January Projects 2021, Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Continue reading + keep writing here:
January Projects 2021, Part 4: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group (No Advertising)

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

You can read Part 1 here:
January Projects 2021 Part 1 + December Projects Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group (No Advertising)

Part 2 can be found at this link:
January Projects 2021, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group (No Advertising)

You guys are really chatty right now. I think that’s great. :-)
COVID-19 is bringing us closer together as an online group. That might be the only upside to the current situation.

Good morning, everyone,

Oh yes, Josefa, you’re right, the only positive thing about Corona is that a really lovely little community has formed here, and we exchange ideas with each other, whether it’s ideas being sparked or tips for improving things. I’m always happy to take part here. The only thing missing is sitting together over coffee and cake, with needles clicking away. We can only hope that doesn’t get lost once this whole nightmare is over.

So, now to you all :) Everyone has been busy again, and you hardly know where to start.... To make sure I don’t miss anything, I’ve opened another tab, haha.....

Ina, grrr... no white satin ribbon in the house, not even 1 cm. I’ll have a look when I go shopping today to see if there’s any. Our drugstore has a little corner with craft supplies and gift ribbons, so I’ll see what it looks like then

Sonja, your socks turned out beautifully, and I like the egg cozies too
I’m already looking forward to seeing your gift bags. I’d like to try DF on a small scale first, and who knows, maybe they’ll appeal to me. I still have the black/red hat in mind, maybe as a headband (I rarely wear hats), but that will have to wait; I need to finish quite a few things.

Andrea, I like the tunic. Yes, it’s always annoying when you have to unravel again. Do you then also have the ambition to carry on right away and get as far as you were before? That’s how it is for me, anyway. I also think the blanket is lovely; it must have taken a lot of work.

Monika, how nice that you were able to test knit, and your egg cozies turned out really well. Thank you also for the kind words about my tea light holders. That really was a spontaneous idea, and I had to get started right away before the images in my mind blurred again, haha. I’m sure some people here feel the same way: you have something in your mind’s eye, and either you make rough notes or you sit down and get started.

Well, I used last night to make a few more little things. It’s not quite all wrapped up yet; I hope I’m still fit enough tonight and can carry on, then I’ll have a few more pictures for you tomorrow.
I’ve got as much to do today as the Leipzig council, haha..... that’s a saying around here.... Shoveling snow, walking the dog, then emptying the bathroom cabinets. Now it all starts on Monday; I got the green light from the company yesterday. I also still need to call our secondhand shop to see if they’re open, because my bathroom furniture is still like new, but it won’t fit anymore, so I’d like to give it away.

So now I wish you all a lovely day,
Best wishes, Ines

There’s really a lot going on here. It’s nice to be here. Right now, I’m mostly just a silent reader, since I don’t really get around to doing any crafts—I’m very busy with work. But I like to visit the site in the mornings and see what you’ve all been up to.

I don’t even know where to start…… if I forget something, please don’t be mad.

I’m curious about the temperature blankets. Are there two of them, or did I miss one? Yes, it’ll get interesting when the temperature drops. My neighbor—a gardener—always tells me he remembers July 19XX, when we had frost in the morning—unimaginable. Ina’s colors are still very light and cool.

Sandra: Your coasters turned out pretty. I’m sure Anton can’t go to preschool either. My daughter is also crafting more than ever before. Cardboard boxes are an affordable alternative, and our grandson has already made lots of robots, for example, and castles. They’re cutting and gluing… This week they colored water and poured it into cake pans. Now we just need it to freeze—for ice cakes. And there’s baking going on, too. We’re getting the most colorful cookies as gifts.

Ines, your heart-shaped tea lights are beautiful—a decoration for any table, maybe a Valentine’s Day gift for your friends…

Monika, you’re so hard at work—I admire how you stick with your projects. The egg cups turned out lovely. Your collection of DF is getting bigger and bigger. Do you already have your next goal in mind?

Well, my time is up again.

Have a wonderful day, everyone, and stay healthy

Hello, everyone!

I think it’s especially wonderful that Petra takes the time early in the morning—perhaps over a still-warm cup of coffee—to read a bit here and even write a post at 7 a.m. No matter how the day turns out, she’s already spent some time thinking about beautiful things and thus starts the day feeling relaxed and in a positive mood.

And I’d like to wish you all a particularly wonderful day now. It’s snowing outside here, so I’m going to take a winter walk later. After that, I’ll continue working on my children’s felt shoe project. I had a great design idea overnight that I absolutely have to try out today.

Warm regards from Ina

Wow, it’s great to see what’s going on here. I’m really happy that we’ve grown closer as an online group. That feels really good, especially these days.

Sandra, the coasters for your coworker look very original. I bet you designed them yourself, just like so many other things. She’s getting quite a few of them—wow!

Andrea, your tablecloth looks so small in the picture. I guess that’s deceiving. In that case, you still have quite a bit of work ahead of you. And eventually it’ll be finished and look lovely on the table.

Ines, you guys have a thrift store? Wow—we don’t have anything like that here yet. I’m a huge fan of secondhand items, which is why I love swapping things so much. I’m really looking forward to your new ideas. Yeah, I think we all know how they tend to disappear quickly if you don’t get to them right away.

Petra, it’s great that you’re sticking with this and staying up to date. It’s even more delightful when we get a sign of life from you every now and then.
As for staying on track, that’s also thanks to this thread. Because of it, the number of UFOs stays very low—down to zero. I’m not quite sure about my next project yet. It’ll probably be a hooded jacket for Sternchen. I already have the yarn ready. And in between, I’ll knit some felt insoles for my boots.
By the way, I repurposed the DF egg cozies into a beanie for my “Beanie Baby Bear.” I’ll post a photo of it soon. We hardly ever need egg cozies because we rarely eat eggs.

Ina, you hardworking felt fairy—I’m already looking forward to your new felt creations. And I hope you have lots of fun out in the snow.

First I had to catch up a bit so I wouldn’t lose the thread.

Sonja, your socks turned out great. I can confirm that, thanks to Monika, the heels are easy to knit. I’m not much of a sock knitter myself, though—it’s too boring for me.

Andrea, your tunic is coming along nicely. It’s frustrating when you have to rip it out again. I know that too.
Bei meiner letzten Weste ist mir das auch passiert. I sewed it together on the wrong side as well.
Deine Decke in C2C sieht auch schon schön aus. Your C2C blanket is looking great too. Hopefully you’ll have enough yarn.

Monika, your test knit turned out really nicely too. Your bear is surely happy now that he has such a pretty hat.

Sandra, you seem to have been working at quite a pace. The coasters for your coworker are a lovely gift.

My gloves are almost finished; only the cuffs are missing.

Well, I’m checking in again. I’ve had a few health issues lately and just didn’t feel like writing. But I’ve been keeping up with the posts!
So many great things have been created in the meantime—I can’t even go into everything.

I’ve also managed to do a little crafting. My temperature blanket is still a bit monotonous, since the midday temperatures hardly fluctuate. I’m slowly running out of that skein of light blue...

I’m also working on my embroidery, though I often don’t have enough light with this gloomy weather. I’m currently working on a grandchild’s face and am already really curious to see whether it will be recognizable afterward.

And I’ve also put together a little pattern so the fashion dolls can hit the slopes in fresh new styles (after all, no COVID restrictions apply to them). The quilted jacket and overalls can be made for both male and female dolls. (Unfortunately, the photos aren’t that great due to the lack of light...)

Ruth, I hope you’re feeling better again? I certainly hope so.
You make such enchanting outfits for such tiny dolls. I really admire that, since I don’t have the patience for such tiny things. You mention that they’re quilted jackets. I can’t tell from the photo whether they’re crocheted or sewn. In any case, this is yet another very beautiful project you’re showing us.

Marion and all you teddy bear fans—this is what the egg cozy looks like now as a hat for the little teddy bear:

The egg cozy looks really funny on the teddy; the hat suits him extremely well, Monika! (Now all he needs is the matching scarf!

Yes, I'm already feeling better again. I had some stomach trouble, very unpleasant
The quilted jackets are crocheted, but filled with a little craft stuffing.

It’s great to have you actively involved again, RuthK.

Good morning....

Before I head off to work, I first have to take a look in here.

Ruth, it’s nice that you’re feeling better again, and I’ve already admired the doll clothes again, very pretty.

Monika, oh, how cute the hat/egg cozy is, but it works, and the little teddy has warm ears in this not-so-great weather.... When I see how lovingly you all present your dolls and teddies, I feel like the wicked stepmother in a fairy tale. Mine, there really aren’t that many, are still lying in a box in the attic. I just can’t get around to it right now, but I’ll free them someday and knit for them, and then I’ll show them :)
Yes, Monika, we have a thrift store where you can browse around. I stop by every now and then too, because I like porcelain figurines, and sometimes you can find a bargain or two. Furniture that’s still in good condition can be dropped off there, and then people in need can buy it cheaply or with a voucher from the social services office. So I’m killing two birds with one stone: I don’t have to dispose of it, and maybe I’m helping someone as well. Since the furniture really is still in great shape, I’m optimistic.. but this isn’t a furniture thread....

I’ve also got a little something new to show again,


and the last picture shows egg cups that I found yesterday while going through my files. My friend had wanted them, but unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to create a pattern for them due to licensing reasons. Luckily, someone pointed that out to me.



I’ll have to wait a bit before showing the other thing, unfortunately I couldn’t get any ribbon and had to order it online....

Have a lovely Friday

It’s still winter here, and I’m not thinking about Easter at all yet..... 

But you’re already making such beautiful things

I find the temperature blanket very exciting. That would be something to try too..... 

My double-face project is coming along, with a few mistakes in it, but I’m leaving them as is; after all, it’s my first practice piece in double-face knitting. I don’t really feel like unraveling it again. It can only get better....

Yes, Ruth, that’s right. A scarf would be just the thing for the teddy bear right now. But he’ll have to wait—other things are more important at the moment.

Oh, Ines, that really made me laugh… about the wicked stepmother and all that. Your dolls know that their time will come when you’ll give them your attention. For now, it’s time for your bathroom. Come spring, the dolls will be woken up from their hibernation, too. ;-)
I think the second-hand store idea is just great. Also for when you have things yourself that others might still be able to use. There should be places like that everywhere, then the mountains of trash would automatically decrease.
You’ve crocheted such pretty little things again. They’re already filled with the energy of Easter and spring. The beads on them look especially nice. The egg cozies look funny, too.
And as for what’s in the last photo, just fill us in on why that’s a licensed product. I don’t recognize those two, for example. 

I wish you all a wonderful start to the weekend!

bergli, sorry, I forgot about you—I sent it off too quickly.
Would you like to show us your DF sample piece? You know, mine wasn’t that great either. I’ve since unraveled it, and it turned into an egg cozy.
Keep at it! Practice really does make perfect here!

Monika, those are the figures from Kinder Chocolate; I don’t think they’re available as egg cups yet, but I was still told that it could get expensive if you offered that as a pattern or a finished figure. F......o probably doesn’t take any jokes about that and might also have an interest in designing egg cups themselves. But that’s just how it is; you can see that with dolls / bears etc. too.

So, and I have a question for everyone right away.....
I’m designing, or rather the design is already done, a new pattern, but it would be easier to explain with a crochet chart. Written instructions would work too, but they could be misleading, or you might get confused.
How do you do it? There is surely software for this too; I think doing it by hand might not go over well, right?

Best regards, Ines

Ines, so far I’ve always written out my crochet patterns row by row and stitch by stitch, without using a crochet chart. They’ve always been well-received. Those were small items, though—nothing big or complicated.

But I’ve heard there are programs for that; someone mentioned it here in the forum once. Maybe there’s someone here who knows more about it.

Thanks for the info about the surprise eggs. I used to collect them until the year 2000—I still have a few boxes lying around. I’m not up to date on the new ones anymore. I can imagine they’re quite unique because of their (c). 

Good morning, Ines, there was a thread once. Just a small one, but maybe it can be revived

Knitting and crochet charts—which ones can you recommend? - Recommendations Forum (crazypatterns.net)

Have a lovely weekend

Thanks, Petra—I’ll have to check that out.
I’ve written it down row by row for now and tried to create it myself, but a program like that would be really nice.

Best regards, Ines

Hello everyone,

what’s new here to admire?

Ruth, I’m glad you’re feeling better again. Sometimes you just go through rough patches that you have to get through. But crafting always helps a lot with that.
Your doll clothes for the ski trip look very stylish. The overalls are great, but the quilted jacket looks really good, too. Even with the hairband—a very nice combination.

Monika, the egg cup hat for the teddy bears is cute. Who would have thought you could turn an egg cozy into a teddy bear hat?

Ines, your new creations for the breakfast table look beautiful and original. I just pictured my own breakfast table for Easter. The kids would love the little egg hats, and the adults (women) would admire the egg cups with the pearls at the tips. Very nicely done!

You asked about software for crochet charts—I’ve actually tried that out more thoroughly myself. But at the end of the day, I finished faster when I drew it out by hand. Just grab a large A4 sheet of paper and get started. If you use felt-tip pens with bold lines in different colors, you can easily distinguish the individual rows or rounds. Take a test photo every now and then and check on the screen to see if all the colors stand out well and if the lines and symbols are clearly visible. It can take a while to master such software well enough to achieve a satisfactory result. So far, all my customers have been satisfied with the hand-drawn crochet charts—I’ve never received any complaints, at least.

Yesterday I worked on another variation for my “Kinderfilzie” series. I think the colorful curls might be a big hit because they bounce up and down playfully and you can play with them. There’s a snapshot to check out.

I wish all readers a wonderful weekend and lots of fun with your crafts.
Warm regards, Ina

Have a lovely afternoon,

just wanted to pop in briefly. You’ve created such pretty little projects again. I always love these too, and they’re quick to make in between other things.

ines, your star-shaped egg cups with the beads look so pretty. I’m imagining them right now on the Easter breakfast table in every color imaginable.

Ina, I like your Filzies with the colorful curls. I’m just picturing what my Filzies might look like. The Filzies in neon pink or green, with that high knit cuff—the cuff turned up—and those colorful curly locks along the bottom edge of the cuff; that would definitely look awesome. If you can picture what I mean. I could really use those right now, because it’s damn c... cold here—-12 degrees—and I’ve been freezing all day, even though the sun is shining beautifully outside.

We already have our craft projects all mapped out in our minds before we’ve even crocheted a single stitch. Imagination and creativity must be in our genes.

Have fun crafting—but first, it’s time for a coffee break, along with those delicious Amerikaner pastries (recipe by Monika).
See you later,

Andrea

Ina , you always have such wonderful ideas. I did it with a pencil, and it’s easy to get confused, but yeah, of course—a felt-tip pen works perfectly. I’ll have to do that tomorrow; today I still have to go through my entire apartment—and that’s 125 square meters. My husband just finished chiseling channels for water and electricity, and that has left a film everywhere. Well, it was all to be expected...
Later, I’ll relax with some crafts—I’ll keep working on my long-term project, so I can sneak a peek every now and then when a goal is scored.

Have a great weekend, everyone here! 

I haven’t even mentioned those awesome Filzies yet—the curls! That would be right up my alley: put my feet up and play—so pretty.... Oh, if only I had the time and an extra pair of hands 

Wow, Ina, that was such a great idea of yours to decorate the Filzies with curls. They look fantastic! Did you felt the curls in as well?

Andrea, it’s time for my coffee break, too. Tomorrow I’ll be defrosting my Amerikaner. I’m really looking forward to that. Today, I’ll just have a few cookies. By the way… you can look forward to my new project. It’s coming soon…

Ines, I hope you all make good progress with the bathroom. The mess isn’t exactly pretty, but it’s only temporary. Afterward, you’ll enjoy your new bathroom atmosphere so much every morning that you’ll need twice as long in there.

Can you believe it? This morning I actually dreamed about my new project—specifically, how I’d put it on. Just yesterday, I had absolutely no idea what it would be. I’m going to whip something up quickly: a pair of crocheted diaper pants for Sternchen. The first stitches are already done, and today they’ll take shape. Of course, I’ll be writing a pattern for them, too.
It only then occurred to me that a real baby needs a pair of diaper pants, too. And she’s getting them now. The hooded jacket comes next.

I hope you enjoy everything you do—and, of course, your crafting.

Oh, I completely forgot—I finished my sweater yesterday. It’s super cozy!



And then yesterday I knitted some felted insoles, which are currently felting in the washing machine. I’ll show them to you once I’ve cut them to size.

Ines, I think your egg cups and egg cozies are beautiful. The bright, colorful hues really get you in the mood for spring!

Ina, your Filzies are once again fantastic in their color combination! I think the idea with the curls is great. They make the shoes something really special, and it’s a great way to use up the leftover yarn.

Monika, I’m always amazed by how fast you work. Do you even have time for anything other than knitting and crocheting? The sweater turned out really nice—I’m sure it’ll look wonderful with jeans.

Now I wish you all a wonderful weekend. It’s cloudy and quite cold here—around -1 to -2° at noon, and it drops to -10° at night. Since I use the noon temperatures (12 p.m.) for my temperature blanket, it’s still pretty monotonous in the blue range.

I haven’t checked in for two days, and so much has already happened again.

Ruth, I’m glad you’re feeling better again. The overalls and matching jacket for your dolls turned out great. They look really nice.

Ines, your egg cups look fun, too—that was another nice idea of yours. You made the F-shaped egg cups for your acquaintance perfectly. I’m sure you don’t enjoy the cleaning work all that much, but you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful new bathroom.

Ina, I also like your new felt figures for children. The curls are pretty, and it must look funny when they bounce with every step. The little ones will definitely love that, and you can play with them, too.

Monika,that little "hat" really fits your teddy bear perfectly. Your sweater turned out beautifully, too—exactly my colors. Too bad it doesn’t fit me.
I’m already excited to see the crocheted diaper pants—I’m sure they’ll be lovely too.
It also occurred to me that I could crochet something for my little Max. I already know what, but I’m not going to reveal it yet.
My second pair of gloves is finished now too. Here’s what they look like.

                                                                                                                                                                    

Marion , your gloves are really great. Now your husband always has warm hands, too. Did you knit the cuff and crochet the gloves? That’s what it looks like, at least.
I wouldn’t necessarily say the sweater doesn’t fit you...

Ruth , I do a lot of other things during the day. I usually knit in the evening while watching movies, but that’s already about 3–4 hours. Then another hour during the day—it all adds up.

My felt soles shrunk quite a bit in the washing machine. My husband stretched them out quite a bit, so they just about fit now. After they dry, I’ll trim them to size and then show them to you. 

I’ve already used up one ball of yarn on my temperature blanket. Here’s what it looks like so far:As you can see, it’s not very varied yet. But it’ll get there. I’m looking forward to spring temperatures.

Ruth and Ina, your temperature blankets are really interesting. Thanks for the update. They’re already looking very pretty. Starting next week, temperatures will slowly start to rise. That means there’ll be more variety in your blankets, too.

]Good morning, everyone. You skip checking in for just one day, and there’s already quite a bit to read.

Ruth, I really like your temperature blanket too. Is that a special stitch? It looks very pretty, but I can’t quite tell right now. I think Ina used the moss stitch.

Marion, are those gloves done in Tunisian crochet again? Very nice. I’d like to do that too for an Easter project, but at the moment I still have a lot going on, so I have to put larger craft projects on hold.

Monika, I like your sweater very much. Yes, it will definitely look great with jeans. I also knit a sweater or shirt now and then, usually with a pattern; plain stockinette doesn’t come out quite as nicely for me, because I always notice the differences after breaks :). I need to dig out my sweaters and take some photos.

I’ve now added ribbon bows to my heart-shaped tea light holders, though I have to say I didn’t like threading it through all the arches, so I did it this way instead.



After we enjoyed a bit of sunshine yesterday and acclimatized after Saturday, I crocheted a few small things. The electrician is coming later, and after that I’ll do some cleaning. In the evening I’d like to get the needles clicking again.

I wish you all a great start to the new week.
Warm regards, Ines

Yes, Monika and Ines, I crocheted my gloves using the Tunisian crochet method again; the cuffs are knitted.
I made them with two strands of yarn in different colors.

Ines, your tea light holder looks pretty with the ribbon.

Ruth, the temperature blanket is already looking good with that pretty pattern.

I started my crochet project for Mäxchen yesterday, and I’m very happy with how it’s turning out so far. I’m not quite sure yet what it’ll look like when it’s finished.

Have fun with whatever you’re up to today.

Ines, the tea light holder looks even prettier with the little bow!
The pattern for the thermal blanket is simply 1 slip stitch and 1 half double crochet, alternating. I don’t know if there’s a name for it. 

Ruth, I really like the pattern on your blanket, and it really is simple too—another nice idea.

Ines, your tea light holder looks really pretty. The bow really adds something special. But I think it’s just as beautiful with just the beads.

I’ve now finished crocheting the diaper for my little star. I actually crocheted it three times because I had to rip it out again and again until it finally fit right. But now she looks totally cute in it. Take a look:

So, here are my projects:
Flamingo, my first double-faced knit—still with a few mistakes, but I’m leaving it as is…
and the hat—the beginning, well, the cast-on isn’t quite right, but it’s good enough for now.... 

Monika, your diaper pants are great. A must-have for every doll mom

 

Thanks, Petra! :)

bergli, you’ve already done a great job with the flamingo. It turned out fantastic for a practice piece. And I think the start of the hat looks great, too.
I’m not a big fan of that cast-on method either, which is why I changed it. There are videos on YouTube showing other examples. You can see the edge at the bottom in those, but it actually looks pretty good on hats.

Hello everyone,

Marion, the second pair of Tunisian crocheted gloves looks very professional too—even with a little logo. I think all men would wear them. They do tend to like things more structured and not so “sweet.” That’s why I think the pattern fits very well.

Ruth, I also really like your temperature blanket; it looks a bit as if cords were lying next to each other. My blanket has also been pretty monotonous for days, but from Wednesday onward it’s supposed to go up—maybe we’ll skip a few degrees right away then. And I’m curious how wide the blanket will be at the end of January—that times 12, and then we’d know how long our blankets will end up being overall.

Ines, I really like your sweet little tealight holder with the delicate bow. It didn’t need any more bow than that—this way there’s still a little extra decoration to look at when you’re sitting at your coffee table with the candle lit. I also think it’s nice that the color of the bow and the color of the candle are the same—that looks very harmonious.

Monika, the diaper cover for your little star is fantastic! It’s exactly what every doll mommy needs. Especially when you have a little sibling, you see diapering every day—and of course you want to act that out with your doll too. Did you sew on Velcro fasteners?

bergli, take heart and be patient; your two double-face projects already look very good for first attempts. Are you knitting both at the same time, and don’t you get mixed up? Which one is easier for you to knit, the flamingos in rows or the hat in rounds? Monika did once write that it’s supposed to be easier in rounds.

Best wishes, and I hope you all have a lovely evening—Ina

Ina, the diaper pants actually have Velcro fasteners. I’d already crocheted a pair for Linja’s mini doll when her sister was born. She would always act that out afterward. :) I put Velcro fasteners on hers, too. That makes them just like a real diaper. Since my grandchildren are only diapered with cloth diapers, there’s also a colorful pair of diaper pants similar to the one I just crocheted.

Hi everyone,

you’ve all been so busy again.

Monika, your diaper cover is so cute. It looks great. I’m sure it could also be adapted into a little pair of panties.

I’m currently crocheting the first top-down raglan sweater for Krümel. It’s still in the trial phase.
For my tunic, I still need to crochet the two upper parts together, and then we’ll see how everything works out with my leftover yarn cakes. I don’t have many color options left (yarn diet).

Now I need a crochet break for a while; somehow my right elbow hurts. Besides, I’m about to prepare dinner: vegetable stir-fry.

See you later for now

best wishes

Oh my, if you’re away for just a few days, it’s almost impossible to keep up... :-)

Ina, the curls on the Filzies look great. Every kid is sure to love them—especially since you can crochet them in a rainbow of colors or in a combination of their favorite colors. Great idea! Another idea just popped into my head: embroider a face on the front, add a little crown at the back near the foot, and there you have it—a princess! :-)

Bergli, don’t be too hard on yourself! The flamingos turned out really well. You’re the only one who notices the mistakes; they don’t even catch anyone else’s eye. For the hat, you could try using a smaller needle size if you’d like—that way, the other color won’t show through as much. And yes, the invisible cast-on is a pain. I love it so much that I (usually) put in the effort, though I’ve also cursed when I had to start over three times for a loop with 120 stitches per color because it didn’t turn out right. If it’s driving you too crazy, I have a very simple solution for you: for 100 stitch pairs, for example, cast on 200 stitches in one of the colors you’re using, using the classic cross cast-on as usual. In the first row, knit 100 times—alternating—one knit stitch with the other color and one purl stitch with the color you used for the cast-on. Then you’ll have a solid-color border—it’s super easy and looks pretty from both sides. And it saves you a lot of frustration :-)

Monika, the sweater turned out really great! I hope we’ll get to see a photo of you wearing it—I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sure it’ll look wonderful on you. The diaper pants are super cute, too—unfortunately, my kids don’t play “baby” anymore.

Marion, the gloves look great. Simple and elegant—I really like that.

Ruth, your temperature blanket is turning out beautifully as well. The pattern sounds extremely simple, yet it looks interesting. Let’s see how the other colors develop. It must feel strange to have so little control over your own project :-)

Andrea, I’m also really looking forward to seeing your finished tunic! The colors would be totally my style. If it shrinks in the wash, feel free to send it to me in Switzerland, hehe :-)

Ines, I really like the bow with it, too. Less is often more. I think you’ve shown you have a good eye for that.

I don’t have much time for knitting right now, unfortunately. I’ve taken on a video project that’s supposed to be finished for my husband’s birthday in mid-February. Phew, now I’m feeling a bit stressed ;-) But at least I finished a little gift bag in doubleface last night, with the inscription “From the Heart.” I can at least show you a snapshot of that.







Have a wonderful evening, everyone! Warm regards, Sonja

Good morning,

I’ve just filled my cup with coffee, and before I get started on the day’s work, my path leads me to the computer—otherwise I’ll miss out :)

Monika, those diaper pants are so cute. Once doll mom Ines gets started, I’ll probably pick up a few ideas, assuming I don’t come up with any of my own. I’ve already offered my mom to dress 1–2 dolls, but she told me she’d compete with me once I’m ready.....

Andrea, I hope your arm is feeling better? Sometimes it pulls all the way into my neck when I’ve really overdone it. But I see you’re almost done with the tunic, and I’m already looking forward to the full photo, because I’ve really liked what I’ve seen so far.

bergli, I think the flamingos turned out really well, and I’d like to try double knitting sometime too. You’re giving me courage, but I also never read through things properly and would probably have the same initial difficulties. We’ll see when I get around to exploring new horizons :)

Sonja, what a lovely little gift bag—oh, I love it! Once it’s in the patterns, my wish list is sure to keep growing, and if I work through all of that, I won’t get to any of my own projects anymore, but that little bag really has something. The cast-on method you suggested to bergli sounds almost more plausible or easier to understand to me. I think everyone has to find the cast-on method that suits them best. I can’t really weigh in yet, so I’m putting my swatch a little further on the back burner for now.

Yesterday I took another look at the beginnings of the two temperature blankets, and now I’m already annoyed that I didn’t start them right away; I like them both a lot. Now I’ve been thinking that something in that direction as a rug would be lovely too, but with 365 days it would end up enormous. Then during the night I thought, maybe use the monthly average temperature and, with thick yarn and worked in rounds, have 1 color / 1 round for each month....it really won’t leave me alone; you could even start in summer
Do you ever find yourselves taking projects to bed with you in your thoughts?

Well, my coffee is empty now and work is calling
I wish you all a lovely Tuesday
Warm regards, Ines

Hi everyone,

the tunic is coming along slowly. I’ve now joined the two tops together, but here’s my question: which yarn color should I use next? I’ve already had to improvise a bit with the colors. Either the rest of the top in red/black, or the rest in dark brown with glitter—if you can even tell that much.

That little thing there is my swatch for my little one—a sweater or jacket, I’m not sure yet.

Oh Sonja, your gift bags are absolutely amazing. I’m totally in love with them. You’ve come up with a really lovely gift idea there. I’ll keep your tip for the easier cast-on in mind. That sounds great—thanks for that!

Ines, I hope you have a stress-free workday and then plenty of time for your needles and yarn. Yes, I know that too—taking ideas to bed with me. :)

Andrea, I’d go with the dark brown with glitter for the trim. It’s sure to create a special effect. The tunic definitely looks really great.
Your little sweater is looking promising, too. I’m curious to see what you’ll make of it.

I’m currently sitting here with a few ideas and don’t know what to do. So for now, I’m knitting swatches with different types of yarn. And… I think I’ll knit Sonja’s awesome gift bags next. I really, really like them! And after all, I want to stay up to date with DF.

What I’ve also noticed (again) is that I enjoy knitting much more than crocheting. At least when it comes to clothing. Right now, I love knitting RVO the most—it always fits and is really the easiest. Now I’m spoiled for choice again… what should I make next? You’ll find out soon.

Yeah, it’s me again. I had to rip it out again because the sleeve section of the doll’s sweater or jacket was too big. I hadn’t counted the 4 corner stitches. It looks much better now—I tried it on.
And since the pile of unraveled yarn looks so funny, here’s a picture.


Thanks, Monika. For now, I’m going to crochet the dark brown part onto the tunic as far as I can get, then we’ll see.

See you later
—I still have to shovel snow.

Sonja, I can only agree with the others: The gift bags are beautiful—as soon as the pattern comes out, I’m buying it! Thanks also for the tip about the cast-on; I’ll try that as an alternative sometime (I cast on with two colors right away—I picked that up from a video)

Just last night, I was pondering a project for so long until a solution finally came to me… (It’s not exactly healthy, but unfortunately it happens to me quite often.)

Diaper covers for my babies have also been on my to-do list for a while, but I’ll probably end up knitting them instead. 

Right now, I’m not really making much progress with my crafts: Last night we had our first video conference, and today the English class is taking place the same way, which I find pretty tedious. But I don’t want to take a long break, since I simply need the classroom environment—and eventually I’d like to travel to the U.S. again… (I took Italian as a subject for my high school diploma and also studied Italian at university to become a teacher. Back then, the elective course offerings weren’t as good as they are today, which is why I have this gap in my English.)
And when I finally get around to knitting or crocheting, I’m sure I’ll have some four-legged helpers with sharp little teeth and equally sharp claws… 

Crochet break,

ines66, my arm’s doing okay so far, but whenever I bend it and want to crochet, some muscles start to ache—no idea why. It’s not from shoveling snow; that actually went fine. So I’m just taking a little forced break, drinking my tea, and reading along here. I can manage a little writing.

a-mano, those knitted little pouches look really great—I wish I could do that too, but I’m still a long way off. I’d buy them from you in a heartbeat. I like them, and these colors too—awesome

Wollbaerli, it’s a shame about your crochet/knitting break, but English seems to be important to you right now. You’ve got this.

So everyone, keep working away diligently—see you later…… coffee

Thanks for liking the double-face projects.
  Yeah, I knit both at the same time—it goes faster that way 😋.
No, seriously 😁, depending on what I feel like, I’ll knit on the flamingo or the hat. The flamingo uses slightly thicker needles… and yeah, I think knitting in the round is easier too… The hat uses even smaller needles—I can’t do it anymore, or my fingers just won’t cooperate… I can’t knit on the hat for too long because my hand starts to hurt—those tiny, delicate needles…… That’s why I prefer to knit with thicker yarn 😊

a-mano: The little bags are great…… and thanks for the tip on the cast-on; I’ll give it a try…… 

Andrea, how cute! I undressed my little star too so she could try on the diaper. After that I bundled her up warmly again so she wouldn’t get cold. ;-) As I can see, Krümel has two pressure points on her belly. Mine only has one—when you press it, she laughs. :) (She even manages to make my husband smile with that.) The frogged pile looks funny. You still have quite a bit ahead of you. In the meantime, take good care of your arm. That’s also one reason why I prefer knitting. It’s not such a one-sided strain. And besides, I’ve noticed it goes faster. 

Christina, you’re right, in a learning process you really do have to stick with it and decide what has priority. You can still do your crafting afterward as a reward. 
I also still have a knitted diaper cover in mind, but different from this one. This one is easier crocheted.

Well, now I’m taking a break too—today without cake... grumble grumble...

Yep, there’s always a lot going on here! I’ve also finished another little project in the meantime: a little jester’s cap.

Carnival isn’t really happening this year. I used to really enjoy going to Carnival balls and dressing up. When my kids were still little, we always threw a kids’ Carnival party in our basement. That was always a blast! But I’ve calmed down a bit in that regard now. So I don’t mind that Carnival has been canceled. Still, I’ve decorated the door to my apartment with the cap and a little door wreath. That way, there’s at least a little bit of Carnival spirit :-)

Ruth, that jester’s cap turned out really well. I’d already admired it in the new arrivals section. It’s a great idea for anyone missing Carnival to hang a decoration like this on their door.

Good morning....

well then, has everyone flown the coop?

Ruth, the jester’s cap really does get you in the mood for Carnival—unfortunately, it’s not possible this year, and I’m thinking of all those who truly love celebrating the “fifth season” and put a lot of effort into designing their floats. There are a few hotspots here, too, where people like to go and admire the parades, but unfortunately.......

Despite being busy with work right now, I’ve started the final push on a project I began in November and kept putting aside because smaller ideas were swirling around in my head and wanted to be brought to life. I’ll definitely show it tomorrow when it’s finished—provided my shoulder holds up tonight. But there’s already a little something to show you

A lot has been happening here again.

Sonja, the gift bag looks great, and the colors are beautiful too. When I have some time, I’ll definitely try double-face too.

Andrea, your tunic is almost finished too, and the cardigan/sweater is sure to turn out very pretty. I’m curious to see how it looks in the end.  

Ruth, the carnival decoration is original too; I like it even better as a wreath.

Ines, you seem to have lots of ideas at the moment; almost every day there’s a new pattern.

I’ve finished something again too. 

Hello, you busy bees,

it’s getting impossible to stop being amazed and admiring everything. Such beautiful new things and ideas have come to life.

Monika, great that the diaper pants have hook-and-loop fasteners. This is going to be a popular pattern, because many doll moms need that for playing mommy-daddy-child. And when a little sibling arrives, the doll mom can join in at the same time.

Andrea, I hope your elbow crease has calmed down again thanks to taking it easy. Maybe you overdid it lately because of all the ideas you wanted to bring to life. But I think all of us know that feeling. I used to have tendonitis too because I knitted too much. As always in life, you have to find the right balance. But your projects aren’t going anywhere. They’ll all wait patiently until you turn back to them.

Your tunic — it’s a shame the colors in the gradient yarn didn’t last all the way to the end. But you can’t calculate that in advance. And in the end you have to improvise. I’m curious to see it. But first, take care of your elbow and don’t do anything!

Sonja, thank you very much for the idea with the face — I’m mulling it over right now and will see how it can be done in real life.
Your little gift bag looks absolutely fantastic! I’m really thrilled. Anyone who hasn’t felt like trying DB yet will definitely be tempted by this little bag. You can give all sorts of things in it, but really the little gift bag itself is the gift. It conveys so much love, there’s no other way to put it — truly from the heart. So if I start with DB too, it’ll be with this model!

Ines, I know the thing about “taking projects to bed” too. Sometimes it’s really exhausting because you can’t sleep from all the excitement. Of course you can start on any day you like, but I do think January 1 is better. Maybe you can find the temperatures from the last 21 days in your area online. And then you crochet 21 rows or rounds (depending on the project), and then you’ll be up to date. That should be doable for you.

I really like the egg cups in this bellflower shape! And the little bows add even more decoration. I can imagine them looking very pretty on the breakfast table when you have guests. Everyone immediately has something to admire and enjoy. Small decorative pieces are simply your thing.

Ruth, the little jester’s cap with the bells looks funny. It instantly puts you in a good mood because your brain digs up lovely memories of Carnival and the like. As a door wreath, that’s also very nice and creates a cheerful atmosphere. Especially since it also adds a splash of color in dark January.

Marion, your blanket is very beautiful too. I’m sure all children will like it because there’s so much to discover and play with. The patterns between the motifs are very interesting too.

Christina, you deserve praise too for diligently learning languages by video. These days, you simply have to come to terms with that and keep at it. Nobody really likes it, but you don’t want to lose the thread either. When your head has had enough input, as a reward you can let the yarn and needles or crochet hook click again — that’s so relaxing. While you’re doing handwork, your head is processing the new knowledge at the same time. So hang in there and keep going. Someday, when everyone is allowed to travel again, you’ll be able to communicate very well because of it.

As for me, not much is happening right now. I’m doing too many things in parallel at the moment, so nothing can get finished and I get dissatisfied. So I have to get to xy right away. Here’s a quick picture of my temperature blanket. Today it was 11 degrees here, and you can see that clearly. The pattern is still fun.

Best wishes and have a lovely afternoon — from Ina

Oh, Ines, your little colorful egg cups are just so cute! They look really cozy. The eggs must feel right at home in there and stay nice and warm.

Marion, I just admired your beautiful blanket for Mäxchen in the doll thread. Now that’s a completely different idea. It looks fantastic—very original. I’m already trying to figure out how you put it all together.

Ina, your temperature blanket is clearly growing, and the green color in it blends in very well with the colors so far. The final result is sure to be beautiful. Yes, there’s definitely something special about knitting one row every day...

I’m back to working on Doubleface again. I get to test-knit Sonja’s gift pouch. Honestly—I’m glad I’ve already had some practice! I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as a beginner’s project. And I wouldn’t use cotton (like I did), but rather a more flexible yarn. But I’ve already gotten past the hardest parts. This is what I’ve got so far—I started the night before last, and now it’s really fun to keep knitting.



Since I’m still working through my stash of “diet yarn,” I chose a thicker cotton and am knitting with yellow and rust-red/orange. It’s one of the colors from the flamingos. The little bag looks absolutely beautiful—even at this stage—and it’s even occurred to me that the bag itself is a gift. The work is really worth it, and I’m already looking forward to seeing the finished result.

Have a nice afternoon, 
There’s a lot going on here, and plenty to admire, but more on that later.

I just wanted to show you the new jacket for Kruemel. I think she looks really cute in it.
It even has a zipper instead of buttons. I still had that zipper lying around. I can’t even remember the last time I sewed in a zipper.

So I need to get the coffee table ready first. See you later 

Andrea, the jacket turned out really cute and even matches the suit in color. Krümel looks adorable in it. I’d thought about making a jacket with a zipper before, but I don’t really feel like sewing one in.  

Hello at this late hour,

you’ve conjured up such amazing things again. Knitting isn’t really my thing, but when I marvel at your DF projects like this, I’m blown away.

ines, your crocheted egg cups look so pretty.

Ina, your temperature blanket has such a great color gradient—I already love it. I’m curious to see what it’ll look like when it’s finished.
My arm’s doing okay, but lately it’s been giving me trouble when I crochet. Maybe I’m holding my arm too high, or the blood isn’t circulating properly—I’m not sure. I’ve never had tendonitis before, not even from typing on a typewriter or computer. No idea. But I just can’t keep my hands still. I take more breaks and admire your creations, then my fingers start itching again, and… before you know it, you’re caught in a vicious cycle :-)

Monika, it’s amazing how you manage to do it all. That DF pouch is great. Oh man, I want to be able to do that too, but patience isn’t my strong suit.
Actually, I don’t really like sewing by hand either, but that was just a small section of the doll’s jacket—it’s doable, and you’re done in no time.

Marion, I’ve already admired your doll’s baby blanket in the other thread. I find the arrangement of the motifs and the simple pattern so interesting. Very colorful. I like it.

Have a nice evening!

Andrea, I can see that knitting is the solution for your arm. ;-) Crocheting tends to make my arm hurt, too, but knitting never does.

Hey everyone,
there was a lot to read here today, and I’m now on my second cup of coffee—I need it to perk me up. Last night I was sitting on the couch like a lame duck and pushed my craft basket back under the table again.

Marion, I think the blanket is really beautiful, and with all those motifs, a child has so much to discover. Yes, I actually have lots of ideas and I’ve started jotting them down. I don’t know if I’ll get around to all of them—sometimes other things come up that I end up liking better. Just little things like that—I work on them here and there when something on TV only interests my husband. That’s how I make a prototype from which the pattern is created; I crochet the other one again later. Larger projects that require sustained attention, I usually work on in the afternoon if I have time, though right now that’s not really the case.

Monika, I admire how well you’ve mastered the DF technique; I’ve been putting off trying it myself, but once things have settled down here again, I’ll have to give it a go... It’s great that Sonja has found a test knitter in you, and what you’ve shown so far looks really great.

Andrea, your “Kruemel” looks absolutely adorable, and the colors go together so beautifully—I’m really taken with it..... Get well soon with your arm—luckily, craft projects aren’t going anywhere. But I can understand it: when you see something and like it, you want to get started or make something yourself. I feel the same way, but sometimes it’s better to listen to your body and just take a break, even if it’s hard.

Ina, I’ve been going back and forth—blanket or rug? The rug won out, but ever since I had that idea, I’ve been sitting here juggling the colors, putting together the yarn I had in stock, but I just couldn’t make any progress—simply because I didn’t want a rainbow-colored rug, but rather one in colors that, while adding a splash of color here and there, still go well with the apartment. The result was that I ended up spending another hour online to order the right yarn. I decided to use the average temperatures for two weeks each month, so I’ll have 104 rounds for the rug—let’s see how it turns out in the end. For now, I’m just jotting down the values—I can’t set up another cardboard box on my “construction site,” and things are going to get pretty hectic over the next 2–3 weeks. Luckily, I can fall back on the guest bathroom, haha.
But I already think your blanket is beautiful—the green makes it look very cheerful.

I’ve crocheted a few chicks in the meantime, which I plan to incorporate into my seasonal decorations. I actually wanted to show you the larger project I finished, but I still need to take some photos in daylight.



That was just a leftover skein of this cozy yarn—I had to use it up.

Have a wonderful Friday and a great start to the weekend!

Good morning, everyone,

Monika, your test-knit item, the little gift bag, already looks very good. I like that the bottom has a motif too; I hadn’t noticed that with Sonja’s at all. And you can see that the right yarn affects the stitch definition. Cotton is just very smooth and doesn’t hide any uneven stitches.

Andrea, the top-down raglan cardigan with the sewn-in zipper is very flattering. It’s good that you went to the trouble with the zipper; it turned out beautifully.

Last night I was thinking again about your pain when crocheting, when you make certain movements. Try googling "tennis elbow from crocheting." There you can read that with one-sided or too many overloading, repetitive movements—such as crocheting—certain tendon insertions in the elbow can become inflamed. And whenever you move that tendon during a movement, the inflamed spot hurts. But it does go away again if you let it heal.

Ines, when I read about how all those many parallel ideas and their execution are buzzing around in your head, I had to think of myself. I’m feeling exactly the same right now, and I can’t stand it. Ideas keep attacking me from everywhere, but now I want to be disciplined and finish one thing after another, and only then start something new.

I can also understand the intense focus on the temperature blanket or rug. The idea that won’t let you go has to mature, and you picture it in your mind’s eye, and then you slowly adapt it to your own ideas. Your color strategy sounds good too. You’ll just have to carefully write down the temperatures and then calculate the average. That’s exciting too. Have you calculated how big your rug will be?

At first I tried a different pattern for my blanket. With the gauge and extrapolating to my 365 rows, it turned out that the blanket would have ended up 5.40 m long. The smaller pattern now fits much better—the blanket will only be 1.80 m.

I wish everyone a lovely day.
Best wishes, Ina

Ina, I need to reply quickly—I have a lot of crafting to do this weekend, and I definitely won’t have a chance to sit down at the computer.

So, I think the rug should have a diameter of about 110 cm according to the plan, I’m going to crochet a thin plastic cord into it so it lies flat, but I still need to do a gauge swatch to calculate that exactly. My yarn package is scheduled to arrive today, and then I’ll see how big the January project turns out to be and can figure it out. Since my hallway is 25 m², it wouldn’t be too bad if it ends up a bit bigger, but I don’t want it to dominate the space. We’ll see if I get around to it in the next few days. I’m excited to see the yarn—I wonder if the colors will turn out like they do online. It’s a shame you can’t buy it in a store; if you’re not familiar with the yarn, I think that’s always tricky.

I also crocheted your pattern for my bigger project—it’s definitely a yarn-eater, but I find it fluffy yet sturdy. It’s a little clothespin bag dress, and the yarn works really well for that.

Right now I’m trying Tunisian crochet in rounds—my first attempt—and I already like the first three rows.

Best regards,
Ines

You’ve all been hard at work once again—kudos to everyone for all the projects you’ve created!
Monika, that little gift bag already looks so pretty, and I can’t wait to knit one myself.
My test doll dress grew quite a bit last night, and I hope to finish it before Sunday. Knitting is one thing, but sewing it together is another (I tend to put that off because I don’t really like it!). The little crochet project, which was actually supposed to be finished for my husband’s birthday, is also still waiting to be completed (sewing, see above!). Our kitten is a real little wild thing, and I have to banish Nala from the room when I want to knit or crochet. If she can’t go snuggle up with her master then, she meows in a way that melts your heart… So, unfortunately, I’m not making quite as much progress as I’d like…

Ines, thanks for the compliments! :) Yes, I’m also happy that I get to test-knit for Sonja. I see things from a different perspective than Sonja, and I’m still kind of a beginner, after all.
Your little chicks are adorable again! I’m in awe of you once more for crocheting such tiny things. That’s just not my thing, though.

Ina, you really have a lot planned for your blanket—wow! Over 5 meters!! Is it going to turn into a rug in the end, like Ines’s?

  Christina, thanks to you, too, for the feedback on the little bag.
Your kitten is surely so cute that you can’t stay mad at him. How nice that your husband is there to cuddle him, too. I have so much yarn and little knitting bits lying around right now—a little furball like that would be an absolute disaster. But I hear there are cats out there who aren’t into that at all.

By the way, the little bag is coming along, and I’m halfway through the lettering. It’s fun now that I can keep knitting with circular needles—at least for the big bag.
Other projects will have to wait for now. First, I want to finish this pretty little bag.

Just popping in here for a quick look,

First off, thanks, Ina , for the info. I googled it. I’ll read it more thoroughly later. But first, I still have to bake another batch of Amerikaner.

Monika , you misread that part about the 5.0-meter length :-). Ina had first test-crocheted a different pattern, and that would have made the blanket that long. Now it’s 1.80 m

. Have fun—I’m off to bake now, and then I’ll have to take a forced break :-(

And once again, so much has happened in the meantime. Is it because of the lockdown that everyone is so hard at work and so chatty?

Ines, your chicks have turned out really cute. It’s amazing what you can make out of leftover yarn, isn’t it?

Marion, your blanket seems to have been made from leftovers, too. I really like the colors, and the individual pieces are put together in a very unusual way—great!

Ina, your temperature blanket looks great! Since you chose smaller intervals, it’s also more colorful than mine. But when I compare the individual days, I can see that the temperatures where you are were still a bit different. Where do you live? I live in the south, near Munich. What temperature do you use? I use the midday temperature at noon. I’m in the “green zone” right now, though. We have a foehn wind today.


Monika, the little bags are turning out really cute. I’ve started knitting again, too. I’m making a loop scarf out of “Ina Wolle”—that’s the cashmere-silk blend she recommended a while back. Now I have four projects going at once: the temperature blanket, the embroidered picture of my grandchildren, the loop scarf, and a new pattern that’s running through my head. It’s making me really nervous. I actually prefer to focus on just one project, but what can you do?

Andrea, you sure finished that little jacket for Krümel quickly. No wonder your arm sometimes acts up.

Okay, now I’m getting ready. It’s my granddaughter’s birthday today. I’m going over for coffee. And in the evening, Grandpa can come over (only one person at a time...)

Ruth, finally some color, you might say. The light green row indicates warmer weather where you are. We have a thermometer on the patio, and I go check it around noon. If I miss it, I check wetteronline for the high temperature in my area. I live northeast of Berlin. Tomorrow the temperatures are supposed to drop back down to 2 degrees, and then the “ice colors” will return.

Marion, a question about your blanket: Is the Jatzenkopf crocheted directly into the fabric, or is it appliquéd? The longer I look at your work, the more my fingers itch to try it myself…

Dear friends, thank you so much for your kind feedback on the gift pouch. I’m really glad you like it so much, too. No. 2, a slightly smaller version, is finally finished. Since my main hobby right now is working on a huge video project as a birthday surprise for my husband, I unfortunately didn’t have much time for knitting this week.



I admire your temperature blankets—thanks, Ina and Ruth, for sharing them regularly. It’s really exciting to follow your year-long project!

Andrea, that jacket with the zipper is amazing!!! I’ve never sewn in a zipper in my life. And it looks so much more professional. Funny, by the way—we also call our little daughter “Krümel” :-) I hope your arm gets better soon, too! It’s so frustrating when you really want to do something but just can’t.

Marion, your patchwork quilt is something truly special! I think it’s beautiful. It’s definitely going to be a favorite.

Christina, I can relate to what you’re going through with the online course. I started a continuing education course last weekend—I’d been looking forward to it so much. Unfortunately, of course, this course is now exclusively online as well. Without the personal contact and direct interaction, so much is lost that it’s only half as fun.

Monika, that’s great that you can use a circular needle for the little bag. It makes it so much easier :-) I’m always amazed at how quickly you’re making progress!

Ines, I’m also constantly fascinated by your wealth of ideas and how fast you work. You’re churning out one pretty decoration after another ;-) And on top of that, you’re renovating half the house—I’m impressed! By the way, I know all too well what it’s like to take ideas to bed with you… I’ve even designed entire knitting patterns while half-asleep… In my head, anyway ;-)

I hope you all have a great start to the weekend!

Monika , you’re really getting the hang of the DF technique. You picked out some beautiful colors for the little bag. At this pace, you’ll be finished again by the weekend.

Andrea , the little jacket for Krümel turned out great. It goes so well with her outfit. Take it easy on your arm and don’t overdo it. You’ve been doing quite a lot lately. Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean. For me, it’s the saddle joints in my thumbs. I’m glad things are getting better again after so many weeks.
Enjoy the Amerikaner later—they’re delicious; I’ve already tried them myself.

Ines , your chicks are so cute again—did you use sponge yarn for them? I’m really looking forward to seeing your Tunisian crochet work. I really enjoyed it.

Ina and Ruth ’s temperature blankets look even prettier with the new colors.

I’m really proud of my blanket for Mäxchen —I’m glad you like it, too.
Of course, I crocheted it from leftover yarn, and I didn’t want it to be too colorful.
First, I made the granny squares. Then I filled in the spaces between them, sometimes lengthwise, sometimes crosswise.
The basic motifs are crocheted right in from the start, while some parts are crocheted separately and then sewn on.

So, here I am again, haha… my work is done for now; now it’s time for the men to step in. I’ve stripped the wallpaper because I want to put up vinyl wallpaper, so the wall has to be in top shape. Now I can get back to crocheting.

Thanks for your feedback on the chicks—they look a little disheveled because of the teddy yarn, but chicks are like that sometimes in real life, too.

No, no—I’m not that fast. Most of the time, these are projects I’ve started that I want to finish before I start something else. Now I’ve been jotting down notes and sketches of whatever comes to mind at night, and depending on how much time I have, I dig out my yarn—I’ve been trying not to bury it away :) Two more finished pieces are waiting to be photographed, and then next week it’s time to write the pattern. Luckily, I get up early with my husband and can tidy up the apartment, so I’ll have time for that afterward.

Marion, I was just downstairs with my mom—my parents live below us—and showed her my Tunisian crochet work. She thought it was very pretty, and yessss, I’m having so much fun crocheting like this.

I wish you all a lovely evening; I’m looking forward to the ARD program at 8:15 p.m. today—it was filmed here in Saxony.

Best regards, Ines

Thank you, Andrea, for the note about the 5 meters. That makes it a different story, of course. I must have skimmed over it too quickly in my hurry. You’re making me want to bake new Amerikaner again. This time flavored with lemon zest, and yes—there still has to be chocolate icing on top. 

Ruth, you’re keeping busy with all kinds of things again. A loop scarf is relatively easy and quick to knit. You can always use one. 

Ruth and Ina, it’s really exciting to watch your temperature blankets grow. That uses up quite a bit of yarn stash.

Sonja, your 2nd little bag looks just as charming once it’s finished. The large one is already coming along quite well for me. The lettering is knitted, and my goal is actually to finish it this weekend. Yes, Marion is right about that. :-) It works really well with the circular needle. I don’t know yet whether I’ll make the smaller one. If I do, then with different yarn. Unfortunately, my stash doesn’t have such suitable colors.

Ines, I also admire everything you’re doing all over the place. On the one hand helping with the construction, and then crocheting too. But it’s also a really nice balance.

Now I wish you all a lovely evening and a wonderful weekend.

Monika, the cowl is probably going to take a bit longer after all, because the yarn is quite thin. I’m knitting with size 2.5 needles and have 480 stitches on the needle in each round...

I wish you all a lovely weekend

The sun is shining here today, and I’d say it’s relatively warm for Norway. Everything is thawing. It’s starting to feel a bit like spring.

It’s not that easy to keep my hands/arm still. It’s going okay.
But... I had an idea yesterday that it might also be because of my crochet hooks. So now I’ve ordered these ergonomic ones from a...i, and even a Casy Trio knitting needle set.
After admiring all your DF projects here. Maybe that will help with the crocheter’s tennis elbow.
Someone here wrote that they take their knitting/crochet ideas to bed with them. You won’t believe it, but I was lying in bed like that yesterday too, mentally knitting a DF swatch. This magic is contagious, just like with the little dolls.
After Monika made such quick progress with it, I’m really on the verge of starting to knit again. Even if it’s just knit and purl stitches at first, no matter.
Most of the time I only have cotton yarn, which isn’t supposed to be that suitable, right? There’s still time until then.

Have fun, I’ll check back in again later

Today we’re eating the rest of the Amerikaner pastries; they really are delicious.

I knit all my DF pot holders with cotton yarn (80m/50g) using size 3.5 needles, and I don’t find it any harder than knitting with merino wool. I’ve never tried it with thinner cotton yarn—the key is simply to choose a needle size that creates a dense fabric.

Hello everyone,
I hope you’re all cozy and comfortable.
I’ve just been tinkering with the pattern on my computer—it’s at the very top of my to-do list. After the theory, it’s time to put it into practice right after coffee.

Andrea, you crocheted that colorful poncho, didn’t you? I’m sure it was a multi-ply yarn with cotton. In my experience, dull yarns (especially multi-ply ones and perhaps dark colors) are difficult to work with. You have to put in more effort because the yarn doesn’t glide as smoothly over the needles. On large projects, your muscles and tendons have to work much harder. And of course, they’ll protest when it gets to be too much for them.

If you have nice, smooth yarn and the right tools, you’ll feel it much less in your arms. When I knit—which I personally find easier on my health—I still tuck a pillow under my elbows. That helps relieve the strain on my neck and shoulder muscles.

I hope you all have a lovely afternoon.
Warm regards, Ina

Hi,

I last knitted more than 8 years ago, and I wanted to see if I still had what it takes—just knit and purl stitches—and this is what came out of it. Strangely enough, it worked out.

Hehe, Andrea, it’s probably just like riding a bike.
You never really forget how to do it.

Your little one is definitely already looking forward to the beautiful new scarf.

OMG, Ruth! 480 stitches—that’s crazy! That must really be some veeeery thin yarn. Big projects like that are always great for me as a way to unwind, because you don’t have to pay so much attention.

Andrea, yeah, I take my ideas to bed with me, too. And often the solution just comes to me the next day. As for DF, I’d recommend you start by just trying your hand at knitting first. Then you’re guaranteed to want more. A test swatch like that really does make a difference. You’ll see that knitting is much more relaxing than crocheting. Ina’s tip about propping up your arm is great (thanks, Ina!). For simple knitting, cotton yarn is always enough.

So—my little gift bag is finished—yay! And it looks really good. I’m really proud of it, because it took some patience in a few spots. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish until tonight, so the photos didn’t turn out as well as they would have during the day. Here’s what it looks like now:

Oh, Andrea, I only just discovered that you knitted Krümel a scarf. Yes, you really don't forget how to do it. I started again after... hm... at least 20 years, and it went great right away.

I'm currently knitting a very simple sweater for Sternchen, matching the diaper. I'll probably knit matching underwear, or rather diaper pants, for it later too. I'm writing the pattern for it at the same time.

Now I've knitted something small—socks for Sternchen. Now she has warm feet too—in the same outfit as the overall.




And then I'd also like to show you the little bag, what it looks like from the bottom and from the inside.

Good morning everyone,

I just popped in briefly last night and have to say, everyone’s been so hard at work again.

Andrea,when I’m crocheting, I also notice my right wrist a bit more than when I’m knitting. A friend of mine always puts a pillow under her arms, and she never complains, so I’ve been doing that for quite some time now, and it does make a bit of a difference—give it a try. Your little one got a really beautiful scarf—it doesn’t look like you’ve been away from knitting for long, and you really never forget how to do it.

Monika,you’re so quick with DF—it never ceases to amaze me, and it turned out so beautifully. I already admired it in the gallery yesterday. Once I’ve worked through all my crochet ideas, who knows—maybe I’ll give it a try myself someday. The socks must have been quite delicate to knit, too, but now Sternchen has warm feet :) With this weather, that’s a must.....Our dog was trudging through the snow yesterday, too, and when she sat there in front of me with her cold paws, I thought, “Why not make her some socks?”—which is nonsense, of course, because she’d never, ever tolerate them on her paws.

Ruth,I also got carried away by this wonderful yarn and knitted myself the cowl—though with 350 stitches. But since it was just knit stitches in the round, it went pretty quickly, and the yarn is a joy to work with.

Actually, I’d planned to get the yarn I ordered for the rug ready—I’ve been diligently writing down the temperatures in the meantime—but that didn’t work out, so since Friday evening I’ve been finishing up the projects I’d started; sometimes it was just a matter of weaving in the ends or taking care of a few little details. Here are the pictures:

the little clothespin dress in dirndl style

a wall appliqué for the bedroom

and my Easter chicks



Now I’m doing some Tunisian crochet, which I really enjoy—it’s so much fun to crochet in rounds. There isn’t much to show yet, so I’ll post a progress photo in the next few days.

Wishing you a great start to the new week!
Best regards, Ines

Ines, you just whip up these pretty things off the cuff—and on top of all that, while you’re in the middle of your home renovations. The clothespin pouch looks fun; if I understand correctly, the clothespins go into the front of the apron. Did you design that yourself? And that butterfly—wow! I’m sure you’ll all sleep better now. The chicks are cute too, with so many little details. I really admire that.

I actually tried to learn Tunisian crochet once. But I realized it’s just not my thing at all. And I can’t really picture doing it in rounds. On the other hand, DF knitting is really addictive for me. Especially when such beautiful things come out of it. I’m excited to see what new creations you’ll come up with next.

Of course, I also knitted those little socks using the mowi heel. And they fit perfectly. It’s funny—when it comes to knitting such tiny things, that’s never an issue for me...

Monika, the clip dress isn’t a design of mine exactly—there are many that have been sewn—but I thought I’d try crocheting one. The clips go on the bottom part of the dress; the apron is “just” for show because it goes with the dirndl—otherwise, you can fit 100 regular-sized clips underneath. I’d already started this back in November, and ideas for little things kept popping up.
All but one of my little chicks are already gone; my daughter texted me earlier saying she’d like a bigger one, so I quickly squeezed that in, because we don’t have anything to do until Wednesday—the company is gutting all the sanitary facilities, then my husband has to step in to do the demolition work, after which everything will be installed and he’ll lay the tiles himself—he’s really good at that—I’ll get to do the wallpapering, and we should be finished by mid-February. Then I’ll have to clean the whole apartment again—maybe that’ll be my spring cleaning—so… there’s still time in the evenings to let the needles clatter.
I’m finding Tunisian crochet pretty easy; I have two projects I’d like to work on for now. I hope I have a little more discipline this time and don’t jump right into something else. I also can’t neglect my temperature project so that I can eventually start on the rug.

Ines, you’re so hardworking and active. I’m taking it a bit easier these days, at least now that it’s winter. Starting in the spring, it’ll be time to tend to the garden again, but more on the side. I’ve always worked very hard in my life, so now I’m allowing myself more time for the nice things, like crafting and sleeping in in the mornings. ;-)

But this spring, the contractors are coming to our house to install new skylights. So we’ll at least have our hands full with clearing out, tidying up, and cleaning.

You’re definitely going to have a really great bathroom—one you probably won’t get out of so quickly in the mornings.

Ines, you have so much to show again. As always, everything turned out beautifully.

I’ve finished another project as well. I still have some leftover yarn from the blanket.    

Oh, I really love the shape of that hat. I already admired it today in a Facebook group. It looks like a little dwarf to me....

Your sweater turned out pretty, too. I’m also working on a similar pattern at the moment. It starts with more purl stitches, and toward the end it also becomes 2 purl, 2 knit.

Marion, your little Mäxchen looks just adorable and absolutely charming in his new outfit. 

Good morning, everyone!

Marion , your little Mäxchen looks really cute in his new outfit. I used to have a little hat like that for my daughter Carolin when she was born, and I always thought it was so cute. I actually still have it in a chest somewhere, so maybe I can recreate it someday. I really hope we’ll have a grandchild soon so I can get started, haha

. Thanks for the feedback on my crochet projects—yes, the little things are quick to make, and that way you have plenty to show off. Right now I’m working on a bigger chick for my daughter; it should be finished today, even though I have a few other things that are really pressing right now regarding our renovation.

Monika, I owe my hard-working nature to my parents—I had to pitch in and become independent at a very young age. But it didn’t hurt me, and so I’m used to always being on the go somehow. We’ll see how things go when I retire—I still have a few more years to go. But I’m already really looking forward to gardening; it’s manageable.

So, I’ve chatted a bit about my personal life now, haha……

I hope you all have a pleasant day

I’m actually getting a little jealous when I see all the beautiful things people are creating… I hardly get any time for crafts during the day anymore: it’s all because of a little, very curious house cat who pounces on the yarn as soon as I pick it up… So first I have to banish Nala from the living room and hope that she’ll then settle down comfortably and peacefully with my husband…
Right now, it’s snowing heavily in our very wintry garden, and people are sledding on the hill next door, but unfortunately, higher temperatures and steady rain are forecast for tomorrow.

Wow... so much has happened in the meantime.

I’m still working on my triangular shawl.
This month will end without a new pattern.
Although—the pattern is finished (up to the yarn and size specifications).
All that’s missing is the shawl itself.

 

Unfortunately, you can’t see it snowing!  

Hello, dear friends,

there is once again so much to admire:

Ines, you are so hardworking! When do you do all that? It is a complete mystery to me how anyone can make so many beautiful things in parallel. Even if you make them one after another, the amount is still the same. I just can’t stop being amazed. The practical peg bag dress, the large butterfly for the wall, and then the cute Easter chicks, which also look very elaborate - I am truly thrilled by your versatility and your hard work. I like the Easter chicks with their pretty eyes and eyelashes best. Everything is so lovingly and detailed with the little flowers - really beautiful for the breakfast table. And in a larger size, the chick is surely even more impressive.

Monika, your DB gift bag looks - just like the original - simply adorable. If you receive that as a gift, it immediately warms your heart. The contents become secondary. It turned out very well.

Kristina, I think your doll clothes for Mäxchen are absolutely charming. The delicate color is a good match, and the little hat and pullover are darling. I like it very much.

Christina, it really is still winter where you are! Here it is slowly getting warmer, and the little birdies are already becoming more active, too. Let’s simply enjoy the weather as it is. Your little Nala just loves soft things and is playful. If we were little kittens, could we resist the pretty colorful balls of yarn to play with? For her, playing with your balls of yarn is simply a great joy.

Andrea, your winter things, the little hat and the scarf, for your Krümel are also very pretty to look at. Perfect for winter and very cute. Knitting really is a fine thing, and the stitch definition is more delicate.

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

I am crocheting right now, though. I had planned to finish something from my list of started projects. But no, once again another project slipped in between, and of course I had to start it right away.

I sit at my desk on an exercise ball; that is better for my back than a desk chair - precisely because you move around more on it. But the rubber ball is cold in winter when you sit on it - and in summer you stick to it after a few minutes. So I needed a cover. There was nothing suitable to buy online, and what was available (a sewn cover) I didn’t like, and it was also very expensive. So I gathered all my leftover yarn from sock yarns and crocheted them together in parallel. Acrylic yarn would not have worked, because that is basically just plastic too. Part of the ball is already covered.





I wish you all a lovely, relaxed afternoon and time for your crafts.
Best wishes, Ina

I’m so happy to read your wonderful comments. The hat for Mäxchen was made using a free pattern from here, and the sweater is my own idea.

Christina, you guys have a lot of snow—it looks great. It snowed here today too, but it’ll be gone by tonight; it’s already getting warmer again.

Ina, the idea for a crochet-covered exercise ball is great again. We have one of those, too, and I have plenty of leftover sock yarn. Maybe I’ll try that out sometime, but not just yet. Let’s see how colorful yours turns out.

Have fun with your needles.

Ina, I’m thrilled with your idea for the sitting ball and all those jars for the yarn. Wow—handling 8 skeins is really an art in itself. Do you plan to crochet all the way around the ball? You’ve already finished half of it.
Thanks for your feedback on the little bag. I’m still enjoying it myself right now.

Christina, we had so much snow and a snowstorm yesterday, too. It blew right up to the door, even though everything there is covered by a roof that extends several meters out.



I’m back at the DF again—yes, it’s an addiction, I admit. :-)
Now I get to do another test knit for Sonja. Here’s how it looks so far.

I didn’t check in for just one day, and lo and behold, there are such great projects to admire.

I can’t show anything yet, but I’ve started knitting this devil’s pointed hat. I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.  But I have to see for myself first what it looks like when it’s finished, to make sure everything fits. Then I’ll share a photo. I think my yarn is a bit thicker.
It’s so much fun. After a few rows, you can already see the pattern, so I’ve done everything right so far. But I still had to take a little break from knitting. I’d love to knit all night long. Why didn’t I start knitting sooner?

A question for Marion. When the hat is sewn together at the top, is it better to bind off the stitches first and then sew them together, or to put the stitches on a scrap yarn first and then sew them together stitch by stitch? How did you do it?

Ina, that’s really a great idea to crochet a cover for your exercise ball. I used to have a ball like that, too—it broke at some point. Great for using up leftover yarn. It’s already looking very promising.

Monika, your DF swatch already looks very pretty pattern-wise. I’d probably still have problems with all those color changes. I’m excited to see the finished piece.

My new ergonomic crochet hooks arrived today. They work well, but I’m not used to them yet. As for my Trio Case needles, I ended up ordering ones that are too thin and too short. I’m not very familiar with knitting needle sizes and how they turn out. There’s nothing written on my old circular needles. The new thin ones will do for now, just to try them out. What size do you use for your doll sweaters, Monika?

Well then, my dears, sleep well, see you tomorrow

Andrea

Andrea, I knew it—that your little one would awaken your desire to knit. I simply think knitted items are much prettier and also more elastic. I’m really happy that you’re so pleased about it. :)

I usually use size 3 knitting needles, rarely 2.5 or 3.5. For Sternchen, I knitted almost everything with size 3 needles. That works great with yarn lengths from 110 to 170.

With the CraSyTrio, I’ve had the best experience with the bamboo version. It holds very well and is a bit longer than the metal one. I get on better with it than with a set of double-pointed needles. Even now with the DF, it works great.

Good morning,

so my coffee is steaming in front of me and I’ve already admired / read everything new, now first I’ll get the paperwork done; that works best at this early hour, and I can’t exactly bustle around with the vacuum cleaner over my parents’ heads yet, haha.....

Monika, your test piece looks quite lovely, is it going to be a hat or are you not allowed to reveal that yet? Sonja is certainly very happy to have such a diligent test knitter in you. Depending on how much time I have, my friend has to help me out with bigger things.

Ina, the idea with the exercise ball is great, and I had to smile again about your jars, in the nicest possible way, because I imagine that if I packed everything into jars, I’d probably pull them down now and then, I think. For the rug, which I still haven’t started on (apart from noting down temperatures), I planned to take a flat cardboard box and make holes in it where the corresponding color would come out, but I just haven’t gotten around to it.

In the meantime my larger chick is finished



and I can now also show a piece of my Tunisian crochet work; I couldn’t do much yesterday, my daughter picked up her bread and we got chatting



it will be an Easter basket, with the outside appearing like this.

I wish you all a lovely day

Good morning,

Monika, I’m at a loss for words - you’re already test knitting at high speed. The piece looks great again.

Andrea, regarding your question: I cast on only 80 stitches for the hat (needle size 3), and I knitted them together at the top. If you want to sew it together, you’ll need to bind off first. If you want to crochet it together, you do the same thing.
It’s great that you’re enjoying knitting so much again. Monika’s right, knitted pieces are more stretchy. I also prefer knitted items for doll clothes.
If you want to knit more often now and don’t know what size your needles are, how about something like this?



Ines, your big chick is already finished, and it looks really nice. Your Easter basket is sure to look great again too.

        

Hi everyone,
First off, thanks for your tips—I jotted them down right away.

I just have to show you how far I’ve gotten so far. I’m really happy with it myself. You can already see the pattern pretty clearly. But I cast on 88 stitches, just like in the pattern, and with the yarn I have, it looks pretty big. Oh well. If it doesn’t fit, my other doll will get it, or I’ll just use it as practice.
Ta-da! Started yesterday

Continue reading + keep writing here:
January Projects 2021, Part 4: The Crazypatterns Crafting Group (No Advertising)