April Projects: Great Titles and Nice People

Here is the new thread:
April Projects: Part 2.

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Dear users, dear authors,
March is over.

It’s time for the April projects.
UFO Week in April is from April 23–30.
If that conflicts with the Easter holidays / the public holiday "Labor Day" on May 1, we can possibly negotiate again.
The awards ceremony will then be around May 2 or 3.

The March awards ceremony to read up on:
Final Sprint and Awards Ceremony: March Edition

The March projects to read up on:
March Projects: Fun with Handicrafts, Nice Company, All Popular Title Highlights.

March Projects: Part 2.

Hello everyone, dear Josefa!!!
I’m looking forward to April!!! And to your beautiful creations!

Hello, my dears.

My April is off to a good start. I just ordered yarn for €110. I think I’ll keep that from my husband. Well, at least the amount. :-)

Let’s see what all gets made.
I still have 3 hand puppets in the planning stage.
I want to crochet myself a top for the Schlagermove out of granny squares. 
I fell in love with a pattern here for a jacket for Anton.  

And I still need a guardian angel for a confirmation
 

Dear friends, I’d love to join in again. I’m not quite sure yet what I want to make, but the ideas will come. Right now, I’m in the final stretch on the baby jacket.

Sandra, you’ve got a lot planned. I can’t wait to see your amazing creations! Buying yarn... sigh! No, I’ll keep working on using up my yarn stash. There’s still plenty to do. And I’ve got plenty to choose from, too.

I’ll be on a yarn diet again this month.
I still have a few meters—or rather, kilometers—left on my giant yarn cake.

UFO = we’ll see.

Monika:
I hardly have any yarn left either :-)
 
However, my mom was here today and her comment was: "you have so much yarn" ;-))

I didn't tell her that I ordered 44 skeins today.  

Grinning from ear to ear, Sandra. :)))
Your yarn stash is a joke compared to mine.... Mine is practically a store. ;-)
What you have there would be leftovers to me...

44 skeins... I have that many in just two of my drawers. If I estimate the amount like that... I have at least 5 times as much. And somehow it’s only going down just a little bit, because I’m not working on any major projects right now.

That’s why I love writing here so much. :-)))) In real life, people laugh at me for my huge stash of yarn, and here, they laugh at me for my tiny stash of yarn :-))).

So I can keep shopping with a clear conscience.
Wonderful! :-)

Yes, you can, Sandra—shopping for yarn is a thrill that only yarn addicts can truly understand. It’s a highlight—every single time! :)))

But I’m being very brave, because when I look at my stash like this… I imagine I have my own yarn shop. Then I come up with a new project—and go through everything that might work for it.

I loooove having this stash, because—at least most of the time—I have exactly what I need on hand.

By the way, here’s what the baby jacket looks like now. The loose ends are woven in, and the buttons are sewn on. I’ve already started on the hood; it’s knitted on. I’m totally in love with this little jacket.




Let’s see how much yarn I have left. I’m sure I can knit something else to go with it.

Oh yes, that little jacket turned out great.

Ah yes, picking out yarn is really lovely... but to keep huge piles from accumulating here, I rarely go yarn shopping anymore—actually, only when I have a new project in mind... At one point, I had sooo much stuff here that I hadn’t had any ideas for in a long time and couldn’t find any suitable projects for either... The yarn would just stare at me reproachfully until it was finally used, because it wouldn’t fit in the closet anymore. I actually do things differently now—that stresses me out less.

By the way, I’ve already finished my first UFO of the month: a felt bag. It was actually finished a long time ago; I just had to sew in the zipper. That’s really not my thing, though… it had been sitting way in the back of the closet for quite a while—so much so that I’d actually forgotten about it… now it turned up again while I was tidying up, and I finally finished it. To be honest, that’s never happened to me before—that I’d repressed something that completely… here it is now.

I'm happy to join in again in April, and I'm already looking forward to all your wonderful ideas.

Sandra, your yarn stash makes me smile too. I still have mountains sitting in the closet. But I'm working on it, though I don't know whether I'll give in soon and buy some again after all.

Monika, your baby cardigan turned out so cute.
Claudia, congratulations on your first finished UFO this month.

I already have something to show too. To go with the fruit and vegetables from last month, I crocheted some baskets from very old scraps.
These pieces are being passed on to the knitting group.

It’s already buzzing like a beehive around here again :D
Sandra, shopping for yarn is good for the soul—you can do it without feeling guilty! I have a little more than you, but far less than Monika. Monika, I already think your little cardigan is totally cute!
Marion, your vegetable baskets are also really pretty.
and Claudia, I really like your felt bag too. I get it—sewing in zippers isn’t really my thing either. However, I couldn’t put things like that aside; I always feel the need to finish everything before starting the next (big) project. I do squeeze in little things here and there, though. 

You’ve all made such great things again—I’m totally jealous. My shawl is taking forever, and my train isn’t finished yet either—but it will be.
I know all about buying yarn—my son has now put a ban on me buying any more. But I’ve also used up a lot of scraps because I’ve also been making little Easter baskets on the side.
Now I’m about to face the next problem: my local yarn shop owner wants to retire; she’s looking for a successor, but it’s proving to be difficult. Here in Vienna, there are very few yarn shops left to begin with; I think most people order online, and the few regular customers we have are passing away. The younger generation goes to the big chains, where the yarn is cheaper, even though the quality isn’t as good. I really hope there’s a successor for our craft shop.

Yes, having a local yarn shop like that is really great. We don’t have one where I live either. So I order almost exclusively online. Luckily, I have my tried-and-true yarn brands and qualities, and I know exactly what I’m getting. Every now and then, I order a single skein of a new release to try out. Those then end up in my leftovers box ;-)

Who’s still missing from the awards ceremony?
Final Sprint and Awards Ceremony: March Issue

Nadeleule, I actually only do that when I need to tidy up “in a hurry.” So, for example, if I’m expecting a lot of guests and need the space, then everything that isn’t finished yet quickly gets shoved into some cabinets. Otherwise, it’s always within arm’s reach… and I guess I’d completely forgotten about that. By the way, the same thing just happened to me with the documents from my last vacation—my sweetheart set up the computer again and I cleared off the desk to make room for it… now I wanted to make a photo book and the documents are nowhere to be found—we’ve been looking for a few days now… Well, at least the bag has turned up again… am I starting to get forgetful?

Sandra, it really seems to me that your mom isn’t quite familiar with yarn. There’s really almost nothing left.
In April, I’ll definitely finish knitting my socks, and maybe I’ll make some progress on the shawl, too.

Ida: You’re right—my mom (and everyone I know) has no experience with or interest in yarn.
But that’s okay—I have you all. :-))

Oh, Sandra, that’s so sweet of you to say. Yes, I’m also very happy to have you all. :)
It’s just more fun together.

It’s only April 2nd, and you’ve already been posting so much here. Great!

Claudia, your UFO bag looks great—very original.

And Marion, your baskets made from scraps are a great idea. They look very original, too. And so do the fruits inside.

I’ve now completely finished the jacket for the baby. I put it on my little one so I could get a rough idea of the size. Of course, she looks totally cute in it, even if the jacket is (luckily) a bit too big for her. But it’ll definitely fit a newborn.

Here are a few photos:



Monika, that little jacket turned out really cute! I love the openwork border and the color combination.

I also think Marion’s leftover-yarn baskets are great. How many strands of which yarn did you crochet together, and what hook size did you use?

Monika, I really love your baby cardigan. The colors are very beautiful, and the pattern is lovely too.

The fruit and baskets are going to the knitting group and will be sold for good causes. I thought they might look better in a basket, so I looked for a suitable yarn. I crocheted the baskets using my own pattern, and I really like them.

Christina, it’s a microfiber ribbon yarn with a color gradient. I still had 3 balls, and that was enough. I crocheted it with a size 7 hook.

Thanks for the compliments, everyone! :-) I’m so glad you like the jacket as much as I do.

The pattern and everything else came together as I was knitting, as is usually the case for me. I’m already itching to knit myself a jacket out of thick cotton like this—in a similar color combination. Unfortunately, though, I don’t have this yarn in stock. And since I want to work through my stash first, that’ll have to wait.

Now I’m going to write up the pattern for it before I give it away. The baby is due at the end of May, after all. I hope not sooner!

Today I started knitting a pair of leggings for one of Linja’s dolls that I have here. As soon as they’re finished, I’ll show them to you. The doll is also getting a sweater. And then she’ll be given away at the end of May, too.

I’ve finished a guardian angel. It’ll guard the money for a confirmation gift. :-)

Oh Sandra, that guardian angel is so cute! The recipient is sure to be delighted.
I admire you guys for crocheting such tiny things. That’s too fiddly for me.

Monika: I don’t find it fiddly at all. That was a 2.5 hook size. I usually work with 3.0 or 3.5. Anything larger confuses me—it goes so fast :-))). The tablecloths I’ve made so far were made with a 1.5 or 2.0 hook and thin yarn; that was a bit more fiddly, but it was also fun. I want to crochet a dreamcatcher soon for a chronically ill friend using the leftover thin yarn, so probably with a 1.5 or 2 hook as well. I’ve had the idea for a long time, but somehow I’m still missing that spark of inspiration, the motivation, and the time. But I could imagine this becoming a vacation project. :-) Her birthday is in October. So I still have a little time left. :-)

I wish you all a good night

Sandra, your little guardian angel is really cute.
It turned out great — is that a pattern from here?

Marion: Yes, she is. There are male ones too. I posted a photo in the gallery with the link to Al. We’re not supposed to advertise here, after all. :-)

It turned out to be an absolutely adorable guardian angel!

@Arni, thank you for respecting that.
Of course, this is mainly aimed at the authors.
It’s important that advertising only takes place in the advertising threads, so that the whole forum doesn’t get filled with advertising or all threads get used for advertising.
In a forum, people should also be able to have normal discussions.

Josefa: That’s a great way to do it, and you’re right—ads would be disruptive here. :-)

Ida: Thank you very much

Sandra, thanks for the info.

Anything with a needle size smaller than 2.5—I just don’t have the patience for that. Knitting, sure—but crocheting?

I used to crochet curtains with thin yarn back in the day. That must have been in another life; I just can’t imagine doing something like that anymore. I’m not really a fan of super-thick yarn either. I prefer to knit with sizes 3–4.

Yeah, everyone here has their own preferences—that’s great, isn’t it? :) It would be boring if everyone did the same thing. And it leaves room for admiration, too! :)

Yesterday I finished knitting the leggings for the doll. That was pretty fiddly, too, because I was working with the CrazyTrio—and with those thin little legs, plus stripes, so it was two-toned. I’m really glad I finished that. Now I just need to make the sweater or little jacket; I haven’t quite decided yet. Take a look—this is what the little doll looks like now. My husband said right away that she looks really sassy now. (Somehow, he’s starting to like my creations more and more… giggle).

mowi19, you knit such wonderful things. The leggings for the doll look so great. Every doll mom would be delighted. I’d love to be a kid again at your house, even though my mom also knitted and crocheted for my doll.
By the way, I still have the doll I got when I was 9. She could use a pair of pants too. But first, I have to finish my bunny UFO.
Here’s a progress photo of the bunny. I hope I can finish it by the UFO deadline.

@Bastelfan:
The UFO week in April will take place from April 23-30.
There’s still some time until then. :-)
You can do it.

@Bastelfan
Thanks for the feedback! :) I'm glad to hear that. 
Linja's mother also thinks it's great that I knit clothes for her children and the dolls. Because she can't do that at all. But she has other strengths. My mother also knitted a lot for me and my dolls, and above all sewed clothes for us. 

Your bunny already looks very cute. He'll be happy when he starts coming to life now ... maybe you'll manage to finish him by Easter. ;-)

@ Monika
You’re really incredibly productive. Your grandchildren are in for a treat!

@ Bastelfan
A cute little bunny. It somehow reminds me of an Easter bunny book I had as a child.

Arni inspired me with her great Kasperl puppets to crochet some too. Three are already finished; I was able to crochet them from my yarn stash: Crocodile, Seppel and Grandmother:

More will follow, but I’ll need some new yarn for some of them. In the meantime, I’m writing up the patterns for them.

Ruth: Those are amazing. Totally different from mine. But compared to you, I’m still just a beginner. ... Who knows, I might even end up buying your patterns too. :-)

mowi19 and Modi, thanks for your kind words. I really want to finish my bunny, too.
Ruthk, your puppet figures turned out so cute—they remind me of my childhood.

Yeah, this bunny looks a lot like the one from “Bunny School” or something like that. This one is also from a crochet book called “Das Osterfest” by Anja Toonen. He’ll get a jacket too.

Everyone here is so hardworking, and such great things are being created.
Today I was also able to sit outside on the patio and keep crocheting my sweater (RvO)—since the pattern is very simple, I can do it alongside other things.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend full of crochet fun—or knitting too :-)

Andrea

Oh, the bunny is so cute... 

Monika, you’ve really gotten into making sweet doll and baby clothes there. 
I imagine that must be incredibly fiddly—especially with arms and legs. But the pieces look really great.

Sandra, a guardian angel and money are a wonderful idea for a gift; at that age I always find it very hard to give the “little ones” something... but this is a really great solution.

I’m working with problem yarn again, namely I was given a 4-ply gradient cake—as of now, I’ve always given those a wide berth; it’s just not my thing. I rarely find these gradients flattering. But since it’s here now, it should become something beautiful too. As you can see, the frogging monster has already struck; I’ve already frogged it completely twice. But now I think I’m on the right track... 
By the way, I’m sitting here on our brand-new sofa, which has a nice short seat depth—that’s very comfortable for crafting now.

Yes, Claudia, I actually enjoy knitting for dolls, babies, and children the most. That’s when I’m really in my element. Well, and sometimes other toys end up getting made too—those are more like accidental projects. I’ve had the idea for a guardian angel in my head for a long time—as a keychain. But I just didn’t have the right impulse to get started on it. But I think this would actually make a great gift for my teenage grandchildren, along with some cash. Because surely everyone would be happy about an angel—it’s a great idea for friends, too.

“Problem yarn”... I think that’s the best name for what used to be neglected yarn. Because that’s exactly why we don’t really like to knit it up.

I love working with color gradients. The things you have there look great. Everything goes together really well—just like in a promotional photo.

Ruth, your figures are fantastic!! You did an especially amazing job with Grandma. You can tell right away she’s a grandma, even with glasses. :) That’s exactly how I remember the puppet characters from my childhood.

Such beautiful things are always being made here. I look forward to checking in here every day. In fact, it’s always the first thing I do when I turn on my computer.

Have a wonderful and productive Friday, everyone!


Wow, what amazing things you’ve all made—I don’t even want to think about how little I’ve managed to get done.
I’m still knitting the poncho sweater and have only managed to test-knit a little something for Monika and crochet a bookmark. Somehow the days are just too short right now—by the time I finally have some knitting time here in the evening, it’s almost time to go to bed again. I made an exception for Monika and knitted in the morning and at noon on that one day, but otherwise I usually only knit in the evening. 

I didn’t check in here for just one day, and already so many great new creations have been made. Congratulations to everyone.

As for me, I haven’t made anything since the baskets. Somehow, something always seems to come up. Maybe I’ll have more time again next week.
But I’m really happy to see your progress.

Oh Mel, I’m truly honored, and thank you again.
I think the little sleeping bag with your daughter’s stuffed animal inside turned out absolutely lovely. I’m sure the others here would love to see it, too.

I’ll need a few more days for the pattern, since I’m currently working on a second version that I want to include as well—this time without buttons.

I usually only knit in the evenings, but right now I’m really in a creative flow, and I’m more than happy to take advantage of it during the day, especially when I can sit on the balcony or in the garden while I knit.

Here you go, dear Monika, here is the little sleeping bag! As you can easily see, it is very cozy :D 
Our daughter’s favorite animal really likes it :)

Yeah, it really is very cozy. I think the stuffed animal inside is cute.

I’m currently knitting the second version—here’s the beginning. What do you think of the pattern?



I’ve also finished the first draft of the pattern for the baby cardigan. The way I see it, April is going to be quite productive. :-)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

I’m not usually one for (guardian) angels—but I’ll make an exception for your cute little angel, Sandra :)

Now I can relax and keep knitting: I’ve finished the four two-color rows, which took me about four times as long as the single-color rows. How do you handle color changes on the wrong side rows of jacquard patterns (without floats)? Does anyone have a good tip? Books and videos didn’t help me, so I had to pick up the yarn again for every stitch (there are 182 on the needle, after all!), which is very tedious and time-consuming.

I wish everyone a wonderful, relaxing weekend with plenty of creative time!

Best regards, Christina

Christina, soooo many stitches and then two colors in a single row (if I’m understanding this correctly)—oh my!
So far, I’ve been doing it exactly the same way you do. But there are other ways, too, as I’ve seen in videos. I used to knit Norwegian sweaters for the whole family. Those also involved patterns with multiple colors. I’m curious if anyone here has a trick to make this easier. I’d be interested in that, too.

I’ve now finished the second little sleeping bag for Linja’s tiny baby doll. This one doesn’t have buttons—it has ties instead. I put a little bear inside for the photo. He actually said he wants a cozy sleeping bag like that, too. Hmmm… furrowing my brow.



And now I’ve also finished the sweater for the doll that Linja’s getting in May. She looks sooo cute now in her complete outfit. Absolutely adorable.



Her little sister (whom I’ve already photographed in the sleeping bag) is now getting a diaper cover with Velcro fastenings. Then both sister dolls will be ready to give as gifts.
Next up on my needles is a hooded jacket for my little star...

Monika: The sleeping bag is cute again too. No wonder your little bear wants one as well.

The doll’s outfit is super cute too. It looks great on her.

This weekend, I only used up leftover yarn. My yarn will probably finally arrive tomorrow.

I made some snails for a hearing clinic. They give these snails to children who are getting a hearing aid. They’re called “Hörschnecken,” which is why the children get crocheted snails. I’ve done this before and received such a lovely thank-you note that I’m making some more now. Once I have 20 finished, I’ll send out another package.

 

Oh Sandra, those snails are just so cute. :) I think it’s wonderful that you’re bringing the kids so much joy with them. That’s a fantastic idea. I’m sure Anton thinks they’re great too, right?

I’m sure you’ll show us your yarn package here...

By the way, I was very brave on Saturday. We were at the flea market, and there actually was a booth selling yarn!!! My legs were already twitching, and I really wanted to go over there. But then I thought about my huge stash at home and quickly walked on by.

Have a great week, everyone!

I haven’t been here in a while. So much new—and above all, wonderful—has been created during this time.

The hand puppets—amazing. The little Easter bunny—adorable. The little angel—so tiny and cute.
  I always see the doll clothes on Facebook and I’m thrilled.

That tiresome issue with the yarn stash… at what point is it too much? I’m also trying not to go shopping. Thank goodness I’m not an online shopper—otherwise our house would probably already be too small and we’d have to buy a castle (grin)

@Claudia, your felt bag looks great. I’ve never tried felting either, but I always admire the felted pieces at the markets.

I’ve been working hard on new patterns over the last few weeks, which is why I haven’t posted any pictures (since that would otherwise be advertising). And of course, the garden… I’ve spent a lot of time there, too. Sending you spring greetings… (my picture)



And I’ve swapped my knitting needle for an embroidery needle. A cloth for the bread basket for Easter breakfast.

Monika, I think the sleeping bag with the drawstrings is really cute—someday I’ll put my baby dolls in one of those too! The doll dresses are cute as well; I’d love to start knitting them right away. Right now, I’m trying to finish the jacket for the little one by Friday so it can travel with our son. I’d also like to sew the cuddly bunny…

Sandra, I think the thing with the snails is absolutely great! Sometimes I wonder how you manage to do it all—with a toddler, a household, and a job.

Well, I work at most once a week. It’s no big deal—I usually crochet in the evening after Anton’s in bed, between 8 p.m. and midnight. Sometimes I also crochet for an hour in the afternoon when Anton’s napping. But most of the time, that hour is reserved for housework.

My yarn has arrived:-)))))

It’s really no big deal. However, one type isn’t available, and I actually forgot to order two types.

So I’ll actually have to order some more.

Anton just fell asleep. My dad wore him out playing with him.

And I’m going to try crocheting a granny square for my Schlagermove top now. 

Petra, your photos are great. Everything’s green and blooming all around us, too. And our little peach tree, which we planted three years ago, is blooming for the first time. I’m absolutely thrilled!

Christina, I can totally understand why you’re itching to get started. Little projects like these are great because they’re done in no time. I’ll probably knit several more of those sleeping bags—maybe even some really colorful ones. There are a few little bears who’ve already signed up. ;-)

Sandra, your yarn looks amazing... I’m swooning! It warms my heart when I see that. :)
You can really go all out again—you have a good reason if something’s missing.

Today I crocheted the diaper pants for the little doll—with Velcro closures. It was easier to do with a crochet hook. Now I’ve finished both dolls and will be sending them off soon. I think Linja will be very happy about them.

Here’s what the diaper pants look like (the little one is still a baby—just like her sister, who’s coming soon):

The diaper pants look funny.

I’ve just tried making two granny squares.


I’ll go with the one on the left.

Okay, now it’s time to order more yarn. But I’m going to show some restraint.

Oh yes, Sandra, I like the granny square on the left, too—especially the colors. It really has a sunny vibe.
Come to think of it, I could use a few more coasters. Maybe I’ll crochet some granny squares again in between other projects.

Sandra and Monika,

Your latest projects turned out great, as always.
I really like the idea with the cute snails.
The little doll looks quite stylish, and the diaper pants are pretty, too.

I’ve also finished another little project.

Wow, that turned out so cute, Marion! The jacket looks really great on your little one.
As you can see, the baby jacket can actually be knitted with thinner yarn for dolls.
Really great! Thanks for sharing.

Here’s a photo of the two dolls in their knitted outfits that Linja will be getting for Easter after all.

Such amazing creations have been made here lately—I’m totally thrilled.

I haven’t been able to get any crafting done at all lately; on the one hand, I’ve had to work a lot of overtime, and on the other, I’ve been experiencing extreme pain in my shoulders, but I’m getting that checked out today. I’ve realized that this break from knitting isn’t doing me any good at all—I’m totally grumpy.

You’ve all been so hard at work here again—something new gets finished every day. It’s always great to see that; big kudos to everyone!
I finished my socks the day before yesterday, and now I’ve finally managed to take pictures of them.

Thanks, Ida! :)
Yes, great — you’ll definitely be crowned the Sock Queen in April.
I’m knitting a triangular shawl for myself, and in between I’ve let the little cardigan for my little one rest for a while. The shawl is really perfect for knitting in between. I’ll show it to you all in the next few days when it’s grown a bit.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Best regards, Monika

I tried out a mini project today.



I thought that after all those small pieces, it was time to finally make something bigger again.
That’s why I’ve now started a top—it’s knitted with a lace pattern.

That little bag is so cute!

My blanket is now well over a meter square, weighs over 500 g, and there’s still so much yarn left.

Since I can only crochet it on the sofa now, I’ve started a smaller project: a lace triangular shawl that I’m knitting.

Those little diaper pants are absolutely amazing. Monika, I’m so excited to hear what you report about how happy your granddaughter is. She’ll be absolutely thrilled. Everything you’ve knitted or crocheted is more beautiful than the last.

I’m back to embroidering and sewing. This time I tried making a little heart. I always like to keep a small stash of hearts on hand—that way I have a little gift to bring when we’re invited over.



Sandra what are your granny squares up to?

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone—the sun is just coming out here after we had frost again last night.

Marion, I feel the same way you do, which is why I started the shawl. Your little bag looks lovely.

Thanks, Petra! :)
Your sewn and embroidered heart looks sooo beautiful, and you can tell a lot of love went into it. Gifts like that are always something special.

I wish you all a wonderful Sunday, too. 

The heart is really original, and the little pouch is very cute, too!

Petra: I’ve finished 20 granny squares, crocheted them together and woven in the ends.  
Now I’ll add one or two more rows of 5, then it will all be crocheted together, and then I’ll figure out the sleeves, neckline, etc. 
I already have a few ideas.
 

Petra, your heart is beautiful.
I’d be happy if I could embroider that beautifully, too. But I don’t think I have the patience for it.

I’m glad you like my little bag. It’s a small backpack—the handle at the top was still missing. You can hide a shopping cart token
inside it.

Sandra, your granny squares are a work of art! I really love them—especially the color combination. I can’t wait to see what the finished project looks like.

Monika: Me too. :-)))

The color combination is supposed to be a bit ’70s-inspired. I think it worked out.  

Sandra, I just discovered your granny squares.

They already look great—lovely colors—and I’m looking forward to seeing the final result.

Sandra, I’m curious to see your final result. If I understand correctly, it’s going to be something to wear? 

Yes. A top for the Schlagermove. :-)

Isn’t he cute?

I received the finished knitted pieces from a friend who knits. I then sewed them together and finished him. 

How cute, Marion!

Sandra, I’m also looking forward to seeing your finished top.

Today I finished and uploaded the first batch of my Kasper puppets (with patterns). That was so much fun—I’m sure there will be more to come.

Yes, Marion, that donkey is truly adorable—so cute! :) I wouldn’t have wanted to knit it with that fuzzy yarn … that’s no fun. But the result looks great.

Ruth, you’re incredibly productive—great job! Your Kasperle puppets look very professional and absolutely fantastic.

I’m knitting away at my shawl—it’s so nice and easy to do while watching movies. I’ll probably crochet a round placemat too, which is supposed to be finished by Easter. There will also be some matching sets to go with it. Maybe I’ll manage that by Easter too. Then my “Spring Meadow” would be complete with 3 sets.

As you can see, I’ve got several projects on the go again … Photos will follow in the next few days.

Monika, knitting with fluffy yarn isn’t as difficult as crocheting, because you always have the stitches on the needle. (Personally, I just don’t really like
knitting amigurumi that much, because you only see the final shape
when you take the piece off the needle. With crocheting, you can always
correct it right away if something doesn’t fit.)

Now I’m curious to see what that granny wearable thingy will look like :-)

Ruth, your Kasperle puppets are absolutely beautiful—I just discovered them.
They look just like the characters from old children’s books and are truly lovely. I’m curious to see what else you come up with.

Monika, you still have quite a bit to do before Easter. I’m looking forward to seeing your shawl.

So much wonderfully beautiful stuff is being made here when you don't check in for a few days...

Sandra, I think your grannies are especially great. That is totally 70s! I'm very excited to see the result... 

I also think Petra's heart is great; when I see something like that, I always wish I could embroider better...


Over the last few days I've been working on a doll, trying out a hair technique that was new to me, and I wanted to embroider “proper” eyes. As you can see, that wasn't really successful.... It was actually supposed to be a male doll, but the face looks rather feminine... maybe because of the lip color? I wanted to reduce my yarn stash and therefore used what I already had... there wasn't much choice for the mouth.
However, I think the eyes are especially terrible!!!
They are both completely different, they are cross-eyed, and they are much too close together. I will definitely undo that again...

I do like the hairstyle quite a bit, though; only brushing it out with the wire brush left a yellowish layer of fuzz everywhere here.







I also crocheted a bunny from a single 100 g ball of yarn. The yarn was also a gift, and I actually thought it was awful.
But the result is now much nicer than I had imagined.



Right now I'm crocheting little Easter baskets from unloved yarn and leftovers. I think this is a good opportunity to make sensible use of yarn like that.

Claudia, I really like your doll. If you trim the hair at the nape of the neck a bit more and expose the ears, she’ll definitely look more masculine. A pair of eyebrows might also make the face look more masculine.

And here’s a tip for the eyes: Why not embroider them onto felt first instead of directly onto the face? That way, you can sketch them out and keep checking to make sure they’re the same size and see if you like them before you attach them to the face.

I’m definitely going to try embroidering the eyes onto felt.
That’s a great idea!
As I mentioned before, I’m not that good at embroidery, and this way I can make several attempts without putting the doll through so much each time. That gives me much more room to practice.
I hope I can still unpick it without damaging the face...
Thank you so much for your tips!

Yes, Ruth, that’s just how it is—crocheting and knitting each have their own advantages. But I don’t find the fuzzy yarn suitable for knitting either.

Here’s a photo of the shawl I’m currently knitting. It’s taking shape as I go along, once again.

Wow, I’d barely finished writing and searching for the photo when so much had already happened here again. You’ve created some amazing things, Claudia!

I think your doll already looks male, even a little serious (typically masculine). The hair looks cool. I think the mouth is fine as it is. And whether I could have managed the eyes like that ... I don’t know.

Well, I’m sure you’ll find the perfect solution with Ruth’s help. Your little bunny turned out cute, too.

 

I’m finally getting around to introducing Magnus the Garden Mouse and Hannes the Hare to you. Arne and Carlos designed them, and I knew right away that I absolutely had to knit them.



 

Endless Easter baskets…

Oh, Wollbaerli, these are such cute Easter items! Bring on Easter!

You’ve already finished so many beautiful new pieces again.

My current project has grown a bit. It’s supposed to be a top—hopefully I’ll have enough yarn.

Marion, your top looks great—I love the pattern.

Christina, all your Easter things are lovely, including the two new woolly housemates. :)

I hope you all have lots of fun with your needlework and all your projects!

You’ve all made some great things again. 


Here’s my progress so far on the Schlagermove top. Since I don’t know what the weather will be like and whether I might need to wear something thicker underneath, I’m still crocheting trumpet sleeves.

Wowww, Sandra, what you’ve crocheted there looks amazing! I never would have imagined it would turn out this great. You’ve got the perfect figure for it, too. You’ll definitely turn heads at the Schlagermove.

That turned out great, Sandra! And the bell sleeves go perfectly with it!

Sandra, that looks great and fits you perfectly!!!

Yes, I also think bell sleeves go well with it.

Thank you very much for the compliments. So far, I’m quite pleased with it myself. Let’s see how it goes from here. I have a few ideas. :-)

I can definitely picture it with trumpet sleeves too, Sandra :)

For me, the blanket is dragging on like old chewing gum.
The further I get, the longer it takes me to finish one side.

I’m crocheting the sleeve with a mesh pattern. And it gets even wider at the bottom. What do you think? 

Sandra, that’s a good idea.
You could finish the bottom with a pointed edge using granny squares. I’d prefer the sleeve to be two-toned. It’s definitely supposed to be nice and colorful, after all. 

Sandra, your top looks great. Even with the sleeves—great solution.

Don’t laugh at me, but I think it could also be worn in the summer without a shirt underneath. Maybe in different colors, but even as it is now, I could imagine wearing it on a beautiful summer day. 

Marion: the idea with the pointy granny edging is good. Thanks.  I might crochet in yellow or orange stripes at elbow height. We'll see.

But today I first have to work all day and will probably be “dealing with” lots of tourists. :-)))

I wish you all a lovely day.

Here’s the new thread:
April Projects: Part 2.