September Projects: Have Fun, Everyone.

Dear users, dear authors,
Have fun continuing with the August projects and then with the September projects too.

Part 1 of the August projects to read up on:
August Projects: Having fun crafting and chatting nicely

Part 2 of the August projects is here in this thread. I simply renamed this thread to September Projects at the end of the month.

Here is the link to the final sprint / awards ceremony for the August projects
Final Sprint and Awards Ceremony / August Edition 2019

UFO Week September:
September 24 to October 1.
Awards ceremony on October 2/3

Anyone who completes at least 1 UFO (unfinished object / craft project) as part of UFO Week will receive an award from me.
But there are also many other things you can do / challenges you can complete to receive an award. Just read up in the August final sprint / awards ceremony thread.

Have fun and good luck to you all.

I just managed it after all. My UFO has landed.

Photos - at the beginning of August as a UFO. - Today - FINISHED. ☺☺☺

Oh, that’s beautiful. 

Your jacket turned out beautifully. I’m sure you can’t wait for the start of fall to show it off to everyone.

Your perseverance paid off.

Time sure is flying by right now… it’s already the last few days of the month again.

Ruth, your hedgehog is great—and I really like the other things, too. Looking at the colors in this thread, it’s already feeling quite autumnal :)

For me, summer is the time to spend lots of time outdoors… or just sit on our balcony with something delicious.



Walks in Schloss Berge, with a short break at the beer garden… my hometown of Gelsenkirchen also has some nice spots to enjoy.



We also spent a few days in the Südheide; the heather is in full bloom right now. We stayed overnight in Celle—a really great city that I hadn’t visited before. We’ll definitely be back someday.






Of course, I’ve also been busy in between, just not on my sofa blanket—that will definitely count as a UFO next month.

For example, I’ve been playing around with the C2C pattern... hopefully I’ll finish that in the next few days.



When a matchbox runs out, I just have to make something out of it, of course. And my sweetheart really deserves a little something like that!



In Waltrop, a small town nearby, there’s a great event every year: a three-day park festival with variety acts and lots of music… of course we were there, listening to awesome bands… like Seven Cent, a great local cover band. They’re all about the party vibe—that alone made it worth it.




Tony Hadley from Spandau Ballet




Great atmosphere in the park!





John Diva & the Rockets of Love



We also saw Frida Gold, Wingenfelder (Fury in the Slaughterhouse), and a few other bands there... Three exhausting days, but they’re always a lot of fun.

By the way, I crocheted another lampshade, aged it with coffee, and this time soaked it in wood glue... It’s drying right now; I’ll let you know later if it turns out well.





Thank you both.

I really like it, too. Unfortunately, I can’t keep it.

It’s a birthday present for my daughter’s birthday in September.

Those are some impressive pictures. I also enjoy looking at photos from other regions.

I could really go for that treat with whipped cream right now.
The heather bloom looks great.

Wow, Marion, your jacket looks super pretty. Your daughter is sure to be very happy with it.

Claudia, those are very impressive photos. And you were very creative and hardworking, too.

I’ll post a photo of the loop scarf later. It has arrived and is waiting for cool days. That was one of the first patterns I bought here. More later; for now I’m enjoying the garden with fresh raspberries from the bush. By now I’m getting more than 500 g every day. I’m already busy freezing them.

I just “pulled my lampshade off the tube…”—what can I say, it worked wonderfully! Using waterproof, clear-drying wood glue actually makes it even sturdier than using special fabric stiffener. And it’s quite a bit cheaper, too… now all that’s missing is the decoration.



We’re having guests over for dinner tomorrow, and I remembered the ancient waffle iron I inherited from my parents.
It still works, and I baked us a few waffle cups for dessert. Not particularly pretty, but really delicious.
The recipe is from an old, handwritten cookbook that belonged to my mother… so it’s been tried and tested over the years :)
I’m going to coat the cups with couverture chocolate and then fill them with vanilla cream and peaches… hopefully they’ll turn out okay and won’t get soggy right away.

Claudia, your photos are great—thanks for taking us along on the journey!
Wollefaden, your daughter is surely thrilled with the jacket—it’s very pretty!

I just realized that I’ve posted three patterns this month.

We also went to our favorite park, the Palmengarten, again.
Here’s a photo of the citrus fruit exhibition currently taking place there:


In addition to plants, birds, and other small animals, I enjoy photographing clouds:


The picture is a few days old.

Here’s a little picture of my workspace in the evening.
I have to work late again today, but tomorrow I’ll be wielding the needles again!

You have such a beautiful workspace there!

Yeah, Mel, I like your workspace… it’s a great place to relax, too. ;-)

Marlene, my husband and I also enjoy photographing nature. The day before yesterday, we had some very special, wavy clouds. Of course, my husband had to take pictures of them.

Your lampshade looks great, Claudia. It’s interesting what you can make out of things. I wouldn’t have thought of something like that. What I find even more interesting are your waffles—or rather, the waffle iron you used. It looks fantastic. I might like that, too. By the way... I’ve had my Krups 3-Mix for almost 40 years now, and it’s still going strong. My husband repaired it and cleaned the inside once, many years ago. And it’s been working great ever since.

So, here’s my loop—just in time for the end of the month. This makes me a “yarn saver,” and I’ve put one of the first patterns I ever bought to good use.

Your photos are all wonderful, and I also really like all the craft, knitted, and crocheted items.

Mel, you have such a nice workspace.

I’m glad you like my jacket too.

Wollefaden: Great jacket! And you were really productive in August, especially in those summer temperatures…

Wow, Marion, that looks absolutely amazing. I’d like that too. :)

Thanks, Wollbaerli.

Monika, I’m also thrilled with the leaves. My husband enjoyed it too—he helped me with it.

Thanks to Mel’s post a while back, I gave it a try as well, and it’s really easy—the result is great.

Marion, what plant are those leaves from? They look great!
I’m carrying my sweater over into September—I won’t be able to finish it today. The next one is already in the works....

The leaves look like they’re from our “heart tree,” as we call it. It has huge, heart-shaped leaves. It blooms beautifully in the spring and summer, and in the fall, “beans” hang down everywhere.

I’d also be interested to know what it’s called.

It’s simple: rhubarb leaves.

Wollefaden, those concrete leaves are great.
My friend mentioned a while back that she’d love to have a multi-tiered fountain in the garden… that should work really well with these leaves. I still have some concrete left, anyway…
By the way, I think your jacket is great, too.

Monika, my mixer (also a Krupps...) started acting up after about 30 years, and then I actually got a new one. The old accessories, like the slicing attachment and the blending wand, even fit on the new one—that was a pleasant surprise.
I don’t know how old the wafer cone iron is by now. I still remember how, as kids, we used to bake New Year’s cookies with my dad on New Year’s Eve… that was a long time ago.
When I see your cowl like that, I think I could try knitting again… it’s been ages for me, but something small like that might actually be doable. It looks really nice…

Thanks also for the kind words about my photos—I wish my product photos were even close to that good, but I can never get them to my satisfaction. No idea why...

 

I was in the mood for a quick project with a really thick hook, so I just crocheted a little felted basket. It’s in the washing machine right now, and I’m still not quite relaxed about it—I’ve already felted sooo many crocheted pieces, but that tension never quite goes away...

Claudia, your new project has a pretty pattern. I like it. But I just prefer knitting. It helps me relax and I can even “watch” movies while doing it. ;-)

This month, I want to make a loop scarf for myself out of leftover yarn—specifically, leftover skeins that I have no other use for. Since the yarn is relatively thin for a loop scarf, I thought I could knit it using two strands—always two different colors. It’s going to be an interesting piece… I’m curious to see how it turns out myself.

I packed my knitting travel bag today. It’s already really full. After all, for me, knitting needles are an absolute must for vacation.

Fun Design

I can definitely picture a fountain made with the leaves—it’s a great idea. I can’t tell you if it’ll work, though.

This is my first time working with concrete. There are quite a few people here who have more experience with it. Maybe someone can give you a tip.

Your felt basket looks nice, too. I’ve never tried making something like that either.    

I’ve seen a fountain like that on Pinterest before. I hadn’t thought of rhubarb at all—mine are from our paulownia tree. 

Mel, your colorful bag is absolutely amazing. I didn’t really get a good look at it until the awards ceremony. It looks really great!

Wollefaden, I think I just need to look for some suitable leaves. It’s actually no big deal if it doesn’t work out. It won’t take forever and it won’t cost a fortune...

Monika, I totally get that you have to bring your craft supplies along on vacation!
I wish you a wonderful time.

I just love working with felting wool—my little basket is felted:



I’ll probably use it as a bag for small craft projects.

Wow, that little basket looks great, Claudia!
I’m going to get back to packing now...

I’m feeling kind of unmotivated today… I keep getting drawn back to the couch and the internet.
Still, I managed to finish my C2C project.

I crocheted this short-sleeved sweater for myself; it fits well and I really like it. Because of the size (I wear a 52) and the fairly thick cotton (pot holder yarn…), it’s pretty heavy—I’ll probably make myself another one using a thinner, lighter yarn.
My sister’s birthday is in November, and I’m planning to give her one in more subtle colors. Luckily, that one won’t have to be quite as big… 

Claudia, I think the idea of crocheting a sweater using the C2C method is great.

It looks really good. I’ll have to keep that in mind.

Claudia: I really like your little basket. I’ve never dared to try felting wool before. Before I place my next yarn order, I might browse through your patterns and give it a try. Your sweater turned out really nice, too.

Will there be a pattern for that as well?

My first September project is also finished:
an infinity scarf for Anton

Claudia, what exactly is C2C? I’m totally lost here… Anyway, your sweater looks really great!

Sandra, the cowl looks great. Isn’t it a little big for Anton? ;-)

It only looks that way in the photo. It fits just over the big head :-)
I'm making it one size larger now. Loop crochet is really fun.  

Arni, I’ve taken notes. I’m going to test it out first with a different type of yarn and in a different size, then I’ll write up the pattern. At least that’s the plan… if everything works out.

With the C2C technique, for example, you can crochet motif blankets; you work from corner to corner—hence the name “Corner to Corner” (C2C). This technique always creates little squares as you crochet, Monika.

Today I have to go back to my lovely workplace… though I’d rather finish my sweater.

Monika, that bag was really fun to make, especially since I didn’t know at first what it was going to be. Now it comes with me to work. My coworker ordered an equally colorful bag with a duck motif from me for her pregnant daughter (the baby’s nickname is “Little Duck”). Of course, I’ve come up with a few other duck-themed ideas since then, but those will come later. First, the bag and something autumnal.

I wish you and your husband a wonderful, relaxing vacation!

Sandra, the loop for Anton turned out really nice.
The pattern looks great.

Monika, I wish you and your husband a relaxing vacation as well, and hope you have fun crafting.

Thanks for your kind wishes! :) We’ve reached our halfway point, and now I’m popping in here to check things out.

Mel, I’m sure you’ll show us that bag with the little ducks. I’m really curious to see it. It’s sure to look totally cute, knowing you.

Claudia, thanks for the explanation. I’ve learned something new again. I didn’t know the abbreviation yet. But I’ve already knitted corner-to-corner—just not crocheted it yet. The result is really impressive.

Monika: I also wish you a wonderful vacation. Have a good rest.

My husband left on a business trip today... hurray. I took advantage of that right away and did some sewing. I sew in the living room, and that would bother him while he’s watching TV, so I only sew when he’s not there.

Anton is getting a bench from my parents for his birthday, and I’ve finished a cushion to go with it:


Plus two oilcloth bags. The smaller one is for Anton’s nasal aspirator


and the larger one is for Anton’s dishes when we go out to eat or are on the go.

I’ve set my “RVO Cardigan” and “Double-Face Spiral Sock” projects aside for now.
After unraveling my work countless times, I finally know for sure what I’ll be working on for the fall campaign.

Otherwise, I’ll be focusing more on editing.
I’m in a creative writing phase again :)

 

The handlebar bag for our little American’s (as-yet-nonexistent) vehicle is finished and is flying across the pond tomorrow!

Thanks, mowi19, for the great pattern!

Christina, I’m totally thrilled with your bag! I already wrote to you in the gallery, where I just discovered the bag. Thank you so much for showing it to us. It looks exactly like my granddaughter’s and is the perfect version for boys. Awesome!

Sandra, thanks for your kind wishes. :)
You’ve been busy. Imagine that—I was actually thinking today that I’d like to sew something again. I used to do that all the time back when my son was little. I’d love to get started right away… I just need the time for it. I’d really like a day with 48 hours.

So far on vacation, I’ve only knitted 6 rows. We’re just out and about a lot, and it looks like I won’t get much more done until next week. Then I also want to finish writing the pattern for the baby leggings, because that’s due to be handed over at the end of next week. I’m really looking forward to seeing those two little girls again. Juna is 3 months old now and sooo cute!

I’ve finished my next bag. It’s an umbrella cover for our stroller. The cover is very bulky, so the bag is quite large, but the Velcro ensures it still fits the stroller well.



I’m not particularly good at sewing. I can’t do anything more than a straight seam. Still, I enjoy doing it, and it’s so much faster than crocheting.  

Sandra, you’ve been super busy, your bags turned out great and the cushion is also very beautiful.

Wollbaerli, I like your bag for your grandson too.

I also finished a bag.
It was a UFO and was actually supposed to become a shopping bag. But now I didn’t like it after all, so I made a small bag out of it. It fits a phone, wallet, and tissues, so it’s perfect for me.

The bag is Tunisian crochet.

You’ve all been super hard-working again!
Sandra, your bags are great—unfortunately, I can’t sew at all, not even in a straight line.
My RVO is finally finished too, and it’s very cozy! The next project is already in the works: a patchwork/duck bag.

Marion, your bag looks great! Handmade and truly one-of-a-kind.

I have to tell you something....
We were in Pforzheim yesterday; we took the train there from the campground in Bad Liebenzell. We actually planned to go straight from the train station to the convention center.

Well… where do you think we happened to pass by? That’s right—a Gründel yarn shop!!! And what did I see right outside on a sale rack?? That’s right—yarn that I liked and just had to have—10 skeins, no less.

My husband was standing right there—and what does he say to me?
“I’ve still got plenty of room in my backpack; I need something to pad it out anyway.”

Well, that took care of the padding problem. ;-)

However, my resolution to go a whole year without buying any yarn has now been shelved. ;-)
This month, I’m going to be the Shopping Queen—hurray! And I’m totally happy about it.

You’ll be able to relate to what a great feeling this is.

And now I’ve gone and done it again, because it doesn’t matter anyway. I swapped some yarn online on a swap platform where I’ve been a member for a long time. It’s really great there.

I won’t be able to show you the yarn until I’m back home, though—so the week after next, when it arrives. I’ll show you the other one tomorrow, once I’ve taken pictures of it.

By the way… if anyone’s interested in the swap platform (only in Germany), feel free to send me a private message. I’ll be happy to send you the link.

Warm vacation greetings—now from the Allgäu
Monika

Mel, your sweater looks really cozy—I like it. :)
I’m glad I brought something warm with me, because it’s only 9 degrees here today... brrr..... shivering....

Mel, your sweater turned out beautifully and is just right for this weather.

I knitted one just like that myself, about 40 years ago, for my daughter. The design is still modern and practical. Mine had stripes back then.

Monika, congratulations on being named Shopping Queen.

I don’t know if I’ll finish anything this month—I’m working on the project for the autumn campaign.

But I’m busy taking photos:

Mel: That sweater turned out really great. 

Monika: Your husband is so sweet that he takes it so well when you buy yarn. Mine would groan or make some silly comment :-))

Marlene: Your photos are always very beautiful. It’s great that you let us share in them. 

My husband has been away since Saturday and will be back tomorrow, and I used the time to do some more sewing. 

When sewing, it really is great how quickly things come together. 
1 bag for the rain cover of the child's bike seat:

3 hats and a total of 8 neck warmers:

The hat and one neck warmer are lined.

Now the gift-exchange break is over too 

Wow, Sandra, that’s practically assembly-line work! Your sewn items are really great. It’s wonderful that it’s going so fast. You’ll be able to whip up lots of great things for Anton.

Sandra, everything you’ve sewn looks absolutely wonderful. It reminds me of when my son was that little. I sewed so much back then—whole suits, shirts, and even little ones for him from my own velour sweaters. Seeing this makes me want to fire up the sewing machine again right away.... But at the moment I don’t have the time for it. But who knows...

Yes, my husband really is great and sooo patient, even when shopping.

Today we were in Friedrichshafen and went for a walk by the lake. It was sooo lovely in the sunshine.

Well, on the way back we walked through town. And what do I see??? Of course, another Rödel store!! And what does my husband do? He looks at the magazines and thinks the photos in them are so well done. Funny, isn’t it? 

Of course, I calmly picked out some more yarn again. At last I was able to increase the 5 skeins of one color to 10 - great! And since I liked the color combination of one sock yarn so much, it immediately jumped straight into my hand.

Here is now my result from Pforzheim and from today’s shopping trip. Ahh ... it’s such a great feeling. I really feel like an addict making up for everything I missed over all those months.

Yes, once the spell is broken, there’s no stopping you ;-))

Monika, a shopping spree like that is really something special. It makes the vacation twice as fun ;)
I’m going to sort through my yarn again this week. Whatever doesn’t sell will go to the preschool—they’re always in need of more supplies. On Friday, I’ll finally head to the yarn shop to buy the cotton for the bag that was ordered; by then, the first sock should be finished... I managed to finish the heel last night.

Monika, you really treated yourself to some beautiful yarn. I like the colors, too.

I’m also in the process of working through my stash. I still have too much, so I’ll be sorting through it and culling some soon. The local kindergartens and nursing homes are always happy to receive donations.

Once I have some space again, I might treat myself to something new.😋

It’s not like I’ve run out of yarn. ;-) And there isn’t really any unloved yarn left, either. I just love having plenty of supplies—I’ve realized that now. As soon as I run out of certain colors, it feels strange.

I wanted to keep knitting on the color project while on vacation, but unfortunately I left one color at home. Darn! So I can’t continue until next week, which I really don’t like because I’ll be running out of time.

So today I started my first Christmas gift instead—a cowl for my friend who’ll be with us for Christmas. It’s taking shape as I knit. As soon as it’s grown a bit, I’ll show it to you.

Tomorrow is the highlight of our trip. We’re visiting my son, and I’ll get to see my two granddaughters again. I’m really looking forward to seeing Juna—she’s changed enormously in the last two months. She’s 3 months old now. I actually managed to finish both pairs of leggings and can give them to them as gifts then. :)

It was sooo nice with the two girls and, of course, with their parents, too. And the best part: With both pairs of leggings, I’ve totally made their dreams come true! Both already fit—that really surprised me. All that work was definitely worth it. And Linja still absolutely adores her Pucky bag.

I’ve been knitting away on the loop scarf for my friend—it’s already 50 cm long. Here’s what it looks like now:



Tomorrow I’m heading back home, and I’m really looking forward to it. Finally, fast internet again and picking raspberries!

By the way, I also finished a little project at home before the trip—I completely forgot to mention it. It’s a pair of leggings for my Lena. Take a look:

Monika, I’m so glad for you that you had fun with your granddaughters. I see my grandkids more often because they all live very close by. But it’s always something special when we’re together. Being a grandma is so much more relaxed than being a parent!

I really like the loop scarf for your friend, especially the colors—they’re totally my style. And the pattern is interesting.

Monika, you found a lovely pattern for the loop, and I like the colors, too.

Your Lena also got a cute pair of leggings.

Not much has happened for me this month. Besides the little bag, I also finished this.

Wow, Marion, your bag looks great. I like it, too. :) I think I’ll crochet a bag like that someday, too. But I have other things to do first.

The colors of the scarf aren’t really my style, but they’re exactly my friend’s. She’ll definitely like it. I just came up with the pattern on the spot, and I really like it, too.

What I haven’t mentioned yet about my shopping spree is the farmers’ market in Wangen, where we went a few days ago. I would’ve given in there anyway, because there was also a Finkhof booth. They have really great wool from their own organic sheep. A ball of colorful sock yarn was waiting for me there—I just had to take it home. Since there was only one left, I’ll order more of it. I’ll knit something for my two grandchildren with it. I’ll take a picture of it tomorrow.

Yes, as a grandma, you see things in a much more relaxed way—you’re right about that, Ruth. This time, Linja even really wanted to come with us and couldn’t understand why we live so far away. By the way, she’s really great with her little sister—so caring. Not a trace of jealousy—she’s really laid-back.

Now we’re back home, and I need to settle in and put everything away first.

Well, how’s it going for you all?

To live up to my title as “Shopping Queen” this month, I’m showing you here the swapped yarn that has arrived.



I haven’t had a chance to knit in the last two days because I had other work to catch up on. Now I’m going to continue working a bit more on the project for the color challenge. ;-)

Next Sunday we’re heading out again, this time to the Waldviertel region in Austria. We’re making the most of the nice weather with our RV. I might even get some knitting done there.

Monika, your swap yarn is pretty, too—I especially like the turquoise.
I’m sure that’s reserved for your grandchildren.
I’d like to wish you a wonderful vacation and hope the weather stays this nice.

Do you already know what you’re going to make with the wool you traded, Monika, or are you going to work on your new purchases first?

I just finished our color project for early October. I just need to take some photos.  I’m so excited for it to go online. I did get a bit of a letdown, though, because a similar idea was just uploaded here the other day :-((

In the meantime, I’m working hard on my cross-stitch picture. It’s coming along slowly, but I knew that going in. You can already make out a little bit of it, though.
Here’s how far I’ve gotten:

And this is what it’s supposed to look like:

Ruth, that’s a real labor of love. There were times when I used to enjoy making things like that, too.

I don’t know yet what I’ll do with the yarn I traded for. For now, it’s going into my stash. The ideas will come eventually.

Marion, what might look like turquoise here is actually light blue virgin wool. I’ll figure something out—maybe for the grandkids—since I can’t really do much else with just 5 skeins. 

Ruth, my color project is almost finished too—I just need to weave in the ends and, of course, take pictures. And I haven’t written the pattern for it yet either. It’s going to be a bit stressful this time, but I’ll manage.

As for the ideas, there are always similar ones popping up now and then. That’s unavoidable. As long as it’s not exactly the same, it doesn’t really matter.

Just checking in briefly. Aside from shopping for yarn (for the bag I ordered), I didn’t get anything done except for a few rounds on my sock. I have to work from noon today through Sunday, so I won’t have time for any crafting then either. I wish you all a wonderful day 

Besides my finished granny, I’m currently crocheting a slightly different bag

Hey, that’s so cool, Marlene—a bag with a granny-square base.
It looks great, and so does the granny square.

I’m busy writing for the color challenge. I’ve already finished knitting everything and am very happy with it.

Since we’ll be on the road again soon, I barely have time for needlework. But that’ll get better soon—thankfully. ;-)

Thanks, Moni :)

I’ve also finished my project for the color challenge.
I must have unraveled it at least five times before I knew what it was ultimately going to be.

Have a great rest of your day, Nadeleule.
Speaking of socks—I’m working on a doubleface sock again.
Okay, I knit a few rounds now and then.

Hi there, everyone.
Monika, you really went all out—I can’t wait to see the new things that come out of it. I totally believe you when you say you enjoyed the time with your family—my husband’s family lives farther away too, so those rare get-togethers are always great.

Ruth, your embroidery is such a huge project! I really like the design; I wish you lots of perseverance.

Marlene, I still have a few test granny squares lying around here too; turning them into little pouches is a great idea... I really like yours.

We were on the road again... first, we spent a few days in Strasbourg. It’s beautiful there! I didn’t really get much crafting done while I was there—there was just too much to explore.







Pictures of our next destinations will come later.

First, we’ll unpack our suitcases, and then we’ll have to restock the fridge... 

Claudia, traveling is always a pleasure. We’re looking forward to visiting the Waldviertel for the first time. We’ll definitely be going back there more often. I could take some photos there too—good idea.

Those are really beautiful pictures of Strasbourg—truly romantic. 

With the bag, I thought to myself, “Why always a round bottom?”, Claudia.

I really like your pictures—it’s been ages since I was in Strasbourg.

Are you ready for UFO Week?

Oops, UFO Week again already! Right now, I’m making more than I’m managing to finish. Well, there’s still a week to go. There’s still time yet.

The scarf for my friend for Christmas is almost done, and today I started knitting socks for Linja using leftover yarn. That’s already part of the Christmas gifts. 

Marlene, you’re right. There are also some wonderful options beyond the usual.

Monika, I love traveling too—I don’t know the Waldviertel yet. So many destinations, so little time...

Here are a few more pictures from Lake Constance... we drove there directly from Strasbourg. The lake and its surroundings are very diverse; we used to go there pretty regularly many years ago, and this time we visited some familiar places.
Amazing sunsets, a full moon rising, and delicious food rounded out the vacation.
A vacation in Germany can be sooo great!










This time, though, I also had time to crochet—for example, on board the ferries to Lindau or Mainau.



By the way, I HAD to buy some yarn for this and have started crocheting an Advent calendar for my sweetheart :)—it’s going to be a pine forest. I’ve just posted a pattern for it, and I’ve already finished a few trees.

Luckily, I always pack my hooks and other supplies now—after going on vacation once without any materials and having to buy everything from scratch while I was there. You can find yarn almost everywhere, after all...

Oh Claudia, Lake Constance is truly enchanting. We lived there for several years, and our children and grandchildren still live there. So we get to enjoy it again and again whenever we visit.

The Waldviertel region is simply fantastic! What caught my eye there were the “wobbly stones” — that’s what they’re called. Large, rounded boulders that somehow remind me of the elf stones in Iceland. That really fascinated us, and it certainly won’t be our last visit there. Such a beautiful landscape. I won’t be able to show you any photos until later — they’re on my husband’s memory card.

We drove back home today because the weather is supposed to get pretty wet and stormy starting tomorrow. So I was able to almost finish knitting the scarf for my friend this evening. This is what it looked like this afternoon. I’ll show you the final result in the next few days.

Oh Claudia, those are fantastic photos you’ve taken. I also really love the area around Lake Constance. When our kids were still little, we used to vacation there quite often. I haven’t been back in a long time. Maybe it’ll be one of our next vacation destinations?

Claudia, these are such beautiful pictures again! I’m not very familiar with the German side of Lake Constance—my in-laws lived on the Swiss side, and from there we’d sometimes take a boat ride to the opposite shore. I love the area too, especially since we don’t have any (larger) lakes in the immediate vicinity.

Yes, the lake is great… but I don’t know the Swiss side very well; we only visited a few “typical tourist spots” there… Schaffhausen, Stein, Appenzell, for example—there’s still plenty for us to discover there. Years ago, we hiked the Witz Trail, took a boat up the Old Rhine, then took the train to Walzenhausen, followed the high trail to Heiden, took a train back down from there, and boarded a boat to return across the lake… that was really great, with a view of the lake the whole time… unfortunately, that route no longer works for “slow hikers” like me.

Monika, that thing with the rocking stones sounds very interesting.

The weather was absolutely perfect there; now it’s pretty mixed here, too. Time to snuggle up on the sofa and do some crafting.

I’ve finally worked up a ball of yarn I received as a birthday gift back in January—it put up a bit of a fight, and I had to rip it out quite a few times—to be honest, I really struggle with these color gradients.
Now it’s found its purpose, and I’m more than happy with it!



After taking the photos in the park, I quickly wrapped myself up warm again, but at least the sun cooperated briefly for the pictures :)

Claudia, you and your scarf look wonderful! It really suits you.
I’ll show you photos of the wobbly stones soon.

I’ve already snapped up something on the swap page again and will be getting two Bobbel cakes. I’m really excited because this will be my first time working with them. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll make with them yet.

Right now, I’ve almost finished the scarf—or rather, the loop—for my friend. I just need to knit it together and weave in the ends. Here’s what it looks like now:



I also picked up a pattern I’d bought a long time ago and, just for fun, knitted myself a loop scarf out of some leftover cotton yarn I didn’t really like. For that, I always used two strands in two different colors. That made the loop nice and thick—and colorful, too. Here’s what it looks like:



Yesterday I also started knitting socks for Linja, and I’m currently playing around with the pattern a bit. Here’s what the first sock looks like so far. Maybe I’ll be able to finish it by Monday.

Wow, you’ve all knitted and crocheted some really great pieces again. The photos are fantastic, too—I’d love to be there right now.

Ruth, I really like your embroidered picture as well.

Claudia, your keyhole scarf is a great idea; it suits you perfectly and is very beautiful.

Monika, you’ve been especially busy, even while on vacation.
The socks for Linja already look great to me—the pattern is pretty.

Unfortunately, I can’t show you anything yet because I’m currently working as a secret agent. But test-knitting for one of the authors here is really fun.
I can reveal this much, though: it turned out very cute, and I really like it.
Maybe I’ll manage to finish a little something by the end of the month.

Claudia, your photos are great! I’m always happy when you take us along on your travels. I’m almost done with the second “giant” sock. After that, I’ll start on the bag for my coworker. Yesterday I made a quick stop at the yarn shop and bought 4 skeins of sock yarn. My mother-in-law was with me, and by asking the right questions, I figured out which one she likes. Then I’ll make her some cozy socks, too. With doubled yarn and size 5 CraSy Trios, it works really well, and my hands don’t get as tense as they do with the thin needles. With the Mowi heel, it goes especially fast ;)

Hihi... Marion, that’s such a funny way to put it. Yes, you’re a super secret agent and a test knitter of the very finest kind. :-)

I’ll just tell you this much: it’s all about the color event. I’m totally in love with my project, too—especially since these are absolutely my colors this time. Just let yourself be surprised—you’ll get to see it on October 4.

Today I’m going to keep knitting the socks and write up some patterns that are still waiting to be finished.

I’m going to unravel the doorstopper I started because I don’t like how it’s turning out. After the socks, it’ll be time for the sleeping bag for the doll(s). I’m still figuring out how to crochet the pattern. Like 90% of my designs, it’ll probably come together as I go. I always find that especially exciting. :)

Have a fantastic day, everyone, and enjoy your crafting!

Warm regards, Monika

Thanks for the kind words...

Monika, your scarf has such great colors! It’s sure to be a hit.

I’m now diligently crocheting my last few fir trees; the sofa blanket is also lying right next to me, reminding me and begging for attention—now it’s time for discipline and perseverance.
But there are just so many other ideas tempting me right now...

By the way, my sweetheart bought a sewing machine completely out of the blue and in secret—it arrived in the mail yesterday.
He must have found some pretty sewing patterns online, and I’m not quite sure yet whether this is a subtle hint that I should wear more dresses, that I should learn to sew—or whether he might even want to try it out himself...
I “lent out” my old sewing machine—which I never really got along with—quite a while ago, hoping never to see it again...
I’ll wait and see; for now, I’ll skillfully ignore it!

Claudia, that’s so great that you also have a man who’s so understanding about handicrafts. :)
By the way, your fir trees look really pretty. That’s going to be a great calendar. That would be too fiddly for me. I don’t really like crocheting small things that much.

The yarn for the scarf is hand-dyed; I got it from a swap site and I’m absolutely thrilled with it. It has all of my friend’s favorite colors in it. I’m already excited to see her face when she gets the scarf. I’m thinking of leaving it open and only sewing it together after I give it to her. Then she can choose for herself whether she wants a scarf or an infinity scarf combo. We’ll see...

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to finish a crochet project this month. Six gnomes are still waiting for faces, and the gnome house needs a roof.

Since my husband is away on a business trip again, I spent last night and this evening sewing.

“Teddy” has a sleeping bag.



Anton has 3 new logos

He got a patio set for his birthday, and the cushions now have covers

UFO Week is coming to an end.
How are your UFOs coming along?

My sofa blanket remains a UFO… unfortunately. I just can’t seem to get motivated.

Once you finish it, you can snuggle up with it in the evening.
How’s that for motivation?


The final sprint thread goes live tomorrow.

Josefa, you’re soooo right! 
I definitely won’t be able to finish it this month, but I really should get a move on with it... so I can still use it this winter.

Exactly :-)

Sandra, you’ve been very busy. Everything you’ve sewn for Anton and the teddy bear looks great.

Yes, Claudia, I agree with Josefa. Your blanket is practically begging for you to snuggle up in it. The winter months are long. ;-)

I still need to check my UFOs to see what’s finished. I only know one thing so far—I’ll be taking some with me into next month. And I’ve gotten a lot done this month. Here’s my entry for the Sock Queen—I finished these yesterday, and they’ll be going to my granddaughter soon:



Today I knitted a hat for my grandbaby—out on the patio in summery temperatures and sunshine. I’ll show it to you tomorrow; it’s too dark for photos right now.

So, here are my last finished projects for this month—the baby hat, matching the leggings made from leftover yarn, and little socks for the doll.