December Projects + November Projects Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

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December Projects Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group (No Advertising)


Dear users, dear authors,
so here is Part 3 of the November projects.
Have fun with it.

You can read earlier posts here:
November Projects Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group (No Advertising )

UFO Week:
UFOs = unfinished objects = unfinished craft projects. During the
monthly UFO Week, unfinished craft projects are given priority
and completed.
November 23–30, 2020
Award ceremony = recognition for everything you achieved in the relevant month.
Beginning of December 2020

December 2020
There will be no UFO Week in December because of Christmas.
January 2021
At the beginning of January, the successful Wool Empresses
and/or Inner-Resistance Conquerors of 2020 will be honored. At the end of January
there will also be another UFO Week.
February 2021
The next regular award ceremony will then take place at the beginning of February.

Ina, thanks for your “verdict” on the door wreath—yes, it does look a little rustic here, just because of these wooden doors, and the wreath fits in quite well.
I’m super excited—my red yarn is on its way, and my mom’s giving it to me before my birthday. She said that way I can knit the loop scarf before winter’s over, haha. Great—that’ll really be something to do while watching TV. I’ll definitely knit it in stockinette stitch and sew it together—I really liked how you did it. I’ve already dug out my needles; since I crochet more than I knit, they’re tucked away in my boxes. I didn’t even realize I still had such thin needles, but oh well—haven’t used them in ages.

Right now, I really wish I had a few more hands. Usually, we get our little Yorkie’s coat groomed much earlier, but this time it’s not until the end of November—luckily, he has a little coat for his walks. I’m heading out later—I’m driving to my daughter’s, and I’m looking forward to seeing her, my son-in-law, and the little rascal :)

I’m trying my hand at a two-color patent pattern—more specifically, half-patent.
I’m also working on a knitted lace triangular shawl with a cable pattern.
Photos to follow.

@schnukelina
But... I can’t really postpone my embroidery projects until January... because these “embroidery projects” are going to be Christmas gifts—or at least we’re hoping they’ll be bought for Christmas... 
And our felted slippers are warm for winter... the perfect Christmas gift 😋😊😍

So, off to the embroidery machine... it’ll turn out (crooked) somehow 😂😂😂

Oh, there’s really a lot going on here again! I can’t even keep up anymore. ;-)

Ines,
your door wreath looks very pretty. It’s really something completely different ... as if made by angel hands, and it reminds me of sparkling snow .. and Christmas.

Ina,
I’m already very excited to see your November project. You’ll surely show it to us when it’s finished, right?

Your knitted blanket looks absolutely amazing. That must be really hard on the wrists with those thick needles. That’s why I prefer knitting with thinner needles, 4.5 at most. Otherwise I’m sure I would have tried making a blanket like that too. My husband’s cardigan last year was really enough for me in that regard.

Here’s how things look with me:
The onesie for my little star is finished, and now she won’t have to be cold anymore. So I was able to knit up almost another ball of unloved yarn. There’s still enough left for a hat, which will be coming soon too.

Take a look, this is how she looks in it:

 

Now I’ll get back to knitting my sweater for a while. But that will probably move along with me into December. 

At the weekend I finally baked my quick sheet-pan gingerbread again. More than 2/3 of it has already been polished off.

 

Monika, tell me, how fast do you knit? Did you install a motor in your hands? It’s crazy how nimble you are.
Your little doll is dressed so cozily. I still have my doll from when I was a kid, too—she really needs a new pair of pants; she’s just sitting there freezing.

Your sheet-pan gingerbread looks delicious. Mmm, it makes you want to take a bite right away. Will you share your recipe with us? (Maybe in a baking thread.)

Have a nice evening, everyone!

Oh yeah, Andrea , the cake thread sounds great—I’m always on the lookout for nice recipes, and Monika’s sheet gingerbread is already making my mouth water :)
I really love baking bread.

Monika, “unloved yarn”? Your doll’s clothes look really pretty, though—I’m also amazed at how fast you are. I mean, you can whip up little things quickly, but a jumpsuit like that takes a bit longer.

Bergli, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that, despite the stress, all your projects turn out well. It’s always like that when you have to work against the clock—unwanted things tend to get in the way. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen and the embroidery machine stays in one piece :)

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

That looks delicious, Moni :)

My attempt at two-color brioche knitting—more specifically, half brioche:


My current project, which will probably be finished toward the end of December—a triangular shawl with lace and cables.
Knitted with 2.5 mm needles:

Your knitted items look great. Unfortunately, I’m a bit out of practice with knitting.
Instead, I tried crocheting a winter hat for my little one using leftover yarn. It looks a bit big. The color doesn’t really match. But it was just a test run.

I think your swatch turned out great, Andrea :)

Thank you very much, CreatOwl

Marlene , I really like the pattern on your shawl. I’m curious to see what it looks like when it’s finished.

Oh, Andrea , your little doll is so cute. You did a great job on the hat. It’s a fantastic pattern, and the color somehow matches the sweater too. By the way, the sweater looks great and really looks like it was handmade.

My little star feels all cozy and comfortable in her new onesie now. She always sits next to me and watches what I’m writing here (yes, even the pattern for it). My husband is always amazed at how fast I knit. To me, it’s completely normal. Yesterday and today, for example, I finished knitting the upper front piece of my sweater. Tonight I’ll start on the first sleeve. 

It’s “unloved” yarn because I don’t like working with acrylic. The yarn has been sitting in the closet for so long. I only found it recently—it was tucked way in the back. But since I love the colors, I got the idea to knit some outfits for my teddy bears and dolls. I still have a few scraps left—we’ll see what I do with them.

Yes, my dears, you’ll get the gingerbread recipe in a separate thread—most likely tomorrow. I’ll dig it out. It’s super delicious and ready to eat right away. We’ve been enjoying this daily treat since last weekend. Especially when I’m short on time, this gingerbread is a hit.

Now I wish you all a lovely evening and hope you have fun with whatever you’re doing.

Warm regards,
Monika

Thanks Monika. I crocheted the jacket for my doll based on a pattern. It was part of a crochet doll pattern here on CP, and of course it fit my doll too. I’ll crochet the hat again in a different color. I have so much leftover yarn and unwanted yarn, just like you do, and such great colors just have to be crocheted into something.

I’m already looking forward to your gingerbread recipe. After all, the first Sunday of Advent is coming up soon, so that would be a good opportunity to try it out—assuming I can get all the ingredients here; that’s always a bit of a challenge. They bake here too, but unfortunately, there are some things they just don’t have here. And it’s very expensive.

Have a nice rest of your evening!

Andrea, you have such a lovely doll (what brand is it?) and the hat in fresh green looks great on her! I’m getting more and more itchy to knit or crochet doll or teddy bear clothes again, but it won’t happen before Christmas.

Andrea, your doll reminds me of one of my dolls from my childhood; it came from Sonneberg (GDR) back then and also had such a sweet face. It should still be up in the attic—maybe I should go get it down and dress it up too.
But it’s really all about the hat, and you did a great job with that.

thank you ines,
Sonneberg means something to me as a former GDR citizen. But you definitely have to rescue your dolly from the attic. Something that precious shouldn’t be hidden away. I’d be very happy to see a photo of your dolly.

I ordered my dolly last year through a.....n (my son then brought it with him because they didn’t ship to Norway), specifically because it has such a sweet face, and the proportions are right too. You can even carefully comb and style the hair.
I ordered it for myself too, to crochet outfits for it, as a model. Whatever I want to crochet for myself, I try out in “small” on my doll.

Andrea, I’ve put that on my list for after Christmas, with the doll :) and I’ll post a photo too once she’s no longer a little nudie, lol
Yes, the dolls were always very beautiful, I come from near Leipzig and still live there
Best wishes, Ines

Andrea: I think your idea of first making “small” versions of the items you want to crochet for yourself—for the doll—is great! A long time ago, when I took a course on pattern drafting, I also made mini-models first…

  Thanks, Moni :)

I’m already looking forward to your gingerbread recipe.

Marlene,
your shawl is turning out very pretty. I would like the colors too.

Andrea,
the hat for your little doll turned out very pretty. I don’t think it looks too big. And I think the color goes well with the jacket too.

Monika,
you really are making quick progress. The overalls look really good on your little star.


I delivered my 15 finger puppets yesterday. It was an order from a craft store.



I really worked on those at full speed. At some point I’d like to write a few patterns for them. Maybe after Christmas, we’ll see...

Right now I’m baking cookies. Once that’s done, things will calm down a bit (unless something unexpected comes up :-) ) I’ve basically got the Christmas presents already.
This year I treated myself to the Advent calendar from Chiemseegarn again. It’s a gradient yarn cake, but it’s packaged so that you can’t see the colors. Each day you work up to the next little knot (color change). So the colors are a surprise. Since I didn’t like the suggested patterns for it that much, I picked out a cowl by Elke Eder here on Crazy Patterns. I’m curious to see what it looks like in the end.
Last year I crocheted a star blanket, which will go under my Christmas tree this year.

Ruth, I just admired your little finger puppets in another thread. They’re absolutely enchanting and, as always with you, very well done. I never cease to admire your dexterity with these little crochet projects. For me, something like this is a real challenge.

YES—I’ll post the gingerbread recipe in a separate thread today. You can even vary the ingredients a bit to suit your own needs or taste. So you can look forward to it for the first Sunday of Advent.

I’m so happy that so many doll fans are gathered here. I’d asked for my little star for my birthday last year, and my husband gave her to me as a gift. He also named her “Little Star.” :-) And now I’m really enjoying knitting clothes for her. I first discovered her in a photo by Marion. Designing doll or teddy bear clothes is my absolute favorite thing to do. Baby clothes are great, too—that’s why I have a 60-cm-tall doll. Since I don’t have any baby grandchildren anymore, I’m dressing her up now. Maybe one of my granddaughters will have a doll that needs clothes someday. Right now, both of them have other interests.

Andrea, you might have the sweater design from the same designer that my doll is from. I’m just really taken with it, and I’ll knit it by summer at the latest. And I also bought myself a crocheted baby doll. As you can see, my dolls are getting some new siblings. :)

Once I’ve made a bit more progress on my sweater, I’ll post some photos. Right now, the sleeve still needs to grow a bit.

After I finish my sweater (or even before I’m done), I’ll make a little baby doll dress for my little star. I already have it in mind… and I’m still thinking about the colors of the yarn.

Ta-da—the sheet pan gingerbread recipe:

https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/forum/topic/134526/mein-schneller-blech-lebkuchen-das-rezept

My embroidery projects are coming along nicely. Photos will follow as soon as they’re finished..... 😁
The grandkids’ jackets are finally done..... three of them with snaps... now I’m happy with them too 😊 

Ruth, your finger puppets turned out beautifully, but crocheting something that small must be pretty fiddly; I always admire that.

Bergli the grandkids’ jackets turned out lovely again too, and I’m already excited to see your embroidery projects.

Ina, so my yarn arrived yesterday. I snapped a photo of one skein, and now I can get started; this yarn appeals to me more than my thick Wenrote

by now I’ve also finished my chubby little winter tots, and depending on what you like, they can be used as keychains or bag charms.

Good morning everyone,

bergli, the jackets with those funny ears look really chic.

Ines66, wow, that’s a great red. That would be my color too. I’m already excited to see what it looks like when it’s finished. Good luck.

Best regards, Andrea

Berli, the jackets turned out great! I’m just picturing your grandchildren standing side by side in them.

Ines, that keychain looks like a real fiddly job, too. 

bergli
Your jackets look great with the ears on them. That must have been a lot of work with the snaps. They really have to hold up to a lot, especially on kids’ jackets. Matching outfits for the grandkids—that’s a lovely idea. Is one of them a girl?

Ines
Your little winter fellow is so cute. Did you design it yourself? Definitely a sweet idea
—and I like the yarn, too. Though I’d better just take a quick peek… I’m still on a diet and want to make it into a second year. Let’s see how long I can stick with it.


Now I’ve somehow gotten motivated to finish knitting my sweater—that long-term UFO—before November is over. I’m sure I’ll finish the first sleeve today. Then I just have the second sleeve and the collar left. I should definitely be able to finish that over the weekend. I’m really looking forward to finally wearing it.

Have a creative and wonderful day, everyone!

Monika, yes and no about the design of the little guy; the idea came from my daughter, so she had apparently seen it as something you can buy at a friend's and described it to me. I made 6 of them, all in different colors; 2 of them are already gone :) the fiddly work was fine, Ruth, I'm just not used to making smaller objects.

yes, at first I wasn't sure about the yarn, but when I saw this red, it was clear to me: matching one of my winter jackets, I just had to have it.

Hello everyone,

if you don’t check in here for a few days, you really have to scroll back and forth quite a bit to see, read, and comment on everything.

@Monika,
Your little star now has a cute onesie and looks absolutely adorable in it.
Thank you so much for whetting our appetite for your sheet pan gingerbread—with your words, pictures, and recipe. I’ll definitely give it a try. It doesn’t sound too complicated to me: just mix everything together, spread it on the baking sheet… and then enjoy. Perfect for people who don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen but still want the scent and taste of Christmas in their home and on their tongue.

My thick blanket doesn’t strain my wrists any more than when I’m knitting something very fine with a size 2 needle. When I knit with a size 7 needle—like I do for the blanket—I can do it very easily and see everything clearly. With fine knitting projects, my neck gets tense much faster because everything is so delicate and you might only have to knit a few stitches at a time—and you also have to look more closely. But I usually do both at the same time, so it balances out.

@Marlene
The swatch for the two-color half brioche looks good. One color dominates on each side, letting the other one show through. Is it easy for you to knit with the two skeins?
The part of the lace shawl with the color gradient that you’ve knitted so far looks very promising. Now it’s time for patience and diligence, because each row gets longer and longer. But it’s a lovely project, and with every row you get closer to your goal. The pattern and colors are really coming together more and more.

@Andrea
I think your doll is very pretty, too. Of course, the new outfit: the hat fits beautifully and adds a splash of color. And the crocheted jacket—it’s just great. But I also really like the doll herself and her facial expression. She’s probably quite old. These days, dolls all tend to look pretty much the same and are much “cuter.” Yours has a very beautiful, delicate facial expression, which is why she stands out. Monika must have gotten you hooked on knitting for dolls :-)

I’ll come clean… I also have a doll who’s currently leading a sad existence in a closet down in the basement. She’s also a GDR product from the ’70s. I’m going to rescue her and dress her up next year. Since there are more girls here who have their dolls stashed away somewhere, we could start our own “Our Dolls Thread.” It’s sure to be a lovely, colorful mix of dolls from different eras. I’d really love that.

@Ruth
Your finger puppets are truly enchanting. Even as an adult, you just want to start playing with them right away. They’re all so different, intricately detailed, and crocheted in such vibrant colors. Stories immediately come to mind that I’d tell about them. It’s actually almost a shame when they’re sold individually, because then you don’t have the full range of choices anymore, and some stories just can’t be told the same way. But that’s not your problem, of course. The first customers get the widest selection. That was definitely a lot of hard work, too, because everything is so delicate and every doll is meant to be especially pretty. That would have really (over)taxed my patience.

@bergli
Your three cardigans with the little ears for your grandchildren look absolutely great. I can totally understand why your grandchildren are looking forward to them. The colors are beautiful, they close perfectly with the snaps now, and then there are the cute little ears—you just can’t buy something like that; it can only be knitted by Grandma with lots of love and care. They’ll go down in family history ;-)

I have two sisters (2 and 4 years older than me). My grandma always knitted the same or similar things for the three of us girls. The three of us always got the same things, just with slight variations. For example, she knitted us dark blue knit dresses, each with a few different colored stripes in the skirt. I can still remember those knit dresses clearly today—and I associate them with my grandma.

@Ines
Your keychains or bag charms just made me smile. I just pictured it right there in my bag on my keychain. It felt good and made me want to play with it. The little pom-pom hat, the cozy belly… all such intricate work and very well done. These are little things that bring joy.

I’m so glad you’re now planning to work with the soft red yarn. I totally understand why it’s tempting you—I’ve fallen for it too. The thick wine-red yarn isn’t going anywhere; it just has to wait. I hope you have lots of fun knitting with it. Did you stick with the loop?

***************

For me , it’s time to wait. Not for Santa Claus. No, for the mail carrier. These days, you can only buy all the small sewing supplies you need online. There are hardly any stores left that carry buttons, clasps, and the like. Only then can I move forward with my November project.

So I also have time for other things... tidying up, putting up Christmas decorations everywhere, baking Monika’s gingerbread on the baking sheet, etc., etc.—and my colorful knitted blanket is waiting to be finished. It’ll be done soon, and then I’ll show it to you, of course.

I wish you all a wonderful afternoon and lots of fun with your crafts or baking cookies.

Warm regards, Ina

Thank you, Ina .
Wow, you’ve written a real novel here, and your writing is so beautifully phrased. That’s the secretary in you coming through.

You’ve given us a great idea with the “doll thread.” I actually still have my doll from the ’70s, which my parents gave me when I was 8 years old. She just needs a pair of pants—she’s sitting here half-naked and freezing, hehe. Once she’s dressed, I’ll post a photo.

My doll, which I crochet for every now and then, isn’t that old at all. I ordered her last year from a....
It was precisely because she has this natural-looking face that I wanted her. Most dolls look really childish. This one was on sale, too.
But first, I have to finish up my little crafts for my mom; I’ll send them to her in a padded envelope. Packages are very expensive, and there’s customs and all that.
Then I can get back to other projects, and finally start on my Christmas decorations tomorrow.

Dear Andrea, you’re probably right about that. Because we trained secretaries can “type quickly,” the wording flows faster from our fingers onto the page - in this case, into the computer.

I’m looking forward to our “doll thread.” The next time I go down to the basement, I’ll free her from the cupboard. Then she can start getting used to the light of day ...

Have a lovely evening, everyone. Best regards, Ina

I think the doll thread is a great idea, too. Unfortunately, I don’t have my old dolls anymore—I preferred playing with teddy bears. I didn’t really like the dolls back then; they were too stiff for me.

But I did get Lisa a while back—she’s definitely not new. I traded for her. She’s wearing that pretty, colorful little skirt. And Sternchen was a “wish child,” so to speak.
My big 60-cm doll was also a wish come true, because she feels just like a real baby. She’s my substitute for the grandchildren who live so far away. ;-) I’m sure I’ll keep knitting for her.

The little girl inside us is delighted when we bring the dolls back to life. Especially yours, dear Ina and Andrea, will be amazed at how much attention they’re suddenly getting.

Ina, yes, those little cuties—I made one for myself too, and now when I find my keychain faster in my bag, I can’t help but smile to myself.......
Oh, the yarn—now my mom wants some too. I’m really going to start on the cowl tomorrow, using yours as a model, sorry for borrowing your idea, but I don’t think it needs any fancy frills—the yarn knitted in stockinette stitch is already very pretty.


Since I share so much with my mom, I naturally told her about your adorable doll clothes, and she said, “Well then, you can go wild—your dolls are all lying naked in a box up in the attic...” I think in January or February I’ll go up there and free them, and then I’ll try my hand at making doll clothes.

But for now, I wish you all a great start to the weekend. Best wishes, Ines

You guys always have such great ideas: a doll thread and the mugs—I’m definitely in on those, I just need a little more time to take some photos. Some of the “Christmas stress” is off my plate now that the international packages are on their way, but now it’s almost time to get the gifts for my fellow board members (I’ve already given two of them away to someone else!). Yeah, it’s just like every year: lots of ideas, not enough time!

Good morning, my dears,

the whole weekend lies ahead of us - time to enjoy, relax, and do some crafts.

Last night I finished a "test project" and today I’m really delighted with the result. I had one ball (= 25 g) left over from my purple loop yarn. So I tried to knit myself a hat from it - to match the loop. The purple yarn wasn’t enough, so I continued knitting with a leftover bit of dark brown from the same yarn.  But in the end you can’t see it.  

I knitted a tube. In the upper stockinette section, which would later be visible on the outside, I knitted in small seed beads - they’re tiny eye-catchers as a little decorative element. At the end, the hat is tucked into itself. That makes it double-layered overall and 4-layered at the brim. It keeps you nice and warm, especially over the ears. It weighs only 35 g and is wonderfully soft - exactly right for me :-)

I wish you all a lovely day.
Warm regards from Ina

Ina, your hat and loop scarf really do look cozy. The way you knit your hat—as a tube and then turn it inside out—is an amazing technique; it makes it practically double-layered and warm. Thanks for this idea.

Yes, Ina, I also think your hat is awesome with that knitting technique. I’m going to try that sometime, too. Your warm winter set looks very cozy and warm. And I like the color, too.

I’m now determined to finish my UFO by Monday after all—my sweater. The second sleeve is almost done, and I just need to add the collar. Once it’s finished, I’ll post a photo. I really love the combination of leftover yarns on the sleeves. And I’m really looking forward to wearing it. It’s made entirely of pure wool, after all.

By the way, I’ve actually cleared out a drawer in my closet and a box. But there are still sooo many stash yarns left that I’m sticking with the “diet.” Let’s see how long I can keep it up. 

Next up, a larger bear—one that someone once made for me—is getting a sweater. That way, I can use up two more balls of unwanted yarn. And then our dining room chairs need loops. Yes, you read that right. We have these great back cushions on them that are always slipping out of place. And now they’re going to be nicely wrapped up. I even have some acrylic yarn in orange and red, so it’ll match the decor.

And while I’m at it, I’ll knit some socks for my friend. It’s still up in the air whether she’ll be able to come. If not, I’ll just have to send her gifts in a package.

Yeah, I really could use at least two more hands to get all this done.

Have a wonderful Advent!

Oh, how lovely Ina,the set is beautiful, I’m really blown away, and the knitting technique for the hat—that’s just great. I’m more of a headband wearer, but that would be something for my daughter.
I’ve started on the loop scarf, but I haven’t gotten very far yet; yesterday there was always something else keeping me from knitting. I think I’ll be able to show the result around the middle of the week.

Monika, I’m also very excited to see the big teddy’s clothes. 

Our Advent coffee was very nice, and by Sunday I still have the task of making 10 of the little ornaments,  so a few extra hands would be very nice for me too.

Have a lovely evening, everyone 

Hello everyone,
I hope you’ve made yourselves really cozy today on the first Sunday of Advent: bellies full of cookies, a hot cup of tea, and candlelight… and maybe a nice fairy tale on TV. That’s pretty much how it was for me today.

@all
I’m glad you like my double-layer hat-knitting technique. Since the yarn is very thin, a single layer wouldn’t work as a hat. So it had to be double-layered. I’ve been wearing the hat for a few days now and wouldn’t want to be without it. And because it’s so light, you don’t even notice it when you’re wearing it.

@Monika
It’s great that you’re keeping track of all your many projects. I’d have a hard time deciding: should I finish my sweater today, when it only needs one sleeve, or should I knit the socks for my friend, or start on the clothes for the big bear, or maybe begin the loops for the chairs after all? All the projects are calling out to you—that would drive me completely crazy.
Let’s just wait and see what you decide to tackle first.

@Ines
Take your time with the loop scarf. Winter will still be around for a while. And when you’re doing a craft project, you’re supposed to relax and “enjoy” it at your own pace. Once you’re done with the 10 pendants, you can get back to it. I could also imagine making a headband to go with it, but I’d insert a fleece-elastic strip on the inside before closing the seam. You can buy something like that ready-made. It keeps the ear area warm and prevents the headband from stretching out.

I wish all readers a wonderful first Advent evening.

Best regards from Ina

 I started the double-face technique yesterday—it’s not nearly as hard as it sounds.....
I might just fall in love with it 😊

Thanks, Ina, for the tip about the fleece elastic strip—I’m sure I still have some at home that’ll work, since I always used to sew it into my little Yorkie’s coat whenever I made him a new one.

Ina, having lots of projects going at once is totally my thing, and yes, I keep track of them all. ;-) Otherwise, it would be too boring for me. But I actually managed to finish knitting my UFO sweater. Now I’m just sewing on the buttons and will take a photo. It looks really great.

The first chair loop is already on the needles—again, yarn I didn’t love, but a great color: orange.
I’ve already taken measurements for my big teddy bear and will start designing the sweater for him. So for now, I’ve got two projects going at the same time again. The third will be a hat for now. I’m going to test-knit my husband’s hat (from last year) for myself, following the pattern.

Oh, and I also want to start on the Double Face project… I’m sure I’ll have it done by Christmas. My fingers are itching to get started. ;-)

Have a wonderful, creative week, everyone!

Monika, do you make the chair loops like chair covers? I’m just curious, because the colors of my dining room chairs don’t really match my other colors—lavender, brown, and orange dominate, and my chairs are more light gray-olive, but they’re sturdy, haha, so something like that might be an idea sometime
I know what it’s like to have several projects started. Right now I’m working through the order first, but the little wreaths are quick to make in between, then my loop, maybe a headband too, and then I really should get back to working on my storage baskets. Yes, and I still have ideas for spring, too. My two acquaintances who test-crochet for me are already excited to see what’s coming, but sometimes they can’t keep up, especially since one of them hasn’t been crafting for very long.

You’re all raving about double-face; I wanted to give that a try as well, though it looks a bit tricky to me. We’ll see what comes to mind :)

Have a wonderful day, everyone. Best wishes :)

Yes, Ines, I’ve already thought of something similar to chair covers. Mine, however, just wrap around the backrest like a loop. The dining room chairs are made of thick fabric, so I assume that’ll hold up well. That way, our back cushions will always stay right where they’re supposed to. I’ll show you when it’s finished.

So, I finally finished my long-term UFO in November after all—yay!
This is what my sweater looks like now. I had to improvise on the sleeves and collar because I ran out of the dark blue yarn. And now I have to say, thank goodness! Because personally, I think the result is really great. By the way, there won’t be any pattern for this one.

Monika, your sweater looks really chic—I agree. It’s a good thing you ran out of yarn; the red inserts really liven up the sweater.

Well, I’m going to get my needles clacking a little, too. 

You’ve all been so hard at work again. Monika, your sweater looks great with that touch of red. Really awesome.
I’ve only finished one little thing. I made a small pillowcase out of my mosaic granny squares. I’ll add a snap as a closure. Here’s a look at the front and back.

Thank you, Ines and Andrea! Yes, I agree. This has resulted in a lovely way to use up scraps.

Andrea, your granny squares work very well as pillowcases. They look great. This is a wonderful way to turn scraps into something truly special.

Good morning, everyone,

Andrea, I think the granny square pillows are very pretty; once again, it shows what beautiful things can be made from scraps.
I’m going to make a final push on my loop scarf today or tomorrow, and of course I’ll post a photo once it’s finished.
After that, I’ll try to finish the projects I’ve started; I’d rather not carry them over into the new year, since I already have a few ideas waiting to be brought to life.

I’ve still got quite a bit to do today: first, I have a vet appointment, as my dog isn’t doing so well
After that, I need to bake bread, do a little shopping, and then start wrapping the presents. Since I’m still waiting for a few things from an online order, I can’t finish that yet.

Have a lovely day, everyone — we’ve got sunshine here at -5 °C.

Andrea, I think your pillowcase is absolutely awesome. I really like it. I really like the Granny squares, and I can’t say which one I like best. They look great with multiple colors, too.

  I’m currently working for Santa. Before I start wrapping, I take pictures. There are half-finished projects scattered all over the sofa, and I still have to sew the gift wrapping. And in between, there are Guzzle cookies that need to be baked.

It’s never boring.

Advent greetings from
Petra

Hi everyone,
thank you for your feedback. I’m really pleased.

Petra, wow, that’s a pretty nativity scene you have there. I really like it too.

Today is all about lazing around in this dreary, rainy weather. Gray and dark. It hardly makes you feel like doing anything.
I’ll read along a bit more here in the forum.

Wishing everyone a pleasant, cozy afternoon anyway.

Best regards
Andrea

Ina, a hat like that would be perfect for me too (my ears would love it—they get cold so quickly!)—plus, I still have plenty of mohair yarn. Do you have a pattern for it? 

Ines, I hope your dog gets well soon and is back on his feet. When our pets aren’t feeling well, we always suffer along with them.

Petra, it’s already looking very Christmassy at your place. Very nice decorations, especially with the nativity scene.

I’m in the home stretch with the chair loop—just a few more centimeters to go, then my husband will be happy about it and I’ll post some photos.

Have a cozy evening, everyone, and take care.

Hello everyone,

despite all the Christmas preparations, you’ve been very hard at work. We always try to do everything at the same time. For me, though, Christmas gifts take priority for now—even though they also involve some handwork...

@Monika
Congratulations on your new, warm, and beautiful winter sweater. I especially like the red sections; otherwise, the colors would be too “masculine” for my taste. I also think the pattern is lovely. For you, it can’t be cold enough when you go for a walk—your sweater wants to show off what it can do. Now that this UFO is finished, you’re surely working on the chair cushions or the socks for your friend. We’ll just have to wait and see what you come up with next.

@Andrea
It’s great that you arranged your mosaic granny squares into a pillow. It looks really inspiring and cheerful to me, precisely because it’s so colorful. There’s always something for the eye to take in. If you add a few solid-colored squares in the pillow’s colors, the vibrant colors will definitely stand out even more. I’m curious to see what catches your eye next. I’m guessing you won’t last long lounging on the couch—with nothing in your hands. At least, that’s how it would be for me...

@Ines and Petra
You’re like most people: everyone’s busy with their Christmas preparations. You don’t want to forget anyone, you want to have the right gift for everyone, and of course, you want to wrap them beautifully. But it’s also fun… Anticipation is the greatest joy.

Ines, I hope your dog feels better soon.

Petra, thank you so much for the photo of the beautiful nativity scene.

I treated myself to some of that anticipation today and yesterday, too: I designed a beautiful photo book on my computer for my children and grandchildren, using photos from the past year. It only includes photos they haven’t seen before and that were taken at our house. We can always look at it together later and reminisce. You can even add those little videos you sometimes record. There’s a QR code in the photo album that any cell phone can scan to play the video.

@Christina
Unfortunately, there isn’t a pattern for my purple hat. I just made it freehand. But I’m sure you can manage it even without a pattern. If you’re okay with mohair yarn, you can of course knit it from that. Mohair just doesn’t work for me at all. It all makes my head itch—I’m really sensitive.
So measure your head circumference, do a gauge swatch in your desired pattern, then scale up the stitches to match your head circumference and knit a tube using a long circular needle or a set of double-pointed needles. Once you’ve tried it on with the edge folded over and decided it’s long enough, pull the stitches together at the top and bottom. Then insert fleece strips for extra ear protection, fold down the hem, and sew it in place. Maybe a project for the new year?

I hope all readers continue to enjoy their Christmas preparations. I’m going to get right back to it myself… while watching TV today, I’m sure I’ll still manage to finish the size 24 felt shoes for my little grandchild.

Warm regards from Ina

Wow, Ina , what a wonderful idea with the photo book! That’s sure to bring a lot of joy. Every year,
I look forward to a new calendar with pictures of my grandchildren. It’s always a highlight for me.

Thank you so much for the instructions for your hat. It’s super easy—I’ll have to try it myself sometime.

For now, I’m working on the soles that I want to sew onto shoes. My husband helped me with the preparations today, and now they’re ready to be sewn on.

Next up are actually the socks for my friend. Since she unfortunately won’t be coming, I’m going to send her a Christmas package. It’ll be a surprise—she’s not expecting it at all.

So, now I can show you the chair-back cover and explain why I knitted it.
We have back cushions, and my husband’s one wasn’t looking so great anymore. At first, I thought about knitting a cover for it, but then I decided it would be better to attach it to the chair back so it wouldn’t slip. It might look a little strange, but it’s very cozy and comfortable. And it matches our orange decor.

This is what the back cushion looks like without the cover (that’s mine).



Here’s what it looks like now on my husband’s chair with the cover.

Well, you’ve all been hard at work again—my loop scarf is almost finished; a photo will follow.
I just made some “Handbrot”; our friends are coming over today. Since both of them have been tested for work, nothing stands in the way of us hosting a little farm Christmas market together with them and my parents—there’ll be grilled sausages and, of course, “Handbrot.” I hope I don’t forget to snap a pic when it comes out of the oven—and mulled wine to go with it.

Thanks, Ina —my Asira (dog) is doing well; she has a little thyroid issue, which is now being treated with medication—thankfully, since we had to say goodbye to her mom just two years ago. 

Monika, the loops for the chairs are really pretty, and well, your colors are always so lovely and brighten everything up. I had actually been thinking of slipcovers, but I’d knit my fingers raw doing that :)

Have a wonderful afternoon, everyone here 

Monika, these “chair loops” are such a great idea! And I have to say it again and again: I admire how fast you work. You finished that in no time! Is your chair getting one too, or not?
(I looked at the photos on my phone—they’re pretty small. And when I first saw your chair, I thought: Oh, this loop is made from the same yarn as Monika’s poncho! :-)))

our slippers,..... one pair of them, we have various crests and pictures.... 
I’m busy embroidering,.... 

Oh bergli, your slippers look great! I really admire it when someone can felt so well. Very, very pretty!

Ines, I’m so glad your dog is feeling better again. Now you can really enjoy the weekend.

Ruth, I don’t plan on knitting a loop for my chair right now. That was some leftover yarn I didn’t like, and it’s all knitted up now. To be honest, it was too boring for me, and I’m glad it’s finished. 170 stitches per round… phew. Now it’s time for socks, and I’m still thinking about my second project. It looks like I’ll be tackling the Double Face this weekend. Sonja wrote such a great, simple practice pattern. With that, I’m sure I’ll pick it up easily.
Since I’ve knitted lots of Norwegian sweaters before using many different colors, working with two colors should go just fine. I’m really excited and looking forward to it… You’ll get to see the result here.

Hello dear friends,

after we finished our walk, I’m taking a little time for the computer and for CP.

@Monika
The cushion pad for your husband’s chair looks very inviting. If I were visiting you and saw 4 chairs, I’d definitely choose that one. It promises a soft feeling when leaning back. Now the others will probably need one at some point too. But so it doesn’t get boring, you’ve got other projects on your needles first.

@Ines
While reading your lines, I pictured your little courtyard Christmas market. That is a very good idea! In a small, manageable group, you can definitely do that. And I could practically smell the hand bread from here. I’m sure it’s a relaxed get-together for everyone with a bit of Christmas flair.

@bergli
Your slippers look very cozy. You want to slip right into them: some for the grown-ups and some for the little ones—and in a matching look. Very, very lovely handiwork.

***********************

I feel the same as all of you: we’re preparing for Christmas and doing our crafts at the same time. You could use a bit more time for that. But one thing at a time. Yesterday I finished and felted the felted slippers for the youngest grandchild. Tonight I’ll sew on name labels, because he needs them for daycare. This time I knitted a loop onto the back so he can use it to hold on when putting them on. At 2 years old, all of that is still difficult. I’ll show them to you when they’re finished.

I wish you all a lovely 2nd Advent weekend. Make it cozy!

Best wishes, Ina

Yes, I also wish you all a lovely Advent Sunday and St. Nicholas Day. Ina, I’m already curious about your felties for your grandson. You always have such great ideas. 

In the meantime, I’ve sewn leather soles onto 3 felt slippers. My husband helped me with punching the holes. Thanks to Ina’s pattern, it really works great. Now I can finally wear my felties and I’m totally happy with them. They’re so nice and warm, I don’t want to take them off anymore. My husband is very happy with his too. And soon I can send my friend a little surprise package. She doesn’t know anything about it yet and doesn’t even suspect it. So I need to hurry up and finish the socks.

Here are some examples of the leather soles:




And this is how far I’ve gotten with the first sock:




Yes, and then I finally started with double-face knitting. I just couldn’t resist. Honestly, I already wanted to give up. Managing two strands at the same time is definitely a new experience and takes quite a bit of practice. Then I found a video where it’s shown in a way that you knit with one strand to the end first and then with the other one afterward.

To make a long story short, Sonja then showed me her technique, and I tried it again today. Yes, it actually worked now! I didn’t find it explained this well in any of the videos on YT.

Here is my first practice piece now. It doesn’t necessarily look all that neat and great, but for a start I’m already happy with it. As soon as I’m good enough, I’ll start Sonja’s kiwi hat. Before that, I’ll finish knitting the coaster first. This is what it looks like so far:

Dear Monika, WOW! That’s almost perfect—I’m absolutely amazed. You’re already achieving such a beautifully even stitch pattern (it took me forever to get there...)! I’m so glad things are going so well for you with the two strands now. The kiwi will be able to grow soon :-)

I don’t post here very often, but I follow your projects and am fascinated and thrilled by the incredible number of creative ideas you’re all bringing to life. Truly inspiring! Sometimes I wish the day had 24 hours for family, friends, life, enjoying myself, eating, sleeping—and then another 48 hours on top of that for crafting *laughs*

Ina, thank you very much for the hat “recipe” — it really sounds simple. The only thing I’m still not quite clear on is the fleece strip.

Ines: What do you mean by a “Handbrot”?

Bergli: You’ve conjured up some beautiful slippers.

  Monika: Soon we’ll be able to start a club for double-face knitters — it seems to be catching on! Sonja’s patterns are really great. By the way, for double-face knitting, I use slightly thinner needles than usual so the second color can’t show through.

Dear Sonja, thank you for your encouragement and your wonderful support. That gives me hope, since it didn’t go so well for you right away either. :) Well, I’m not entirely satisfied with the test piece, but I’ll finish knitting it. Because I think practice really does make perfect here. Once this is done, I’ll move on to a plain piece, probably the pot holder you shared. And once I’m well-practiced, the hat will follow.

Christina, there’s really something to that—it’s not just contagious, but also addictive, I feel. I’m going to practice every day now so that the next piece turns out absolutely perfect. It’s actually a lot of fun, and best of all, it looks absolutely beautiful. I can definitely see myself making a pillow with this technique—that way, you knit the front and back together at the same time.

Good morning, dear friends,
I hope you had a lovely St. Nicholas Day yesterday? Yesterday was a no-crafting day for me, and somehow I really felt like something was missing.
We were invited to the kids’ place for coffee and dinner, and it was a very pleasant Sunday.

Now I first had to see how busy you all have been again......

Ina,yes, our little Christmas market in the yard was fun; there were 6 of us, and first we had a cozy meal, and then 4 of us played board games again for the first time in ages. The time went by so quickly.

Wollbaerli, Handbrot is bread dough filled with meat and other ingredients, which is sold in handy pieces at Christmas markets. For mine, the ingredients were Kassler pork, cheese, and small pieces of apple; I like this contrast between the strongly seasoned meat and the light sweetness of the fruit..last year I filled it with ham and cheese, which was also really tasty, and now I just tried this version and it was well received

Monika, it’s lovely to see all the things you’ve made again....I suppose I’ll have to get myself a pattern for double-face knitting too; you all are really making me curious

I also really like the slippers by bergli, and all of them in a “matching look”

Oh, I almost forgot—my loop scarf is now finished, and it turned out so nice and cozy. Thanks, Ina, for the yarn tip


and of course my hand bread from Friday evening

I still need to practice inserting the pictures, lol....

Wishing you all here a good start to the new week

Warm regards, Ines

Dear Ines, thank you so much for your explanation and the photo. That Handbrot looks really delicious! I also really like your loop scarf—that would be my color, too!
Yeah, the thing with the pictures… I still can’t get the hang of it; they always end up where they want to go instead of where I want them to be! Maybe someone has a good tip?

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re on track with your Christmas gifts—and don’t forget to enjoy yourselves, too.

@Ines
You’re definitely enjoying yourself. Just seeing that delicious Handbrot makes me hungry right away. Filled with smoked pork, cheese, and apple—that sounds delicious! I would have loved to be there: playing board games and eating that handbrot. I’m glad you all had such a wonderful day.

Your cherry-red loop scarf looks very cozy and chic. You’ll find that you won’t want to take it off at all this time of year. I usually wear one around the house, too, because my shoulders and neck are sensitive and just need some gentle warmth there. When I’m not wearing one, I immediately feel like something’s missing.

@Kristina
The photo won’t shift if you scroll down after writing the post. There’s a “Preview” box on the right under your signature. If you click on it, you’ll see what the post will look like after it’s published and where the images are. Then click “Close” again, and the preview will close. You’ll then be back in edit mode for your post. Now you could press the Enter key—for example, after the image—to position it left-aligned with the text. After that, feel free to check it again using the preview function and then click “Add Comment.” Once you’ve tried this out at your own pace, you’ll find it really useful and get used to it quickly. My photos used to jump all over the place, too.

I’ll check in later with a photo...

Best regards, Ina

Dear Monika,
now I missed you ...

You and your husband did a really great job together on the leather soles for the felted slippers. Go ahead and involve him; then he'll appreciate the value of his felted slippers even more. He probably knows that anyway, but it certainly doesn't hurt if he joins in. How nice that you all have warm feet now. I'll show you the little ones for my grandchild later.

Double-face knitting—yes, the bug hasn't bitten me yet. I do think the knitted items made with it are beautiful and clever. But I tried it years ago and it wasn't for me. But you don't have to dance at every wedding. In any case, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Then we'll surely get to see quite a bit more in this technique.

Best regards, Ina

Well, here I am again. I snapped a quick photo, and here they are: the little felt slippers in size 23. Since my grandson Oskar is only 2 years old, he can’t put on his slippers by himself yet. So I knitted him some “grips.” They’re felted right onto the slippers, so they can’t tear off. And since the Filzies are for daycare, I added some lettering to them.

Best regards, Ina





@Ina, your shoes are great. And with the little signs—I have to laugh

@Ines, your Handbrot looks delicious. I also love little treats like that from the oven. The red on the loop scarf is great, and you can definitely use something cozy and warm around your neck right now.

@Monika: I’ve also started making felt shoes, but I’m still just at the very beginning. Did you buy material by the meter for the soles? Homemade—that sounds interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing your double-face project.

Yesterday I crocheted the little booties as gift wrapping. They were a breeze to make and are really cute. Pattern for CP—thanks, Frollein-Haekelfein

Ina, the felt shoes for Oskar turned out really cute!
I have a question about your loop scarf: I’ve asked for 3 skeins of that red Superior yarn for Christmas (hopefully I’ll get them!) and would like to knit a loop scarf like that, too. I’d also like to make it double-layered like yours, and to make sure it doesn’t turn out too narrow, I’d like to know: How long (circumference) did you make it?

Good afternoon, everyone. You’ve all been so hard at work again.😉

Oh, Ina, I had to smile at Oscar’s felties, too—brilliant inscription. He’ll surely be happy about that.

Here’s my first test piece—a two-color c2c. I’m not quite satisfied with it yet.
How do you guys manage the color change so it’s not noticeable? Do you have a trick? I have to carry the second color along, don’t I?

Dear Ina, thanks for the tips on uploading the pictures. I’ll try that out at my leisure—usually it just has to be done quickly.
The felt items for Oskar are really funny, and the caregivers will be delighted!

Here’s a little bonus: Since Oskar also needs a few new felt slippers for home, there’s a second pair in yellow and multicolored. Because he’s really into excavators right now, I sewed on some matching motifs. This pair also has “grips.” Tomorrow I’ll paint “anti-slip” on the soles.

Best regards and have a lovely evening, Ina

Dear Ruth,
you can determine the length of your loop yourself. Knit a gauge swatch in your desired pattern (e.g., stockinette stitch) and count how many stitches you get per 10 cm. Then take a long scarf you already own and wrap it around your neck twice—as tightly as you’d like to wear it. Then hold your fingers against it and measure the scarf. That would be your individual loop length. Now convert the measured centimeters to your 10-cm gauge. That’s how you’ll figure out the number of stitches for your loop.

By the way, years ago (2013), my favorite yarn brand, Superior, used to offer a different shade of red—namely, strawberry red. My neighbor had asked me to knit her a triangular shawl from it. By the time I was ready to knit something for myself from it, the color was no longer available. Now only “cherry red” is available for purchase. Too bad for me. But you can still take a look at the strawberry shawl.

Best regards, Ina

Oh my goodness, there’s quite a buzz here. And one thing is even prettier than the next.

Ina, that shawl looks absolutely stunning, especially the color! It’s one of my absolute favorite colors. And the shoes for your grandson—soooo cute and pretty. Did you make the patches yourself, and how? So awesome!

My husband really enjoyed punching holes in the soles, and he does it really well. My arms would have been sore afterward. So it was a good division of labor. He really appreciates what I knit for him, even without this project.

Andrea, your test piece with the heart looks great. So you’re trying something new, too.

Petra, your little boot turned out beautifully and is a great idea for a quick project.
I made the leather soles for the Filzies following a pattern by Ina. It works great, in any size. I ordered some leather scraps for this from a.....n. That way, the Filzies last longer and don’t slip. 

Now about Doubleface:
I actually was about to give up because it’s pretty tedious at first. But somehow my determination kicked in because I just love this technique so much. Luckily, Sonja didn’t let up, and with her motivation—and her way of holding the yarn—she actually managed to get me doing it really well now. I’ve decided to knit a few practice rows every day now, because that really does the trick. It’s actually going pretty quickly now.

This is what my swatch looks like now. The heart is finished.



However, I’m not really satisfied with it, because there are already a few mistakes at the beginning. So I’ll just keep practicing with it a bit longer and then rip it out later. Next, I’ll try my hand at Sonja’s cat dishcloth. I’ll either turn it into a coaster or a pot holder—we’ll see. Only after that will I tackle the hat.

Tonight I want to keep knitting the second sock; it’ll be done soon and is supposed to be sent off to my friend this week.

Thanks, Ina,
I already knew how to determine the length myself. I just wanted to know, for comparison, roughly how long yours is so that I can make do with 3 skeins without the loop becoming too narrow. 

Good morning,

Ina, Oskar’s felties are once again absolutely beautiful, and when I saw your grandson’s name I had to smile a little right away, because that’s my daughter’s favorite name if a little boy should ever come along—of course that can always change again, lol, but it’s been at the top for a long time now... I’ll let myself be surprised
The triangular shawl is also very beautiful and so delicate.......
I really don’t want to take the loop scarf off, but indoors it’s a bit too warm for me after all.

Ruth, I treated myself to this wonderful yarn too, and 3 skeins will be plenty for you; I needed 2 1/2, though I knit very loosely, and if I ever treat myself to this lovely yarn a second time, I’ll probably use a needle one size smaller so it turns out even finer.

I also like your double-face swatches; whether I’ll ever try it, I can’t say. I still think it’s difficult. I’m good at taking on challenges, but patience is where I struggle, lol

Yesterday I sorted my yarn chest and came across some long-forgotten yarn; it has a blue-green color gradient, and I thought maybe it could become a soul warmer. I think I’ll start it between the holidays, though I don’t know yet whether I’ll crochet or knit it, since crochet is my favorite craft at the moment. I’ll keep you posted

Wishing everyone a pleasant day today,
Best wishes, Ines

@Schnukellina
Felt slippers look great—it’s such a joy to slip on such warm slippers 😊😘

@Ruth
I had misunderstood that. My purple cowl is 1.40 m long. It could have been 10 cm shorter, since it still stretches out a bit. I knitted it with a smaller needle size because I also like the finer stitch pattern.

@Ines
Well, then I’m curious to see whether you’ll also have a grandson named Oskar one day. Who knows, who knows. The blue-green yarn will surely let you know in time what it wants to become. Some yarns just need time before they make up their minds. I know that too.

@Monika
Your double-face swatch already looks really good! It’s great that you’re so determined. Since you’re enjoying it and still practicing, it can only turn out well in the end. It’s nice that you’re encouraging others to try this technique too.

Yes, the strawberry red of that shawl is exactly your favorite shade of red. But unfortunately, that shade is no longer made and can’t be found online anymore either.

Everyone
I’m glad you like my children’s felties. Monika, the patches are motifs embroidered onto felt that I sewed onto the felt shoes. Akela could certainly make patches like that with her embroidery machine too. Since I have neither the machine nor the skill to do that, I have to buy the patches online. I’ll send you the link, since I’m not allowed to post it here.

**************************

Today I rubberized the soles of the Filzies. The stuff still needs to dry clear.



And because I had some gray felt wool left over from the other Filzies the other evening while I was sitting on the couch, I made a felt saddle cover for my bike . The old cover was damaged, and I had already looked online for something suitable. But somehow the measurements were always off. My felt saddle cover now fits perfectly because I pulled it over the saddle while it was damp - and it doesn’t let any cold through. However, I have to pull a plastic bag over it when the bike is outside.

I wish you all a lovely day and send warm regards to the group - Ina

Oh, Ina, I’d love a bike saddle like that, too! However, I have absolutely no experience with felting, and I seriously doubt I could manage such a precise fit!

@Christina, I’ll make a pattern for the bike saddle. Then you’ll be able to do it too—I’m absolutely sure of that :-)

Ina, I think your saddle is great, too! I hadn’t even thought of that yet. Really cool!

As for practicing double knitting, I’m sticking with it. Simply because it looks really great. I could definitely see making a blanket with it. It’ll definitely be super cozy and warm. But for now, I’m starting with the little things, and it’s actually getting easier and easier. What looked so hard at first isn’t really that hard at all. And if you really can’t knit with two strands at once, you can just use them one at a time. It’s explained well on YouTube.

Yes, I’d actually like to encourage you all to at least give it a try. Patience isn’t exactly my strong suit either, but when I really want something, I see it through.

I haven’t quite finished my friend’s socks yet—other projects took priority. Today she mentioned a request that I’ll also include in the package—something very simple: a slightly larger coaster. I’ll crochet that one evening while watching a movie.

Have a wonderful evening, everyone!

Dear friends, I have a favor to ask:

Does anyone have the link where we can enter how much yarn we’ve used each month?
I just can’t find it.

Marion, you always enter your numbers there, don’t you?

@Monika
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/forum/topic/117255/wollverbrauch-materialverbrauch-2020-fertige-projekte

Good morning,

Ina, giving the bike saddle a nice cover is a great idea—at least that way it’s not so cold, and it looks good, too. As for the grandchild, I’m curious to see when he or she will arrive, haha. She’s still working up an appetite every day at work; she works in the mother-and-child ward, and there’s a lot going on there right now.
I actually started playing around with the yarn a little last night and decided to try my hand at knitting. It’s a great activity to do while watching TV.

I hope you all have a pleasant midweek.

Monika, I only just looked in here. Great, Ruth has already helped you by now.

Small tip: I added the thread about yarn usage to my bookmarks a while ago, so I can find it again right away.
I generally do that whenever something especially interests me and I want to read it again later.

Thanks, Ruth, for the link!

Yes, Marion, the link is in my bookmarks too. Still, I couldn’t find it there either. Kind of strange... I probably just have too much stuff in there.

Thanks for helping!

By the way, I finished the socks. Now I just have to crochet the coaster she asked for, and then the package will be on its way to my friend.



Have a great day, everyone! It’s snowing here.

Ina, I’m looking forward to the bike seat cover! My current cover was a gift to win my vote in the local elections (they would’ve gotten it anyway!), it’s one of those cold plastic things, but at least it’s waterproof!

You’ve all made such great things again...
I can finally show something again too. My reindeer... it was a bit more involved... but Anton thinks it’s great 

Oh, that looks so cute. You did a great job on that, Sandra.
I’m glad you’re active here again. We really missed you.

Thank you so much, Monika. I really love hearing that 🥰. The next photo will probably be up in the next few days. ... I’m already in the home stretch 

I’ve missed you too, Sandra, and have often wondered how you all are doing. It’s great to see such wonderful creations from you again!

Christina: thank you very much

Here's another little anecdote from today. After reading the bedtime story, my husband told me that he still had to configure his new webcam because his face always looks so red in the picture, but he doesn't know exactly what would help. Anton heard that, of course, and immediately had a solution ready. He ran into the bathroom, went to the cabinet, and brought my husband his face cream, saying, “That helps.” 🤣😂🤣 And he is right: if his skin is red, you put cream on it! He recognized the connection and “solved” the problem... 😂🤣😂

Cute, Sandra! Anton’s story and your reindeer too.

Good morning,

Arni, your reindeer looks great with the string of lights—and it’s so big! How much stuffing do you need for something like that, roughly? I only crochet small things.
Monika , those socks look pretty. Your friend is going to be so happy.
Ina , I hadn’t even thought of the idea of a crocheted saddle blanket. It looks great.

Well then, I wish you all a pleasant Thursday. The weekend is coming up soon.

Good morning,

Sandra—I think your reindeer is super cute; what a great idea...

I’ve made a start on my soul warmer; since the yarn is quite thick and fluffy, it’s sure to be really warm too...


Have a wonderful Thursday, warm regards, Ines

Cherry pit pouches embroidered and sewn



Christmas cards made, packaged, and almost ready to be mailed to all of our customers—and there are quite a few of them, over 150... 

Bergli, the sayings on your cherry pit pouches are really lovely, and I also really like the cards—but with over 150 of them, that’s a lot of work. Still, they’re beautiful, and I’m sure the customers love them.
Best regards

Oh, what a lovely colorful mix to look at. It really shows once again how varied our ideas are.

@Monika
The socks for your friend look very cozy. You want to slip right into them. Once the coaster she wanted is finished, you can pack the Christmas parcel too. That brings extra joy, because you imagine the recipient opening it.

@Sandra
The Christmas moose is a real eye-catcher! I know the motif from an electronic icon—the lights were always blinking there. During the Christmas season it always appeared as a funny little picture under my private emails. It is big enough to stand out and looks around in a funny, expectant way. I can well believe that your little Anton stared at it wide-eyed. When you come into your living room and he is sitting on the couch, it immediately puts a smile on your face.

The story about Anton and the cream put a smile on my face too. Children are soooo wonderful! There will be so many more lovely stories to come. It’s nice that you let us share in them. Back then, I wrote the best anecdotes in the back of the photo album so I wouldn’t forget them.

@Ines
Your soul warmer really already looks very cuddly. The color gradient looks good too. It must be fun to knit it in the evenings on the couch while watching TV. Something warm on your fingers and nice thick yarn—the ideal handwork for a winter evening.

@bergli
I really like the little embroidered cherry pit pillows. When you give something like that as a gift, it’s not only because it can be used practically; no, you always send a message along with it too. Personalized like that, I think it’s wonderful, and it reminds the recipients of what really matters.

I find it very commendable and lovely that your 150 customers are getting a personal card from you. How did you make them? I see all the motifs are the same—are they die-cut and embossed? I think I can see raised snowflakes around the stars.

@alle
I don’t have anything new to show at the moment. I have to tidy up and get ready for Christmas. The gifts that need to be shipped have to be wrapped now and taken to the post office. There is always a long line in front of our DHL post office now, because only 1 customer is allowed into the shop at a time.

My first photo book has arrived by now—and in real life it is even more beautiful than on the screen. I already enjoyed looking through it. You immediately felt transported back to summer or to our family gatherings. What good are all the many photos you take with your phone that then just sit on the phone or on the PC? When you look at photos in a photo album, proper large ones, and can turn the pages, it is a completely different feeling than scrolling through them on a screen. My children and grandchildren are sure to like it too, and it is a memory of the year 2020 with us and at our place.

I wish you all a lovely day.

Best regards, Ina

Ines: The soul warmer really looks very cozy and warm. I’m curious to see what it looks like when it’s finished.

Bergli: The cherry pit pillows look great.
And the Christmas cards are wonderful and look like a lot of work.

Ina: Thank you so much for the compliment. 🙂 I know what you mean about the photo books. I make a photo book of Anton every year, and I order three copies. It’s the best gift every year for us, my parents, and my mother-in-law. For me, too, the finished product looks even better than it does on the screen.

Andrea: I have no idea how much stuffing I used. But I just put the moose on the scale. It weighs 437g.

I finished a wine bottle gift wrap:

That was so much fun. I’d love to just give bottles as gifts from now on and crochet lots and lots of them 🤣

Oh Sandra, kids are so cute with the little gems they come out with. It often reminds me of my son and all the things he used to say back then. :-) It’s such a wonderful time that you never forget.

Ines, the yarn for your soul warmer looks very soft and fluffy—I really like it. Is that merino wool?

Oh wow, Bergli! You’ve really been hard at work and put so much love into it. Your customers will definitely appreciate that. I, for one, would certainly be delighted to receive such a pretty card and would really appreciate it.

I crocheted the coaster for my friend last night. She wanted it to be really simple. Now I just need to block it, and then the package is on its way. Yes, Ina, I’m really looking forward to packing it up now.



Next, I’m going to design the sweater for the big bear. He’s already waiting for it, and the yarn is all ready to go. This is what my big guy looks like—he’s handmade, and I received him as a gift once because I love teddy bears so much. He’s very special and always has to look out for the little ones. ;-) Here he is, introducing himself to you. Allow me to introduce—this is Oskar, the big one. He has movable arms and legs, a movable head, and a growling voice.


 

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December Projects Part 2: the Crazypatterns Craft Group (No advertising)