What's the longest amount of time you spent making something?

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

What's the longest amount of time you've ever spent making/crafting/building something? E.g., you created an elaborate tree house; a go-cart; a McMansion; a novel; your family tree; an abstract expressionist painting. A friend of mine made her own crackers; it took 3 days.

For me it was a bed-sized blanket with about 100 different colors. I knitted it off and on for probably 2.5 years.

[Phil]

I've spent nearly 48 years sculpting this amazing physique.

I've also spent that same amount of time developing my knack for self delusion.

[RandomAnthony]

My dissertation took about two and a half years, stops and starts, etc. Although I've repressed most of the content and would not recommend anyone ever read it unless serious insomnia was present I'm glad I experienced fighting through a tough task and surviving. I could do it again.

I'm way distracted when it comes to, I don't know, gardening or big projects or whatever. I'll do a great job one year and the next not care all that much.

I want to learn how to knit. Maybe tomorrow.

[ms.petra]

that is admirable Lobstergirl. I have been crocheting since I was a little girl in the dark ages, but just recently tried knitting. It is much harder for me with all the counting, but I am determined to complete a simple project this winter. I spent about a year on a rather involved needlepoint project that I take out and hang up at Christmas. I usually have two or three things going at a time to accommodate my short attention span. Just finished an afghan for my daughter to take to school with her.

@ RA. I checked out a couple of DVD's at the library to learn knitting because every person that I asked to teach me had a slightly different technique...very confusing. Also I could replay a certain stitch 100 times if necessary and no one was irritated with me. :)

[RandomAnthony]

Petra, I went to Michael's this morning to look at crochet stuff and was completely overwhelmed. I just got on the library website and reserved a couple books and DVDS. Thanks for the tip!

[Sally, la reina]

I was taught to knit by three or four different people, but ended up doing it my own way in the end. You have to just figure it out on your own, in the end I believe.

[Brittomart]

When I was in the...3rd or 4th grade, I had to make a model of North Carolina out of Play-Doh that took a couple of weeks to make. I hated school projects. Hopefully I won't have any in college!!!!!!!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

I've learned crochet stitch a couple times but never made a chain longer than a couple inches. It is useful to know if you're a knitter, though; some patterns call for crocheted edges, or if you're making a blanket from knitted squares, crocheting them together.

I tried to teach my niece to knit when she was about 11 and it didn't take. A lot of it for a beginner is getting comfortable with the tension. Beginners tend to want to knit very tight stitches, which makes it harder to get them on and off the needle. You have to develop a looseness in your fingers and say goodbye to that deathgrip.

I would like to learn to sew. My mother tried to teach me how to use a sewing machine when I was about 11, and it didn't take with me either.

[Sally, la reina]

The baby blanket I just made for some friends has this flipper on one corner because I refuse to count up to 300 stitches on a single row. I can do the pattern once it is established, but I have the hardest time making sure I have 167 instead of 174 stitches in the row.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

I crochet, and I've made some big afghans. I know some of them must have taken at least a year, since I put them away for the summer, when my fingers would get sweaty trying to crochet.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Oh yes, I always cease knitting for the summer. Nothing worse than wool covering your lap on a hot day.

[[deleted user]]

Ha, my son has just learned to knit at school, he came home all excited. He asked me whether I knew how. Part of me wanted to deny it. I have been such a slack parent I haven't passed knitting or crocheting skills onto my kids.

[smetchie]

I spent over a year on the last blanket I crocheted. That's when I started knitting. Now I only make small things.

[Félix]

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Ha, my son has just learned to knit at school, he came home all excited. He asked me whether I knew how. Part of me wanted to deny it. I have been such a slack parent I haven't passed knitting or ..."

Slack!

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Here's the project I'm currently stalled on:

[[deleted user]]

Larry wrote: "Slack!"

Yup. I am trying to deny my country upbringing. :)

[ms.petra]

Jackie "the Librarian" wrote: "Here's the project I'm currently stalled on:

"
Jackie - your black kitty looks like my boy Stryker! He loves snuggling on my projects too!

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Cats just like to sit on stuff, don't they, ms. petra?

[Kevin]

i worked on making a homemade knife for my dad one time for weeks. i was in the garage shaping the blade and then grinding and polishing it. i made the handle from a piece of walnut that i had cut down and dried and then cut into slabs. i envisioned this wonderful highly polished, professional looking exquisite gift and what i ended up giving my dad was a crude, jailhouse shank

happy fathers day

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Hee.

If I knew how to make a knife, I would. For my dad. He has this offset bread knife with a wooden handle that is at least 30-40 years old, and the handle has started to rot and separate from the blade. I keep buying him new bread knives but he doesn't use them because they're not offset enough and they don't have a pointy tip like the old one. He doesn't know it's a bread knife, to him it's an "everything" knife.

[Kevin]

my dad tried to act gracious . my youngest son had made a leather sheath for it. if i were to try to trade it with an indian in the 1500's i probably would have gotten three beads and a possum tail for it. i think my dad was afraid to touch the blade for fear of tetanus

[[deleted user]]

No photo records Kevin?

[Kevin]

nope. not of this. i usually only take pics of stuff i think my friends are not going to believe :)

they def would believe me trying to make a hunting knife for my dad in the garage

[Kevin]

plus the more i think about it i sorta feel like that request was kinda made in jest at my expense. maybe i should stop posting pics

[[deleted user]]

No don't do that. Now you make me feel bad. :( That was not my intent at all. I had a vision of a perfectly formed knife that you were being modest over.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Is it possible to have the "knitting and crocheting discussion" removed from the header? I really wanted people to talk about anything they made.

[[deleted user]]

Agreed, knitting or crocheting is enough to scare even the most well adjusted male off and quite a few females.

[Félix]

Lobstergirl -- if you started the thread, you can edit the header.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Oh, okay. Thanks.

[Cosmic Sher]

I've been working on my longest project ever... 40 yrs this Friday. And I have to say I really like how it's finally turning out. :D

(Um... I meant me)

[[deleted user]]

Congratulations, you have done a splendid job so far.

::note in Diary - must remember to wish Cosmic Sher a happy birthday on Friday/Saturday::

[Cynthia]

Happy Birthday Cosmic Sher! Yeah for Leos! We are the bomb. And happy b'day to me too--I'm 50 today. Woot.

[janine]

happy birthday cynthia!

[Cynthia]

Thanks. It's going to be a great year.

[[deleted user]]

Welcome to the club Cynthia, Happy Birthday.

[Cynthia]

Thanks Jim. Fifty is the new forty?

[[deleted user]]

Cynthia wrote: "Thanks Jim. Fifty is the new forty?"

Amen Sistah!

[Kevin]

happy birthday cynthia. fifty is fifty. forty is forty. ain't no going back. tear off the rearview mirror and floor it looking forward

[Karen]

I started a Stained Glass Kaliedascope Airplane that was to be a gift for my sister - laws baby shower. My nephew will be 4 next month. Really should finish that plane.....

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Ha!

[ms.petra]

happy b-day Cynthia!

[[deleted user]]

Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "happy birthday cynthia. fifty is fifty. forty is forty. ain't no going back. tear off the rearview mirror and floor it looking forward"

Amen, brother, amen.

[Cynthia]

Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "happy birthday cynthia. fifty is fifty. forty is forty. ain't no going back. tear off the rearview mirror and floor it looking forward"

You are so wise. Too bad it takes us so long to get this wickedly smart (and good-looking). Cheers.

[Cynthia]

ms.petra wrote: "happy b-day Cynthia!"

Thanks Ms. Petra.

[Rachel]

This year the longest time I've spent on a project was 2 days... photoshopping my face to make it look like a Na'vi.. **blushes**

What? It was hard, and it was the first time I used Photoshop..

[Félix]

It turned out well.

[Rachel]

Larrykins! I missed yaa!!!

[Caity]

I spent 17 years trying to get out of school. Finally figured it out this past May. They even gave me one of those "diploma" things to hang on my wall and collect dust while I try to convince people I have something valuable to add to their company.

On an actual project, though, I used two 12-hour-long bus rides crocheting my first scarf this past March. Wish I had finished. I keep meaning to, then I get dis-- SHINY!!!

[Phil]

That happens to a lot of us, Caity. Just as we get on a roll with someth--SQUIRREL!

[[deleted user]]

ELVIS