June Projects: Win Great Titles + Meet Nice People Online

Dear users, dear authors,
since, due to the long weekend, the award ceremony won’t take place until June 4/5 and the thread for the May projects has more than 100 posts, I’m opening a thread here for further discussion of the May projects and then also right away for the June projects.
Have fun, as always.

Here is the May award ceremony:
Final Stretch and Award Ceremony / May Edition 2019

Part 1 of the May projects can be read here:
May Projects: Meet Nice People + Win Great Titles.

Thanks, Mel. :)

Don't stress about it — that way you'll have a UFO that you can finish at your own pace in June. That's how I see it with my top, too. Garden season is starting now, and that's really fun.

Yay, I managed to finish it this month after all. ☺☺
It’s actually the first UFO I’ve finished this year.

The yarn had been sitting in my closet since 2012. I bought it for a different project, but that didn’t work out at all—it was too thick. 😰😰😰

This is what I ended up making with it. The front:  



Back:  

Wow, Marion, your top looks amazing. I really like it. The cut is a bit similar to my top. I’ll post mine in the next few days, too.

I really like the blue, too. I actually have some blue cotton lying around—your top just reminded me of it.

I wish everyone here a wonderful, sunny summer weekend!

Thanks, Monika—I like it, too.
The construction is different from yours. I knitted the back and the bottom part of the top horizontally, then the front from the bottom up.
I didn’t come up with that idea until I was already knitting.

Marion, your top turned out absolutely beautiful!

Thanks, Mel—I’m glad you like it, too.

That top has a great color. Now spring can come.

I’m really busy beautifying the garden right now. Every evening I head out to the garden to tackle the unwanted weeds.

I’d like to finally finish the path to the turtle enclosure this year. This is what it looks like right now



That doesn’t leave much time for crafts. 

Petra, I think your garden is great. It looks beautifully natural. Yeah, I have to pull a few things out every now and then, but otherwise I really enjoy it. Today was the first time this year I had breakfast in the garden. I really enjoyed that.

I used to have tortoises, too. After I moved, I gave them to a friend with a heavy heart—she added them to her group of tortoises. In the summer, they always had an enclosure, too.

My first June project is finished.
I tried making these pot holders in Tunisian crochet; they’re from a book.
This helps me use up my leftover yarn, and I’d like to make a few more to keep on hand as gifts.

Marion, your pot holders are so beautifully colorful! I think I’ll crochet some myself to use up some of my cotton stash....

Go for it, Mel.

You can also use small Bobbel for that.😊

Marion, that’s such a cool idea. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Perfect for using up leftover yarn—really great.

I’m also brainstorming new ideas right now, preferably for leftover yarn. Pot holders have already crossed my mind… but I’m not quite sure yet.

My top is now finished. I just need to weave in the ends and crochet around the edges. Then I can finally wear it. :) I’ll post a photo once it’s completely finished.

I’ve also already started something new. First, there’s the outfit for my little bears. But I’m still waiting for the right needles, which should arrive tomorrow.

Second, I started a new pair of leggings for Linja in the garden today. By fall, her current pair will probably start to get a little too small for her.

By the way, little Juna (Linja’s sister) also has a beautiful middle name: Merlia. Unlike Linja, she sleeps a lot. :)


My daughter just gave me a request: She’d like two pincushions, one for the table and one for her finger. She’s caught the sewing bug again. I’m happy about that, because she’s already sewn me a neck pillow (photo)

Mel, that’s great that your daughter enjoys sewing. That’s a fantastic neck pillow!
I’m interested in your pincushions, especially the one for the finger.

Mel: I’m also interested in the finger pincushion.

My first July project is finished too:

A jacket for Anton 


I’m not happy with the zipper. It’s too short. I’ll probably change that again. But otherwise, it turned out really cute.

I’m in celebration mode right now—we were invited to a First Communion and a Confirmation that took place over the last two weekends.
It was really lovely, and very different.

In between, I’ve been working on this burger toilet paper roll hat; I just finished it.
I quite like it, though I’m still a little unsure about the “plate” as a base… we’ll see if I change it again tomorrow…

Thanks, Monika and Sandra—I’m happy to return the compliment. I’m not exactly sure yet how I’ll make the finger pincushion; I started with the large one first—it’s supposed to be a cactus (my daughter collects cacti). But I’ll keep you posted...
Claudia, your burger looks fantastic! I’m sure you’ll find a solution for your “plate.”

Good morning, the pot holders are really great. I especially like the round one. I’ve never tried Tunisian crochet, but I read a lot about it here on the forum.

Anton’s jacket has a great color combination. I find it frustrating to change something afterward, but if you don’t do it, you’re always dissatisfied. It’s better to bite the bullet—afterward, you’ll enjoy it even more.

The hamburger is awesome. I’ve never seen it as a toilet paper roll cover before. It’s definitely an eye-catcher.

Have a sunny day!

Claudia:
The burger looks great. Did you just slide the toilet paper roll right in there?
Is there a pattern for that?

Petra: Yeah, it’s really annoying. But unpicking the zipper and reattaching it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. A lot of love and work went into the jacket, so it should turn out well. The size 35 was sold out. I should have waited. But I wanted to have it finished. 

Mel, your daughter did a fantastic job on the pillow. I'm curious to see the pincushions too.
Sandra , the jacket for Anton turned out great, nice color; the zipper issue is annoying, but it can be fixed easily.
Claudia, the toilet roll hat is hilarious. You always have such unusual ideas, simply wonderful!

Petra,tunisian crochet isn't hard at all. I only learned it myself some time ago. I really enjoy it.
The round potholders can even be made with a regular crochet hook, because you only have 6 stitches on the hook.

I just have to show you this: Our cat is fast asleep in his crocheted basket under the kitchen table! I’m so happy right now that he finds it so cozy—at least all that work was worth it!

I had planned to make a stole—but for some reason, I just can’t seem to manage it right now.

So I tweaked the pattern a bit and started on a triangular shawl again.

Nadeleule, your cat seems to be doing really well in his new home

Petra, that’s right! He slept in it for hours. But (luckily) he didn’t lay any eggs :D

Wow, there’s really a lot going on here. You’ve all conjured up some amazing things. I’m impressed!

Sandra, I also love the jacket for Anton. And I’d do it exactly the same way you did, because I like it better with a longer zipper, too.

Claudia, your hamburger for toilet paper rolls—that’s a fantastic idea! It looks really cool. I would never have guessed what it really is.

Mel, your cat looks so cute in that basket—what a great photo. She must have sensed how much love you put into crocheting it. You really have something to be happy about.

I’m already so excited… because I want to hold Juna in my arms as soon as possible. She’s 10 days old now and sooo cute! Plus, Linja is already looking forward to seeing her again. As soon as the temperatures are a bit more moderate—around mid-June—we’ll load up the RV and drive to Ravensburg. A knitting kit is already on its way. Quite a bit had piled up.

Now I’m enjoying the garden on every nice day—with my knitting, of course. The CraSy Trio arrived today, so I can keep working on the teddy bear’s outfit. Plus, my UFO top is still waiting to be finished.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

First of all, thanks for the kind words—Arni, the burger is open at the bottom; as is almost always the case, it’s simply slipped over the roll. There will also be a pattern, but that’ll take a little while… maybe I’ll make some fries to place around the burger. Something’s still missing for me… we’ll see.

My first June project is finished. A cactus pincushion for my little daughter

I just spotted it in the gallery.
It looks great—your daughter will be thrilled.

Thanks, Marion! Yes, she was really happy. Right now, I’m tinkering with the mini cushion for the finger....

Mel, your cactus pincushion turned out super cute. That’s such a great idea! Just right for your daughter, who loves cacti. :)

Thanks, Monika—yes, that’s right :)

Unfortunately, my cactus photo was prematurely removed from the gallery

Mel, I had the exact same experience with my potholder picture.
I have no idea why it was removed, though.
I’ve posted it again.

By the way, the second pincushion turned out really nice, too.
Do you need to make one for your finger now too?

Mel, you’ve shown it here. That’s great, too. I’d suggest you write a pattern for it anyway, because I’m sure quite a few people here will like this cactus. ;-)

Monika, thank you, but I don’t think there’s that much demand for cacti.
I had to turn the finger pincushion into a wrist pincushion because it would have gotten in the way when my daughter was sewing, with her little fingers (her words). 

Mel: Monika’s right about that ;-)

I’m going to make another hand puppet. The head is already done. 

Thanks, Sandra! I’m already looking forward to your new hand puppet :)

Mel, I think your pin cushions are great, too! You could definitely write a pattern for them. I once wrote a pattern for a cactus pin cushion, too. A few people have already shown interest in it...

Ruth, your cacti are really cute, too! I’m thinking about it, but it’ll take a while. 

I discovered some bamboo yarn in my stash that I’m using to knit a lace shawl:

Wow, you’ve all made some amazing things. Marlene, that shawl looks great! I love the pattern and the colors.

Ruth, your cactus is so cute.
Mel, I think your cactus is just as cute—just different. I’m sure a lot of people will be interested in it, since it’s also very useful. There are probably way more cactus lovers out there than you think.

Sandra, I’m already curious about your next hand puppet.

I’ll finish up my top tonight. I just need to weave in the loose ends. Then I can put it on. :)

I’m not really a fan of those toilet roll covers—but that burger looks really cool, Claudia.

The next hand puppet will take a while—I’ve decided to make two more heads. We’re going on vacation a week from Saturday, and I don’t want to take any stuffing with me. So I’ll take three pre-stuffed heads with me and make the bodies while on vacation. 

Sandra, that’s a really clever idea! 

Now I’ll show you the summer top I finished. I like it even more than I thought I would. It just came together like this as I was knitting. I’ll wear it for the first time on Pentecost. We’re going to visit friends then.



And these are the leggings I started for Linja. She’s into blue right now.

Monika, your top looks fantastic! And Linja’s leggings are sure to turn out great, too!

Monika, the top looks really good—I really like the colors.

It’s great that Linja likes blue now; the leggings will definitely look great when they’re finished.

I’m crocheting pot holders—I’ll show them to you when I’m done.

Monika, that top looks amazing! You’re sure to get lots of compliments at Whitsun. Pastel colors and lilac tones aren’t usually my thing, but I really like this one!

Mel, Marion, and Ruth, I’m so glad you like my top, too. :)

My usual colors are more red, yellow, and orange, but this yarn had been sitting in my “diet” and “leftover yarn” drawer for quite a while. So I finally took it out and knitted this top with it. It’s something completely different. I hadn’t imagined it would turn out this great beforehand.

I already have a few new ideas swirling around in my head about how I can put my leftover yarn to good use. But those ideas still need to mature a bit... :)

My pot holder collection has grown. Now I have two pairs that match.

Thanks, Marlene. I just love these kinds of slightly crazy things…

Marion, I think your pot holders with the segments are especially brilliant… they’re such great mood-boosters.

Monika, your top is great, too. It looks really fresh and lovely.

We just got back from a short vacation; we were invited to a confirmation in Bad Tölz and then spent a few more days in Salzburg, with a stopover at Lake Chiemsee.
It’s really a worthwhile vacation destination.

On the way back to the “Pott,” we spent the night in Bamberg again... that was definitely too short!
We know far too little about our own country; the city is really great and will definitely be a weekend destination again...

Because of that, I didn’t get to crochet nearly enough—I’m already looking longingly at my hooks—but for now, the laundry and my sweetheart still demand my attention.

Marion, I think your pot holders are super cool, too!

Thanks, Claudia! :)
By the way, I don’t live that far from Lake Chiemsee, and we often go there for short trips. Salzburg is also only 90 km away. And we head over to the Bad Tölz area every now and then in our RV. It’s really something to have the best vacation spots right in your backyard. :)

How’s it going for you all?

I’ve used up some small leftover cotton yarn again:

Your potholders are a great idea, Mel. I really like them.

Now that my top is finished, I’ve already made quite a bit of progress on the leggings for Linja. The first leg is taking shape...



And today I’m finally going to get back to working on the suit for the teddy bears.

Next week, I’m taking the RV on a trip to Ravensburg to visit my grandchildren. I’m really looking forward to it. Linja has told me what she’d like me to crochet for her. But I’ll have to take a closer look at it first and then come up with something. It’ll be a real challenge, because I don’t have any idea yet. :-) So I’m curious myself to see how it turns out.

Ruth: grr. :-) I just saw the king in your patterns. I’m working on a king too at the moment. The heads are similar. But I didn’t copy yours, and I’d planned the body along similar lines too. Just in different colors.
I’ll copy from you for the prince. I like the idea of the feather. :-)

Sandra, that’s great! I’m already excited to see your figures!

It’s finally summer… you can really feel it here on the forum. I feel the same way—I don’t really feel like using the computer when the weather is this nice.

Sandra, I’m already curious about your new figures, too. :)

I’ve now finished the suit for one of the twin teddy bears. It looks totally cute—take a look:



Today I’ve almost finished knitting the second one, where the colors are reversed. In the next few days, I’ll post a picture of both of them together here.

By the way, the outfit is very easy to adjust to any size and even fits dolls. Since I’m really into it right now, I’m already thinking about making some for a few smaller and larger teddy bears. That’ll use up a lot of my leftover yarn, and I can try out different color combinations.

Next week I’ll finally get to see my two granddaughters. I’m already excited to see Juna. She’ll be a month old by then. Time flies so fast.

Monika
the suit looks great on your teddy bear; he really turned out cute.
Have fun with your granddaughters.

Not much is getting done here right now either. The garden is calling, or something else comes up.
But never mind, I don't have to finish anything; after all, it's supposed to be fun.

We're enjoying the beautiful weather now and also taking trips around the area.  

Yes, summer really is for “real life.” But we can still be active virtually every now and then. We also always enjoy trips around the area. I still get around to knitting or crocheting every now and then.

Yesterday I finished knitting the second outfit—with slightly longer sleeves and legs. Here’s what the two outfits look like now.



And this is what the twin teddy bears look like dressed

Monika, your teddy bears are absolutely adorable. I really like the reversed colors.
I’m also being called on a lot right now; the beautiful weather draws me outside a lot, so I don’t get much crafting done. But slowly but surely, my crocheted grandma for my mother’s 70th is taking shape. I hope I can get her finished before September.

Thanks, Sofi! :) I’m already curious to see your finished crocheted grandma. Have fun continuing to crochet and with everything else you’re up to.

I found two UFOs and want to finish them.
One is crocheted, the other is knitted.
I’ll start with the crocheted one, but that’ll take longer—the yarn is so thin.

Oh Marion, you’ve really set your sights high. I really like the top part, and the bottom part too, of course. But the colors on top are totally my style.

Have fun finishing up that UFO.

I started a new project today. Linja gave me an idea. She wants a very special bag. It’s already looking good, but I need a few details from her now. I’m curious myself to see how it’ll look when it’s finished.

I’ve already set aside a few things for the trip. I bought a crochet pattern from WollholicClaudia that I really liked. And I want to start that project on vacation. After all, my hooks need to get some use while we’re camping, too.

So, I’m just popping in briefly—I feel the same way as Monika: with this great weather, the garden is calling, so there’s little time to be online. Monika, your bear outfit turned out really cute!
But I’ve also finished a new project: the young son of a friend asked for a sloth. 

Progress update on my shawl:



I already have a top-down raglan cardigan in mind.

Good morning. I’ve finally finished something again. Everything takes a little longer on vacation. 


Marlene: Your shawl looks great. The colors are so beautiful, too.

Are you ready for UFO Week?

Marlene, the pattern on your shawl is really beautiful.😊

Sandra, your 👑 looks absolutely fantastic.

My UFO is slowly coming along, but there’s no way it’ll be finished this month.😴

I’m already excited to see what else you’ll manage to finish.

Wow, what a cute king, Sandra!
And Marlene, your shawl is great, too!
As requested, I crocheted a sloth for the son of a friend—I thought it was so cute myself—and since the little guy is heading off to his new home tomorrow, I made another one for myself. 

Those two sloths are so cute!
And your king turned out great again, Sandra!

Mel, your two sloths turned out sooo cute!!!

No wonder you made another one for yourself.

I really like your sloths, Mel.

It’s something completely different for a change.

Marion and Marlene, thank you very much 

And of course, a big thank you to Ruth as well :)

Oh, how sweet, Mel. I can understand why you have to keep one of them. 

Thank you, Sandra :)

Wow, you’ve all finished some lovely things again. Real works of art!

Mel, I’ve already admired your sloths. They’re absolutely adorable—just so sweet. :)
Sandra, your king turned out amazing. You’re getting better and better.
And Marlene, your shawl has a very pretty pattern—I’ve noticed you’re getting better too.

My granddaughter got a special bag yesterday that she’d been hoping for. I’d started it on vacation and actually managed to finish it. I’ll show it to you when I’m back home. I just have to get the photos off my card first.

And then I started crocheting a summer dress using some unloved yarn. That’s quite a challenge for me, because the yarn is pretty stiff (bouclé—cotton with viscose). It’s not all that easy to work in a lace pattern. But I’ve gotten the hang of it by now. I’m already curious to see how it’ll look when it’s finished. I’ve used up 3 skeins since yesterday evening. I still have 7 skeins to go.

I’ll post a photo of that in the next few days, too. I’m sure I’ll be able to get a bit more done on the drive home tomorrow.

I admire you, Monika. I can’t do any crafting or read in the car. It’s manageable on the train, but I much prefer sitting somewhere quiet in an armchair that doesn’t move!

Thanks, Moni :)

I’d like to try my hand at a more complicated lace pattern—maybe after I finish my RVO jacket.
Though the patterns themselves aren’t as much of a problem for me as getting them down on “paper.”

But for now, something a little simpler.

Ruth, that works great during the ride. :) Today I got a good bit done during those 4 hours in the hot car. That kept me a bit distracted, because we ran into roadworks with slight traffic jams several times. Driving is always much easier on Sundays.

Marlene, I don’t find writing things down all that easy either, especially not crochet lace patterns. Now I’m working from a pattern by Claudia, and it’s going great. I’ve relearned quite a bit in the process.

Since the cotton is pretty heavy and probably won’t be enough for a dress, it’ll more likely become a skirt now. Once I get to the last two skeins, I’ll see what it ends up being. In any case, the yarn will have found a use. 

Monika, we got back from vacation on Sunday and hit plenty of traffic jams too. I’m afraid that during the vacation season, there isn’t a single weekday left when you can get through without hitting traffic.

I wish I could crochet or knit in the car, but I can’t handle it. Same goes for reading or sleeping. That’s why I hate long car rides—I have nothing to do but stare out the window, which gets pretty boring on the highway.... 

So, everyone, I’ve finally sorted through the photos and can show you something.

First up is sweet little Juna—now 4 weeks old. She was lying peacefully in the grass in front of our RV, sleeping soundly. She sleeps a lot in general—at night, she’s already sleeping for 6 hours straight. Here’s a photo of her:


And this is what my crochet project looks like now—I crocheted it on Monday and yesterday while traveling. It’ll probably end up being a skirt after all, because there isn’t enough yarn for a dress. Plus, the yarn is a bit too heavy and too thick for a dress.



And here’s the Puky bag for Linja. It fits on all of her ride-on vehicles. Now she uses it to take her little stuffed animals or her doll for a ride. There’ll be a pattern for it soon, too.

I’ve already finished my UFO this month and am ready for the awards ceremony.
Josefa, do you know yet when it’ll be this time? I’m guessing Monday.

Now I’m heading out to the garden to keep crocheting on my skirt. It’s now twice as tall as it was in the last photo.

Happy needle-sweating to you all ... grin. :)

I didn’t finish any UFOs this time.
Instead, I went with “turn old into new” by unraveling and reusing.

My first RVO jacket will probably be a project for July.



I’m crocheting bobbles to use as fasteners.

Here is the thread for the final stretch / the award ceremony:
Final Stretch and Award Ceremony / June Edition 2019