck in bed without any help. Glad you're feeling closer to your baseline now 💙
I'm sorry you've been feeling unwell, and that it's in turn made you feel bad about your craft and other things. You already said that telling you it's not your fault or that you shouldn't feel bad about it won't work, so let's try something else, shall we? I am in the process of getting diagnosed with ME, and seeing people like you and the comment section, who share their journey with this or other chronic illnesses, has made me feel much less alone in the world, and much better when I myself have to be late to things, go back on or delay a promise or a gift, or have to cancel an outing. It doesn't make it suck any less in the moment, but it's nice to know you're not the only one experiencing this, and that other people truly understand it too.
I second that this was a rough 6 weeks. I’m glad to see more videos from you, because you are fun to watch and help me feel less alone. I adore the new tea cozy pattern and desperately want the video/pattern if/when you feel up to it. I definitely understand those negative feelings for the project, so take care of yourself. Good luck on vlogmas!
I love those mitts/arm warmers, I'll have to add them to my list. Puppy's whirl wind 'check on all the humans in the house' is so funny. I am glad you have some puppy chaos! He looks very nice in his sweater! I do miss you when you don't post in a while, I hope that this flare calms down and that you have an uneventful winter. The undercut and fringe combo looks amazing! Best wishes for the winter season from California! 💜💜💜
Omg - my mum knitted the yellow and white one - probably in the 50s or 60s - and I bet that was the pattern! I managed to snag it when we cleared mum’s house (I’m the eldest). I do have the pattern to knit more of them though. I keep meaning to…
I am so glad you are passing through your flare up. Like many of the other comments many of us have also been there and fully understand your feelings and inner angst about letting others down. Please be kind to yourself we are so often far too critical of ourselves. Take care and continue with your recovery.thank you for another great video.
The snow footage was so magical! I'm in terrible humid Australian weather right now and very jealous haha. I watched this as I was finishing up a knitted Koala doll for a family member's new baby that was just born in the UK. It was the perfect video to have on during my project :)
I love the way that tea cozy looks, the technique gives such a cool effect! Your vulnerability discussing your flare hit me, I 'lost' three weeks around the same time this fall from a flare and having to cancel on friends and things you were looking forward to... and just sort of everything which isn't basic functioning is such a brutal feeling. I'm so sorry you felt that way as well, though its nice knowing I wasn't alone
a thought on the buttonband.... could you make the growgrain button hole quite a bit bigger than the hole in the knit fabric? so that it aligns with the button hole, but not at the same size and not really fixing the hole itself, but rather just along the outside of the ribbon. I'm not sure I'm explaining right what I mean, but it's sort of similar to usinf two slim ribbons on either side, basically stabilizing the edges of the knit fabric and keeping the button holes free.
I was thinking something similar. If you make vertical buttonholes in the ribbon and just sew along the outer edges of the ribbon (and maybe the top and bottom of the buttonhole if needed) would that be enough to stabilise the buttonband and stop the knitted buttonholes from stretching ?
I feel so emotional watching this episode. I am desabled too so i understand the feeling of letting people down and the frustration of it all. That is not much but i am sending to you my best wishes and all my support.
I've never seen anything like that tea cosy, looks super interesting. I really love the mitts! Everything given I always love seeing what you put out. I'm terrible with words but yeah...
I know that knitting in the round is not your preference but my go to pattern for when I have chronic illness brain and scraps to use up is the litmus cowl which is a free pattern on ravelry. Knit in the round in stripes but you can also do it in 1 colour with texture - it's written for a provisional cast on and kitchener stitch but you could also seam it. It's a great gift knit and I find it quite enriching to use up scraps from old projects to remind myself that I can do stuff when I have more brain space. Just in case it's useful in the future!
Hope that you’re feeling better! I find your dedication to using up every single scrap of yarn so inspiring. You should definitely give yourself the grace to use disposable cotton pads as an accommodation!
🩷🩷🩷 I know this feeling so well, I hope it gives you some comfort to know that you are bringing so many of *us* comfort by talking about it 🩷🩷🩷 For the button band- you can add 'after the fact' button holes to the cardigan where the round ones are now to get horizontal line shaped button holes that would match a machine made ones on the grosgrain. The general procedure is the same as for an afterthought pocket or heel if you don't place scrap yarn, but instead of knitting you just immediately cast off. To start: 1) Cut one stitch in the centre of the row where the hole will be (in your case the yarn over) 2) Unravel the row by pulling out the wool from the stitches above and below in each direction until the hole is large enough. You should now have two rows of un-knit stitches facing each other 3) Place each row on a DPN Bind off each row by: 4) Slipping the first twi stitches 5) Passing the first stitch over the second 6) Slipping the third and passing the second over it Continue until you have one stitch left. You should have come to one of the tails from the yarn you cut and unpicked. 7) Using a tapestry needle pull the tail through the final stitch 8) Weave in to secure however you prefer 9) Repeat for the other row! If you want pictures, I learnt from a blogspot called BeadKnitter
Thank you for this wonderful video, Claude! I love your stashbusting series and find it very relatable. I too have a stash of odd scraps and ends that are too good to waste and not enough for a decent project. I too own yarns that don't inspire me anymore. It's so hard to find ways to use them up into something useful. You always amaze me with your creativity!
My idea for the ribbon conundrum- make an oblong buttonhole in the ribbon, centered over the circular knit opening. This is how woodworkers accommodate seasonal shrinkage/movement between wood pieces, a fastener with an overlong slot that prevents cracking. Hard to describe since I can't remember what this technique is called. Thanks for the bonus dog clip!
For the "tea bucket" 😂 I wonder if it would be a better size if you felted it. Not sure if it would still be able to fit the teapot if it didn't stretch, but it will be a lovely design none the less. I too have been dealing with ME/CFS for more than a decade. I felt very represented in this video, down to the power outage last weekend! You're right, most people give us grace when we need to alter timelines or plans because of our health flares, but it's hard because we *want* to be able to do the thing. I *want* to just be a regular person dealing with regular things. But it is what it is 🤷🏻♀ Thank you for sharing Sagan romping about excitedly in the snow 😊
That's just it. The frustration is not actually about whatever that thing is we've had to say no to, it's about being ill. And that's just part of it and sometimes we need to feel those feelings and acknowledge that yeah, being ill sucks. 💜
I love my handmade dishcloths. I use them all the time. The pattern I primarily use these days is Grammas Favourite Dishcloth, which is free on Ravelry. I don't put eyelets around the border anymore either. Happy Knitting and stashbusting! 💜
First, *hugs* take what time you need. Second, I'm interested in what you come up with for the Mohn button issue. I have a cardigan I knitted that had a similar issue, but it had a large v-neck so I ended up seam the it shut and just use it as a pullover. It's not the most ideal, but it worked.
I've recently reframed how I look at "disappointing people", as well as things I "really should do". Most of those things, I wanted to be able to do. If I didn't, I wouldn't feel as much guilt when I can't. So, even if the other person isn't disappointed or inconvenienced, I'm still disappointed that I didn't get to do a thing I wanted to do, even if it was also a responsibility or obligation.That feels easier to mourn than the other perspectives, for me.
There are totally white pumpkins - we used them for making curries and pies. So glad to hear that you're feeling a bit less awful, and able to talk to us all again.
I planned a “make handmade” gifts Christmas this year. Then I broke my back in 4 places. The frustration of having so many ideas, supplies all ready and body can’t cooperate! I’m lying flat on my back and I can only knit for an hour at a time. I hurt my hand in the accident and it’s bruised. All I can do is tell my family they are getting IOU’s for Christmas 🎄
You should try using single crochet on the button band instead of grosgrain ribbon. I do single crochet or slip stitch all the time to reinforce seams and places I don’t want to stretch out (often on shoulders of vintage style garments so I can get the sleeve head to sit in the right spot). It’s also super quick to add, but sometimes it does take me a few tries to figure out how often to put a stitch.
I am using my scraps towards a throw blanket. I'm making six inch bias knit squares. Some, I change color halfway across. (Like a quilt half square triangle block) i use whatever needles are about right for gauge, and dont worry about being exact. Usually i get to six inches pretty spot on. Someday they'll get pieced together. Requiring so little attention makes a great "fidget sticks" project, too.
As a fellow disabled person, I know exactly what it's like to feel like you've let people down even though you logically know they won't see it that way. In those moments I really like to tell myself "My feelings are real but not reality". Because the way we feel about how our disabilities effect us is very real and tangible in our lives, but it's not always reflective of the reality.
My grandma used to make a sort of eyelet around knitted buttonholes to reinforce them. She used the same thread as the knitting. This made them quite sturdy. Maybe combine this with having a grosgrain ribbon close to the buttonholes will be enough? I have also been doing a lot of dishcloths lately. This autumn has been wierd, so an easy project or has been quite nice. I hope this winter is getting better for you too.
I always do a petersham button band and I always do yarn over style button holes. I just keep the two separate - i use my sewing machine to make button holes on the petersham as a separate piece from the garment, then I sew it on the cardigan by just hand sewing around the periphery of the ribbon. I dont do any sewing on the individual buttonholes to connect them to the ribbon, so I essentially am putting the button through 2 different buttonholes each time I clasp them. I did a whole video on my channel showing how I make mine and it works great - the holes can still stretch over the buttons and bounce back to look smooth from the front, but the ribbon underneath is snug enough to reinforce everything and prevent pulling. Hopefully that makes sense. Good luck with it! Its totally doable :)
Those arm warmers are amazing, I will totally have to put that on my knitting plans. And I wonder if I could do some variation of that tea cosy for a french press. You always have such cool projects. I am doing some stashbusting as well by spinning yarn to give away as gifts, I figure the best way to reduce my stash is to make it someone else's problem, right?
Ah! Make-up pads! When you said knitted washable pads, I thought you meant something else. But I’ve had good luck using witch hazel or micellar water with small fabric cosmetic pads. The micellar water, in particular, takes make-up off easily and seems to keep the stain from setting in on the cotton. The witch hazel is beautifully cooling in the summer.
Maybe it was just me. I’ve used washable fabric menstrual pads for years with no regrets. They are more fiddly than disposable, so I was nodding along. Then I realized what you meant and started laughing at myself. 😂
When the electricity goes down, I use my stove to heat water for my tea. Believe it or not in California we have days that the power goes down because it becomes so hot here. Over 100'F all summer long.
I've tried that. Mine just clumped together and never came clean. Plus they took forever to dry and started going mouldy! Think it must have been the type I bought 😞
@@RetroClaude the crocheted cotton ones tend to be easier to dry, but mine clump up less because they are a bit stiffer, but omg yours getting mouldy would put the fear of God in anyone 😅
I have been learning to spin but the yarn is lumpy because: beginner! I used it and some random scraps to make a lap blanket and I wonder if you could make a scrap yarn lap blanket too.
I know it doesn't help the feelings, but I do want to say that you could never let me down with any projects/work/videos, anything! While I'm not in the same situation as you, I do understand those feelings of maybe letting others (and sometimes myself) down, no matter how much they might say that you didn't. I've put many projects in time-out because they remind me too much of times I've not been able to do as I thought I could, or told others that I could. I love being able to see what you're doing, and it is always such a joy for me to be able to work on something together, no matter how long it might take. I'm always here cheering you on, and just glad to see you're feeling well enough again to sit up and chat with us❤❤❤
As someone who deals with much of the stuff Claude does, I can say for me that your reassurance doesn't help the current feelings, but it can help diminish the future ones 🧡
Thank you my friend 💜❤️
As a watcher of both you, @EngineeringKnits and @RetroClaude, I can say that I enjoy anything you show us. No need at all to stress about what you want to show us. 💛
Also if you’re having trouble cleaning the makeup off reusable cotton pads because of the oil, I can recommend adding washing soda to a load. I use it for my sheets because I spend so many hours of the day on them and it really helps.
Ooof. I have so much empathy for feeling excited for something and then being too ill and cannot finish or participate. My ME flare also had me in bed for nearly two weeks, and I missed a work do, and a family event. 😐 No flowery words of it being okay. I will say, you’re not alone in feeling the way you feel, and it’s encouraging to know you are still creating. ❤
Same, though I’m only 4 years in. I cannot overstate how helpful it is to hear that others - especially others who have been in this situation much longer - have the same internal struggle.
As an external voice, I will say that every video you share is received as a gift. ❤
If February is all about finishing projects, maybe January can be about finding out what things were preventing you from finishing, and tackling those. Give yourself the best possible starting position to sprint in February. And may I suggest: those are not pumpkins they're tree ornaments?
I can recommend if you want to knit more small drawstring bags is that you can also make them into lavender bags. I sew my bags and I have a little pillow stuffed with dried lavender so that the bag can be reused if the smell goes away, but they are great gifts for people cause everybody has clothes and lavender is an great insect repeller
Love this idea
If you have cats that scratch furniture you can make citrus sachets to hang along the couch fronts & backs to discourage the cars from using it as a scratching post ! You DO need to refresh the citrus rinds every few weeks, but, it should work. (Watch your cat, they sniff before they scratch ! And 99 % of cats HATE citrus smells!)
Swearing always helps me when my words get stuck!
Me too!! Something about it just helps the words flow 😂
I am also disabled and holy hell do I feel represented in this! I’ve also been in a flare (and my Botox has been pushed back so 🫣). Thanks for showing all of this and reminding us we aren’t alone.
Also it was so lovely at the end to see the doggo in his coat having fun - and seeing you recover from flares and keep on keeping on is inspiring to those of us in similar but different situations
Sweet puppy! Take all the time you need to take care of yourself- we’ll still be here ❤
Can't remember whether I commented this in a previous video with Sagan in it or not:
Thank you for announcing the dog's arrival. I'm 36 yrs old and terrified of dogs. I can do pictures of dogs. Anything where a dog is likely to be spontaneous is an issue (videos, real life). I know you probably only did it to warn any dog owners watching on a big screen, in case seeing another dog set theirs off. Still, from this supposed grown-up with a pathetic phobia, thank you.
its not pathetic. i tell you this as a grown adult whos runs into another room and cowers from large insects and gets anxiety at the thought of cleaning and seeing an insect corpse. absolutely not pathetic. youre doing fine out there. keep it up
@@_KarenS Hey, as a person who is terrified of swans and chickens, it's not pathetic to be terrified of an animal. It's okay to be scared of something. Especially if you can't communicate with them and your body language is way different than theirs. I'm not scared of dogs, but to be honest dogs as energetic as Sagan in those clips make me feel uneasy. So I can absolutely understand your phobia.
Your stash busting updates is my favourite craft related series on TH-cam :)
What a kick in the butt. You make this great realization that the grey was not what you enjoyed in your cardigan and then the only colour you have a lot left for the wrist warmers is the grey! Ughhhhhh
The gloves look amazing! And the pupper is super cute. I hope you're going to have a better end of the year
Here's to a gentle transition into 2025!
I came so close to crying when you were tearing up, because I have been there so many times. It's been 17 years since I was diagnosed with MS, and I have learned how to say no to things and be mostly okay with that. But I still have to learn how to not feel guilty about changing plans and saying no to things I've already agreed to. Even knowing that the other person will understand, even if I'm saying "not now, but later," it doesn't really matter because you're supposed to keep your word, you're supposed to take your obligations seriously, and most of all you don't want to inconvenience anyone else. It's another one of those things we have to adapt to, and probably one that most people wouldn't even think about. Changing your way of thinking is a lot harder than figuring out new ways to get around, or how you take a shower, or finding tools to help you do daily tasks. Some day we will find our peace of mind, but until then, you are not alone in this struggle and I am sending you only good thoughts and much gratitude for always being real and honest in the parts of you that you share with all of us.
Give yourself some grace, projects are paused, not abandoned. You can refresh and reuse the idea, with modifications to suit your situation.
Another excellent episode! Thank you for bringing us along for the ride - even though these weren't your best months xxx
If these power off days keep happening and they have times posted when power gets shut off, boil a bunch of water before the shut off and store it in thermoses. Then you can have tea :) It what we do when our water gets shut off!
So good to hear you laughing in the snow.
You've really taken this "make do" attitude to the next level by foregoing electricity! 😆 In all seriousness, I can completely understand why the daisy blouse is not calling your name -- spring is too far away to get excited about just yet and there's something extra cozy about making a sweater for your tea!
I’m loving the wrist warmers, absolutely beautiful combo of colours. As for the half finished pumpkins, keep them as is and next year you’ll have a head start on your Halloween decoration. Puppers bringing you a slipper melted my heart.
I haven't watched the entirety of the video yet, but I do just want to pop in and say that you're not alone!
Thank you Claude for being your awesome and honest self. I'm glad you are moving past that rough bit and finding things to be excited about. Not going to lie, my first reaction to the striped tea cozy was it looks like a nice dessert. 😀The wrist warmers are looking fantastic and the recipient will be lucky indeed. I really like the different pattern variations in those colors. 🐑 Take care and I look forward to next time. 🦆
Thank you! 🦆🦆🦆
I'm sorry about the cottage cozy. I thought it was really cute but - stashbusting 😃. The arm warmers have turned out beautifully; someone will be really lucky. Be gentle with yourself. This is a stressful time at best and we will be here when you feel better. ❤
November was rough. It was expensive and scary. Sending hugs for all that were, are, and will be struggling. ❤🦆🤗
The dog coat you made fits so well! My projects grow too often, so I am highly impressed that it fits that energetic dog. Oh, and thanks for enumerating all the knitted items you were wearing of your own efforts. That is beautiful.
I can't believe how well it turned out! And the fact it's real wool seems to make it more comfortable for Sagan to wear. His waterproof one seems to irritate him. Maybe the wool is more breathable?
I love your tea tent! I had some gauge issues myself making a jumper for my aunt, somehow I ended up with it fully twice the width it needed to be. Thankfully I noticed in time to make it a back instead of 2 side seams.
I hope you finish your tea tent, you can put it over the whole tea tray, maybe some sort of emergency tea hider? That way if someone comes in, they just see a little cottage and not a full tea set with a poured tea, teapot, and the all important plate of biscuits. (damn now i want a tea tent)
I was thinking about maybe a "tea table cloth " !?
this was lovely to watch! thanks so much for sharing! i love how at the end you're wearing so many of your knit things - it's really wonderful to be able to wear all these things you made yourself!
It was purely coincidence! I only realised when I started filming!
As a person who has experienced her first and second autoimmune flares since September of this year, I understand. I kept telling people, "What a ride" to stay positive. But in the middle of it, it's just pain.
Praying for you ❤️🩹
I keep telling people my up and down health "keeps things interesting". But I just wish I didn't have to deal with it 😑
I so enjoy listening to you share your crafting/artistic life here. Thanks. I have so many "I will have to come back to that later" projects because my brain cannot deal with them at this point. Seeing someone else deal with similar responses encourages me. Again, thanks.
We're here for you not the totals so not even a tiny temp to click away. My little sister would have loved to have your haircut when she was a kid. It was so thick and that bottom half was always tangled in knots and snarls.
Oh man I understand the emotions in this video. I always appreciate that my friends and family are so kind to me when I have a health flare up and cant do anything I agreed to. But its hard because there's so much grief about loss of function in my body, not being able to support my loved ones, and just not being able to fufil my creative ideas. Its hard explaining this to people without them feeling like they need to reassure me - I don't want to be reassured for a minute I just want to sit with these uncomfortable feelings with you for a little bit.
The end footage is a so beautiful! It's summer here in Australia and I am very jealous of the cold weather. I hope you have many more happy days and you health stabilises
💖
Thank you for keeping it real, Claude! I hope you're doing better now!💗
The tea cozy looks so cute, I can't wait to see it on a kettle (never thought I'd say this?). I understand what you mean about missing deadlines - I've promised a handknit sweater to one of my very dear friends for her birthday a year ago... it turned out to be one of those absolutely cursed projects and there's a good chance I won't finish it this year either. 🥲
The wrist warmers look absolutely amazing, I love everything about them. I'll wait until after the giveaway to knit myself a pair. 😉
Sending you good vibes!! Take care 🥰
I hope your sweater project is worth it in the end!
Take it easy on yourself, and certainly don't stress yourself into a worse flare! One of the reasons I follow you is I've got multiple chronic illnesses, some diagnosed & some to be determined, and your channel is encouraging. ❤
Thanks for another great, honest video, Claude. I’m watching this while home sick, and my health has been up and down the past few months, so this has been really nice to sit with. While you’re not letting others down, it doesn’t feel good to let yourself down. I remember your method of “good, better, best”, which I think I learned from your CoCoVid video, and it has helped me a lot with my knitting. I list it here in case you needed to be reminded of it.
My three-year foot injury is driving me crazy. Even though this is an entirely different type of issue, it is very limiting. I really appreciate you doing all of these videos and I absolutely love your channel and whatever videos you make. Thank you! ☘️
I love that you are wearing all of your hand knits in the snow ⛄️ and Sagan and Woody too ❄️
I love that wrist warmer! And I always appreciate these videos whenever they pop up. Hope you feel better going in to the new year🥰
Love the colourwork gloves! Sorry that you’ve had a hard time of it recently. I look forward to vlogmas but hope you can do it in a way that works for you! My newly adopted cat Gary was watching the snow scene with great interest!
Oh how cute!
Having a chronic condition is tough! Take care of yourself, we’ll always be here. Thank you for being so open and honest about everything❤
I just had the same problem with ribbon and yarn over buttonholes. I made the ribbon buttonholes big enough for the round buttons, then just tacked down the knitted buttonhole around it so you couldn’t see the flat buttonhole under the round opening. I made sure to leave enough stretch when I tacked down the knitted buttonhole.
I'm in the bad flare time at the moment. Only just been able to do a little knitting now but still very much stuck in bed without any help. Glad you're feeling closer to your baseline now 💙
I love Sagan in his cute coat! I hope your December goes better.
I'm sorry you've been feeling unwell, and that it's in turn made you feel bad about your craft and other things. You already said that telling you it's not your fault or that you shouldn't feel bad about it won't work, so let's try something else, shall we? I am in the process of getting diagnosed with ME, and seeing people like you and the comment section, who share their journey with this or other chronic illnesses, has made me feel much less alone in the world, and much better when I myself have to be late to things, go back on or delay a promise or a gift, or have to cancel an outing. It doesn't make it suck any less in the moment, but it's nice to know you're not the only one experiencing this, and that other people truly understand it too.
I second that this was a rough 6 weeks. I’m glad to see more videos from you, because you are fun to watch and help me feel less alone. I adore the new tea cozy pattern and desperately want the video/pattern if/when you feel up to it. I definitely understand those negative feelings for the project, so take care of yourself. Good luck on vlogmas!
Enjoyed your video so much again! Sad to hear you have been so unwell.
Love Sagan!!!!!!! And those wrist warmers are beautiful!
Arm warmers look awesome! Pup is so cute. UGH on the crappy health stuff. I hope you get good rest and recovery!
I love those mitts/arm warmers, I'll have to add them to my list. Puppy's whirl wind 'check on all the humans in the house' is so funny. I am glad you have some puppy chaos! He looks very nice in his sweater! I do miss you when you don't post in a while, I hope that this flare calms down and that you have an uneventful winter. The undercut and fringe combo looks amazing! Best wishes for the winter season from California! 💜💜💜
So sorry you had a very difficult past 6 weeks and hoping you will have a much better time going forward!
The puppy looks amazing in royal blue! ❤
Omg - my mum knitted the yellow and white one - probably in the 50s or 60s - and I bet that was the pattern! I managed to snag it when we cleared mum’s house (I’m the eldest). I do have the pattern to knit more of them though. I keep meaning to…
I love how the gloves look! I always enjoy the uploads from you!!
I am so glad you are passing through your flare up. Like many of the other comments many of us have also been there and fully understand your feelings and inner angst about letting others down. Please be kind to yourself we are so often far too critical of ourselves. Take care and continue with your recovery.thank you for another great video.
Sending positive vibes and healing thoughts, know that doesn't fix anything, but love your determination to keep going on and not giving up!
The snow footage was so magical! I'm in terrible humid Australian weather right now and very jealous haha. I watched this as I was finishing up a knitted Koala doll for a family member's new baby that was just born in the UK. It was the perfect video to have on during my project :)
Wishing you all the best!
Thank you!
Oh that tea tent is so fun. You made me laugh. Sorry your are having to knit it over. The best to you.
I have done a little soap saver bag in crochet coton, and three tiny finger sized ones for travel shampoo and conditioner bars. Very handy!
I don't know how you keep going and appear so upbeat but I'm very pleased you do.
I love the way that tea cozy looks, the technique gives such a cool effect! Your vulnerability discussing your flare hit me, I 'lost' three weeks around the same time this fall from a flare and having to cancel on friends and things you were looking forward to... and just sort of everything which isn't basic functioning is such a brutal feeling. I'm so sorry you felt that way as well, though its nice knowing I wasn't alone
The fingerless mitts are lovely
a thought on the buttonband.... could you make the growgrain button hole quite a bit bigger than the hole in the knit fabric? so that it aligns with the button hole, but not at the same size and not really fixing the hole itself, but rather just along the outside of the ribbon. I'm not sure I'm explaining right what I mean, but it's sort of similar to usinf two slim ribbons on either side, basically stabilizing the edges of the knit fabric and keeping the button holes free.
I was thinking something similar. If you make vertical buttonholes in the ribbon and just sew along the outer edges of the ribbon (and maybe the top and bottom of the buttonhole if needed) would that be enough to stabilise the buttonband and stop the knitted buttonholes from stretching ?
You're a genius! I'll definitely be trying this!
I think that's it! I think we've got it!
I feel so emotional watching this episode. I am desabled too so i understand the feeling of letting people down and the frustration of it all. That is not much but i am sending to you my best wishes and all my support.
Another spoonie hit harder than expected by the October slump. I’m proud of you for staying as even keel as you do, and I admire your honesty
Thank you for sharing! Love all your videos! I wish I had all those knit layers for where I live up in the mountains!
I've never seen anything like that tea cosy, looks super interesting. I really love the mitts! Everything given I always love seeing what you put out. I'm terrible with words but yeah...
He looked so majestic in his sweater! Thank you for posting this video anyways.
Good luck. I hope you do so much better through the holidays!
I know that knitting in the round is not your preference but my go to pattern for when I have chronic illness brain and scraps to use up is the litmus cowl which is a free pattern on ravelry. Knit in the round in stripes but you can also do it in 1 colour with texture - it's written for a provisional cast on and kitchener stitch but you could also seam it.
It's a great gift knit and I find it quite enriching to use up scraps from old projects to remind myself that I can do stuff when I have more brain space.
Just in case it's useful in the future!
A small stashbusting project that you could do is a cup cozy to go with the tea cozy. Just a thought. Hope you feel better soon.
Hope that you’re feeling better! I find your dedication to using up every single scrap of yarn so inspiring. You should definitely give yourself the grace to use disposable cotton pads as an accommodation!
Metered corner dish rags are one of the first things my mom taught me how to knit. I've got a collection of them from her that I use regularly.
🩷🩷🩷 I know this feeling so well, I hope it gives you some comfort to know that you are bringing so many of *us* comfort by talking about it 🩷🩷🩷
For the button band- you can add 'after the fact' button holes to the cardigan where the round ones are now to get horizontal line shaped button holes that would match a machine made ones on the grosgrain.
The general procedure is the same as for an afterthought pocket or heel if you don't place scrap yarn, but instead of knitting you just immediately cast off.
To start:
1) Cut one stitch in the centre of the row where the hole will be (in your case the yarn over)
2) Unravel the row by pulling out the wool from the stitches above and below in each direction until the hole is large enough.
You should now have two rows of un-knit stitches facing each other
3) Place each row on a DPN
Bind off each row by:
4) Slipping the first twi stitches
5) Passing the first stitch over the second
6) Slipping the third and passing the second over it
Continue until you have one stitch left. You should have come to one of the tails from the yarn you cut and unpicked.
7) Using a tapestry needle pull the tail through the final stitch
8) Weave in to secure however you prefer
9) Repeat for the other row!
If you want pictures, I learnt from a blogspot called BeadKnitter
Thank you for this!
Thank you for this wonderful video, Claude! I love your stashbusting series and find it very relatable. I too have a stash of odd scraps and ends that are too good to waste and not enough for a decent project. I too own yarns that don't inspire me anymore. It's so hard to find ways to use them up into something useful. You always amaze me with your creativity!
My idea for the ribbon conundrum- make an oblong buttonhole in the ribbon, centered over the circular knit opening. This is how woodworkers accommodate seasonal shrinkage/movement between wood pieces, a fastener with an overlong slot that prevents cracking. Hard to describe since I can't remember what this technique is called. Thanks for the bonus dog clip!
For the "tea bucket" 😂 I wonder if it would be a better size if you felted it. Not sure if it would still be able to fit the teapot if it didn't stretch, but it will be a lovely design none the less.
I too have been dealing with ME/CFS for more than a decade. I felt very represented in this video, down to the power outage last weekend! You're right, most people give us grace when we need to alter timelines or plans because of our health flares, but it's hard because we *want* to be able to do the thing. I *want* to just be a regular person dealing with regular things. But it is what it is 🤷🏻♀
Thank you for sharing Sagan romping about excitedly in the snow 😊
That's just it. The frustration is not actually about whatever that thing is we've had to say no to, it's about being ill. And that's just part of it and sometimes we need to feel those feelings and acknowledge that yeah, being ill sucks. 💜
The new cozy looks even better than the house one! I'm excited to see it when it's done! The arm warmers also are So cute.
Beautiful wrist warmer!
I love my handmade dishcloths. I use them all the time. The pattern I primarily use these days is Grammas Favourite Dishcloth, which is free on Ravelry. I don't put eyelets around the border anymore either. Happy Knitting and stashbusting! 💜
Oh I'll take a look!
oh god the guilt is real... the arm warmers are absolutely lovely though!!!
You made a vintage "soap in a rope"! I will make one.
Birdy
First, *hugs* take what time you need. Second, I'm interested in what you come up with for the Mohn button issue. I have a cardigan I knitted that had a similar issue, but it had a large v-neck so I ended up seam the it shut and just use it as a pullover. It's not the most ideal, but it worked.
Loooove a soap saver to keep me from dropping the soap as often!
I've recently reframed how I look at "disappointing people", as well as things I "really should do". Most of those things, I wanted to be able to do. If I didn't, I wouldn't feel as much guilt when I can't. So, even if the other person isn't disappointed or inconvenienced, I'm still disappointed that I didn't get to do a thing I wanted to do, even if it was also a responsibility or obligation.That feels easier to mourn than the other perspectives, for me.
There are totally white pumpkins - we used them for making curries and pies. So glad to hear that you're feeling a bit less awful, and able to talk to us all again.
I planned a “make handmade” gifts Christmas this year. Then I broke my back in 4 places. The frustration of having so many ideas, supplies all ready and body can’t cooperate! I’m lying flat on my back and I can only knit for an hour at a time. I hurt my hand in the accident and it’s bruised. All I can do is tell my family they are getting IOU’s for Christmas 🎄
my grandma broke her back and it was a bit of an ordeal with the healing so im hoping that all goes well for you and things mend up good as they can
I love the colour combo on the wrist warmers. We also have a pup who cannot leave my knitting alone..,.
Sagan seems to be okay if I'm actually knitting, it's the balls if yarn left out that he can't leave alone!
You should try using single crochet on the button band instead of grosgrain ribbon. I do single crochet or slip stitch all the time to reinforce seams and places I don’t want to stretch out (often on shoulders of vintage style garments so I can get the sleeve head to sit in the right spot). It’s also super quick to add, but sometimes it does take me a few tries to figure out how often to put a stitch.
I am using my scraps towards a throw blanket. I'm making six inch bias knit squares. Some, I change color halfway across. (Like a quilt half square triangle block) i use whatever needles are about right for gauge, and dont worry about being exact. Usually i get to six inches pretty spot on. Someday they'll get pieced together. Requiring so little attention makes a great "fidget sticks" project, too.
Oh snow, so lovley ❄️ we’ve only had a tiny bit here in sweden. The dog is adorable!
As a fellow disabled person, I know exactly what it's like to feel like you've let people down even though you logically know they won't see it that way.
In those moments I really like to tell myself "My feelings are real but not reality". Because the way we feel about how our disabilities effect us is very real and tangible in our lives, but it's not always reflective of the reality.
Thank you for those words 💜 I needed to hear them today
My grandma used to make a sort of eyelet around knitted buttonholes to reinforce them. She used the same thread as the knitting. This made them quite sturdy. Maybe combine this with having a grosgrain ribbon close to the buttonholes will be enough?
I have also been doing a lot of dishcloths lately. This autumn has been wierd, so an easy project or has been quite nice. I hope this winter is getting better for you too.
Oh interesting! I might have to add that to my list of methods to try!
I always do a petersham button band and I always do yarn over style button holes. I just keep the two separate - i use my sewing machine to make button holes on the petersham as a separate piece from the garment, then I sew it on the cardigan by just hand sewing around the periphery of the ribbon. I dont do any sewing on the individual buttonholes to connect them to the ribbon, so I essentially am putting the button through 2 different buttonholes each time I clasp them. I did a whole video on my channel showing how I make mine and it works great - the holes can still stretch over the buttons and bounce back to look smooth from the front, but the ribbon underneath is snug enough to reinforce everything and prevent pulling. Hopefully that makes sense. Good luck with it! Its totally doable :)
Oh my a video! Thank you so much for your comment!
@RetroClaude No problem :)
Those arm warmers are amazing, I will totally have to put that on my knitting plans. And I wonder if I could do some variation of that tea cosy for a french press. You always have such cool projects. I am doing some stashbusting as well by spinning yarn to give away as gifts, I figure the best way to reduce my stash is to make it someone else's problem, right?
Ah! Make-up pads! When you said knitted washable pads, I thought you meant something else. But I’ve had good luck using witch hazel or micellar water with small fabric cosmetic pads. The micellar water, in particular, takes make-up off easily and seems to keep the stain from setting in on the cotton. The witch hazel is beautifully cooling in the summer.
😅 oh yes PADS for my face!!!
Maybe it was just me. I’ve used washable fabric menstrual pads for years with no regrets. They are more fiddly than disposable, so I was nodding along. Then I realized what you meant and started laughing at myself. 😂
Take easy also important
Is Sagan named after Carl Sagan?! If so, that's amazing!
When the electricity goes down, I use my stove to heat water for my tea. Believe it or not in California we have days that the power goes down because it becomes so hot here. Over 100'F all summer long.
I started knitting miter dish cloths with my grandmother so I can relate
The cotton pads are good, if you have a washing bag to put them in! I really like mine
I've tried that. Mine just clumped together and never came clean. Plus they took forever to dry and started going mouldy! Think it must have been the type I bought 😞
@@RetroClaude the crocheted cotton ones tend to be easier to dry, but mine clump up less because they are a bit stiffer, but omg yours getting mouldy would put the fear of God in anyone 😅
I have been learning to spin but the yarn is lumpy because: beginner! I used it and some random scraps to make a lap blanket and I wonder if you could make a scrap yarn lap blanket too.