Latest Forum Posts by: Bastelfan

Inge, I hope you enjoyed it. Something fresh like that is good for you and healthy.

We eat a lot of salad, too

Saturday is almost over, so I’d like to wish you all a wonderful Sunday.

We—that is, my husband and I—are going to rest and relax. No packing boxes. Just taking it easy for a change.

We had fruit tart again. The rest will be served tomorrow for Sunday coffee.

I used up some leftover yarn from my crochet bag. Pictures are coming soon.

The other yarn is actually already packed, but since the box is sitting on top of it, I snagged a few more skeins. I just can’t do completely without crocheting a little here and there.

But next week, I’ll get back to packing.

Until then, take it easy and let those needles or hooks clatter away.

Warm regards

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

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

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

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

Cookies

That’s great, Ina. I wouldn’t have been able to resist these three beauties either. You just have to love them.
I’m already curious to see what kind of crocheted or knitted outfits your cuties will be wearing.

Warm regards, Andrea

That’s so sweet of you, Ina and Monika. I’d love to teleport over to you, to lovely, warm Germany. No more having to wear a thick jacket. Going for a swim, eating ice cream...

Unfortunately, when summer finally arrives, it’s quite short-lived. We savor every ray of sunshine, but until then, we’ll have to be patient.
That’s why I’m always even more delighted by your wonderful photos. Thank you.

Start the new week full of energy

Warm regards

It really makes you shudder reading your stories — I’m truly at a loss for words — and yet you’ve all come through it as strong women.

As my grandma always used to say: “There’s a lid for every pot.”

For me, this saying rang true: “Love is blind; once you get married, you can suddenly see again.”
Over the course of my marriage, I got to know a different side of my ex-husband. Not as extreme as what you went through, but he caused me “emotional damage,” so to speak.
He was a miser times ten, wanted to take my children away from me, or rather he wanted sole custody, influenced the children when they visited him every two weeks, and never stuck to agreements..... I had nightmares at night.... To my ex, I was “a nobody.”
He once said to me, “We need machines here, not spare parts.”
My self-esteem was at rock bottom.
My divorce was no walk in the park.

But my dear ex-sister-in-law stood by me and went with me to the youth welfare office. I was emotionally at the end of my tether, had lost quite a few kilos... and I wasn’t heavy to begin with.
Without help, I wouldn’t have gotten out of it.

Today I’m glad that I have such a treasure — or rather, a Pisces.
Now we’ve already been together for 10 years, and married for 2 of them. On 25 May we’ll celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary.

One last saying to finish with: “Falling down is no art, but getting back up is”, even if it’s with someone else’s help. Doesn’t matter.

And I’m off to bed now, but I’m still so worked up by your story. It really gets to you.
Stay healthy, everyone, and ... together we’re strong

You guys are so funny—I love that.
I’m giving you all a big virtual hug.😍😍😍

Best wishes on your birthday

Best regards
Andrea

Well, I crochet a lot of amigurumi. Mostly little dolls, too.
For dolls, I embroider the noses using the same color as the face—just a few small cross-stitches repeated a few times. I don’t like noses that are too bulky—just a subtle hint of one.
Sometimes I’ve also had a pattern where the nose was practically crocheted right in (multiple stitches into one, then decrease again)—that way, the nose practically puffs out on its own.

For animals and teddy bears, there are those ready-made black triangular noses. For teddy bears, you can also embroider these Y-shaped noses with a mouth. So, the Y; below the Y, a half-arc = mouth; embroider the upper part of the Y completely.
For larger figures, just crochet small bumps and sew them on.

For blush, I use an old lipstick. Put a little on your finger and rub it lightly onto the amigurumi’s cheeks. Done.

That’s how I do it. Have fun!

I’m glad I got you all dreaming. You just have to hold on to these moments, enjoy them, and soak them in.
Because today the sun is already gone—instead, thick clouds, wind, and rain.
Crazy. But that’s just how it is here.

Yesterday I was still enjoying the sun and the sound of the waves, eyes closed; in my mind, I felt like I was lying on the beach by the Baltic Sea. It felt a little like vacation, and I even felt a bit homesick. That’s just how it is.

I can believe it, Christina, that people look forward to seeing others again and doing things together. People need company; otherwise, they wither away.

I’m already longing for the day when I can finally hug my family again—it’s been two years since I last did, and there’s still no end in sight. Unfortunately. :-(

Of course, I’d also like to thank you for this helpful information—until yesterday, I didn’t even know what an I-cord was.
I’m currently working on a triangular shawl where an I-cord edge is knitted on, which I’ve only just learned how to do. It’s great, isn’t it?

Wow, Ina, those are absolutely beautiful examples.
I used to do a lot with stencils and that embossing stylus, too.
With embossing, I always thought the final result was great, but I never did it myself. Plus, I already had so many supplies for other techniques. It just seemed too complicated to me.
But I still have a die-cutting machine at home that can emboss and cut. You place the stencils between two plates with a piece of cardstock, and then you run the whole thing through, just like a pasta machine.

I’m also familiar with that pricking technique using a pen and stencils, which you can then embroider with thread.
Oh my gosh, all the things we used to try! (Ceramofix and casting molds, and those clay pot figures, the artichoke technique, Skubidou, Window Color..., decoupage)

Oh, I misread that, Monika. All right.
My parents used to grow them in their garden, too—they tasted delicious. But due to their age, they gave up their garden—or rather, sold it—a long time ago.

That makes me happy, thanks

Hi Katharina,

I’ve had this problem before with 2-ply and 3-ply yarn.
But ultimately, it depends on your yarn. Some 3-ply yarns are pretty thick, and in that case, it probably won’t work.
Some 3-ply yarns are quite thin, so the difference isn’t very noticeable. It can be a tad thicker, but not by much.
As I said, it depends on the thickness of your yarn and the material. Pure cotton 3-ply is much thicker.
As Michaela already suggested, just do a gauge swatch. Good luck!

April, April—it just can’t make up its mind.

We know these kinds of weather antics all too well here in the far north. It’s not much different here either. But... the snow is finally gone here. There’s still some further north.

If you’ve got enough wool at home, you don’t need to go out.
(That just occurred to me :-) )

I’m still on a yarn diet, even though I’m sometimes tempted to buy new yarn again. But I still have enough in my stash.

Thank you, Anja

That’s wonderful. Nature always reclaims everything.

My wish list is doing fine too—there’s just too much on it. Over 300 items. I clear some out, then add new ones. It all balances out. It’s just too tempting, after all.

and danis-WOLLIGE-welt, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you that the occupational therapy shows some small improvements. Hang in there. Maybe someday you’ll be able to do some small craft projects after all. I hope so for you.
They’ve diagnosed me with osteoarthritis too, and I see crocheting as a little therapy. As long as I can do it, I’ll keep going. And don’t forget to take breaks often.

All the best to you

Thank you so much.

Petra, your decoration/gift looks great. That’s napkin decoupage, right? I used to do that too.

At Easter, we only use a few small decorative touches. Since we’re both alone anyway, and no visitors can come over, that’s enough for us to create at least a little Easter spirit, even if the weather is gloomy and rainy.

My bouquet of tulips is still standing; next to it sits my crocheted Easter bunny along with a chick. I’ve placed my beaded Easter eggs in a little basket, and the bowl of my hand-dyed colorful eggs serves as both decoration and a snack. That’s all I need.
We’ll listen to “Mega-Ei” on the radio while we’re at it—it fits the mood.
Well, of course it would be nicer if the family were here, but we’ll just WhatsApp each other.

We used to have those little wooden eggs on the Easter tree—no idea where they’ve gone. I miss them.
No chocolate bunnies this time. The store where we used to buy them cheaply is closed because of COVID-19. Bummer.

Well then, happy and healthy Easter to all of you :-)

Hi Marlies,

I just thought of something else—to hide that border, I framed the picture in a mat, so to speak.
Just cut out a piece of paper or construction paper the same size as your picture, then cut out the inside so that only your picture is visible. I hope you can follow along—then just put it in the picture frame.

Or, even simpler, you can glue four narrow strips of paper (thicker paper so nothing shows through) around the picture. And just like that, you have a picture with a mat cutout.

All the best on your special day today. Good luck, good health, and let yourself be pampered a little.

Warm regards

Hey Alela,
your checkered scarf already looks great. The pattern is really easy to make out. It would even be a good pattern for me to get back into knitting. It’s knit and purl stitches plus a seed stitch pattern, right, if I’m seeing it correctly? I like that.
I’m curious to see what it looks like when it’s finished.

Best regards

Thank you for the impressive photos. I’m always interested in things like this—how things used to be.
That sewing machine at the very bottom of the three-photo set looks a lot like my mom’s “Pfaff.” I practiced on it once when I was a kid—it wasn’t that easy with that belt drive. But it was interesting.

Thanks, Petra. Warm regards back to the Bavarian Forest.

Although I wouldn’t mind some spring blooms either. It’s still a while until they bloom here.

Thank you so much. I’m sure there will be even more flip-flops. *hihi*

Petra, your knitting project already looks great. I love that wavy edge. I can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s finished.

Hey there,

Krea_Tina, yeah, I know what that is. I also like to write by hand, and when I take notes somewhere—like a baking recipe or something similar—I’ll copy it out in calligraphy afterward.

It’s true, we have so few opportunities to write these days. If I find a crochet pattern online that I might not be able to copy (sometimes that’s not possible), I write it down by hand. I have special A5 graph paper notebooks at home where I keep all those patterns.
Or if I’m drawing (those Zentangle or doodle drawings), I use these adult coloring books. So I have plenty of opportunities to hold a pen in my hand.
It’s a lot of fun.

Even back in school, I used to love drawing letters on graph paper with those colorful highlighters and adding sort of “shadows” with a black pen. I still enjoy doing that today.

Hi Belinda,
if it’s the Emily doll with the purple sweater, I have that pattern too.
The body is crocheted starting right from the legs.
So, crochet both legs, join them with a chain stitch, and keep crocheting straight up—that forms the body. Take another look at your pattern.
Otherwise, as Monika already suggested, write to the author directly.

Best regards

Hey Arni,
that’s funny. It’s kind of like the world’s turned upside down at your place.

We had one of those ready-made “farmer’s breakfasts” straight out of the bag—with an egg added—and it tasted so good.

Tomorrow we might have pork tenderloins with homemade mashed potatoes or rice on the side; I’m not quite sure yet.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend with lots of cooking and baking ideas!

I wish you all a wonderful weekend too. Have fun crafting, unless shoveling snow gets in the way.
I know what that’s like, but for you, snow has become such a rarity, and that makes you happy, especially for the children.

Here it’s -13 degrees, dry cold air, but sunshine. So cold that your fingers almost stick to the metal mailbox *laugh*. Over the next few days it’s supposed to get down to -15 degrees. Siberian cold. It’s going to be frosty.

dievomdeich, yes, it’s always annoying when such young people can’t get anything done anymore. We “old folks” have to step in, and they still laugh at us.

Don’t let the weekend be spoiled for you.

Best wishes from no-longer-so-snowy Norway.

It’s definitely needed. Over the next few days, it’s supposed to be -13 degrees here with sunshine—it always feels colder that way. The roads are clear, though there’s still some snow here and there.

Thank you so much for liking the hat. It’s my very first attempt at knitting a hat.
Let’s see what I knit next. But first, I still need to finish crocheting my C2C blanket.

Have a nice evening :-)

Oh Ines, those look totally delicious and crispy.
Now I’m craving apple turnovers again. But I can’t bake right now—I’m out of flour.
Enjoy!

Hi Silke, I sent you a private message

Here’s my little scarf made from fringe yarn. It keeps me nice and warm. I think I only knitted knit stitches.

If I can make you happy, then I’m happy.
Yeah, days like this with snow and sunshine—I just love them. Bundled up warm, and then when you get back home, it’s so cozy and warm, and then coffee and pretzels—what more could you want?

Warm regards

Thanks, Ina, for cheering me up a bit. Yes, that’s right—I was happy to be back in Oslo again, among people, so to speak, despite the rainy weather. A small consolation.


Andrea

Hi there too,

I usually crochet smaller dolls, but many larger crochet dolls have a "wire frame" inside their bodies. So, reinforce the arms and legs with wire (wrap the ends with tape). Or there are pipe cleaners—you can wrap them with craft batting to stuff and stabilize the arms and legs while keeping them movable.
Sometimes it helps to just put a piece of cardboard in the soles of the shoes so the doll can stand.
You could also stuff the legs a little more firmly and evenly so no lumps form.

I hope these tips help you out.
Have a nice Sunday

I used to embroider a lot of cards with thread art like this; now I do it every once in a while.

Your card looks really chic—not too “overdone.” The recipient is sure to love it.

That’s lovely, Marion. Just give it a try, and I promise you won’t be able to stop because it’s so much fun once you get the hang of it.
I also crochet a lot from photos because the great patterns inspire me.
I’m already looking forward to seeing what you make.

Best wishes and have a lovely week
Andrea

Thanks, Ines, for the seltzer tip. I know that from seltzer cake—it turns out nice and fluffy. I’ll try that next time, but for now I had to bake another batch of my S-cookies—they were all gobbled up. Cookies are just sooooo delicious, and they disappear fast.

Well, Ina , I don’t know either. Maybe your scale is broken :-) :-)

Dear Josefa,
and everyone else here in the forum, I also wish you a lovely Advent weekend, with homemade cookies, little candles on the table, the scent of mulled wine, cappuccino, or a winter tea blend in the air, or the fireplace crackling away.
Make yourselves comfortable, keep your needles clicking, listen to Christmas music, and so on…

With warm regards from Andrea

ruthk, your finger puppets look so cute. I’d be really happy if you could finish the pattern for them, too.
My favorites are the hedgehog, monkey, frog, Kasper, and the dog. The others are cute, too. They’d also make great little bag charms. I love minis.

All the very best wishes for your birthday

Best regards, Bastelfan

It always makes me happy when you like my photos. Of course, I only show the beautiful sides. When the weather’s bad here, you don’t really see much 😉😀

Thank you for your feedback.

Yes, the sky really does look that blue here. I love it.

Thanks to everyone for your feedback.

Have a great weekend!