August Projects: Have Fun Crafting and Enjoy a Nice Chat

Continued here:
August Projects / September Projects



Dear users, dear designers,
July is over.
Here is the thread for the August projects.
Details will come later, but you can go ahead and get started. :- )

Here is the July award ceremony:
Final Sprint and Award Ceremony / July Edition 2019 (No Advertising )

The July projects to read up on:
July Projects: win motivating titles + spend a good time with nice people (No Advertising )

UFO Week in August:
starts on August 26
Award ceremony September 2/3

I’m happy to join in again this month.

I’ve already started on a new bag—this one’s finally for me.

I’m already excited to see what you all come up with.

I’d love to join in again. Let’s see what I come up with. There are a few things on my mind that I’d like to try out. I’ll just let myself be surprised.

I’m joining in again, too. But I probably won’t have much to show,
since I’ve got two bigger projects on the go. I’m still working on the Turkish piece. The border is a pain. There are still 40 cm missing.
Luckily, I don’t need it until December.

And then I want to crochet an Advent calendar. Probably even two—one for Anton and one for my husband. I want to make 46 little elves and the elf house for the 24th, for both of them together. So we’ll see. I’ll start with Anton’s little elf first. :-)))

Sandra, I already wish you lots of fun with the “Wichteln.” That’s a real labor of love. The good thing about it is that your leftover yarn will practically melt away. I’m already very excited to see your little gnomes. They’re sure to be fun and well received.

First I’m going to finish my UFO—the leggings. Then we’ll see what’s next.

For the doorstop, I’m still missing that brilliant idea for how to finish it. Maybe it’ll come to me this month.

In any case, I’ve got quite a bit planned.

Luckily, there’s still time until December. And the door wreath is quite a labor-intensive task too, so at least I’ll have some variety :-))

Unfortunately, I’m barely getting anything done right now besides work, housework, and gardening. I’ve crocheted about 12 rounds over the last 5 days and am barely managing to pop in here briefly every now and then. Maybe August will bring a little more time and energy. This weekend we’re heading to East Frisia to unwind a bit. But the yarn is staying home—I’d like to spend this time just with my husband.

Mel, that weekend idea is a great one.

I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing mini-vacation with your husband.

Yes, Mel, sometimes it really is very important to give the most important people in our lives our full attention. 

I still take my needles and yarn with me on vacation, since my husband also likes to go off and take photos on his own sometimes. I like to use that time for crafting.

I hope you have a relaxing time too after so much work. That always does you good.

My first August project is finished: A rainbow-colored party dress for Barbie dolls. (There is a pattern for it, too.)

Ruth, that Barby looks really stylish—the dress is very pretty.

I’ve already finished a new piece, too. I had just enough leftover yarn for one more bag.
But this time, I’m keeping my own creation.

Wow—how lovely! Marion, I like this bag even better than the last one. Very pretty pattern!

Ruth, the dresses are absolutely gorgeous! Little projects like these are a real challenge for me.

I’m currently working on knitting a circular jacket. I really want to try that too, so I’m giving it a shot with my teddy bear first. At least that gives me a new project for now.

And then I want to get back to knitting socks. I’m planning to try out some new patterns then.

I’m adding the cuff to my hat now.
I won’t know if it fits until it’s finished.

I also have a mental image of spiral socks using the double-face technique with a lace pattern.
I’m curious to see if it works out the way I pictured it.

Cute little dress, Ruth :)
I have a Barbie, too—but those tiny parts really aren’t for me.

Marion, your bag is great.
I really like the party dresses for Barbies, too.

I’m sitting here patiently working on my sofa blanket—it’s growing row by row...

So I needed a little side project, otherwise it would just get way too boring for me.

I crocheted Theo, a little fish that helps with math.
It went quickly, and I had plenty of leftover yarn for it.



It’s raining here right now and the temperatures have dropped significantly, which I’m really enjoying—nature was looking pretty parched over the last few weeks.

We’ll see what else August has in store for us… For now, I wish you all a great weekend.

Claudia, your math-helper fish is a great idea, and it looks really awesome! I totally love it!

Claudia, your Rechenfisch looks very good. I like it, and the colors are very beautiful too.

Many thanks to you and Monika; I'm delighted by your praise.

I like the bag very much too. My daughter would have taken it right away, but this time I'm standing firm.

Maybe she'll get one in different colors, but not right away.
By the way, she asked about her jacket that I promised her, and a UFO immediately came to mind.

Now I have to continue with it as quickly as possible. Her birthday is in September, so I have to be finished by then.

So at least I know what's coming up next.

Wow, you’re all so busy!
Marion, your bag looks great! About how big is it?
And your counting fish, Claudia, is fantastic! The colors go really well together!

Such a beautiful bag, great party dresses, a cute counting fish (might be something for my youngest grandchild someday)—you’re all so hardworking and creative!

I’d love to join in again in August, but first I’m heading to the mountains for a few days with the grandkids. Unfortunately, the weather forecast doesn’t promise nothing but sunshine!

I’ll show you the little basket in a separate photo. The instructions for the double stitches confused me at first, but with a little help it worked out great in the end.

I wish everyone a lovely, sunny, relaxing weekend.

Christina



Maybe the basket needs a little more starch so it holds its shape well.

Thanks, Ruth—the bag is about 34 cm wide and 38 cm long.

It’s the perfect size for shopping, and it stretches a bit, too.

It’s made from older ribbon yarn with a size 6 needle, so it works up pretty quickly.

Just finished my first August project:

Wow, I’ve barely been away for a day—and already so many lovely things are finished. :)

Great little basket, Christina. I also had some trouble with those double stitches the first time around. But now I love them when the crochet piece needs stability. And they’re actually quite simple.

Marlene, your hat looks great! I like it. (It is a hat, right?)

By the way, today I had my first idea for Christmas gifts for my two granddaughters. They’re both getting a summer jacket for next year. Both will have a nautical theme and the same color combination. However, each of them will still get a unique, one-of-a-kind piece. Most of the time, the final ideas come to me while I’m knitting.

I’ve realized that the circular jacket really isn’t for me. But while knitting, I came up with a new pattern that I really love. I’ll use that in a jacket or sweater sometime.

And one more thing—my UFO, the leggings for Linja—is finished tonight. I just have to weave in a few ends. Photos will probably follow tomorrow.

Yes, Moni—it’s a hat.

I originally wanted to make a beret.
However, I didn’t have enough yarn for that.
Well then, the next hat will definitely be a beret.

I’d like to show you something non-yarn-related again.

Yesterday we tidied up our balcony once more, removing the faded flowers and such.
Unfortunately, the main blooming season for our lavender is already over—over the last few weeks, the wild bees were buzzing all around it... that was really lovely.
The faded lavender blossoms still smell so wonderful that I brought them inside as a little bouquet.
They can stay there for a few more weeks.



Afterward, we were invited to a good friend’s place for a birthday barbecue...
He’s treated us to grilled delicacies many times before... and he’s really great at it! For example, there’s plaice fillet with fried potatoes, or lamb fillet with a feta-pomegranate dip... or stuffed pork tenderloin with prunes marinated in wine and wrapped in bacon... so an award was definitely in order!
He was really happy about it too; it’s now hanging on his grill with magnets, his “man toy.”




And of course, he spoiled us again with delicious food on Saturday...
A friend like that is truly worth his weight in gold :)

Claudia, is that a set of barbecue utensils in the photo? Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell. Fun idea. :)

Yes, good friends are truly worth so much. We’re also very grateful to have such rare gems in our lives.

Great idea, Claudia! I’ll have to make one of those for my son. He’s a real grill master, too.

Monika, why don’t you try crocheting a circular cardigan? It’s much easier!

Ruth, I’ve put the circle jacket on hold for now. I just don’t like it as something for me to wear. I’d rather work on other projects.

Now I’ll show you the finished leggings for Linja:



And on a whim, I also knitted a pair of leggings for the baby. They’re meant to grow with her and fit at least until she’s 2 years old. This is how far I’ve gotten so far:



I’ll be giving both pairs of leggings as gifts in September when we visit them again. Then they’ll be all set for the cold season.

You’ve all made such amazing things. It’s impossible to list them all.

I’ve already finished 5 little gnomes for the Advent calendar.

Those leggings are really cool, Moni :)

There aren’t any babies or toddlers here—otherwise I’d make something like that too.

I like your elves, Arni :)

Thanks, Marlene! :)

Sandra, your little elves turned out totally cute. They all have their own personalities. What are you planning to fill them with? You’re so fast. You could easily make two Advent calendars. Awesome!

Good morning. I’ll have to see exactly what goes into the Secret Santa gifts. Probably 1–2 little cars; there are zoo animals from LEGO DUPLO, too. For now, I’m going to continue crocheting the door wreath. I only need another 20 cm
 

I just wanted to check in briefly…
I’ve been looking at your beautiful creations and I’m almost a little jealous of all the things you’ve managed to make ;)
I’m still crocheting my mystery project, which isn’t really a mystery anymore xD
I’m way behind on it and already know it’s going to be a beach bag. But there’s a silver lining—I already know I’m going to make a different shoulder strap than the pattern calls for. I’ll show it to you if I manage to finish it this month ;)
Since it’s peak season right now, I can work a lot of shifts; things will look very different again as we head into fall and winter. On Saturday, our little one is coming back from Ameland, and we’ll be celebrating my husband’s birthday in the evening. The weekend was very relaxing. We spent Saturday in East Frisia and drove to North Holland on Sunday morning. By evening, we were back home, feeling relaxed. Even though I hate driving, I managed to get through the entire 750 km without complaining :)

Wow, Mel, 750 km!! That would be a nightmare for me. I don’t like driving either. Luckily, with the RV, we can take a break after 300–400 km at the latest.

If it was worth it for you and you had a relaxing time, then of course that makes up for it.

In any case, I hope you have more time for crafts again. :)

Everyone here,
it’s just amazing what you’ve managed to finish again.

Mel, I’m glad you were able to rest up. Just take your time with your bag—it’ll get done eventually.

I’ve been working on my UFO and have already made quite a bit of progress. At the start, the jacket had 13 rows; now I’ve already finished 36. 

Today I’ve made quite a bit of progress on the baby leggings. I’m starting on the first leg now. Here’s what the leggings look like so far:



And then I have to show you my new little one… her name is Lena, and she’s already looking forward to wearing knitted outfits and appearing as a model in my shop. :)

What do you think of her? I got her secondhand, and she arrived today. Isn’t she absolutely adorable?

First all by herself, then in the best of company, and now she’s already wearing a knitted jacket that I think looks great on her.

Marion
I really have no choice but to take my time—yesterday I could only manage a few more rounds in a contrasting color; I didn’t get home until 9:45 p.m., then took a shower and sat in the living room for another hour, then went to bed and was up again at 5 a.m. this morning.

Monika, your Lena is lovely!
Soon you’ll have a whole kindergarten group, and you’ll be able to take some lovely photos :)
The start of the baby leggings looks lovely!

Thanks, Mel :)

Yeah, the three of them are a cute trio. I enjoy them every day. I already have a few ideas for what I’ll knit for the two little ones. For example, as a twin set—a girl and a boy. That’ll be totally cute.

I might just end up specializing in doll clothes in this 50 cm size. Lots of girls have dolls like that. And our two girls will surely be happy, too, when I dress up their favorites. Who knows… maybe one day Lena will move in with Linja or Juna. It could happen… ;-)

I hope you all have a wonderful day with pleasant temperatures. It’s really heating up here right now… it’s supposed to reach 34 degrees.

Since I’m currently stuck with my sock, I’ve started on a clothespin bag instead.

Marlene, that’s a great idea with the clothespin pouch.

It was just too hot for me today—34 degrees—to keep knitting the wool leggings. So I spontaneously put a new idea into action and started a new project. After all, I’ve got quite a bit of yarn that needs to be used up.

My new addition, Lena, definitely needs a sleeping bag. It’ll be a very easy-to-knit sleeping bag that she’ll be tucked into. But it’s quite different from the ones I’ve made so far. The sleeping bag is designed to fit nicely into a doll stroller. We’ll see how it turns out in the end. My ideas usually come to me right while I’m knitting.

As it stands, I’m churning out one new UFO after another. That’s what I like best—having several projects going at once. That way, things definitely don’t get boring.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Monika, you really found a beautiful design there.

This is what my UFO looks like now.     

Marion, I really like the knitting pattern (or is it a crochet pattern?).
Is that going to be a vest?

Since I didn’t like the piece I’d started knitting at all, I unraveled everything and started crocheting one today. It’s something different for a change. Most importantly, it’ll be sturdier, and that’s what I’m aiming for. I’m already excited to see the final result myself.

Today the temperatures are finally bearable, and I can still enjoy the balcony before the rain starts.

Monika
it’s going to be a jacket (Herbststurm, the pattern is from CP).
It’s crocheted, and I really like the pattern too.

It’s already the second one; this one is for my daughter’s birthday.

Hi everyone,
I’d like to share something here, too.
I want to give each of my coworkers (about 15) a shopping bag for the Christmas Secret Santa. They should all be different: crocheted, knitted, with various yarns and colors. I’ve already collected at least 20 patterns in a separate folder and am hard at work on them. 
Six bags are finished—all that’s left is to weave in ends and sew on the labels from Initiative Handarbeiten. I’ve already given two of them away as gifts…
Before I start on the sweaters for my boys, I’d like to finish these. I wonder if I’ll manage it?

Best regards, Christa

Hi Christa
I think the shopping nets for your coworkers are a great idea, and I’ve already been mulling that idea over too! Right now, I’m working on two different nets again—one following a pattern from Initiative Handarbeit, and the other will be an Edda Bag. Two years ago, I provided my family and friends with crocheted shopping bags, and as I’ve noticed, at least some of them are still in constant use! Will you show us pictures of your finished projects?

Monika, it seems we both love bears and dolls. Unfortunately, I have so many projects on my mind right now that I don’t have time for doll clothes.

A warm welcome, dear Christa, to our creative group! It’s great that you’re joining in here too!

I also think it’s a fantastic idea to make such wonderful Secret Santa gifts for your coworkers. They must be especially nice. I’m already looking forward to your photos when they’re done. You’ll definitely manage it — there’s still plenty of time.

Yes, Christina, I’ve noticed that too. With the bears and dolls, I’m kind of fulfilling a childhood dream and I love them all.

For the time being, my grandchildren come first too ... let’s say, alongside that. Because I’m definitely tempted, especially since doll clothes are finished so quickly. Lena absolutely has to be dressed nicely, and I already have all sorts of ideas in mind.

What I had planned as a clothespin bag is now turning into a multipurpose basket:

The color combination of that little basket is very pretty. 

I finished 5 gnomes again.

Now I’ll work on figuring out the accessories for the door wreath first 

Oh Sandra, your little elves are sooo cute and lively. You just have to love them. :)

Marlene, I really like your little basket. It happens to me often, too—I start something and then it turns into something completely different.

I’ll show you tomorrow what I’m currently working on. Right now I have 3 UFOs—yes, a third one has joined the pile. Lena really needs some socks, and I’ve already finished one. It looks so cute—in pink and light pink. I’ll knit the second one in the next few days, so it won’t stay a UFO for long.

I’ve also made some progress on crocheting her sleeping bag. I can already picture it looking really pretty—in those classic girly colors of bright red and pink. Photos will follow once I can take them in daylight.

I think all your work is wonderful! Monika, I’m excited to see what your new little doll gets to wear!

I just finished a new project: a basket full of vegetables for the children’s play shop. But I think it also makes a great fall decoration (Thanksgiving/harvest festival). Don’t you think so too?

Wow, Ruth, your little vegetable basket is great!
I finally have something to show again, too. My beach bag (from a summer Mystery CAL) is finally finished. I’m now a lot lighter on leftover cotton yarn but one bag richer. I’ll be taking it to work with me from now on.

Oops, forgot the picture...

WOW, Ruth, that looks so real! Awesome!! Kids will absolutely love it.

Well, I’m also curious to see what kinds of outfits my Lena will get to wear. Here’s a photo of the first sock for now—the pink one for Lena; the other one is Sternchen’s. The second pink sock will follow as soon as I have time.



And here’s what the beginning of the sleeping bag looks like. The head area is crocheted in double layers and padded so it becomes like a pillow. Now I’m going to keep crocheting down to the feet and then figure out the pattern for the blanket. In any case, I’ll be using two different shades of pink.

Wow, Mel, your bag looks great. A really awesome project for using up leftovers. I totally understand why you want to keep it for yourself.

Ruth, your little vegetable basket looks great—it would make a perfect decoration.

Mel, your bag turned out really nice too—a great way to use up scraps.

Monika, your Lena is getting some pretty socks. I’m sure you’ll come up with plenty more ideas for her.
I’ve made more progress on my UFO jacket. I’m already working on the sleeves.

Hi there, everyone.
There’s lots of new stuff to see here again—some really nice things among them.
Arni, by the way, your Advent calendar gave me an idea...

I’m actually thinking about turning the counting fish into an Advent calendar for my brother—a few little treats would fit pretty well in that big mouth… we’ll see. It should look pretty nice as a mobile.


I’m actually crocheting my sofa blanket—well… in theory… in practice, too, but I’m extremely unmotivated and inconsistent. At least it’s about 70 cm long now.

I get distracted way too easily—I’m just lacking the stamina right now.

The Cranger Kirmes was here again last week; I absolutely have to go there every year… even multiple times, even though I’m really just there to eat my way through the fair.
Fried fish… chocolate-covered bananas… roasted almonds… Currywurst… shepherd’s cheese in flatbread… crêpes… fairground ice cream…—for that reason alone, I have to go there more often; I just can’t manage to try everything in a single visit :)







I also added a few jellyfish and corals to my old collection of sea creatures—I was in the mood for some new decor.









Unfortunately, the blanket keeps having to take a back seat because of that.

Oh, Claudia, your ocean-themed world looks fantastic!—And if your stomach can handle all those treats, why not? If you go more often, you can spread it out better. I know this from my son—he has to go to Oktoberfest with us several times, too.

Mel, I really love your bag! The color combination is really nice!

I’m also looking forward to seeing your finished sleeping bag, Monika. You’ve already come up with quite a few variations for sleeping bags.

Thanks, Arni and Moni :)

Once again, so many great things have been created here that I really like.

Wow, Claudia, I really like your underwater world, too. I totally understand that such big projects aren’t fun in the long run.

I always need something small to work on in between, too. Right now, it’s little socks.

Yes, Ruth, I’ve already designed quite a few sleeping bags in different sizes. But this one will be completely different. It’ll be my first crocheted one, and it’s meant to fit into a doll’s stroller—essentially a pillow and blanket combined. The doll will just be tucked inside. 

I have something to show you again. Since the door wreath is getting on my nerves right now and I needed a bit of variety, I crocheted a decoration for Anton’s birthday party.

The “2” is a pattern from here. I got the idea for the giraffe from Amazon, since they sell a balloon that looks pretty similar.

Sandra, your decorative giraffe is so cute. I like it better than the original.

Wouldn’t a number 1 like that with a different design also go well with your wreath?

Sandra, you’re an artist and really great at designing. :-) Now you just need to write up some patterns for them. Maybe you’ll change your mind after all.

I’ll probably finish the doll stroller sleeping bag more slowly than I thought. Because right now I want to finish knitting my UFO first—the baby leggings. All that’s left is the rest of the second leg. When they’re done, I’ll show them to you.

And then another project takes priority: a specific color combination I’m still tinkering with... First, I have to choose one idea from among many.

The little socks for Lena are finished. I’ll show you those, too, along with the leggings. As soon as I’m at the right computer.

I decided to give mini spiral socks a try:

Sandra the giraffe is sooo cute! Marlene, your spiral socks are great—awesome color combination!

I’m currently knitting an RVO for myself in heathered cotton (Rowan Cotton Jeans, color Madras). I knitted the stand-up collar first and have now reached shoulder height. So it’ll still be a while before I can share the first proper photo, since I don’t have much time right now.
Last night I was about to stop knitting when my husband said, “You’re already done? Keep going—you have less time to knit right now anyway, and you want to finish that sweater, don’t you?” He’s right, so I kept knitting for another half hour....

So many great things have been created here. You’re all so hardworking.

The spiral socks have such great colors. I also love knitting heel-less socks like these the most.

The giraffe as a number 2 is super cute. Is Anton already celebrating his 2nd birthday? Oh, how time flies.

I managed to finish a birthday present (but only because the birthday is this weekend). A phone case to protect the phone at work. Crocheted very simply using single crochet stitches.



Other than that, I’m working on what feels like 20 UFOs, and I can’t seem to finish any of them.

Marlene, your spiral socks look pretty—I really like the color combination.

Petra, a phone case like that is always a great gift and very practical.

Today I finally finished the baby leggings. Now I just need to weave in the loose ends on the inside, which I’ll do tonight. So now I’ve finished both pairs of leggings for my granddaughters and can take them with me in September.

Here’s what the finished baby leggings look like:



The crocheted sleeping bag is my only UFO right now—thankfully. I’m going to start by making a few gauge swatches with different color combinations. What’s turning out by chance already looks good.

I keep realizing that what I love doing most is making things for kids or my dolls and teddy bears. I also have a thick cardigan in mind for my husband, but that’ll have to wait until it gets cooler. It probably won’t happen before the end of September.

Oh, and a Christmas gift for a dear friend who’ll be visiting us is already buzzing around in my head. It’s going to be a loop scarf. I’ve already picked out the yarn, but I don’t have a real plan yet. I need to figure out what she might like first.

I’m especially proud that I still haven’t bought any yarn. It’s looking really good that I’ll stick to my yarn diet for a whole year—at least.

Monika, your leggings look great. And since the weather here has been all over the place with the temperatures, you’ll definitely be able to wear them soon.
I once knitted a pair of monster pants for my grandson—that was a lot of fun, too.

Oh Petra, how cute is that! Those pants turned out really well. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day with plenty of time for crafting!

Monika, your leggings look really pretty!
Those monster pants are a hit, Petra!
My sweater is coming along—I’ve already gotten past the sleeves. Let’s see how far I can get this week; we might take a short trip with our daughter on Friday. We’ll see where we end up!

Thanks, dear Moni :)
Monster pants—how cute is that, Petra?

Thanks, Mel! Yeah, I really like the leggings too. They’ll fit our baby this winter.
By the way, I’m already curious about your sweater. You’re really keeping us in suspense.
Have fun on your family outing! By the way, I think it’s funny that your husband urges you to knit. ;-)

Every now and then, I even find myself actually watching the movie. Something completely new. ;-) Because when I’m knitting, it’s usually more like an audio drama.

Here’s a quick update. I’d already made a sweater once, but I didn’t like it at all, so I completely unraveled it and started over. This time it’ll be a pullover with a stand-up collar and drawstrings at the neck and bottom cuffs (more of a sporty style). I’m not sure yet if I’ll be posting a pattern for it, though.

Mel, I like your sweater—the color and the style, too. It’s sure to look great when it’s finished. It looks like it’s pretty easy to knit—perfect for watching TV, so to speak. ;-)

Yes, Monika, that’s right—just plain stockinette stitch without any frills :) 

Are you ready for UFO Week?

Yes, doing great — my UFO is finished, and I’ll take the other one with me into September; I won’t manage it before then.

My “I don’t know what it’s going to be” project:

Oh Marlene, that looks amazing! It’s such a great mix of colors.
It could make a jacket… the only question is, for whom?

A cardigan is a great idea, dear Moni :)

Since I don’t know how far I’ll get with the yarn — and I can’t buy any more — I’m going to make a cardigan for a small child (up to kindergarten age).
Since it’s going to be a top-down raglan cardigan anyway, it can be adjusted accordingly.

@Marlene, the colors are great for a children's jacket. I've only knitted one jacket from the top down so far, following a pattern from a book. But it was so much fun.



How time flies, that was back in January 2015

I painted again over the weekend and finally finished my picture frame. It was a street find in rustic oak. Now I have a pinboard for my to-do tasks.



And I'm almost done with the treasure chest for my grandson, too. I just need to coat the picture with the treasure map (inside the box) with clear varnish and finish painting the bottom blue, then his treasures can be safely stored in there.



I used the decoupage technique on the outside. Right now he's a huge fan of Super Mario and his friends



Judging by the measurements, it’s probably going to be more of a baby or doll jacket, Petra.

Here’s what it looks like right now:

Petra, I think the treasure chest idea is great! I’m going to make something like that for my grandchildren, maybe even with a padlock, for all their “secret” treasures.

Marlene, I really like the colors of your jacket. I need to try RVO sometime, too—the pattern comes out much nicer that way.

I just finished an August project: Ingo the Hedgehog will be brightening up my seasonal corner starting in September.

Ruth: Ingo is so cute

Petra: the treasure chest is really great. He’ll definitely be happy about it

Marlene: the colors are really beautiful. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished jacket.

I’m not getting much done at the moment; yesterday my eyes were even closing while I was crocheting. I’m not used to that at all.

It’s very warm here at the moment; I’d most like to hide away in the basement. But Anton isn’t having that. :-) We’re going to the playground again in a moment.

That little hedgehog is so cute. A lovely fall decoration with acorns

Wow, you’ve all created some beautiful things. :)
Petra, you’ve been very hardworking and versatile to boot. As a kid, I would’ve loved a treasure chest like that, too.

Ruth, your little hedgehog looks so cute—almost like a real one.

Marlene, those colors are perfect for a kids’ jacket. Right now, I most enjoy knitting RVO. What takes the most time is figuring out the cast-on stitches and how to divide them up. Once that’s sorted out, it goes really fast.

I almost finished knitting a piece from the color challenge over the weekend. I won’t be able to show you the finished project until October, though.

I’ve also started picking out yarn for a cowl. It’s some unloved yarn that I want to use up now. Plus, I’ll finally put one of my oldest purchased patterns to its intended use—that is, rescue it. Let’s see how I can combine that...

And since I like to have several projects on my needles at once, I came across a ball of yarn that I want to use to knit a Christmas gift for a dear friend. I just don’t know yet whether it’ll be a cowl or a scarf… or both? I just can’t decide… should I knit it in the round or in rows? Well, for now, the cowl is next.

Since I don’t have either a live model or a doll available, I’m making the little cardigan by eye.
Luckily, RVO is relatively straightforward in that respect.

Do you know someone who should receive one? Then you can ask them for their measurements.

No, Ruth—everyone I know is either way past that age or doesn’t have kids of that age.

Marlene: What size should the jacket be? I can check if I have something suitable and then measure it.

I can give you the current measurements, Arni: chest circumference = 56 cm and height = 16 cm (without the neckband).

The chest circumference should stay the same; I’m working on the length now.

Ruth, your hedgehog is super cute!
I went to the yarn shop yesterday to buy my missing Crasy Trio and a very short cable for the sleeves. I also picked up 4 skeins of white yarn (though I can exchange any leftovers) because I’m not sure if my yarn will be enough for the entire sleeves. The yarn I’m currently using for the sweater is hard to get, so I needed a contrasting color. The body is almost finished; there’s still about 3 cm missing on the ribbing. Then it’s time to do the gauge swatch for the white yarn and calculate the sleeves.
Knowing me, I’ll get the calculations wrong again right off the bat and end up having to rip out the sleeves x times...

Ever since I discovered RVO, this is the only way I make jackets and sweaters.
Since I’m pretty short, I don’t have to do a lot of math with RVO.
I just try things on every now and then.

Before, I used to have to convert complicated patterns to my measurements—
not to mention sewing the pieces together.

I really like your hedgehog, too, dear Ruth.

Marlene: I’ll measure it tomorrow—I just read about it, and now Anton’s asleep, so I won’t be able to get to his stuff :-)

No problem, Arni :)

Marlene: I sent you a private message 

7 more Secret Santas are finished 

I just made the first wooden pallet for the door wreath. With a little practice, maybe I’ll even manage to make one that’s straight. :-)

I got a hot glue gun today.

Ohhh Sandra, your little elves are absolutely adorable! :) Even prettier than mine! You did a great job with them. This is going to be so much fun for Anton starting December 1.
And your door wreath is really taking shape, too.

I’ve fallen in love all over again. Luckily, I have a very patient husband... ;-)

Here are my two new little ones. It’s actually turned into a little kindergarten by now.
They’re about 40 cm tall, and of course I’m knitting them up beautifully. They look even prettier in person than in the photo.



They just smiled at me so sweetly that I couldn’t resist. They both wanted to come home with me—after all, they’re siblings. By the way, I got them through a swap platform where I’ve already traded for lots of things, including some really beautiful yarn. If you’re interested, just send me a private message.

The loop scarf for my husband is coming along, too. I’ll post a picture once it’s finished. Hopefully within the next 3 days.

Your crooked palette has a certain charm, Sandra :)

I’m not really into dolls, but yours really look as if they’re saying, “Take us with you,” Moni.

Marlene, I’m actually more of a teddy-bear mom myself. But by now I really enjoy knitting such cute dolls. It’s nice and quick, and you can bring lots of new ideas to life. 

I’ve now finished 2 reasonably straight panels too. I held them up to check. Looks good. Who knows, maybe I’ll get them finished this month after all.
After that I’m going to take a break from crocheting for a while. I have a few sewing projects in mind. I also need to use up my fabric scraps sometime. 

Monika: I don’t think my gnomes are prettier, just different. I’m very happy with the googly eyes.  They make them come alive. 

I’m not really a doll fan either, but those two are cute.  Do you have a separate room for your kindergarten, or are they scattered around the apartment? 

Yeah, Sandra, that’s exactly what I love so much—that you’re so creative with the gnomes and bring them to life in a “different” way. :)

My dolls—and a few teddy bears, too—are scattered around the living room. They’re all sitting together in the rocking chair. But now there are five of them in total. A few teddy bears are also scattered around on my couch. It’s already quite colorful and “lively” here at our place. ;-)


Sandra, your little elves are really cute! They’ll make great Advent calendars! The color palette already looked great. A hot glue gun like that is worth its weight in gold—we have a cordless one that we use all the time for our crafts!

Monika, your dolls really do look very cheerful! I’m not really a “doll mom” either (I think my daughter’s two are gathering dust somewhere in the attic—she never played with them). I believe you when you say it’s fun to knit them!

My sweater is coming along, and I like it more and more. Yesterday I started the first sleeve. In the photo here, though, it’s still sleeveless.

Continued here:
August projects / September projects