Latest Forum Posts by: Bastelfan

wow Monika, your Oskar is getting a really smart sweater. It reminds me of a camouflage look. Looks great. What is the yarn called? It looks fantastic knitted up.

You have all been so busy again. I’m still using up leftovers. I crochet a bit here and a bit there, depending on what I feel like doing. My yarn stash is only shrinking slowly. That’s a good thing too; then it will last me a while longer.

Wishing everyone a lovely, relaxing weekend and already a happy 2nd Advent.

Best wishes from Norway

I open door 18, and inside I find a big, real “Dresden Stollen”—mmh, delicious

in front, and suddenly

Good morning,

Arni, your reindeer looks great with the string of lights—and it’s so big! How much stuffing do you need for something like that, roughly? I only crochet small things.
Monika , those socks look pretty. Your friend is going to be so happy.
Ina , I hadn’t even thought of the idea of a crocheted saddle blanket. It looks great.

Well then, I wish you all a pleasant Thursday. The weekend is coming up soon.

I’m so glad I was able to whet your appetite. I used a yeast dough similar to the one for apple turnovers.
The pretzels are, of course, unfilled and therefore a bit dry, but with the sugar-cinnamon mixture they’re nice to eat. Well, we like them.

Here’s the recipe for you to try: (I got 2 baking sheets out of it) about 40 pieces, depending on size.

300 g flour
150 g quark      First put the dry ingredients in a bowl,
1 packet vanilla sugar and 2–3 tbsp sugar  then mix the quark, oil, and milk with the         dough hook
40 g oil .
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
40 ml milk

Roll long strands on a floured surface and shape into pretzels (don’t place them too close together on the baking sheet; the dough will still rise)
Place the pretzels on the baking sheet (line it with parchment paper or dust with flour), then brush the pretzels with a little water and sprinkle a little sugar-cinnamon mixture over them. You could perhaps also brush them with egg yolk and then add the cinnamon mixture. I’ll try that next time.
In the oven at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes (convection)

Then good luck

I’ve been baking again. I tried out a recipe: quark pretzels sprinkled with cinnamon. I’ll serve them with coffee. I haven’t tried them yet—they’re still warm. I used the quark yeast dough.

Door 4: I’d like large Bobbel yarn cakes in gorgeous pastel colors

her memory made

Good afternoon, everyone. You’ve all been so hard at work again.😉

Oh, Ina, I had to smile at Oscar’s felties, too—brilliant inscription. He’ll surely be happy about that.

Here’s my first test piece—a two-color c2c. I’m not quite satisfied with it yet.
How do you guys manage the color change so it’s not noticeable? Do you have a trick? I have to carry the second color along, don’t I?

Ina, hmm, potato salad and sausages—we always had that on Christmas Eve, too. It’s quick to make and tastes great. It was almost a tradition, or that fricassee—I didn’t like that one because of the capers.
Akela, I wanted to try that once because we can’t really buy dumplings here the way they’re made in Germany. My husband would really like to have some for Christmas.
I don’t have a grater or a press either, but I do have one of those juicers—and that should work (to grate the potatoes finely), since the water practically runs right out. I won’t need to squeeze them. It’s worth a try.
I make my own mashed potatoes, too. So, if the dumplings turn out well, I’ll send you a photo.

Have a nice evening, everyone!

Just saw this—I’d also like to belatedly wish you a happy birthday, good luck, and hope everyone is—and stays—healthy. Hope you had a wonderful special day.

Hi everyone,
yes, winter can be so beautiful—especially when the sun is shining too. That’s become a rare treat for you. I’m happy for you, and for the kids it means running around outside.

Petra, good question. We live between Oslo and Drammen. So it’s about a half-hour drive from Oslo, if there’s no traffic on the highway.
The funny thing is, often when we drive 10 minutes from our place to the next town, there’s already snow there, but nothing right outside our door. It varies depending on the elevation.
Last year around this time, there was already snow. Things just change. I don’t need any snow just yet.

Have a wonderful evening, everyone, and enjoy the rest of St. Nicholas Day and the second Sunday of Advent!

Oh Petra , you’ve got such a cozy little spot there. I’d love to be a guest there too, just like Monika. The crackling of the fireplace can be so soothing. Put your feet up with your crochet project, maybe with a glass of mulled wine—though here it’s only available without alcohol. Unfortunately.

So the two of us will also be making ourselves comfortable at home on the sofa, maybe watching “Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella” on DVD—that movie’s a must at Christmas, even though I’ve seen it so many times already, but who cares. No one’s
coming over. I’ll decorate my little potted Christmas tree a bit, and we’ll have a plate of Christmas treats for the two of us. For Christmas, I’ll roast our “Juleskinke”—it’s a kind of rolled roast—and I wanted to try making authentic Thuringian dumplings myself, along with red cabbage. I’m not sure about the other days yet. Whatever the fridge has to offer.
As Petra already said, it’s really just a day like any other. This year, everything is “more subdued” anyway because of COVID-19. I haven’t really gotten into the Christmas spirit yet—I’ve put up a few decorations and baked some cookies, but other than that, it feels kind of strange this year.
All in all, it’ll be very relaxed. I’ll definitely be crocheting.

Warm regards from Norway

Hi Ruth, sorry. Belated happy birthday! Hope you were able to celebrate a little and had a wonderful birthday.

Best wishes
Andrea

Hi everyone,
thank you for your feedback. I’m really pleased.

Petra, wow, that’s a pretty nativity scene you have there. I really like it too.

Today is all about lazing around in this dreary, rainy weather. Gray and dark. It hardly makes you feel like doing anything.
I’ll read along a bit more here in the forum.

Wishing everyone a pleasant, cozy afternoon anyway.

Best regards
Andrea

You’ve all been so hard at work again. Monika, your sweater looks great with that touch of red. Really awesome.
I’ve only finished one little thing. I made a small pillowcase out of my mosaic granny squares. I’ll add a snap as a closure. Here’s a look at the front and back.

That’s right, Monika. You should enjoy the here and now—who knows what the future holds? None of us will live forever, so we might as well make things a little nice and cozy for ourselves while we’re still here.

They look really delicious, Akela.
It’s just the two of us, too, but we still polish everything off in no time. I’m lucky that I can eat anything and not gain weight. I’m a real “sweet tooth.”

Not at all, ursulapetra, at least these are nice and thick and fluffy. They look very delicious; you want to take a bite right away.
Thanks for sharing them, enjoy!

Oops, snow where you are—that’s really rare, isn’t it? So of course the joy is huge. Thanks for getting us in the winter mood.
It rained here yesterday, and this morning, when I wanted to go to the mailbox, it was of course icy and slippery. I almost landed on my butt.
So it probably won’t be long here either. There’s already some in the higher areas, but down here with us, nothing yet. Oh well, soon enough.

Wishing everyone a lovely afternoon

Greetings from Norway

More to come. My usual S-cookies. Fresh out of the oven. They’re still warm.

Looks great, Petra😉

I’ve actually been holding back a few cups from you after seeing yours here.
These are my mini cups, my Baltic Sea cup (tide) with my name on it, and the other blue-and-white one was a find at a hotel. The guests didn’t pick it up, so now it’s mine. It came from a manufacturer—it cost the equivalent of 50.00 euros. My husband jokes that it’s a “beak cup” because of the handle. There used to be those little medicine cups with that kind of handle at the hospital (I remember them from when I was a kid).
Among the mini cups, the blue one in the front is very special. It’s an heirloom from my great-grandmother, and it’s genuine cobalt blue (Henneberg Porcelain, Ilmenau)—I used to live in Ilmenau and worked at the THI (I think it’s called the TU now).

Good morning, everyone—or rather, good afternoon,

Oh my goodness, Monika, you have so many cups—and such pretty, colorful ones! I thought I had a lot, but you?
Yes, I always liked those collectible cups at my grandma’s, too—they’re so delicate and thin, but beautifully ornate.
I really like those rose cups from your mom, too. I love roses.
The four-leaf clover lucky cup would be right up my alley, too.

Wollbaerli, you have such beautiful espresso cups. I especially like the red-and-white polka-dot one and that rose cup. I think the red-and-black cat cup with the little paws on the front is cute. It’s really funny.

There really is such a variety of cups, but it’s nice to see that I’m not the only one with this cup obsession. Thanks for sharing.

Oh man, that really makes your mouth water. Okay, I’ll admit it—apart from this tray-baked gingerbread, I’ve only baked these mini donuts, using a kind of waffle iron that also has two interchangeable inserts for muffins and little round cakes.
Here’s the photo

Soon I want to bake some Pfeffernüsse too—I need to restock because I ran out of ingredients.

can conjure up. But

Ina, your hat and loop scarf really do look cozy. The way you knit your hat—as a tube and then turn it inside out—is an amazing technique; it makes it practically double-layered and warm. Thanks for this idea.

as they do in

It’s really hard to choose. First of all, thank you so much for this little peek into your mug cupboards.
ruthk, I think the mugs your grandchildren painted themselves are a great idea. I especially like the mug on the right with the wonderful colorful scribbles—it has such an abstract feel to it :-)
And that gorgeous yellowish mulled wine mug—I’d really enjoy drinking mulled wine from that.
That polka-dotted potholder is pretty funny too.
Steffi, your mugs look funny too. Isn’t that Teddy Pimboli—or whatever his name is—on the left in the picture? And he’s even peeking over the rim of the mug—so funny.

I’m just imagining all your mugs together right now—what a colorful variety that must make.
Wonderful

Akela, I'm a Libra too, that's true about the decisions, but it only applies to me sometimes.
Ina, wow, you have a pretty little collection, and they're all so colorful and floral. My favorite of yours would be the very first mug, with the lovely rose motif, as far as I can tell. That would be the perfect “girly mug” for me. The others are great too, but that one immediately appeals to me.
So this mug would be favorite No. 3

This is my Christmas decor. While I was decorating, I started to feel a little Christmas spirit, especially since it’s so early this year.

Gee, Ina, you always have such great ideas. Thanks for liking my polka-dot mug.
That’s right—at the end, we’ll pick the most popular mug.
I also associate some of my mugs with fond memories of vacation spots.
My favorite so far is Olaf the snowman—he’s awesome (and so is the movie).

Thank you, Ina .
Wow, you’ve written a real novel here, and your writing is so beautifully phrased. That’s the secretary in you coming through.

You’ve given us a great idea with the “doll thread.” I actually still have my doll from the ’70s, which my parents gave me when I was 8 years old. She just needs a pair of pants—she’s sitting here half-naked and freezing, hehe. Once she’s dressed, I’ll post a photo.

My doll, which I crochet for every now and then, isn’t that old at all. I ordered her last year from a....
It was precisely because she has this natural-looking face that I wanted her. Most dolls look really childish. This one was on sale, too.
But first, I have to finish up my little crafts for my mom; I’ll send them to her in a padded envelope. Packages are very expensive, and there’s customs and all that.
Then I can get back to other projects, and finally start on my Christmas decorations tomorrow.

That’s a really nice idea, Josefa. I’m in too, because it’s fun here in the forum. It’s like a big neighborhood, since I don’t have a friend here to chat with either.

Oh, I’m going crazy—you all have such beautiful mugs. The one with Olaf the snowman on it—I want that one, too. I absolutely love it.
Petra, your white mug with the curlicue design looks so elegant.
I like anything that’s colorful. I need some color in my kitchen cabinet.

Thank you so much for sharing—your collection is great!

I baked it—it tastes delicious.
I improvised a bit with the ingredients. I used half honey and half brown sugar, and instead of gingerbread spice, I used cinnamon and a little baking soda. It only lasts 2 days in our house. It’s very similar to my honey cake. Here, it’s called “Krydderkake.”


Show me your favorite mugs. These are mine. I always use the set with the apple on it for breakfast. It instantly puts a smile on my face.

Good morning everyone,

bergli, the jackets with those funny ears look really chic.

Ines66, wow, that’s a great red. That would be my color too. I’m already excited to see what it looks like when it’s finished. Good luck.

Best regards, Andrea

What a wonderful idea. I’m in too, and I’d like to share a few thoughtful reflections with you all.

Thank you so much, Monika—that sounds delicious; it’s really whetting my appetite.
I’ll definitely try this soon. Perfect for the first Sunday of Advent.
Can I use regular wheat flour instead?

Best regards, 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.

Wow, that’s making me hungry just thinking about it. I can practically smell it coming out of the oven—mmh, it looks delicious.

I think crocheted cords are great, too. Depending on the yarn weight, you can crochet them thinner or thicker; alternatively, you can use a hand-cranked knitting mill.

I don’t crochet them quite the same way as Maulwurfwaldi.
You also start with 3 ch and crochet 1 sc into the 1st chain stitch, then turn the crochet work slightly away from you to the left and insert the hook sideways into the stitch (the stitch looks like a slanted equals sign), work the stitch off (but not completely—first pick up one more loop, then work it off), turn the crochet piece, work off the slanted stitch from the side again, and so on. I like using this simple technique, also for small crocheted drawstring pouches and the like.

It’s hard to explain—you’ll have to Google it, as there are various variations. But it’s fun!

thank you ines,
Sonneberg means something to me as a former GDR citizen. But you definitely have to rescue your dolly from the attic. Something that precious shouldn’t be hidden away. I’d be very happy to see a photo of your dolly.

I ordered my dolly last year through a.....n (my son then brought it with him because they didn’t ship to Norway), specifically because it has such a sweet face, and the proportions are right too. You can even carefully comb and style the hair.
I ordered it for myself too, to crochet outfits for it, as a model. Whatever I want to crochet for myself, I try out in “small” on my doll.

Good morning ines66, the cinnamon and apples sound delicious, exactly, I’ll try that next time. Thank you very much. Then I hope it turns out well

Best wishes, Andrea

Thanks Monika. I crocheted the jacket for my doll based on a pattern. It was part of a crochet doll pattern here on CP, and of course it fit my doll too. I’ll crochet the hat again in a different color. I have so much leftover yarn and unwanted yarn, just like you do, and such great colors just have to be crocheted into something.

I’m already looking forward to your gingerbread recipe. After all, the first Sunday of Advent is coming up soon, so that would be a good opportunity to try it out—assuming I can get all the ingredients here; that’s always a bit of a challenge. They bake here too, but unfortunately, there are some things they just don’t have here. And it’s very expensive.

Have a nice rest of your evening!

Thank you very much, CreatOwl

Your knitted items look great. Unfortunately, I’m a bit out of practice with knitting.
Instead, I tried crocheting a winter hat for my little one using leftover yarn. It looks a bit big. The color doesn’t really match. But it was just a test run.

I'm sorry about that. I thought we weren't supposed to post external images. Okay, now I know.

fewer balls in the