Latest Forum Posts by: Bastelfan

Thanks, Josefa—same to you.

We’re still packing boxes here. This time it’s my glass cabinet’s turn. Hope we get a lot done, since we both have the weekend off.

That also means sleeping in and enjoying a leisurely, full breakfast with all the trimmings for a change. No stress—I get enough of that at work.

I now have a total of 4 days off, which I really needed after that stressful job. I “fought” for them, so to speak, and went on strike. I managed to get the time off. After all, I’m the oldest among our colleagues.

Have fun with your crafts, or whatever else you’re up to.

Warm regards from here

hello everyone,

I thought I’d pop in again too. I have the day off today, and I’m not doing anything for once. I’m still so exhausted from my weekend job at the hotel. Today I feel like I’ve been “run over.”
It feels good to take a look in here.

Oh Ina, your posts are always written so lovingly; they always read like a wonderful book. You can really lose yourself in them. Your feel-good oasis is a place where we’d all probably love to sit with you, chat, drink cappuccino, and watch the fish—that’s so calming.
Thank you so much for your feedback.
Depending on how I’m feeling and how much time I have, I’ll of course keep packing. Little by little the cupboards are getting emptier, and the boxes are multiplying.
Of course I’m already looking forward to my much-loved gingerbread and all the different kinds of chocolate, and... it will be my first birthday back in Germany after such a looooong time, together with my parents and children, no longer just the two of us.

ruthk, thank you. We really can use some luck right now, because the apartment search is turning out to be difficult after all. We’ve sent everything off, and now we have to wait and see what they decide. I feel really sorry for my dad because he has to handle all the appointments and viewings for us. Hopefully it won’t all have been for nothing.
It’s near my parents (Brandenburg/H.). I went to school there too.

Marion, I think your tapestry crochet pieces are so wonderful. Each one has something special about it. You chose lovely motifs.

I wish everyone else a pleasant rest of the week.
It’s cloudy here too, with a light drizzle now and then, but at least it’s not quite so warm today.

There’ll be coffee and cookies in a moment.

Best wishes

Two-piece

X number of times going into the water, swimming

Money

Shopping bag for shopping

Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you to Ines and Sandra.
We hope everything works out with the apartment. We’re optimistic.

In between, I naturally have to take a break too and crochet a few more rows of my piece. Maybe it’ll be another bag—folded over and sewn together at the sides. You could also use the pattern from the reverse side; it looks like little hearts there. We’ll see.
Here are my cherry earrings. A 5-minute project





Have a lovely afternoon, everyone.
We had fruit tart today—no, not strawberries.

Warm regards from here

ID documents

Just quickly leaving a warm greeting for everyone, and wishing you a lovely afternoon

Monika, wow, you’ve already finished the Paris set. I’d use it for a pillowcase, though. What are the approximate dimensions of the finished piece?
That’s so cute—a hedgehog visiting in person, and during the day, no less. I love little hedgehogs. So cute.
Your yarn looks absolutely enchanting. I really like those colors, too. We’re looking forward to seeing your loop scarf.

Ines, I believe you when you say you can’t stand the sight of yellow anymore. I could use a splash of color now and then, too.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had much time to crochet lately. I’m busy packing boxes, sorting papers, and so on.

I made myself a pair of cherry earrings out of beads. The bead boxes aren’t packed yet. hihi

The weather here is mixed—we’ll have to wait and see if it rains. Right now, the sun is trying to break through.

Well, coffee’s coming up soon.

Warm regards from me

Vitamin drinks for refreshment

Wishing you all a lovely evening

Sonja , you’ve been really hard at work. Hats off to your perseverance. The result is stunning.
The second motif looks great, too. Of course—that’s Venice.
Where do you always find these amazing motifs? Will this be just as big as the Paris set?

You could even make a “travel blanket” out of the different motifs—just sew all the pieces together and you’ve got a blanket from all over the world.

Best regards

Beach towel

Thanks, that’s sweet of you, Christina.
That’s pretty much what we had in mind, too—staying nearby or with my parents for the time being. Somehow, things always work out.

“Schufa”—I have no idea what that means, but it’s that credit report for landlords to check whether you can pay your rent, whether you have any rent arrears, or if there’s a negative note about you on file.

They just don’t have Schufa here in Norway. Where are we supposed to get that from? They insist on their own forms, which you have to fill out. If they’re incomplete, it’s a rejection.

Best regards

It’s late,

but I wanted to say a big thank you for your support and encouraging words.
Ina always hits the nail on the head. It’s true

—we now have 2 1/2 months to pack all the boxes at our own pace. Anything we don’t need is already going into labeled boxes for customs.
We’ve already gotten a lot done today—four boxes of books and crocheted figures are stowed away, and my husband’s model train set, or rather his modules, are also well packed.
The move didn’t come as a surprise; the plans were already in place either way.
I did the math—this is actually my 10th move. You know what to expect. It can only get better.

We’ll be happy just to get any apartment at all. We can always move within Germany later, which will be easier.
The paperwork for the WBG has been filled out and emailed. Let’s hope for a positive response.

I still have a few days off, so I can keep packing.
When I take a break, of course, I’ll get my crochet supplies out. I’ll have to make time for that, too.

We’re already really looking forward to coming home. No more shoveling snow, more summer, going out for ice cream, eating strawberries and cherries—and above all, hugging my kids and my parents again…
and of course, as you’ve all advised me… ordering some wonderful yarn from Germany, and especially a custom yarn cake.

When I think that I only have two more months of work left, it’s such a liberating feeling. No more stress.
We’re listing our furniture here on Finn.no (a Norwegian classifieds site) to give away to anyone who can pick it up themselves—it saves us the trouble of taking it to the recycling center (gjenvinningstasjon).

Oh, but now I really have to head off to bed.

Good night—or good morning to you all. I’m sending you all a big, big hug :-)

Wow, ruthk, your crocheted bracelets with the beads look great.
I have plenty of beads myself, but I haven’t tried making something like that yet.

Now I’m curious. I like it.

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to check in again. I still read along here on the forum every now and then. I hardly have any time for crafts these days because of our upcoming move to Germany in September.

It’s official now. Everyone here is going crazy. So many factors have come together that told us, “Now’s the time.”
That means from now on: stress, packing boxes, sorting things out, organizing the move… Everyone knows what that means. All the furniture is staying here.

Finding an apartment is also proving complicated with their stupid Schufa credit report. It’s all true, but things work differently here in Norway. Here’s how it goes: the landlord calls the previous tenant or the workplace to check. If everything’s okay, the process moves forward. There’s no Schufa here like there is in Germany.

So without a Schufa report, no apartment, no job, and no registration possible. Our heads are all over the place.
I’ve already involved my parents, who are on site and have to attend the appointments for us. There’s no other way.
So by the end of September, it’s game over here, no matter what happens.

Keep your fingers crossed for us that everything works out.

Have a great weekend, everyone

Warm regards from me

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to chime in briefly again.

Ina, wow, I’m truly at a loss for words. You’ve created a real paradise there. Looking at the pictures, you immediately feel at home—cozy and welcoming. All that work was worth it.
Ines, thank you so much for the pictures of the bride and groom. They’re a very lovely couple, and I especially like the dress—sunny weather, ordered especially for the two of them.
I really like your pot holders, too. I love roses. As Ina already mentioned, the diagonal lattice pattern really adds that special something. I’ll definitely try to recreate it someday.
Monika, the picture of you wearing your poncho in the garden looks great. You can see everything better up close.

Ina has described everything so wonderfully—I’d just be repeating myself now.
So, big kudos to everyone .

Weather-wise, it’s gotten a bit more summery here too—rain, clouds, the whole works. I could do without the 36 degrees, though. It’s a pleasant 20 degrees here. Unfortunately, it’s still very chilly in the morning, around 12 degrees. Never mind.
I have today and the weekend off. It’s time to relax. I really need it, too. Work is pretty exhausting, and I’m always rushing. At some point, you just run out of steam.

So, have a nice, relaxing weekend, everyone. Cherry season hasn’t started here yet, but… strawberries will be here soon—the season has begun. I’m already looking forward to that.

Warm regards from Norway

Here in Norway, it’s not quite as hot as it is in Germany. Maybe 20 degrees—which is already warm for us, but pleasant.

I’ll be working this weekend.

Wishing you all a peaceful, shady weekend anyway.

I’d also like to send you my warmest birthday wishes. Best of luck, and I hope you had a wonderful day in the sunshine with coffee and cake.

Warm regards
Andrea

Hey Josefa,

we already have vacation plans, but we still have to wait for our second vaccine dose to see if we’ll be allowed to travel.
In any case, we’re heading to Germany, back home. To see our family and kids and give them a big hug. We love the Baltic Sea. I hope it works out in September. I’m already looking forward to it.

Heartfelt birthday wishes, lots of luck, good health, and sunshine.
Enjoy your day

Warm regards

Wow, Ina. Thanks for the info, the yarn cake already looks absolutely fantastic. I’ve made a note of it in case I ever order from there while in Germany.
Thank you so much for your feedback.

Here’s my window wind chime. I made it today, and it sparkled beautifully in the sun.


Have a nice evening

For some reason, I had trouble with the internet this morning. So here are the pictures now, as promised. Yes, I have another little project to show you. I still don’t have a back for my cushion cover—I didn’t have enough yarn. So I made a little doily out of it, inspired by the pattern of Ina’s temperature blanket.



I’m trying out this baby blanket pattern from here. I started it yesterday.

The current vaccination situation is definitely the number one topic.
We keep asking ourselves: How long do I have to wait? When will it finally be my turn to get vaccinated? Will we be allowed to travel afterward or not? Will we be able to hug our families again after almost two years?
But there’s a small ray of hope—we’ve finally gotten our first vaccination appointment for June 10, 2021.
I hope we’ll be allowed to travel after the second shot. That’s my biggest wish.

Best regards, Andrea

A late-night greeting from me as well—
my evening reading is all set again.

Ina, that’s right—during the day, everyone’s outside enjoying the great weather. It’s been warm here too; except for yesterday when it rained a bit, then the sun came out again.
It doesn’t really get dark here right now—I always love that. You could sit outside for hours, and… there aren’t any mosquitoes here that bite.
Ina, you’ve captured some wonderful photos for us. Your beautifully colorful tablecloth really catches everyone’s eye. I love the colors. Do you remember what kind of yarn cake that was? Your favorite spot together on the new patio by the pond has become an idyllic oasis of calm—that’s what I’d call it. When the frogs croak and the little fish frolic, it’s so soothing. I can even feel it all the way out here in Norway.
All that’s really missing now is a garden housewarming party with all of us *hihi*
Your beaded wind chime sparkles so beautifully in the sunlight. I had a similar idea the other day, too, since I still have tons of beads left. I’ll hang that in the window. Then, of course, I’ll post a photo.

Sonja, thank you for your kind words. I’ve also had some pain in my right leg these past few days, and a sore throat (a lump in my throat, had trouble swallowing), but now I’m feeling a bit better thanks to chamomile tea.
Your knitted washcloths look so great again. Knitted items always look fancier than crocheted ones.
I believe you when you say you need a little break from your big project and have to crochet something small in between. I always feel that way, too.

Monika, your pair of little girls looks absolutely adorable. You’ve practically got a doll kindergarten there, and you can take care of them all. I’m just picturing a group photo of all your little dolls—how different in size they all are—with Monika right in the middle.

You’ve probably already noticed that I’m in a slightly better mood, and the urge to crochet has grabbed me again today. I’ll post a picture later (I’ll do that from my iPad, not my PC).

Tomorrow, Wednesday, I still have the day off, and on Thursday I’ll get my first shot—finally. Let’s see how I feel afterward.

Well then, have a peaceful evening—we’ll catch up again soon, see you soon

Andrea

That’s so sweet of you, Ina. Feel free to stop by.
You’ve made me smile again.

Hi there, dear all,

I have the day off today, so I can finally pop in here again too.
After the first exhausting days at work, I’ve earned it. I’m still having a hard time with the change, but it’s stressful anyway, even though the hotel isn’t full.
Now all my limbs are aching again. Since yesterday, my right leg when I squat down. We’re not getting any younger.

Weather-wise, it’s been summery and warm here these past few days, so we sat outside on the patio a lot; the PC had to rest for once, and after work I’m so wiped out that nothing more gets done.

Cloudy again today. Time to tidy up, and my muffins are in the oven right now; we’ll have them with coffee.

You’ve all been so busy again. I’m lagging behind a bit with my crafts. But hopefully that will settle down soon.

Ines, your cakes look so professional and so delicious. Your guests surely enjoyed them very much. Yummy strawberry cake—I could eat that right now too.
Unfortunately, the strawberry harvest hasn’t started here yet, and I don’t buy the others because they don’t taste like the Norwegian ones fresh from the field.
Monika, you’ve already made great progress on your cardigan. I’m already looking forward to admiring you in your finished cardigan. Your orange tones are some of my favorites too.
Your swings for the foster babies already look very cozy. Great idea that you’re taking part in that.
Your pair of siblings just looks so sweet, and you’re crocheting/knitting for them so lovingly.
Sandra, it’s nice that you read along here now and then. I hope you’re recovering well during your rehab stay. In the past I always wanted to do a mother-child rehab stay too (because of my divorce), but it never worked out. That makes me all the happier for you. They say that Baltic Sea air is especially healthy. Which area are you in, actually?
You brought your crafts with you too, so you won’t get bored. Enjoy the time. I also really like your tapestry crochet piece with that lovely lettering.

So that’s it from me for now. Muffins are done. Time to put my feet up a bit—see you soon

best wishes
Andrea

Wow, Petra, that sign looks really nice. Is it made of metal, and did you use a permanent marker?

Hello, my dears,

Over the past few days we’ve spent a lot of time outside and on the terrace—you have to make the most of this wonderful weather. We also took the opportunity to do a bit of “spring cleaning” in the cupboards and file folders. It felt really liberating.

Now I’m finally getting around to checking in here again. A whole lot has been happening here again.
I hope you all had a lovely holiday. I first had to check the calendar. No holiday here.

Ines, your cakes look good enough to eat. Delicious. I could start nibbling right away. I’m sure you’ll be working your baking fairy magic again for your husband’s 60th birthday.
Monika, thanks for the info from Tommi. I’m excited to see his new outfits.
Marion, your little bag looks fantastic. What an interesting pattern is that?

I’m going back to work on the weekend, so I probably won’t get much crafting done. But the yarn isn’t going anywhere.

Best wishes

Hello dear Petra,

I’m sending you lots of warm birthday wishes from way up north.
The weather is perfect for an outdoor garden birthday party with all your friends and family, as long as that’s allowed.
Spend this day in good company, let yourself be pampered, and have a wonderful day.

Warm regards
Andrea

Have a lovely Sunday evening,

I’m only just getting around to checking back in here. I was pretty exhausted after my first two days back at work after such a long time. Of course, it was wonderful to see some colleagues again and chat with each other. That felt really good.

@: to everyone
you’ve all finished such wonderful things again. The crocheted cake looks beautiful, and it was finished so quickly. The couple will definitely be happy about it.
The gorgeous crocheted decorative hearts are a very pretty eye-catcher in the window.
Ines’s crocheted flower decoration really makes an impression. From a distance it looks “real.” Great. And... you don’t have to water it.

Now to Monika. Then let me congratulate you very warmly on the new addition. Your Tommy really looks like a real baby. Next to Sternchen, he is already quite a respectable size—you wouldn’t think so. Of course, he looks even cuter in your pretty crocheted baby clothes. Clothes do make the man. The two make a sweet little pair of siblings. That was a good choice. What can your Tommy do?
How many “children” do you have in total now? Why don’t you take a group photo, sorted by size *hehe*, it’s sure to look funny.
Monika, your cardigan already looks great. I really like those warm orange tones too. I’m already excited to see a photo when you wear it for the first time.

So, dear all, have a calm end to the evening. I’m starting to feel ready for bed.

see you
Andrea

Hi Michaela,

best wishes on your birthday—all the best to you! Stay healthy, and continued success with your shop.
Let your family really spoil you today in their circle.

Warm regards
Andrea

Thank you, Josefa—I wish the same for you and everyone else here.

The weather is finally showing its sunny, warm side.
We’ve cleaned the patio furniture and set it out, so today we’ll sit out on the patio for the first time and just enjoy the sunshine, drink coffee, and eat ice cream.
Maybe do a little crafting, too.

Tomorrow I get to go back to work for the first time in a long while. That’s good news, isn’t it?

Best regards

Good evening to you all

—it’s late in the evening now, and the sun is peeking out again. It’s supposed to get a bit warmer here this weekend. Let’s see if we can sit outside. That would be so nice.

Yay, there’s plenty to read here again.
Congratulations on the new addition “in real life” and to the “doll mom.” That’s sure to bring joy back into the house.
Monika , I’m curious to see when you’ll introduce your little doll to us. That’ll mean lots of crocheting again.
Ina, we’ve already had a chance to admire your concrete cake. To be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to smash this masterpiece either. It’s just too much of a shame—not to mention all the work that went into it. You’ve really got a knack for this.
You’re already making great progress on your patio—it looks fantastic. It’s going to be such a cozy spot.
Ines, now we can see the design much better. A very nice idea.
Marion , I really like your colorful dishcloths from Ines, too—especially because of the great pattern. I always enjoy trying out new crochet patterns. It’s already made its way onto my wish list, which just keeps getting longer.

I don’t have anything to show you today. I’m still figuring out how to do the back of the pastel C2C pillowcase. None of the yarn I have in my stash seems to be quite right.
My owl UFO is still waiting, too.
I’m taking a break from my swatch. The pattern is quite a workout for the hands (front post double crochet and back post double crochet). It’s going to be a little bag. Maybe I’ll use it to hold my onions.
I have tons of ideas, but the time to actually make them—well, you know.

So let’s get those hooks clacking! Have a lovely evening—

greetings from the far north!

My heartfelt congratulations on the new addition to your family. That’s such wonderful news. I hope you enjoy many wonderful moments together with your grandchild.
I’m so envious of all of you.

Warm regards

Wow, Petra, that’s quite a snapshot. Great shot with the sun.

It’s not getting any warmer here in Norway either.

Hey Inge,
I’d also like to congratulate you on your 31st wedding anniversary.

It’s crazy—my husband and I are celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary today, too.

Well then, have a nice, relaxing evening.

Have a lovely evening, everyone!

I just discovered this. Thank you so much, Marlies.
I love crossword puzzles

Hi everyone,

That’s such a great idea. Inge, the cover with the rose motif would be right up my alley.

Petra, I think your knitted version is really pretty, too. Is it worked in knit and purl stitches in a rib pattern? I’m sort of getting back into knitting. I’ve done more crocheting.

Have a great day!

Best, Andrea

Good morning,
I hope you had a nice Pentecost holiday.
The weather isn’t exactly great, but I’ve been crocheting a few little things again.

A swatch (alternating vRstb and hRst in a grid pattern)

A mouse crocheted from Irina’s pattern, and

nautical coasters. Inspired by and crocheted from an idea by stjerne61

@Everyone: I wish you all a wonderful Pentecost weekend as well. Make the best of it, even if the weather looks like it’s going to be rainy again.
The main thing is to have plenty of yarn, a hot cappuccino or tea, and then head over to the couch.

Best regards

Good evening at this late hour

it’s really hard to keep up, but your posts read like an exciting book, pictures included. Simply wonderful. My evening reading.

Wow, Ina, you’ve already made a big chunk of progress on your pool terrace. It already looks super. The grouting, and then cleaning up afterward, will be another huge job, but later you’ll be able to relax completely and watch the little fish swim.
The pink felties turned out beautifully :-)
Your pastel-colored blanket looks so pretty. Since I’m also crocheting with pastel shades right now, I immediately used your pattern inspiration for the back of my cushion cover. But I don’t know if my yarn will be enough for that—probably not. Never mind. It’ll become a small blanket with fringe, and then I’ll crochet with a different solid-colored yarn.

Stupsy, Sunny, Waldemar, turned out totally adorable. The way all three of them are relaxing there and spreading good cheer. Lovely.
I was already wondering why you were all crocheting so many bees, until I heard on the radio today about “Bee Day.” The things that exist! True, we need the little bees for many delicious things (honey, fruit...).

Anja, get well soon. How are your UFOs coming along?
My owl UFO is still waiting to be finished too. We’ll see whether I manage that this weekend. If you can do it, then I can get mine finished too.

I’ve taken a crochet break for now. You shouldn’t overdo it, after all.

so all of you get some rest, tomorrow it continues. I’m curious to see what’s next.

best wishes

I baked rolls again today. I used Marion’s pretzel recipe.
And the whole apartment smells wonderful.



Have a wonderful afternoon, everyone!

Cookies

It’s another wonderful day for a walk. I had to take advantage of it right away, after yesterday’s hailstorm.
Less than 5 minutes from home, there’s a path that goes uphill—I walked along it to the top and back down to the street. At a normal walking pace, it took a good hour.
Here are a few snapshots. Even the white lilac is in bloom. The photos are in the order I walked.
Have a great midweek day, everyone.
     
   

Champagne

Wow, Monika, you must have been so happy.
I like the turquoise. I’m sure you’ll work some magic with it.
Have fun with your new yarn.

Have a nice evening

Here’s my almost-finished bag

Warm regards to everyone here,

It’s hard to keep up with everything when you haven’t been here for a few days.
As always, there’s plenty to marvel at and read.

Ines , you have such a beautiful pool. Now all you need is for the weather to cooperate, and then you can finally use your pool.
Your Waldemar and Sunny—they look so adorable. Those two are totally cute.
Sonja , it’s great that the Paris set is now available as a crocheted version too. I used to knit motifs myself, but these days I don’t really dare to try it—crocheting has definitely taken over.
That “Hand-on-the-Heart Blanket”—that’s quite a mammoth project. But it already looks very promising. Hats off to your perseverance.
Sandra , that little crocheted coin purse turned out really well, and it looks so cute. Anton will surely be happy when he can use it to pay for Mom’s ice cream.
Anja, thanks for the tip about crocheting bag handles using the entrelac stitch. It works great and is sturdy. I gave it a try.
Monika , that’s great that you can crochet Kobel again for these little ones. It really makes you happy when you know who you’re making it for and where it’s going. It’s such a lovely idea to then get a photo of your creation with its resident :-)

My bag is pretty much finished. It’s still going to get a zipper, and I still need to sew on the handles. Thanks to Anja’s tip, I crocheted the handles using the Entrelac/Tunisian crochet method and the edge in a mosaic pattern. It’s sturdy, too.

Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions on the handles.

Have a wonderful afternoon, everyone!

Chrysanthemums (flowers)