Latest Forum Posts by: Bastelfan

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

I just read this here. I found something similar on a ***** site. A purchasable pattern; there he’s called "lazy sack"
Here’s the link
Link removed, mod.

if that helps you

Monika, tell me, how fast do you knit? Did you install a motor in your hands? It’s crazy how nimble you are.
Your little doll is dressed so cozily. I still have my doll from when I was a kid, too—she really needs a new pair of pants; she’s just sitting there freezing.

Your sheet-pan gingerbread looks delicious. Mmm, it makes you want to take a bite right away. Will you share your recipe with us? (Maybe in a baking thread.)

Have a nice evening, everyone!

All the very best wishes for your birthday

Best regards, Bastelfan

That’s so sweet, Josefa, thank you.

Hi Josefa,
are we satisfied with the patterns? I’m overwhelmed by the sheer number of Christmas patterns. Each one is sweeter and cuter than the last—I don’t even know which one to make first. The list keeps getting longer, and my yarn is slowly running out.

I’d really like to crochet some thin gloves using gradient cake yarn—does anyone have any experience with that?

Thank you so much for your great patterns and all the work you put into them to make us happy. Keep it up—I love being here. It’s like one big family, and there’s something for everyone.

Best wishes, Andrea

Happy birthday! Wishing you all the best, good luck, and good health.

Best regards, Craft Fan

so much time.

Thank you—it’s great that I can send a little bit of winter spirit your way to Germany, even if it’s just over the internet. I’d love to swap with you guys sometime.

I’d forgotten to include this photo because the sun is peeking out so beautifully from behind the fir tree.

Saturday walk. There wasn’t any snow where we live, but a little higher up (about a 15-minute drive from us) there was snow. I couldn’t believe it, so of course I set off in my loafers. It was actually pretty funny. It was 9 degrees here, and 5 degrees up there. But it was pleasant. The snow wasn’t that deep, after all. Here are a few pictures for you. We even went to Canada.

Until the first Sunday of Advent

Luckily, has

Monika, that sounds delicious, but what’s your tray-baked gingerbread like? I love gingerbread.
I usually bake this honey cake—here it’s called “Krydderkake.” It’s delicious. I can get the ingredients here, too.

Oh my goodness, the first Sunday of Advent is coming up soon. I really hadn't even realized that yet. Oh dear, I'll have to start baking Christmas cookies soon. My husband has already told his coworkers that his wife is baking. Well then. I haven't prepared anything yet. Help!
I don't even feel like it's Advent yet. There's no snow outside, even though it's supposed to be on its way soon. How quickly time is flying by now.

Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend full of crafting fun

Best, Andrea

Oh dear, Akela—I’m sending you my best wishes for a speedy recovery, too. That can really hurt.

I had a similar experience once at work while making a bed—I was trying to walk around the bed, got caught on the foot of the bed, and fell. There was an armchair with a wooden backrest right across from me, and I slammed my chest right into that corner. It hurt for ages. People told me I was as white as a sheet.

Thank you for your kind words.

I’d like to wish everyone a pleasant weekend.
We’re having pork tenderloin with rice and mushrooms in a bit.

Have fun with your crafts. Unfortunately, I have to take a little break from crocheting because my left wrist has been hurting since this morning. I have no idea if it’s from crocheting. Did I overdo it with the mosaics?

Tried another new pattern, bottom left (green and white)
In the other picture, this is what the mosaics look like from the back.


Petra, I’m glad you like it. I think the pattern stands out better in two colors. The colorful one next to it has the same pattern.

How should I explain it? For example, blue and white. You crochet one round in blue, then the next round in white. But you work each stitch into the back loop of the previous round. The pattern emerges from the double crochets worked deeper into the front loops. It’s easier than it looks.
Try Googling “mosaic crochet”—it’s explained in videos, too. It’s a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.

ruthk, your “Santa Claus” lid cover looks great. I like it.

I always enjoy seeing your knitted items, and I’m amazed at how evenly you knit. I’m a bit out of practice myself. I’m more familiar with crocheting.
While tidying up today, I found a half-finished knitted scarf made with this fringed yarn, just waiting to be finished.

Thanks so much for sharing, Marion—mmh, they look delicious. They turned out so nice and fluffy!