December Projects: The Crazypatterns Craft Group

Here’s the new thread:
December Projects Part 2: The Crazypatterns Craft Group (No advertising)


This thread was originally titled:
November Projects Part 2: Crazypatterns Craft Group
I renamed it so you can continue right away in December.
Have fun.



Dear users, dear authors,
here is Part 2 of the November projects.
Have fun.

Read Part 1 here:
November Projects: Fun in the Crazypatterns Craft Group

Wow, Mel, you’ve been busy! Your scarf looks great, as far as I can tell. A super-long work of art. :-) And the socks turned out great, too. My tip: For babies, I’d thread a ribbon through the top. Otherwise, our baby always kicks his socks off.

I just finished the sweater for Linja. Everything’s sewn up and the buttons are on. Tomorrow I’ll take a picture of it and show it to you. Then I’ll start the next project. I’m not sure what I’ll choose yet.

Hi Claudia, I’m glad the whole tooth ordeal is almost a distant memory. I really like your Christmas forest. I especially love that you used different shades of green and made the trees in various heights. With so many trees, it must be really fun to create a decoration with them. The little houses also fit perfectly into the scene.

Hi Mel, your scarf looks great! The picture is a bit small, but I can make out a beautiful pattern. It must look really good when you actually wear it. The long scarf shape really shows off the pattern—and it’s an instant eye-catcher.

Hi Monika, you’re always so hard at work. I’m looking forward to seeing the sweater for Linja. And your husband is surely happy that he’ll now have “warm ears” too. I’ll send you the link to where you can get the fleece cuff in a private message.

Warm regards, and I wish all readers a wonderful day. Ina

Monika and Ina: Thank you so much!

I’m attaching a larger photo of the scarf here again so you can see it better. It’s a slight variation of my “Seabed Cable Scarf”
Monika, I’m not adding ribbons to the socks; they’re double-thick ones that can be pulled over the onesie. Since I know the parents, they wouldn’t like ribbons either, so looks take priority over practicality :)

Thanks, Ina, for the link to the fleece cuff. I’m going to sew that into my husband’s hats first. Then he won’t need any more hats for the time being.

Mel, your scarf looks amazing. It has a beautiful cable pattern and is really wide. That’s quite a massive project you’ve managed to pull off. And all on the side, too...

I took a photo of the sweater for Linja this morning—here it is... ta-da!




I’m currently knitting the gauge for Juna’s jacket and am still figuring out what I want it to look like. It always takes me a while to come up with designs. On the side, I’ll probably design and knit another sweater or cardigan for myself. I love having two projects going at once. And I certainly have plenty of yarn. :)

Monika, your sweater turned out great. Your granddaughter is going to be so happy.

The knitted scarf by Nadeleule turned out fantastic. Personally, I love cables and enjoy knitting them. What needle size did you use?

Thanks, Petra! :) I think Linja will be happy. She’s really into colorful things right now.

Monika, that sweater is absolutely adorable and so cheerfully colorful!

Petra, the scarf is knitted with two strands (purple wool for size 6 needles and teal mohair yarn) using size 6 needles. 

Petra: I’m just glad my grandson doesn’t know about the Santa hats for the stuffed animals—there are definitely a hundred of them of all kinds, and knowing that rascal, Wolfi (who’s 1m or more!) would surely be the first to get one of those hats… In any case, I hope you have lots of fun knitting—and who knows, maybe at least the mouse I knitted will soon be dressed up as Santa Claus…

It would look just like this with my grandchildren—I wouldn’t even finish the hats by Christmas!

So, now my grandchildren’s dolls have pajamas, too. They’ll go into their suitcases along with their passports (which I also made), and then they’ll be ready to travel and arrive just in time for Christmas.
 

My goodness, Ruth, those two are absolutely adorable! :) You have such great ideas.
As a kid, I would have been totally thrilled by this. Your granddaughters are going to be over the moon!

Yesterday I had a spontaneous and really great idea for Christmas decorations. I won’t reveal anything about it just yet, but I can already say that the result has even exceeded my expectations. I was just playing around a bit and am amazed myself at what it’s turning into.

You’ll see it soon. Then I’ll take a picture of it right on the object I’m decorating. :-)

Things just keep coming up... Juna’s jacket is also waiting to get started.

Oh, Monika, you’ve really got me curious!

The two dolls look super cute even in their pajamas! It’s such a shame I don’t have a granddaughter for whom I could design doll clothes! I console myself with the thought that someday my own dolls will get a new outfit! But they’re hardly going to be that international…

Dear Ruth, the pajamas for the two dolls look absolutely adorable, too. Anyone who sees these gorgeous dolls—complete with their outfits, passport, and little suitcase—would want you as their grandma. What beautiful things! It really doesn’t get any more lovingly made than this.

Dear Mel, thank you for posting the scarf in a larger size again. That way, I could take a closer look at and admire the beautiful, flowing pattern and the colors.

Dear Monika, the little sweater for Linja looks absolutely enchanting, too. She’ll love it. Of course, you’ve made me curious as well—I’m wondering what lovely thing you discovered that even exceeded your expectations. That’s truly a dream come true for anyone who does needlework.

I wish everyone a lovely evening—perhaps with a little needlework?
Warm regards—Ina

A lot has happened again in just a few days.

The horse carousel, the candy jar, the Christmas trees—they’re all beautiful. I really like the cable scarf, too.
Little Christmas hats—what a fun idea.
The sweater for Linja turned out really nice—so colorful.
I’m really curious to see the Christmas decorations—I wonder what you’ve come up with this time.
The sewn pajamas for the dolls turned out great.
And then the matching decorations—just wonderful.

I’d also like to show you something.         
There’s another market this weekend, and my friend and I will be participating. The date came up a bit unexpectedly, so I didn’t have much time to post here.
I quickly crocheted and knitted a few things for the market.

@Marion
I wish you lots of fun and success.

@ Everyone
You’ve all made some great things again :-)

Are you ready for UFO Week?

Marion, what you’ve crocheted and knitted there is absolutely gorgeous. You’re sure to have success with these. They’re really turning heads. You’ve been very hard at work.

I’ve expanded my Christmas decorations now and just need to edit the photos. It’s interesting to see what kinds of ideas I’ve come up with. Simple, but effective. I’ll show them to you soon...

I’ve also started the jacket for Juna. Here’s what it looks like so far.



I won’t be finishing any UFOs this month. Right now, I still have a few Christmas gifts to finish. We’ll see what happens after that.

By the way... for anyone who goes to markets with their knitted items.

We had a market like that today, and there were two booths selling knitted and crocheted items—mainly hats, scarves, and socks. The hats were all crocheted from very thick yarn and didn’t have any special details—except that they were lined with fleece on the inside. The socks were knitted from regular sock yarn.

Here are the prices for your reference.

The hats all cost 22 euros.
The adult-sized socks (sizes 35–40) were 9.50 euros.

Unfortunately, I didn’t check the prices for the scarves.

I think the price for the hats is absolutely reasonable; the socks could have easily cost more.

I’m actually not in a position to judge the prices, since I’m not familiar with the German market, but 9.50 for a pair of socks definitely seems too low to me. The yarn alone costs almost that much! Our socks will definitely be sold for more; I won’t know exactly how much they’ll cost until the end of next week.

Yeah, I think that’s too cheap, too. They just have to cost more. Christina, I’d also be interested in hearing about your prices at the markets in Switzerland.

Hi Marion,
I really like your forest gnomes. I’m sure they were the first to sell out at the market. They’re just perfect for this time of year. If I were a buyer, I would’ve picked out several of them, because they look even better together.

Hi Monika,
you’ve started on the jacket for Juna. Beautiful, cheerful colors. I’m sure the jacket has already grown a bit by now. You make good progress with small sizes. What kind of yarn is that?

Things have been a bit quieter on the crafting front for me lately, but I do like to knit a little in the evenings to relax. That’s how I ended up making a woolen shawl my sister had been wanting. She wanted one that keeps her really warm, in bright colors (since everything’s dark enough in winter anyway), and without any frills. I’m giving it to her on the first Sunday of Advent, since we don’t exchange gifts at Christmas.

Ina, your shawl is absolutely gorgeous. The colors are a dream! It looks really cozy.

I haven’t made any progress on the jacket yet because, unfortunately, I have other things to do right now—like writing patterns. And then I’m still working on Christmas decorations and trying out a few things. When it’s finished, I’ll show it here.

The yarn for the jacket is Drops Karisma. It’s nice and cozy and warm. I’m knitting the jacket so that it’ll still fit next winter.

Dear Monika, thanks for the yarn info. As you know, I also have children and sons- and daughters-in-law who really value good-quality yarn. That’s why I asked. It’s good that you’re knitting them a bit bigger—the little ones are sure to grow into them anyway. You can’t go wrong with that.

My Christmas boxes are now sitting in the living room, too, waiting for me to get to them. That’s my top priority right now. After all, you want everything to look nice. So I wish you and all the readers time to enjoy whatever you’re doing right now.

Have a magical evening, everyone. Ina

My hat is finished.
I even wore it out today.



After a long time, my mammoth tablecloth project finally got some of my attention again.
A photo—or part of it—will follow soon.

Hi everyone! Some great creations have been made here again. I’m barely getting anything done right now. After 5(!) days, I finally managed to finish a little pouch; now all that’s left is the appliqué, which still needs to be sewn on. Things are really stressful at the moment, so I hardly have any time for myself. In the evenings, I’m just happy if I can snuggle up with my husband and watch TV for an hour. That time is more important to me right now. I actually wanted to put up some Christmas decorations and decorate the windows, but I don’t have the time or the energy for that right now. 

Here’s a snippet of my tablecloth—I still have a few meters of yarn left to work with:

A lot has been going on with you all...
The tablecloth has such great colors—I’m already looking forward to seeing more...
Ina, your shawl really lifts my spirits. I’m really into these warm, vibrant colors right now.
Marion, I hope your projects were a success—I really like them.
Ruth, your dolls are going to be a hit... such great outfits—they’re bound to go down well.
Monika, I think you’re still working in your sleep… it’s unbelievable all the beautiful things you create.

We were at my in-laws’ over the weekend, and I finally got to hand over my felt hat. It fits and was well received—yay!!!!
We had breakfast together in Goslar on Saturday, and I was wearing a crocheted wrap there. My mother-in-law talked me into giving it to her right away… while we were strolling through town afterward, we walked past a yarn shop, where she immediately picked out the perfect yarn for a second one… I hope it’ll be finished by Christmas. In any case, I’ve already started it…

With such bright colors, I think a simple pattern works best, Ina.

Christmas decorations...mine are still sitting around somewhere in the basement.
So, if you haven’t put up your decorations yet—don’t panic.

I always put up decorations on the first Sunday of Advent.

Don’t worry, I haven’t put up any decorations yet either. But I’m in the process of crocheting some decorations.
Here’s a start. A snowman based on a pattern I found online.





One with glasses and one without. All that’s missing are the arms and legs.

Hi Ina, your shawl looks great—the colors really pop.
Marlene, your hat is a beautiful color too, and it turned out lovely. Your blanket is getting prettier and prettier.
Claudia, yeah, that’s what happens when you’re so good-natured. But I’m glad the hat was such a hit.
Bastelfan, your snowman is so cute—a lovely decoration.
Mel, cuddling is more important than your Christmas decorations. I’m sure you’ll get it done.

I just decorated in front of my house today, too; the rest will be done over the next few days.
By the way, I’m glad you like my little elves. I still have a few left over from the market, though.

My goodness, you’ve all been busy crafting again. Such beautiful things have been created here—simply fantastic!

Andrea, the snowmen are absolutely adorable!

Claudia, yes, it’s dangerous to go strolling around town. You come across yarn way too often that you just have to take home with you. And then on top of that, you get projects assigned by your mother-in-law. ;-)

Marlene, I really like your tablecloth. The hearts look very pretty, especially with those bright colors. And the hat turned out great, too. Little projects like that are always very motivating when you’re working on a massive project at the same time.

Mel, I totally get where you’re coming from. Sometimes I feel the same way—I’d rather snuggle up with my husband and watch a movie. But then I knit during the day instead. After all, a relationship needs to be nurtured. Better times are sure to come for you again.

Ina, my son and daughter-in-law also care a lot about the yarn I use for the kids’ clothes. Thanks to them, I’ve become more attuned to quality and am grateful for it.

Over the next few days, I finally want to finish my last-minute Christmas decorations. I just don’t have the time for it during the day right now because there are so many other things to do.

Sandra, your Christmas calendar with the little elves turned out super cute. Would you like to show it here too? I’m totally thrilled!

Without going into too much detail...
(please forgive me, I’m really swamped right now.
I’ve skimmed through everything and think your creations are great ❤️)
I’d like to proudly show you that I did manage to get something done this month after all :)

I’m currently making little hearts that we want to send along with the thank-you cards for the birth.
Now I need about that many more. Luckily, it goes by in a flash—even with a baby in my arms :) 

The snowman is so cute... especially with the glasses.

By the way, I think it’s really great that my mother-in-law wants something crocheted by me... she often has a hard time thinking of something to wish for herself. Now, after 27 years of marriage, she’s slowly starting to open up a bit—at almost 80…

By the way, I whipped up an “Advent calendar” at the last minute today, and it’s going in the mail tomorrow. The St. Nicholas boot was already finished; I just had to decorate it and pack 24 treats inside—for a friend who’s got a lot on his plate right now and deserves to find something other than just bills, official mail, and advertising (i.e., the usual stuff these days...) in the mail...

Thanks, Moni :)
The tablecloth is the perfect project right now, since it keeps my legs warm at the same time.

Crocheting with a baby = crafting under challenging conditions, Tina.
I think the little hearts are a lovely idea.

Your boyfriend will definitely love the St. Nicholas boot, Claudia.

Tina, your colorful little hearts are a really lovely idea. Yes, the little things can have the biggest impact. Once the three of you have really settled into life together, you’ll surely find more time and motivation for bigger projects again. Kids—and especially babies—really spark the imagination when it comes to knitting and crocheting. :)

Claudia, you’re really making good progress, too. Your boot looks really cool and is sure to be a lovely surprise.

I just picked up my twigs and can finally take photos with my new crocheted decorations.

So, I’ve been pretty busy this month. I just finished the homemade puppet figures that I’d like to donate to the kindergarten bazaar this year. On top of that, there are various crochet projects I’ve worked on throughout the year.

This afternoon, I’ll continue crocheting a bottle cover.

Tina, the little hearts turned out really cute. See, you can always manage a little something...

Claudia, the St. Nicholas boot as an Advent calendar is a great idea.

Monika, now I’m really looking forward to seeing your Christmas decorations!

First of all, thank you so much for liking my snowman.
I only looked away for a moment, and already you’ve created some more beautiful pieces.
The Kasperle puppets turned out really well. The little crocheted hearts look so pretty—a great idea for thank-you notes.
That St. Nicholas boot already looks interesting just from its shape; the recipient is sure to be delighted with it.
As we get older, it’s the little things in life that bring joy to the heart.

This thread always brings out new and exciting things everyone is working on.

Dear Ruth, I’m truly thrilled by your homemade Kasperle puppets! They’re really, really wonderful. So much work went into them: sewing the clothes, designing the faces and hair - and then you’re even donating them to the bazaar. Hats off to your skill and generosity! I already loved your other puppets. You’re truly very talented!

Dear Andrea, I think your snowman is absolutely adorable. Everyone falls in love with him right away. Who’s going to get him, or will he stay with you - maybe as part of your Christmas decorations in the entryway, delighting every visitor as soon as they arrive?

Dear Tina, your hearts will look especially lovely on the thank-you cards. They simply say more than words. Everyone knows the thanks come from the heart. And even when you have a baby, you still want to do a little crafting. Small projects like this are perfect for that. 

Dear Marlene, I’m excited to see what the finished tablecloth will look like. That little section certainly looks very promising. I also love the colors.

Dear Claudia, your little Advent boot looks absolutely charming. It has such a lovely curved shape, like Till Eulenspiegel’s in the fairy tale. Really very pretty. I’d love to receive one as a gift too - filled, of course :-)

I hope you all continue to enjoy your crafts. I don’t have anything new to show right now. I’m currently working on a shawl, but it still needs some time.

Warm regards from Ina

Yes, Ina, it’s true—the Kasperl puppets are a lot of work, but they’re great fun because the crafting process is so varied: first shaping the heads, then painting them, sewing the clothes, gluing on the hair and styling the hairstyles, designing hats or jewelry—you can use so many different craft techniques!
I’ve made these Kasperl puppets for my children and later for my grandchildren. Unfortunately, they aren’t big fans of puppet shows. They’d rather play with dolls and stuffed animals. I think I started putting on shows for them a little too early. They were still very young back then and very impressed by the “lively” figures. And somehow, I guess they found them a little scary, too. Maybe that’s stuck with them a bit—who knows?

Ruth, your puppet dolls turned out great. You’re so incredibly hardworking and really good at what you create.

I finally made a little progress on the baby jacket today, but just a tiny bit. I still have so many other things to do. Now I’m going to finish the Christmas decorations first so I can show them to you. They’re very simple but still make a big impact. I’m sure I’ll have them finished by the weekend.

And so I have a bigger project on the go—something I can knit every now and then without having to think too much—I’m going to knit myself a sweater for a change. I already have the dark red yarn for it—which I snagged on a swap site, by the way.

Everything is now decorated for Christmas, and the first candles are already lit.

Have fun knitting or crafting, and have a lovely evening!

Best wishes, Monika

Ruth, the figures turned out beautifully... do you make the heads out of papier-mâché? Really great, and by the way, I totally understand your urge for a change of pace. Every now and then, I need a change of pace, too...


Last night, I had an idea that just had to be put into action right away... so everything else had to wait :-)
My little bear with wings and a crown was finished very quickly. He doesn’t have a name yet.
Do you also sometimes have those ideas that just scream for IMMEDIATE action? They really have zero patience...

The bear turned out so cute! Yes, Claudia, I know that feeling too—where I drop everything until I’ve brought an idea to life.

For the heads of the puppet figures, I used a wood-like, air-drying modeling clay (Plastiform). It’s finer than papier-mâché and can be sanded and sawed after it dries.

Oh, how cute, Claudia! Yeah, that bear definitely wanted to come into the world right away. :)
I know that feeling too—when an idea just has to be put into action immediately.

And now... ta-daaa... I’m finally showing you the Christmas decorations. You can see more pictures tomorrow in the uploaded pattern. 

Yes, Monika, the Christmas decorations are really ingeniously simple, yet beautiful. I can also easily imagine them in other colors for different seasons.

Ruth, I’m not familiar with this material yet… but it sounds interesting.

I’ve taken up embroidery again after years—just a very small piece, but I really like how it turned out. I still need to work on my thread tension, though… I embroidered it on scraps of fly screen and backed it with felt. Sometimes I’m even surprised by all the materials I still have lying around here… I’ll probably make this year’s Christmas gifts for my family in this style.

Dear all, you've made beautiful things again.

Dear Claudia, the little "angel bear" is very sweet; you take it straight to your heart. With its crown, it reminds me of the Berlin Bear. And I also think your embroidered decoration is very stylish. I see an old embroidery hoop that you've helped give new life. You just have to have ideas. I also like the little decorative pieces you arranged with the embroidery. Very nice!

Dear Monika, yes, yes, I understand why you made such a secret of your new Christmas decoration idea. It really is a lovely idea—and during the Christmas season, it can be used not only as tree decorations. As a Christmas garland, you can decorate almost anywhere with it and instantly conjure up a touch of Christmas spirit. I wish you lots of success with the pattern.

Dear Ruth, you are my secret star on CP. You can not only do "normal" handicrafts, but you also master many different arts-and-crafts skills. When you consider that you made everything yourself for the Punch and Judy puppets—shaping the heads, painting the faces, gluing on the hair, styling the hair, sewing the clothes, and so on and so on—that is truly admirable. I understand very well that these varied creative tasks bring you joy. It never gets boring, and no two puppets are alike.

I knitted a requested pair of red felted moccasins in size 39 for a lady today. While I was at it, I took a close look at my pattern from 2016 and revised it at the same time. The result is the finished felties and a "completely overhauled pattern." Tomorrow I'll show you a second pair for her husband, but that one is still taking a spin in the washing machine. 

I wish all readers a lovely evening and a festive First Sunday of Advent tomorrow.

Warm regards from Ina

Especially for you, here's a before-and-after photo:

This thread was originally titled:
November Projects Part 2: Crazypatterns Craft Group
I renamed it so you can continue right away.

There will be an awards ceremony this week for the November projects.

However, the next UFO Week and awards ceremony won’t take place until early February for the January UFOs, etc., since there won’t be one for the December projects due to Christmas.
I hope you have fun. :-)

Great! That’s wonderful, Josefa. You need a vacation too, and the New Year period is a good opportunity for that. :)

We’ll still have fun here anyway, even if there’s no awards ceremony.

Claudia, your embroidered decoration looks really pretty. It’s often the simple things that make a big impact.

Ina, I really love your felt slippers! I’ve added them to my wish list, and someday I’ll make a pair myself. My husband will be the first to get a pair—he loves moccasins. It’s interesting to see what they look like before and after. My only little “problem” is that I don’t have those shoe stretchers. Do you have to have them, or is there another way? Of course, I want mine to turn out just as beautiful as yours. And they absolutely have to have leather soles. Oh, I see... I’ll probably end up making them for the whole family, including the grandkids. :-)

I’ve already made pretty good progress on the baby jacket. The body and one sleeve are finished. So things are moving along. Tomorrow I’ll take a photo and show it to you all.

Let’s see if I can stick with it this time and finish two of the double-faced spiral socks I’ve just started:


We’re also now members of the Senckenberg Museum and have an annual pass for the Frankfurt Zoo:

New month, new project... I was finally able to start my Cozy Winter Shawl yesterday. Afterward, we took advantage of the beautiful—though cold—weather and visited the Christmas markets in Essen and Marbeck. The Marbeck Christmas market is set in a wonderfully romantic location. There were lots of great handicrafts on display. Unfortunately, I missed the sock stall—last year, you could buy wonderful, hand-dyed sock yarn there. 

Dear Monika,
Of course, felted shoes look more appealing when they’ve been dried on shoe lasts. But really, that’s just for appearance’s sake if you want to give them as gifts. I’m a perfectionist, after all, and I enjoy both knitting them and giving them away. That’s why I’ve gradually been buying used shoe lasts on Eb.y for standard shoe sizes. But you can also do without them, since the moccasin shape is already there before felting.

Every shoe takes on the shape of the wearer’s foot anyway and then just looks “naturally dented.” If someone has a bunion, for example, the felt bulges out accordingly in that spot and adapts to the foot without causing pressure. That’s why I often knit them for people with foot problems—they’re always so happy that nothing pinches.

And here, as promised, are the men’s moccasins. Men usually prefer understated colors. You can never go wrong with gray and charcoal. Here’s another before-and-after photo.

I hope you have a wonderful day with, hopefully, some time for crafts.
Warm regards, Ina

Mel, it’s nice to see you here again. We’re going to check out the Christmas markets now, too. At the last market here in town, just like you, I missed the yarn booth. But that way I saved some money. And my stash is pretty well stocked, after all.

Ina, I’m getting more and more excited about your moccasins. They look really great, and I’m definitely going to knit them too. Right now, though, the Christmas projects come first. But then……

Where do you get the leather for the soles? A larger piece would be great, since I’ll definitely be knitting several sizes.

By the way… this is what the baby jacket looks like now. It’s actually a kids’ jacket, meant to fit sizes 80–92. My kids always like it when their jackets are a little longer. That’s why I knitted this one a bit longer right from the start. I want it to still fit next winter, too.

Now I just need to add a collar and the buttons.

This is how far I got this morning:

Dear Monika,

that little jacket really shines out at you. Yellow and red are the perfect colors for children’s jackets. These colors and “straightforward” sizes make knitting fun, too. You’re very hardworking.

Winter is still long, and you’ll want to have new craft projects next year too ... maybe felt shoes then. You can buy the leather for the soles as A3-sized leather scraps (A...zon). You pay by the kilogram. Per kilogram, you get about 6 large pieces, which is enough for many soles. If you’d like, I’d be happy to send you the link to my leather supplier.

But you can also repurpose an old leather jacket. I sometimes swap for one in our swap group. That’s even cheaper ;-)

Today I got another order for 2 pairs of felt shoes (it is winter, after all) - I’ll start on them tonight. Thick felting wool is perfect for an evening in front of the TV. My other, finer project, which is currently in development, has to wait anyway because the yarn is still on its way. After all, you have to make good use of the time.

I wish everyone a lovely evening.
Best regards - Ina

Oh, thanks, Ina, for the tip about the leather soles. I’m going to shop with you right away, because now I’m really itching to get started. This is a really great project for an evening spent watching movies. For the jacket, I need daylight now, and I can’t start on my sweater until the beige yarn for the stripes (which I traded for) arrives. The sweater will be dark red with a few beige accents.

Feel free to send me the link to the leather via private message.

I wish you all a wonderful evening!

Best, Monika

Hi,
I’ve just been admiring your beautiful new creations.
The felt shoes turned out great. I’m not usually a fan of felting wool, but I really like these shoes too.

Monika seems to be in the midst of a knitting frenzy right now.
Your baby jacket is almost finished and looks really nice.

My moose still isn’t finished. I’ve gotten some more orders for
hats. Those take priority for now, but then....

I hope you all have a lovely evening, too.
Marion

The final stretch is online:
Final Stretch and Awards Ceremony // November 2019 Edition

Marion, you’re even more industrious than I am. You’ll definitely earn a great hat title this month ... something like “Hat Queen.” :)

In December, we’ll have to give ourselves titles.

I’ll start right away ... today I’m giving myself the title of “Unraveling Queen.” :(

Just imagine: the sweater I’d started for myself with 220 stitches in the round using relatively thin yarn had almost reached the end of the ribbing. But then it somehow seemed odd to me, so I compared it with my sweaters. Well, what can I say ... it was several stitches too wide. So I had no choice but to unravel everything ... sob ...

Yes, and then the next disaster. I’d planned to knit my husband a pair of moccasins from the leftover gray yarn. Halfway through the first shoe, I realized I didn’t actually have enough yarn for it!! How stupid!! So here too ... unravel it. Now I’ve picked out some yarn so I can make Linja happy with some slippers or moccasins. And since my yarn swap package also contains 4 skeins of purple felting yarn, I’m going to knit a pair for myself from that.

Juna’s jacket is almost finished too. I’m knitting the hood right now. I want to finish it by the weekend; I’m still waiting for the buttons, which I also got in a swap. (So I’m the swap queen again ... grin.)

Once the jacket is finished, I’ll show it to you.

Monika, I’m amazed at how many things you can do at once! For me, working on two different projects at the same time is the absolute best. Any more than that would make me nervous. (But then the projects pile up in my head 😀)

Yeah, Ruht, that’s exactly why I need to get these projects out of my head. I like the variety, and it works out perfectly for me right now to have 2–3 projects on the needles at the same time. What’s interesting now is switching from size 7 needles to size 3 needles. That’s really extreme!

I started the sweater so I’d have something that doesn’t require me to think or pay too much attention. I can knit it every now and then on the side.

Once the jacket is finished, I’ll be back down to just two projects… Starting on the 15th, that might change. It’s quite possible that my friend will come up with some ideas that I could bring to life. ;-)
I’m really looking forward to her visit!

Monika, I believe you when you say you felt like crying.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your moccasins.


I have something to show you — guess what?

Is that a scarf hat??? How cool— is there a pattern for it???? 

Hi Sandra,
yes, it’s a balaclava.
There is no pattern. I saw a picture of a dog, and this is what I ended up making. The hat is knitted.



Marion, that hat is absolutely amazing!!! It looks incredible—a real showstopper!
You have such great ideas. Why don’t you think about writing patterns too? You’re really good at this. :)

Thanks, Monika,
I just enjoy it when I get to do something like this.

I don’t have any time to write patterns.

Since, as you know, I’ve been knitting and crocheting for quite a while, pieces like this sometimes turn out. But I also work from patterns.

I have to hurry now, though, because I still have to make two more hats by Christmas, so I’ll get right back to it. 

I believe it! Anyone who can make such great hats is always busy!

Marion, you’re definitely the hat queen for November and December. :)
Your selection is huge. How many have you knitted in total so far?

I have some new updates to share, too. For one thing, the jacket for Juna is almost finished. I’ll be adding the buttons tonight. Here’s what it looks like now.



Oh, and I’d also like to show you my St. Nicholas package. Yesterday I received the yarn I’d traded for. I’m totally thrilled. They had actually packed in another amount equal to the traded yarn as a gift. I can use these leftovers to make doll clothes. The mohair yarn will probably be used for the doll’s bed blanket. I’m sure I’ll think of something else for it too.

Here are the photos of the yarn - this is the one I ordered:

  

And this was included as a gift:



Sorry, the photos didn’t come out very sharp, but I’m sure you can still get the idea. :)

Oh, one more thing... my sweater is coming along too. Remember? I had to unravel it again. Here’s what it looks like now.

Monika: That’s quite a haul.

So, I’ve finished a little project:

a cell phone case

That dog hat is awesome!!!! Soooo cute!!!

Ina, I think your felt slippers are really interesting—they have a great shape. It’s making me itch to dig out my felting wool... but no, I’m not allowed to right now—at least not until the Christmas gifts are finished.

The shawl for my mother-in-law really frustrated me—I was too confident and didn’t double-check the measurements early on… I’ve crocheted the Emma pattern quite a few times already and got careless—and had to rip it out, a whole lot of it… a good 400 meters of yarn that really hates being ripped out… and now I HAVE to wind it back up!

So I’m right there with you, Monika.
By the way, your jacket turned out really cute, too.

In between, I needed a little something that could be finished quickly—and that’s how this little Christmas caroler came to be.
I’d been planning to make something out of clothespins for a while and had had them lying around here for quite some time—now at least the first clothespin is finished. 

I’ll hand out a few thumbs-up all around :)

My sock is slowly coming along:


Other than that, I deleted a slow seller and unraveled a shawl to make a different one out of it.

Good morning
I’m glad you like the dog hat, too. I’m curious to see what the client thinks of it. She doesn’t know what she’s getting.
Monika, I’ve probably made at least 15 of them by now, but no dogs.
You’ve really gone all out again. I noticed that I still have some of that yarn too (the beige one with varying thicknesses).
I really like your jacket—the hood is so practical. Your sweater will definitely turn out nice too, but that thin yarn!

Sandra, your little owl turned out cute as well.

Claudia, welcome to the Froggers’ Club. That happens to me all the time, too. Your crafts with the clothespins—another brilliant idea.

Marlene, have fun knitting socks. They’re looking good already.

I’ve got a panda hat on my needles right now.

I wish you all a wonderful second Sunday of Advent.

Sandra, your cell phone case is very original and simple, too. Great!

Claudia, you just have such great ideas. Really very creative, your singer!

Marlene, that’s already looking good. You’ve given me an idea. I’m going to go through my shop and get rid of—or rework—the slow-moving items. I really need to get on that. And as for the scarf… I have one like that, too, that I don’t really like. I was already thinking yesterday about whether I should unravel it and knit something else out of it…

Oh Marion, 15 pieces!!!!? That’s practically mass production. Wow, you’re so hard-working! You get extra diligence points that you can award yourself this month.

The baby jacket is finished now. I’m just not quite sure yet whether I’ll embellish the hood… I’ll post a photo later. My sweater has grown a bit again. I don’t mind using thin needles. I actually prefer knitting with them rather than with size 7s, for example.

  I’ll finish knitting the second one of Linja’s slippers today. Then I’ll tackle the rest.

And now I wish you all a wonderful Second Sunday of Advent! We’re heading out into the sunshine in a minute. And then I’ll keep knitting the slipper.

Warm regards from Monika

You’re all so hard at work!

Monika, with that much yarn, you’ll have to really get to work next year so that the yarn mountain finally starts to shrink again! But as hardworking as you are, I have absolutely no doubts about that!

Sandra, your phone case turned out really cute—I like it a lot!

Claudia, you always have such great, original ideas! The Christmas caroler turned out just great!

Marlene, those socks are turning out so colorful. Unfortunately, I’m just not a sock person at all. Since my feet swell up during the day, such thick socks would soon feel too tight for me.

Why do you want to delete the slow-moving items from the shop? They don’t take up any space—it’s all virtual, after all. And every now and then, someone does buy one, so the work wasn’t entirely for nothing. Revising them—yes, that’s a good idea (if only I could find the time), but deleting them? 



Finally, I have something to show you again: The potholder UFO has landed happily, and a little frog was born to go with it, so the little one can really scrub up nice and clean in the bathroom! The glittery snowflake will adorn the package.

Wow, you’re all so busy in the run-up to Christmas. I’m slowly slipping into hibernation mode and enjoying this break too. But I love looking at your creations.

Dear Sandra, your phone case is great and so practical! Everyone could use one of those. And yours is handmade—you can’t beat that.

Dear Christiane , I think your pot holders are absolutely beautiful. They’re way too pretty to actually use. I’d just hang them up as decoration and look at them all the time. With their motifs and muted colors, they radiate nostalgia and coziness. The frog glove isn’t bad either.

Dear Claudia, your Christmas caroler is my favorite from my visit here today. You really did a great job! And the way he’s standing there on his little clothespin legs, with his hat and cape. Did you make the book yourself, too?

Dear Marlene , socks are always a good idea. So I think it’s wonderful that you’re knitting socks right now. They’ll keep your feet warm later on and give you deep relaxation while you knit.

Dear Monika , you’re always especially hardworking. That little hooded jacket is sure to be much loved. And I’m sure you’ll finish those warm felt shoes for the family this winter, too.

Dear Marion, that dog hat is definitely an eye-catcher! No other child has one like it. It’s sure to be worn a lot.

I wish all readers of this thread a wonderful Second Sunday of Advent and plenty of time for your crafts. But don’t overdo it. Make sure to also take time for some nice moments without knitting needles or a computer.

Warm regards from Ina

Christina, everything you’ve finished and created looks great! Those pot holders must have been a lot of work with that pattern. I can totally understand why it was a UFO before.

Ruth, you’re kind of right there, too. Sometimes I’ve found that a dormant product suddenly becomes a hit after quite some time. I’ve definitely made it a point to rework it… well, just resolutions, I guess. ;-)

Just a quick note about the socks for my friend. She’s coming in a week, and she only wears hand-knitted socks in the winter.

Yesterday she mentioned on the phone that she’d love to have a pair of socks with the mowi heel from me sometime. I didn’t say anything about it at the time. I’ll give her both pairs on the third Sunday of Advent as a welcome gift. I’m sooo bad at holding back on gifts. ;-)

Then for Christmas, I’ve got the loop scarf. And that’s really going to be a surprise.

Ah... those pot holders are great.

First of all, thanks for the kind words—and Ina, yes, I made that book myself—I printed out very small pictures for it, and the cover is a piece of a cardboard cookie box that I covered with paper. I then stacked the pages on top of each other, sewed them together with a few stitches of sewing thread, and glued them in place—it’s a breeze.

My sweetheart and I worked together to sew new felt cushions for our balcony chairs—it was a great beginner’s project. We really like how they turned out… bring on spring! By the way, the cushions are attached to the slats with Velcro so they stay right where they’re supposed to. 



Other than that, I’ve been working diligently on my Emma crochet project—it’s coming along pretty slowly… So I crocheted a little brooch; I just needed a break…

Claudia, you’ve been very busy again. Your pillows are great, and it’s even more fun to do them together. The Velcro strips are a great idea.

Your little elf (or angel) turned out really cute. I’m not really into crocheting such tiny things myself, which is why I admire it all the more when others do it.

I’ve made a bit more progress on my sweater. Here’s what it looks like now:



And here’s another photo of the finished jacket for Juna:

Monika, that jacket turned out great.

I feel the same way as Monika when it comes to such small crochet projects with fine yarn or lots of individual pieces. I think they’re beautiful, but I lose patience by the time I get to sewing them together—it just doesn’t turn out the way it’s supposed to.

The little angel is gorgeous.

I’ve sewn small and larger gift bags out of old table runners and placemats. These had been sitting unused in the closet for ages. You can reuse them over and over, and I hope that this will help our mountain of trash get smaller and smaller in the future after we unwrap our gifts.  

Hey there! I’m still here! I still haven’t gotten much done, but I just had a moment to check out your amazing creations. It’s amazing what you’ve all managed to finish this month! I’m still working on my Cozy Winter Shawl, but three days ago I had this sudden urge to crochet a little gnome. You know how it is when an idea just has to be brought to life RIGHT AWAY? And ta-daaa, here he is:

Thanks, Petra! :)

That’s such a great idea—turning old placemats and table runners into gift wrappings! I’m going to do that, too. We haven’t bought wrapping paper for gifts in ages. We wrap them in fabric scraps or pretty dish towels. Or in gift bags made of thicker paper. Those can be reused over and over again.

Mel, it’s so nice to see you popping in again between work. :)
Your little gnome turned out super cute, and he definitely wanted to celebrate Christmas with you all right away.

Yeah, I know that feeling well—when something has to be done right away, even if it wasn’t planned at all.

My sweater has already grown again. And at the same time, I’m working on the moccasins for Linja. But she won’t get them until next year, because they won’t quite fit her yet. So now I have time to pack everything up and send it off next week.

Petra/Monika: How do you make the packaging? Can you show us some photos? The flood of paper annoys me too, but I haven’t come up with an idea like that yet.

Mel: The gnome is so cute—what’s the beard made of? Yeah, I know what you mean when an idea just has to take shape no matter what :-)))

Monika: The jacket looks great

I’ve finished my mom’s Christmas present. She also ordered an owl cell phone case:



Sandra, the beard is made of faux fur. I bought two rolls at Action on a whim, without knowing what I’d use them for. I just laid three strips side by side and attached them to the gnome with spray adhesive

Sandra, your owl bags are a huge hit. You always have such great ideas—you’d make a fantastic author. Maybe you’ll reconsider after all.

How’s Anton doing, by the way?

I don’t have a photo of the wrapping right now, but I’d be happy to take one when I’m ready.
All you need to do is take some pretty cloths—dish towels, for example—and wrap the gift in them. A colorful piece of fabric works too. I trim the edges with pinking shears so it doesn’t fray.

Finally, I crochet a ribbon to tie the gift. People love to reuse this gift wrapping over and over again. That way, there’s no waste. I’ve been doing it this way for years. By the way, the dish towels are also happily received.

As for the paper bags, you can find them in many stores. They come with various printed designs. The outside is usually made of glossy paper, which also makes them sturdier. Two cords usually serve as the carrying handles. To keep the gift hidden, you can also place a napkin or a piece of colorful fabric on top. My granddaughter always puts her toys in these bags afterward.

Every year, I use the same salt dough gift tags for the gift packages—ones I made with my kids many years ago. On the back, I always write who the package is for. The tags are collected and reused the following year. If you carefully untie the ruffled bows, you can reuse them the next year as well.

That’s such a cute idea, Ruth. The charm looks absolutely lovely.

By the way, I’ve finished the felt moccasins for Linja. However, they didn’t come out of the machine in size 26—they’re a bit bigger. But that’s okay; they’ll just fit her in about 1–2 years. Her foot is now 16 cm long, and the shoes are 19 cm. Once they’re dry, I’ll show them to you.

Tomorrow I’ll also take another photo of my sweater.

You’ve all been busy again this week and have made some really lovely things.

My hat is now finished, and I was able to knit a little something else from leftover yarn. 

You just can’t stop being amazed. You are all sooo busy crafting. When you consider that Christmas also has to be prepared for, that leaves a bit less time for crafts.

Dear Claudia, I think it’s wonderful that you made the little singer’s book yourself. It shows your love of detail. Everything has to be right and fit together. I also really like the felt cushions, and they’re very practical and cozy. How lovely that you made them together with your sweetheart!

Dear Monika, it’s nice that you showed us the finished jacket for Linja again—before it disappears into the big Christmas package. You could have washed the felt moccasins a second time too; then they would certainly have shrunk some more. I usually felt my felted slippers twice. Since we got a water softening system, I sometimes even have to wash them three times until they reach the desired size. I never would have thought that water hardness could have such an effect. But it does make sense. Hard water (lots of calcium) simply offers more points of friction for felting the fibers. But it’s not wrong this way either; children’s feet grow very quickly, and all parents are happy when they already have handmade things in the drawer for later. 

Dear Mel, the forest gnome is absolutely magical and rustic. I think he’s totally fitting for the dark season. How big is the gnome, and where do you keep him at your place? I was just imagining where I would put him in my home... best in the hallway, so he immediately makes visitors stop and marvel. At your place he’s sitting on a log, and that looks good together too!

Dear Ruth, I find your salt-dough gift tags not only practical and sustainable, but also beautiful and personal. They have what it takes to be passed down from generation to generation. If names are written on the back, you’ll see them again every year. A very lovely idea!

Dear Sandra, the owl phone pouch for your mother turned out beautifully. She’s sure to be especially happy about it—because it was handmade by you with love. You can’t buy that; you can only DIY it yourself or receive it as a gift.

Dear Wollefaden, I also find your gloves practical and beautiful with the cable pattern. A little girl will like them and they’ll keep her hands warm.

I have recently completed a diligent little duty and knitted a thick winter hat for my brother. His head circumference is 60 cm, so unfortunately there’s nothing to buy. So I have to step in. I handed it over earlier—it fits, and he was happy. Now I’m knitting a matching scarf to go with it. You don’t have to think much or watch closely, so it’s good to do in the evening while watching TV.

I wish you all continued joy with your crafts and a lovely third Sunday of Advent.
Warm regards from Ina

Wow, Ina, that reads like an early award ceremony for Josefa. :) You summed that up really nicely.

Mel, your gloves look great with the cable pattern. Who are they for? (I’m curious… I know) ;-)

Now I’ll show you the photos of Linja’s felted shoes and my ever-growing sweater. I’ll probably put
the felt shoes in the washing machine again after all. They’ve shrunk from 29 cm to 19 cm. But I’d still like them to be 2 cm smaller. Then I can reshape them a bit, because I’m not really happy with the result yet. It was a practice piece, so to speak. The next one will definitely be better. I’ll make those for Juna.



 


Right now I only have this one project, but not for long. In the next few days, I’ll start something new. I’ll decide spontaneously then.

Monika, I’m afraid Mel probably can’t answer your question.

But I’d be happy to satisfy your curiosity. The gloves are for a little girl who already has a matching hat with a braid and ears.

Your sweater has really come along—is it going to be a winter or summer sweater?
Your shoes already look almost perfect—practice makes perfect!

Sob... I really want to finally finish my moose—otherwise Christmas will be over.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

The first double-faced spiral sock is finished, and my motivation for the second one took a break:

Your socks are interesting, Marlene. I’m going to give double-face knitting a try in 2020, too. I’ve got something new to learn there. ;-)

Marion, thanks for your reply about the gloves. My sweater is knitted from pure wool (140 m/50 g), so it’s pretty thin. It’s meant for winter, and I’m making it a bit longer so it can also be worn well with leggings. My sweaters are usually too short.

Well, your moose should definitely celebrate Christmas with you. You can do it! :)

My friend arrived today, which is why I’m only getting online now. Tomorrow morning, she’ll get the socks as a welcome gift. I’m already curious to hear what she’ll say.

I wish you all a wonderful week!

Best regards
Monika


The last Christmas present is finished now, too. :-)

Now I’m going to try crocheting an envelope. My parents are getting theater tickets, and your packaging gave me an idea

Wow, Sandra, that looks great! What a lovely gift.

The idea with the crocheted envelope is fantastic—it could have come straight from me (grin);-).
I actually had the same thought, but then decided against it because I still have some pretty fabric bags in stock. For example, I packed the socks for my girlfriend in one of those fabric bags.

Hi Sandra

Your gift turned out really nice.

A little tip: Try searching for “crochet envelope” here. There’s even a free pattern for an envelope. (DoltWithLove)

Monika, your packaging looks great, too!