October Projects and September Projects 2021, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

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October Projects 2021, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Dear users, dear authors,
here is Part 2 of the September projects.
Have fun with it.

You can read the earlier posts at the link:
September Projects and August Projects, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

The project my husband asked me to do is finished. My husband wanted to give wine as a gift. My husband’s name is Olaf, and the recipient’s name is Sven. Both are characters from *Frozen*, and now Sven is getting Olaf from Olaf 😃



I’ve also finished the medals for the kids’ birthday party with the Paw Patrol paws. 😃

Great idea, Sandra! And beautifully executed—bravo!

The idea of “Olaf” by Olaf for Sven is a blast 😂
I also think the medals for the kids’ birthday party are great. 


I finished knitting the first sock of “my life”....
but this stupid Kitchener stitch just won’t cooperate the way I want it to 😝
Is there another way to close it up at the front????

Sandra, you’ve been very busy again, and I’m always amazed at all the ideas you come up with for Anton’s birthday!

Steffi, you’ve really set your sights high with the “first sock of your life”! Congratulations—it looks great. I never close the toe with Kitchener stitch (it’s way too tedious for me and somehow not sturdy enough). I choose a toe where you decrease down to 8 stitches and then simply pull them together—it’s quick and easy. By the way: What’s that great stitch pattern?

Okay... I decreased according to the pattern until I had 12 stitches left, and then sewed them together. I guess I’ll have to sew the second one together as well. Otherwise, they’ll be different. If I ever knit these again 🙈, I’ll do one more decrease row and then pull them together. 

Hello everyone :-)
Confined to the sofa all day with a case of lumbago and a hot water bottle, I’ve been quite busy this week, but more on that later. First, over to you all :-) So I wouldn’t miss a thing, I opened the last part of the thread in a second window—there were so many great things there.

Ruth, I’ve already admired your Chefkoch; it’s a really great idea. With it, you can not only give recipes as gifts, but also a gift certificate for a (home-cooked) dinner together, or a cooking class... Very versatile and really lovely!

Petra, how far along are you with “cataloging” your yarn stash? Great idea, but that sounds like an incredible amount of work. Over 200 different yarns—that’s quite a number!!! With that many, I can imagine it’s very difficult to keep track of which yarn type you still have in which color. It makes me so happy that you’re obviously hoarding even more yarn than I am :-)

Ina, your ball gown for the little dolls is—as always—enchanting. It makes me want to be a doll mom again myself. Once the sleeved scarf is finished, the ladies will be ready for a night at the ball. Or maybe they’ll go to the opera? Either way, they’ll look absolutely gorgeous! It’s great that you’ve rediscovered your passion for knitting and are enriching us with your creations.

Ines, you’ve conjured up such cute baby clothes! I think it’s great that you take your daughter’s wishes into account. That way, the items will actually be used later on, and the recipients will enjoy them. Once, full of enthusiasm, I crocheted a colorful baby blanket for a good friend’s first baby. When I visited her and gave her the blanket, she barely gave it a glance. After I saw the baby clothes, it became clear to me why—everything was very chic and elegant in muted colors like cream, natural, light gray, etc. My colorful blanket probably made her eyes hurt *laughs* Maybe you’ll catch up on some reading during your vacation—in that case, I wish you a wonderful time off. Where exactly on Lake Constance are you? It’s still lovely and sunny there at the moment, and I’m sure there aren’t that many tourists around anymore. Enjoy it!

Monika, I’m always amazed by how fast you are. Yeah, I’ve said that before—I know ;-) It’s great that your son wants you to knit for him; I’m sure that brings you a lot of joy. How far along are you with the jacket?

Sandra, your crinkle cloth is a great idea! Of course, that works instead of a washcloth—I wouldn’t have thought of that. And today I had to laugh so hard at your “Olaf by Olaf for Sven” :-)

Barbara, a welcome from me, too! Thanks for showing us your amazing creations. They’re absolutely beautiful. It’s not about speed at all—sometimes you have a little more time, and sometimes it feels like you have almost none. What matters is that you enjoy crafting, clear your head a bit in the process, and hopefully bring joy to someone else—or yourself—with the finished piece.

Steffi, you have my utmost respect! Choosing a pattern like that for your very first sock—wow. It turned out great. They’re almost knee-highs, aren’t they?

Now for me—while looking through everything, I realized I haven’t shown you my little unicorn shawl yet. I’m making up for that right now:



Actually, I wanted to show you what I’ve been working on over the last few days:


It almost doesn’t fit in the photo anymore; I had to climb onto the sofa (my back is feeling a little better now) and take the picture from above somehow, which is why it’s a bit crooked. It now weighs 1,730 grams—my daughter is happy :-)

The blanket turned out soooo enchanting 😍
....and the unicorn is absolutely beautiful—I can totally picture it in purple or pink.
The socks actually knitted up pretty quickly—magic loop and a pattern are a must....I just can’t manage only knit stitches; I always need something to count. Otherwise, I can’t relax.
They’re actually knee-high socks; I could have knitted them “normal” length, but I like them this long.... a “sassy” pair of shoes, leggings, and the socks over them...🍂🍂🍂🍂

Hello everyone, and warm greetings from Lake Constance—specifically from Wasserburg. Today we’re on Mainau Island, and we’ve just boarded the boat for the return trip. It was a really lovely day.
You’ve all been working so hard—I’ll share more about that after my vacation.

Sonja, get well soon! 

Dear all, I just wanted to check in briefly again. I haven’t been able to post much here lately because my friend is staying with us until October 10, so I’m not spending much time on the computer. Of course, I always love looking at your gorgeous creations, but I can’t comment on them as much as I usually do.

Sandra, your idea for the bottle is brilliant. So funny and well done!
And the medals for the kids’ birthday party are a great idea, too.

Steffi, your socks are a hit. They look pretty complicated. Hats off to you! You did a great job.

Sonja, I hope you’re moving better again and have chased the witch away?
Your unicorn shawl is a hit once again—super pretty!
And that blanket, too! I’m blown away—especially by the color combination. A true masterpiece from you. It’s sure to become a family heirloom in your daughter’s family.
I’ll get back to my son’s jacket in a moment.

Ines, I hope you enjoy the rest of your vacation. We also spent a short time at Lake Constance—on the beach in Langenargen a week ago.

Just a quick update on my end. Tomorrow I’ll probably finish the raglan section on my son’s jacket. That’ll take care of a big chunk of it. The rest will go relatively quickly.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. It’s summer right now—it’s supposed to be 26 degrees on Sunday. We’re planning a walk in the woods tomorrow, and we’re really looking forward to it. Have a great time, everyone. :)

Sonja, your unicorn turned out great. I’m sure it has lots of fans.

While sorting through and photographing my yarn stash, I found some cotton yarn and am now crocheting pumpkins. It’s really fun. Just crochet a rectangle and the pumpkin is done.

My grandson has now asked for one too, in orange, just like a real pumpkin. And he wants a face on it. It’s already crocheted; now I just have to embroider it.

...I think the pumpkin is pretty 😍
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have anywhere to put it at my place. In my room, the cat would snatch it, and in the living room, the dog would take it to cuddle with.... 
I pulled my scarf out of the UFO box again. I already had one half done, and now I have the second half on my needles 👍 


At the same time, I’ll probably cast on one of Sonja’s cowls in double knitting... My nephew likes the one with the little bears. “Soooo cute,” he says 😂🍂

Petra, that’s a great idea with the pumpkin. It looks fantastic, even if it’s probably a little pale (from the shock). ;-) I’m already well-stocked with decorations, so unfortunately there’s no room left.

Steffi, I really love your scarf. I really like mixing patterns, and it’s fun to knit, too. Sonja’s loop scarf with the little bears is also my favorite because I love little bears and it’s sooo cute. I’ll get to it eventually.

For now, I’m working my way through the family’s orders. The cardigan for my son is growing all the time. This is what it looks like now after a good week.



Next up is the hat for my sister-in-law. And dishcloths and cleaning cloths will follow after that. I also want to finish knitting the baby onesie.

By the way, my friend was absolutely thrilled with the two placemats (Paris and Venice). She even thinks they’re too nice to use as placemats ... they might get dirty. But I managed to convince her. I now know what she wants next ... a shawl made from the mint-and-black yarn. She’ll get that for Christmas.

As you can see, there’s always something to do. I’ll crochet the washcloth with Sonja’s cheeky sheep for my granddaughters for Christmas. I really want to learn how to do that.

Hey there, I’m back again! You guys are still working so hard!
Petra, what’s next with the pumpkin? Crochet a rectangle, and then what? How does it get its shape? I think it looks great in white! ♡

You all have great ideas.

I’m blocking—or trying to block—my doily. Somehow it’s not turning out the way I want it to. One side is wider than the other. I’ll get it right eventually.

Best regards, Gabi 

Anja, the rectangle is sewn together along the short side and then gathered at the top and bottom. Sew it securely and press it neatly.

I’ve tried out a few more things in the meantime and have a small collection now. This way, I’m using up some of my yarn, and I have a few gifts for the gift box.

Steffi, your scarf is turning out beautifully again. I like it when the colors and patterns alternate. You can really see right away how much the scarf has grown. 

Monika.....how fast do you actually knit 😇 with so many projects?

Hey Gabi.... what shape is your doily? I often had the same problem with my lace shawls and ended up buying blocking wires. That makes blocking evenly much easier for me.... 
A mixed-pattern scarf like that is great to knit “in blocks,” and I only ever use one color per row.
But that has to take a back seat for now. I had water damage behind the dishwasher 😝—everything under the laminate flooring. 🚣
Now it’s time to get to work on renovations.... We have to rip up the floor and dry it out, but that also means taking out the kitchen cabinets (thank goodness I have individual modules) and tearing down the wallpaper....
None of it is really fun. But I have help—my son is coming over to lend a hand... We’re starting Friday 👍

Anja and Gabi, it’s so nice to have you back! :)

Oh Steffi, that sounds like a looooot of work and hassle. I really don’t envy you. But even this will pass, and afterward everything will be as good as new. It’s great that you have help—that’s worth a lot.

I guess I really do knit fast. The jacket is knitted with thin yarn, so there are a lot of stitches. The most tedious part was the raglan section, which I’ve now finished. The rest is coming along relatively quickly now—as long as I manage to find time to knit despite having guests, of course.

After a few days of radio silence, there’s suddenly a lot going on again today :-)

Wow, Steffi, you poor thing, that water damage is really awful :-( It’s admirable that you’re still approaching it with humor. What a mess. I hope you get it all sorted out. Fingers crossed, that’s all I can say :-)
After the Magic Loop in knitting, I first had to google it ;-) Have you ever tried the CraSy Trio? I’m knitting with it right now and think it’s great (much better than a set of double-pointed needles), but I can also imagine that it’s not for everyone. Your scarf is beautiful, I’d take it right away too :-) How do you join the two parts together at the end?
Little Tobi Bear is still my favorite too :-)

Petra, the pumpkin really does sound fairly easy to crochet. I had imagined it being super complicated. Will you show us a picture of your pumpkin collection? The white pumpkin already looks great; I’m still curious about the one with the face :-)

Anja, nice that you’re stopping by here again. I hope you’re doing well again!?

Monika, you’ve got four extra hands hidden somewhere, admit it! You’re already so far along with the jacket again... It’s great that your friend was happy about the placemats! And I’m glad you were able to convince her to use them too, that’s what they’re meant for. By the way, I’ve currently got the washcloth with the sheep on my needles as a double-face knitting project. Then you have the free choice of whether you want to knit or would rather crochet :-) But it really would be a nice project for learning tapestry crochet—not too big, not too many color changes, and working in rounds also turns out more precise than in rows.

Gabi, I have no idea about blocking (anyone laughing out loud now knows what they’re thinking ;-) ), but I’m sure lots of good tips will come in.

In the meantime, I’ve also crocheted the unicorn. After the first few rows I didn’t like it at all, but now, seeing the whole thing, I do think it’s very pretty after all. That can go into the Christmas box for Romania :-)



Then my cousin also gave me the idea for a project that I absolutely have to finish in the next two weeks. It’s already designed, but I still have to wait for the yarn, since I didn’t have the colors in my stash. I’m VERY excited myself to see how it will look knitted... 

...I can finally start working on the bear.... I’ve already printed out the pattern 😍

If I didn’t take this with a sense of humor, I’d be in tears right now.... 
On Thursday, I’ll go ahead and buy the wallpaper—it’ll be a warm shade of yellow again. I have real beech wood cabinets, so that’s the best match. And since they have to come down anyway, I’ll just sand and oil them at the same time.... 
For the scarf, the “points” are placed together, and then the stitches are redistributed.... 

I really love the shape—I’ve knitted this one before.... 

@Sonja.... I only have the Crazy Trio in 3.5.... I tried that once....
With the magic loop, I have the advantage that I have the “front” and “back” on separate sides, so when knitting the heel, for example, I don’t have to rearrange anything.... and the pattern and sole are also on one side. I knit gloves this way, too—that way, the back of the hand and the palm (with the thumb gusset) are separate. Especially since there are often different patterns on the top and bottom. It saves me from having to use stitch markers 🙈—they’re not exactly my friends.... 

Hello everyone 

My doily is rectangular. I had stretched it out on a large sofa cushion.  Maybe it isn’t working because the cushion would need to be bigger. 
My next attempt will be on an older play mat that otherwise isn’t used anymore 


Best regards, Gabi 

....my idea would be these puzzle mats (you can often find them at flea markets) or, if the doily isn’t too big, these foam mats for sports—and then use tension wires (they’re usually sold as a set and also come in flexible versions for round doilies or cloths)—if you know someone who can weld.... Welding wires are also quite sturdy and are usually a bit cheaper.... You just need to thread them through, and you’ll have even tension.... 

I’m going to enjoy a little knitting now.... I just got “home from school.” My “little” dog had her first day at her new school today 👍🙈 I think I’ve finally found the right one.... 

Oh Sonja, you’re making it very mysterious again. We’re all eagerly waiting here for your new idea ... it’s like waiting for Christmas. :) The crocheted unicorn is definitely just as beautiful as the knitted one.
It’s great that you’re also making the washcloth with the sheep in DF. For a washcloth, I honestly like it better that way, because then it will be softer and more cuddly. I can learn tapestry crochet with something else. But right now there are other things on the go anyway.
By the way, yesterday I timed one row of the cardigan. It’s 8 minutes! This time I actually want to keep track of how many hours I spent on it.

Steffi, the trick with the welding rods for blocking sounds interesting. I do that with smaller pieces on the ironing board; with shawls I’ve done it side by side like that, and it worked really well too.

By the way, today I started the hat for my sister-in-law. The first two rows in DF are done. She wants it completely without a pattern; only the brim can be a different color. She liked Sonja’s fashion-phobe hat best, but as I said, without a pattern. Once I’ve knitted a piece of it, I’ll show you the colors.

So what’s the deal with this mosaic crochet? Is it regular crochet or Tunisian crochet? It looks really cool, but I don’t like Tunisian crochet... 

They’re single crochet and double crochet stitches... It’s great fun and really “addictive”.... There are sooooo many beautiful patterns.... small ones, but also really large blankets/throws... 

Cool! I’ll add it as a search term here—I’m sure there are patterns for it. :-)

Okay, I couldn’t find what you’re all crocheting here. 

Some beautiful pieces have been created again.
Petra, your pumpkins look really great. And they’re so easy to crochet—awesome!
Steffi, your scarf has a very interesting pattern—it’s so varied!
With your picture scarves and pot holders, you’ve really found your style.  Unicorns are always a hit.
Monika, you’re already quite far along with that jacket. But style-wise, it’s turning out just like yours. So you’ll “just” have to adjust the size, right?

I’ve started on my Christmas projects in the meantime. Since I want to save on wrapping paper in the long run, I’ve crocheted some little gift bags. 

Ruth: Oh no! Now there’s even more on my wish list—how am I ever going to get everything I’ve planned done by Christmas? 😄 Your little pouches are really cute.... they’re now right at the top of my wish list.... though there’s already quite a lot on there 🤣

Let’s see what else I can manage to finish.

And besides that, there are some really great things here again.  I’m totally thrilled.

Well, I’m off to bed now.

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the evening 

Ruth, I’ve already admired your beautiful little bags in another thread. They look really lovely. Great idea for Christmas.

My son wanted the jacket exactly like this—he liked mine so much. However, it has to be without a pattern, which is a bit boring for me. But well… wishes must be granted. The jacket will also be shorter than mine and only slightly wider. The sleeves, though, have to be longer than mine. I just had to do a little recalculating because I ended up using smaller needles (it was a mistake). So there are more stitches, and it’s knitted a bit tighter than mine.

I started on the hat for my daughter-in-law yesterday. Here’s a photo of both sides so you can see the colors. It’s a turquoise-blue and a golden-yellow.




Now I’m off again… with our guests here, I don’t have much time right now—unfortunately.

A great color combination for your sister-in-law’s hat, Monika! Too bad she doesn’t want any pattern at all—that’s probably not very interesting to knit. But then again, it’s the perfect TV project ;-))

Well, another month has flown by. I can see how time flies when I look at my temperature blanket. Here’s what it looks like now on October 1:

So who’s going to tell me where that awesome crochet mosaic pattern comes from? Pleeease

I had written you a private message..... 

Oh Ruth......that blanket is so beautiful...
And those little gift bags, too. My wish list is slowly filling up again 😲🙈😂

Ruth, your blanket is turning out beautifully. Judging by your colors, we had a lovely summer.

I finally had some time and took pictures of my pumpkins. 



My grandson thinks pumpkins have to be orange and have a face on them





Then there was a small one for me



A big one made from 50 grams of yarn with a length of 55 meters



And one I made myself—but I’m not sure if the result looks like a pumpkin or more like an apple in the wrong color

They’re sooo beautiful....
I think the last one just needs to be a little “flatter,” then it’ll be perfect 👍😍

Hey there :-)

Steffi, after staring at the sketch for minutes on end without a clue, the penny just dropped, haha :-) Now I get it. That’s actually a cool concept.
I’m not a big fan of stitch markers either—I only use them occasionally to mark the start of a round. Otherwise, I just count and hope it works out. That went completely wrong this week, but after the tedious process of unraveling and picking up the stitches again, I’m definitely focusing better now :-)
What kind of dogs do you have?

Ruth, your little bags are beautiful and really Christmassy! I love the idea of saving on wrapping paper. Your temperature blanket really pops off the screen—you picked exactly the right colors! Although I’m still a little jealous of all that “red” in your summer ;-)

Monika, are the colors for the hat the same as for the placemats? The combination is great. Your version of the “fashion-phobe” hat is definitely the one for the ultimate fashion-phobes :-) As Ruth already said, this even makes a double-face project TV-friendly...

Petra, you already have quite a collection of pumpkins. The one with the face would look great on our mailbox! Some neighbors on our street are absolute artists when it comes to pumpkin carving and display their creations on their mailboxes. They’d be pretty surprised....

I hope you all have a lovely evening and a wonderful weekend! 

Wow, Ruth, your temperature blanket looks gorgeous in that color combination. You’ve put a lot of hours of work into it. Do you already know what it’s going to be?
Yeah, knitting my daughter-in-law’s hat is getting a bit boring. It’s definitely not a TV project. For one thing, the stitches are easiest to see in daylight, and for another, you really have to pay close attention with DF projects. I’d rather knit the jacket—I can do that with my eyes closed.

Petra, your pumpkin turned out beautifully, too. I like it best in orange as well.
Yeah, you’re right—the yellow one at the bottom looks more like an apple. It has an interesting pattern.

Sonja, you spotted it. I’d ordered various color combinations of Drops Fabel specifically for DF projects. They’re actually similar to the colors on the placemat. My daughter-in-law wanted it very simple in muted colors—nothing flashy or bright. So I thought these colors were just right, and they go well with her other things, too. In any case, I don’t have to count, and it goes a bit faster this way.

I hope you all have a lovely evening and an equally lovely weekend. We’re having summer temperatures, so walks in the woods are on the agenda.

Hi Sonja.... We have a St. Bernard/German Shepherd mix living with us—she weighs just under 50 kg and is totally “bouncy”.... But it’ll be fine (I hope)—she’s very friendly, but also pretty “up-in-your-face,” and before you know it, you’ve got this “joyfully bouncing rubber bullet”.... 
But she can also be really cuddly—I sit on the floor with her right next to me, and then I knit while she takes a nap 😂🙈
I’m currently looking for the right yarn for “Tobi Bear”—it’s hard to find around here since it needs to be washable. Alex is 4 and absolutely hates scarves—“they always get in the way in the sandbox”.... so I’m knitting him an infinity scarf that won’t get in the way when he plays and will keep his neck warm....
  I’ll have to make a trip to the yarn shop—since I only need one skein per color, they should be able to manage that (otherwise they often say, “We’ll have to order that,” and that’s one of the reasons I haven’t been there in ages… It’s a shame, but I can order it myself)
I’m knitting a few more rows of the scarf.... 
Have a nice evening, everyone....


This is what the scarf looks like when it’s knitted together—it was the first one I ever knitted.... 

I just started my first attempt at DF for advanced knitters: it really strains my brain, and it’s even harder for me because I’m used to knitting the odd rows for the back. But I’ve totally caught the DF bug…
The Cheeky Sheep is finished except for the top edge—I’m curious to see if my idea will work out.

Hey Christina.... when will we get to admire your DF project??? 

My practice piece is finished:

 

Wow..... 😍
I haven’t dared to try double-faced lettering yet. Right now, I’m not even sure how to knit that 🤔 Do I have to rearrange the stitches somehow and knit the two sides separately? I can’t really picture it yet.... 

Monika, yes, I suppose the silver lining of a project without a pattern is that it goes faster. But it’s not exactly thrilling :-) That’s why I think it’s all the more wonderful that you’re so attentive to your family’s wishes. That way, everyone will be really happy with their items and will actually wear them!

Steffi, your “little” dog sounds like a gentle giant :-) Those are the kinds of dogs I like best. That reminds me of the day we went to “check out” the village we’ve since moved to—to get a better sense of whether we’d want to live there or not. We were walking past a farm when suddenly a very clumsy, giant Bernese Mountain Dog came running toward us. And then came the cuddle attack!!! He knocked me over a few times in his sheer excitement at having found someone to cuddle. That’s exactly how I picture your dog :-)
I wish you the best of luck with your visit to the yarn shop! Hopefully you’ll find the right yarn. It shouldn’t really be too difficult—washable, soft, and in nice colors. But I’ve just had a similar experience to yours: I went to three yarn stores and didn’t find what I wanted in any of them. It’s so much nicer to buy yarn in a store where you can feel it first...
The double-faced lettering is actually a bit different than usual. The basic principle is the same, though. But to make sure the lettering is readable on both sides, you sometimes have to knit the pairs of stitches in just one color or just the other, so the pattern only appears on one side.

Christina, your swatch is perfect! You’re right—it’s a bit of a brain teaser, so you really have to pay attention. Funnily enough, it actually helps me relax—it lets me tune out the world around me. Too bad for my husband when he sits next to me on the sofa in the evening and wants to talk to me ;-) What did you come up with for the finishing touch on the sheep? Are you done with it yet?

Yesterday, in absolutely gorgeous weather, I was still at Lake Constance helping my mom take down our campsite. Late this afternoon, fall finally arrived here, with gray skies and wind. I do prefer sunshine, but this way I can knit on the sofa with a clear conscience :-)

I wish you all a lovely evening and a great start to the new week tomorrow!

Hello everyone,

I’ve kept a bit of a low profile because of a project. When I’m in the final stages of a project, I always tune out everything else and focus solely on it. Today, the new pattern is finally finished and uploaded—and I can now get back to other things.

First, a quick look back at your creative works. There’s so much to see and admire: patterned socks, cheerful unicorns, colorful blankets, lots and lots of pumpkins, bright cardigans, festive gift bags, interesting DB projects, and so on and so forth. You’ve all been very, very hard at work! And because there’s so much, I won’t be able to highlight each one individually this time. So, as a special exception, I’d like to praise all your beautiful creations as a whole.

Here are a few more photos of my new doll dresses. I already showed you the beginning the other day. I’ve also added the sleeve shawls in 4 different versions. You can’t see all of them in the photos right now, but maybe one or two of you will take a look at them “in real life.”

I hope you have a relaxing evening.
Warm regards from Ina

Ina, when I see the princess dresses, I immediately think it’s a shame that I don’t like Barbies… I do have a black-haired one from my daughter: back when she was a kid, you just HAD to have a doll like that to fit in, and I actually did crochet one of your little dresses once because I didn’t like the old outfit. Do you make the dresses for your own Barbies, or do they bring joy to other doll moms?

Dear Kristina, I used to want to become a fashion illustrator and design clothes. That didn’t work out in the end. I didn’t have any Barbies as a child. Maybe that’s where my current love for Barbie dolls and their clothes comes from.

I share my doll clothes with my 6-year-old granddaughter. But I have my own dolls, and of course they wear my latest doll fashions.

Best regards, Ina

Hi everyone, I have something to show again

I got to crochet for Sonja again, and it turned out to be another bag. At first, I wasn’t happy with the color at all. But for a girl’s bag, it actually looks pretty good.



And then I finally finished a long-term UFO.

Yes, Ina, your enthusiasm and talent for fashion illustration really shine through in your designs. The dresses don’t look complete without the sleeve scarves. I’m thrilled—they’re beautiful!
Sandra, you’re being very productive again. I really like your bag. And the door wreath turned out very “cute.” 
Christina,  I admire your double-face shawl. It looks very complicated. 
And Petra, it seems you’ve really gotten into mass-producing pumpkins...
I’ve been doing more embroidery again, but soon I’ll have a little crocheted something to show. Right now, I’m still tinkering with it a bit. 

Hello everyone,

We’re usually harder on ourselves than others are. That’s why, dear Sandra, I think the girls’ bag looks great! The unicorn in gradient yarn really brings the bag to life. The gray is just the background against which the motif stands out. But with the gradient, the motif is more vibrant than if you’d made it in a single color. Plus, the carrying strap is made from the same yarn. So, I like it just the way it is!

The Christmas door wreath turned out really beautiful, too. There’s so much to look at and discover, and it spreads Christmas cheer before you enter a room. It’s great that you finished it before Christmas. Now everyone can enjoy it in the time ahead.

@Ruth,
thank you so much for your praise. I’m really happy about it :-) We’re excited to see what lovely things you’ll come up with next.

I wish everyone a wonderful day. My sister is coming to visit later, so we’ll make ourselves comfortable with coffee and cake and have a nice chat.

Warm regards, Ina

Oh man, Ina, I wish I’d had such great Barbie dresses (I had to write that with a hyphen—otherwise it reads “barber-top,” hihihi) for my dolls back then! I loved playing with them so much...

You guys are so hard at work again, making such great things!

I’ve started a ton of projects again and haven’t finished any of them. However, I still have a loop collar to finish for my neighbor—that’s my top priority right now, so she’ll have the perfect scarf for fall to match her current favorite color, “cognac.” I’m already knitting this for the third time because it’s so much fun and you don’t have to think while you’re doing it. I hope I can show you something here soon.
:-)

Hey everyone, I’m back again. I don’t have much time right now. Things won’t get better until next week. You’ve all made such beautiful things again. I’m absolutely thrilled.

Christina, I want to try that again too—DF for advanced knitters. For some reason, I always get a knot in my head with that. You’ve mastered it so well. The colors of your practice piece look great, too.

Yeah, Sonja, it is a bit boring, but at least this way I can chat with our guests while I knit. That would be impossible if I had to count.

Ina, wow, you’ve created some absolutely gorgeous works of art again. You definitely have the talent to be a fashion designer. I don’t even know which one I like best. They’re all beautiful and look so warm and fluffy. A dream for the doll moms who will get to dress them in them one day. It’s so nice that you can still enjoy these doll outfits and the dolls that go with them so much. The child in you is still very much alive—just like in me.

Sandra, as always, you’ve crocheted some beautiful things. The colors of the bag aren’t exactly my style, but it still looks great. The Christmas door wreath looks very artistic, and I really like it.

Ruth and Anja, I’m sure you’ll have something to show soon, too.

I’ll post a photo in the next few days as well. I’ve now finished the body of my son’s jacket except for a few rows. Now I just need to do the sleeves and the buttons. The hat is only growing slowly. With our guests here, I don’t have much time for knitting—I usually only get to it in the evenings.
Since my daughter-in-law asked me how long it actually takes me to make a knitted piece, I’m now using a stopwatch to write down how long each row takes me. I’m surprised already. I’ll let you know the result.

For now, I hope you have lots of fun, and I’ll check in again in the next few days.

Hey everyone…
I’ll probably be spending today and tomorrow on the couch knitting—though not entirely by choice…
Yesterday, I wanted to run around with my “little one” 🐺 and then, while putting on my shoes… bam—there was already something in there: a hornet! So I spent the night applying cold compresses, and now I have to keep my foot elevated—that stupid bug really “hit” me in the worst spot; I actually couldn’t manage without painkillers, and I never take those otherwise....
Well, at least my scarf’s growing quite a bit—I’ve already finished half of part two, and knitting a pattern is a great distraction.

@Sonja..... That’s exactly how you can picture my “little” Emely. Totally frantic with joy and bustling about, and she loves nothing more than being held 😂🙈 And when she doesn’t know what to do with all that “joy energy” anymore, she takes off running—full speed ahead—but always stays close by, because the ground starts shaking 😂
There’s a “shop” in Kiel that spins dog fur into yarn.... mine has such a beautiful undercoat and so much of it. I was already thinking about it last year—not because it’s from my dog, but because it’s really wonderfully soft... I’ll write them a message....

Oh Steffi, that really is a nasty trap. The hornet surely wanted to secure itself a warm little spot for the winter. I can well imagine that it hurt a lot and was/is swollen. But luckily that will go away again. Until then, just distract yourself with knitting - exactly right! You always have to make the best of every situation.

@Anja,
yes, I know that too - sometimes it feels like you have 1000 started projects and get more and more dissatisfied because you don’t finish anything. What helps me is only this: do one after the other, very disciplined - and absolutely don’t try out any new idea. Your neighbor will surely be happy about the loop scarf in her favorite color - but you really have to be very good and knit only on that one.

@Monika
It’s nice that you have visitors. Yes, visitors take time and energy and attention. But we still take a little time for our needles anyway. Anyone who knows us and visits us knows that our fingers itch and that we are only truly relaxed and content when we have some needlework in our hands. All the nicer when the visitors are gone and you have no obligations.

@Ina
I’m also currently working through started patterns, or rather taking care of wishes for handmade items. I actually don’t like taking commissions, but in between - that is, after a finished project and before a new project - I always find it quite pleasant that I don’t have to “think.” Just knit something familiar and tried-and-true, and maybe enjoy the mild October sun while doing it. That’s what I’m doing today! The sun is shining, the felting wool has been picked out.

I have to knit 4 pairs of felted slippers: 1 x for my daughter-in-law, 1 x for my friend, and 2 x for an acquaintance from my swap group. They are 3 different models, so I won’t get bored either.

I wish you all a lovely day. Enjoy the autumn sun, the visitors, and, if possible, the time with your handmade projects.

Best wishes from Ina

Oh dear, Steffi, a hornet in your shoe—nobody expects that. Knitting is a great way to take your mind off things. This, too, will pass.

Ina, you’re super hard at work again, especially with those amazing shoes. We love them!!
You’re just better at this than I am. Ours will surely make it through this winter just fine.

Our guests will only be here until Sunday, after all. We’re already enjoying these last few days. We have the afternoon and evening off today, so I’m busy catching up on the computer: Of course, the needles can clatter away—that’s just part of my routine. Things will get back to normal starting Monday, and then I’ll finally get around to writing up the patterns again.

For now, I wish you all a lovely evening and send my warmest regards to everyone!
Monika

Every now and then, I have to take a break from crocheting. My grandson asked me to make him a Halloween costume: a black hooded cape.
Here’s the result:


“You did a pretty good job on that,” he said. “That’s exactly how I pictured it!” Well, if that isn’t a compliment!

Wow, Ruth, that’s a well-deserved compliment!

I rewarded myself for an achievement I made as follows: 

Great colors, Anja! Do you already know what you’re going to make with them?

You really treated yourself well there....
At the bottom in the middle is “my” favorite color “....
Is the yarn really as fluffy as described? I’m still looking for a cozy, washable alternative to wool… It’s for my nephew, and as is often the case when you have kids, it has to be low-maintenance—no hand-washing, etc…
Ruth… you’ve “really done a great job” on this 👍

Yes, it’s wonderfully fluffy—I’m very sensitive to scratchiness. And I’m curious to see how it knits up. It was just an amazing deal: a 100 g skein for under €3. 
And I don’t like mohair—the fuzz always makes me cough. 

It’s going to be a colorfully striped cardigan. I’m not allowed to show photos from outside sources. 
Because of my hot flashes, I always need to be able to take something off and put it back on quickly. I can’t always pull something over my head—it makes me feel claustrophobic. 

Ruth, that’s really wonderful praise. The things grandchildren wish for… and Grandma makes them happen. Who else? ;-)

Anja, that yarn looks very fluffy and warm—such great colors. I’m also curious to see what you have in mind for it.

I’ve made great progress on the jacket, too. Actually, a bit too much progress. Because I measured it and now I have to rip it out at the bottom. No!!! Look, this is how it looks—too long. Unfortunately, I measured it wrong—I started from the front cuff. But I need the length from the shoulder to the bottom to be 70 cm (up to the marker—everything below that has to go). Learned something new. That definitely won’t happen to me again.



And this is how short it needs to be.



The good thing is that the yarn will go further this way. Well, I went to a lot of trouble for nothing.

Oh no.... that’s annoying about having to rip it out.
Anja... I’ll keep an eye on that yarn—right now I’m trying to save up a bit. I paid for my dog’s training course 😕😯. But it had to be done; the order will have to wait until the end of the month. 
I’m excited to see your jacket 👍
I’ve already knitted quite a bit of my scarf—even a little bit in the sun today—and I’m still keeping my foot up 🙈
A cold pack on my foot isn’t fun, especially since my feet are always so cold anyway.... 

Oh, unraveling is always a pain.

I’m still working on the pumpkins. In the meantime, I’ve crocheted up quite a few individual skeins using a large crochet hook.

Here’s a picture of my biggest and my smallest one

Steffi, wishing you continued recovery for your foot. ♡

Petra, you really were looking for those things! I haven’t finished the first one yet because the ribs don’t come out right when I do it the way the pattern says. I’ve started over and am now inserting at the back on both sides. The idea of using little sticks as stems is great! 

Monika, I actually enjoy unraveling—I love watching the stitches come apart. But I always feel bad about the work that went to waste. 

Anja, unraveling is just the first, more enjoyable part (I feel the same way as you do), but then having to pick up the stitches again… and above all, the wasted time really bugs me!

Anja and Petra, which pattern are you using to crochet the pumpkins? Petra’s look great.

Petra, how big are your masterpieces? And how much yarn do you use up on them? For me, it’s always just a very small amount, but I also work with a small hook (2.5 or 3).

Petra, your pumpkins are amazing! That’s a very pretty and easy-to-make decoration.

Anja, I feel the same way about unraveling. Luckily, I “only” have to unravel here. ;-)

Steffi, I also hope your foot gets better soon.

Now I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

The pattern is linked on Petra’s blog. 

Hi everyone,

I’m afraid I don’t have much time today, but I wanted to at least check in briefly and wish you all a wonderful weekend!

Steffi, I hope your foot gets better soon! It’s such a shock to find a hornet in your shoe :-( Do you have someone who can take your “little lap dog” for a walk?

See you very soon—I’ll be back with a more detailed update then. Have a great start to the weekend!

Hello there,
Before you all head off to enjoy this beautiful, sunny fall weekend, just a quick hello from me.

@Ruth ,
That Halloween cape looks great! And it’s wonderful that grandmas can fulfill their grandchildren’s wishes like that. Not everyone knows how to sew, after all. He’ll definitely wear it with pride when he goes trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.

@Monika
Of course it’s frustrating when you’ve knitted too much. You just weren’t 100% focused because of your visitors. That kind of thing happens to me sometimes, too. You really just want to knit to relax, and then your “pay-attention brain” just shuts off for a bit. But you’ve already fixed the mistake—and the jacket is coming along.

@Petra
You’re in pumpkin fever! But it’s also the perfect time of year for it. I can totally understand why those chubby, round little guys are just hopping off your crochet hook right now. It’s fun—you can just tell. The tiny one looks totally unassuming next to its big brother. And the white ones look really elegant. It’s making me want to whip up some little pieces like that, too. We’ll see…

@Steffi
I hope your foot continues to heal well, and that—as “compensation”—you make good progress on your interesting scarf.

@Anja
Congratulations on your new yarn. We’re all excited to see what you’ll make with it.

@Sonja
Thank you so much for your message, too. We also wish you a pleasant weekend—hopefully with some time for your craft projects.

@Ina
Yesterday I finished my first pair of commissioned felt moccasins. The color doesn’t show up well in the photo. In real life, it’s a warm “pumpkin orange.”



I wish everyone a wonderful weekend.

Warm regards from Ina

Thanks for all the praise. Yes, I really enjoy crocheting with thick yarn, and I think the finished pieces are absolutely beautiful. I crochet with a large hook size. For the big red one, I used a 300-gram skein with a length of 105 m. Hook size 12. For stuffing, I used two old silk scarves, one of my daughter’s sweaters, a cardigan of mine, and a children’s fitted sheet. Quite a bit fit inside, and it has a nice weight to it now. The stitch used is single crochet, always inserting the hook into the back loop—that’s how I like them best right now.

  @Anja: On my blog, I show a different pattern. I used this one to crochet my little ones, and I always like to try something new....

Like this pumpkin. It was old to begin with, then I painted it with chalk paint and added a lace doily on top. 

Oh Petra, the pumpkin with the little doily on top looks absolutely enchanting! A real vintage style. And the gnarled stem and the light blue pumpkin with the chalky color tone—a truly successful composition. I like it very much.

I have finished my second pair of ordered felt moccasins. Since I didn’t quite have enough felting wool, I crocheted the last round with a different yarn.

Now I’m going outside into the sunshine; there’s still a little bit to do in the garden, too. I wish everyone a wonderful golden October weekend.

Best regards, Ina





Ina, those look great, ESPECIALLY because of the contrasting color! Don’t they slip when you walk?

I started knitting with the new yarn yesterday and I’m blown away! It’s super soft, hardly sheds at all—just don’t unravel it, or it’ll end badly.
I reordered right away before the price goes up even more and the colors sell out. Normally, 100 g costs €6.10; I ordered 10 now, so it was only €3.30. When I ordered during the sale, I even paid just €2.75. I’m always happy when yarn is nice, but when it’s also affordable, I’m twice as happy. I’m just a penny-pincher. :-)

Since I always have a hard time deciding which color to use and how much to knit with it, I entered the colors into a random number generator, and it always makes the decision for me. That takes the stress off me and gives me color sequences I probably wouldn’t have chosen on my own. Since I knit while watching TV, I knit until the commercials come on, and then I switch colors. That way, I don’t have to think about ANYTHING. Convenience taken to the next level *grin*.

@Anja The colors are great so far. I’m really looking forward to seeing your cozy jacket. 

@Ina I think your shoes are so great. Was the contrasting color crocheted on later? I’m sure it was, because otherwise it would get totally felted—though differently than felting wool. I’m not surprised you have so many people interested in these great shoes. Maybe I’ll eventually start felting more than just nests for squirrels. I haven’t dared to try it yet. 

@Anja
I think that’s a cool idea with the color generator. However, that wouldn’t be for me—I want to decide for myself. But with your version, you really don’t have to think about it at all; you can just knit with one color as you go from ad to ad. Congratulations on your bargain finds. Very clever! But that only worked because you tested the yarn beforehand. Now you can really draw from a wealth of options.

Yes, Anja, the Filzies do slip, of course. That’s why I always apply an anti-slip sole made of thick liquid latex, or I have to sew leather soles underneath. For family and friends, I go to the trouble of making the leather soles; everyone else gets the latex version.

@Petra
I crocheted the contrasting color as the last round. If it’s 100% virgin wool and the yarn weight is the same as the felting wool, then it felts just like the rest of the shoe. There’s no difference. You just have to find the right shade that matches the felting wool.

I wish everyone a relaxing Saturday evening. Let those needles clatter!

Ina, your slippers turned out beautifully once again. I especially like the ones with the two colors. You finished both pairs super fast.
Yeah, it might be because of my visitors that I knitted too much. But I also measured wrong—unfortunately, I didn’t realize it until afterward.

Petra, you have such lovely ideas. A pumpkin with a doily is definitely one-of-a-kind.

Anja, I also enjoy knitting colorful things like that. Just dive right in and change colors however you feel like it. I’ve made some really pretty things that way many times. What you’ve knitted so far definitely looks great and really cozy.

Well, now I’m wishing you all a relaxing and lovely Saturday evening with your needles and cozy yarn. I’m going to keep knitting the double-faced hat today. Because of the thin yarn, it’s growing slowly.

A cheerful hello to everyone…
After a long break, I’d like to chime in again. Unfortunately, I’ve always been a bit short on time to write here, but of course I’ve read everything and admired your work.
You’ve all been very diligent, and every single piece has turned out beautifully.

I’m really taken with Petra’s pumpkins—the “chalk-colored” one in particular has something special about it.

Monika, you knit like a champion. Even with guests over, you seem to be making good progress, and you even find a little time to post here. I can’t manage that, because my little retreat always ends up serving as the guest room, and even my crafts sometimes get left lying around.

Ina, your felted shoes are always wonderful to admire. I had put that on my to-do list, but so far it’s unfortunately only on the list.

Ruth, I think it’s wonderful that you respond to your grandchildren’s wishes. That way you know you’re not doing the work for nothing, and the greatest thanks is, of course, when they like what they ordered. You really did a great job on the Halloween cape.

Anja, I hadn’t read anything from you in a long time. I’d be in for yarn on sale too, lol… I had that luck on vacation at Lake Constance. There’s a Wolle Rödel store in Friedrichshafen, and they had tons of offers too. I came out with two full bags. My husband only asked whether I’d bought needles as well; he was probably worried he wouldn’t get me out of the hotel and I’d just be crafting the whole time. Of course I hadn’t, so the yarn stayed in the bags.

In the meantime, I’ve also finished a few things of my own that I’d like to show today.

Here are a few star-shaped gingerbread tea lights


Window or door decoration: bell


and my biggest challenge: placemats in three-color tapestry technique


[Image removed]

Wow, Ines, these turned out great! Your vacation seems to have done you a world of good. Not only did you relax and recharge with your husband, but you’re also bursting with creativity. I really love all three of the pieces you shared. They’re all so atmospheric for the (pre-)Christmas season. If I had to pick just one, I wouldn’t even know which one I like best. Actually, yes—I think the scene with the illuminated church and the stars in the night sky is my favorite. The three-color version is even prettier. It makes the motif look more “three-dimensional” and gives it more depth. Maybe it’ll become even “straighter” if you block it while it’s damp.

I wish everyone a wonderful day and a great start to the new week.
Warm regards, Ina

Wow, Ina, the three-color one is absolutely gorgeous!
How do you get the bells to stand up? Sugar water?
With the tea lights, I’d be worried they might catch fire, so close to the yarn… but they’re very pretty. 

Dear Anja,

of course, only LED lights should be used in the tea light holders; I also warn against open flames in the patterns.
I reinforce the bells with wood glue diluted with water, but sugar water works too.

Oops, I ended up sending this off a bit too quickly—I actually have the placemat in another color, and I’ve already stretched it out and ironed it with steam,


Ina, thank you so much for the feedback—I really appreciate it. I had already started the placemats before my vacation, but they ended up taking quite a bit more time than I expected.

Hello everyone....
Ines, you’ve created some really beautiful things.... 
My favorite is the placemat 😍 I’ve never crocheted tapestry in rows before, only in the round. I should give that a try sometime. 

Ina.... I’ve fallen in love with your slippers, they look totally "cozy". How much yarn does a pair of slippers like that take??? (Size 39)? 

But before I start anything new, I’m going to finish knitting my scarf first. Just 4 more rows and I can join the two pieces together. I still have no idea what I’m going to wear it for.... I do like the colors, but they’re also very "unusual," somehow 🙈
I’ll wait and see how it looks once it’s off the needles, washed, and blocked.... 

Oh my gosh, Ines! I need new glasses! I DIDN’T see that it was an LED light. Or rather, I always look at you all on my phone, so it’s pretty small there—in my defense. I guess I should look at CP on my tablet after all. 
The placemats are SO AWESOME! That must be totally exhausting, and I don’t like exerting myself... I’m definitely the laziest crafter here... 

I’ve gone and bought more yarn again. *ashamed* 
At Kik. A 500 g skein in a berry shade. Ugh. At Edeka, they even had 700 g skeins... I barely managed to resist buying another giant one. *addicted* 

@Steffi: 0>

Ines, your latest creations are absolutely enchanting. What ratio do you use to dilute the wood glue? I once used it almost undiluted for starching, but then it wasn’t really transparent anymore. The sets are very atmospheric. That must have taken a lot of work and concentration. I’ve always wanted to try three-color tapestry crochet, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.

  Steffi, your scarf is already coming along nicely. It really has an interesting pattern, but I can imagine it wouldn’t go with everything. Still, I could definitely see it paired with a cream-colored jacket.

  Ina’s felt shoes are a dream! I especially like the color, and the edge looks like it was planned that way from the start.

Anja, the idea with the random generator is brilliant. And your jacket will then become, so to speak, a “commercial break jacket,” similar to my temperature blanket.

  I have something to show you, too—something I finished over the weekend: my little snowflakes. You can use them as decorations, but since I crocheted a little pocket on the back, they also work as an Advent calendar or as gift tags.  

Well, it’s time for me to go to bed! Good night 😴!

Dear Ruth, I always use wood glue in a 50-50 ratio; mix it all well, and that way you’ll have no or hardly any residue.
A very nice idea with the snowflakes and even a little gift compartment.

Steffi, regarding your scarf, I actually have a jacket that matches this shade of lilac, but I could also imagine pairing it with beige or that curry shade that’s so trendy right now. I also find the design of the scarf itself very interesting.

Anja, oh yes, the urge to buy yarn and actually buying it always go hand in hand, even for me. However, I’ve made a resolution to only buy yarn when I’m missing certain colors or when I’m planning a larger project where nothing in my stash works, whether it’s the quality or the color. I used to buy yarn whenever I saw it, but over time my stash grew to unmanageable levels. Now, rather than having yarn lying around that I’ll probably never use, I usually walk right past the deals at the supermarket. It’s hard, yes… so what…

Unreasonable amounts—yes, that’s exactly it… I’ll never be able to knit up everything I have lying around here. But I don’t want to give it away either.

I just started a scarf for a friend for the fifth time. I hadn’t found the right pattern until now, but I just found it. Then I wanted to knit up the unraveled yarn so it wouldn’t get tangled—that just took me two hours, and I’m totally annoyed because my friend wants a classic long scarf. I would’ve preferred to make her a cowl instead, because that’s fun and goes fast. No, a project that takes forever—ugh, no way.

I also promised my cousin a cowl, started one for myself for the new jacket, and the one for my neighbor isn’t finished yet either—but I’m in the home stretch—just 8 rows to go and then!!!!

That’s why I’m not done with the jacket yet either; I’m totally getting sidetracked by this undisciplined habit of starting something here and there. Hmpf! I’d love to be more disciplined, man. But if I’m not having fun with something, I’d rather not do anything at all than torture myself. I’m always fascinated when people here finish one project after another or go forever without buying any yarn.

And then I think, screw it—I have so many things I have to do; at least with my hobby, I want to be free from imposed rules. 

Oh, Anja, as long as you’re okay with this “undisciplined” way of working, everything’s fine. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Some of us just have to jump on every yarn sale we see. And if they can afford it and enjoy it, why not? And so, lots of projects end up being worked on at the same time. 
That would make me nervous; I prefer to focus on one thing and work through it one by one. And I almost exclusively buy yarn for specific projects. But I don’t limit myself either, because if I have a specific material in mind, I’ll buy it rather than look for a substitute among my leftovers. Naturally, this means my yarn stash is growing too.

Hi everyone,
I just had to wrestle with a 17-page application—man, the bureaucracy in Germany can really wear you down. Now I need to do some “relaxation knitting” right away as an immediate countermeasure.

@Ines
I really like the second three-color placemat, too. But I like the first one better—the dark blue background really evokes a dark night against which the stars shine brightly.

@Ruth
I also think the stars are beautiful and, on top of that, very practical. Without the secret compartment, they’d just be decorative stars—somehow rather generic (sorry). But with the secret compartment, so many new possibilities open up. I really like that! You can use it to give away lots of little surprises. Once the stars are hardened with the wood glue and water mixture—just like Ines’s bells—you can even stand them up. Great idea and execution!

@Anja
Just take it easy: You are who you are! Unique, one-of-a-kind, special. You don’t have to be like everyone else or work through things one by one. Just be content with yourself and embrace that as something special. Little by little, your projects will get done, too. Everyone is just “knitted” differently. Owning yarn makes you happy—we all know that. And nothing makes you more unhappy than a skein of yarn you’ve been eyeing all day in a store but didn’t buy. You just can’t get it out of your head. So—if your wallet allows it—you might as well “snag” it. Eventually, every skein of yarn will find a use.

@Steffi
Your colorful zigzag scarf is also one-of-a-kind. You can’t get enough of all the different patterns. And the colors harmonize perfectly with each other. You’ll definitely find a jacket to go with it. First, though, it has to be finished. We’re all curious to see what it’ll look like in real life when it’s done. I think what I’ve seen so far is absolutely wonderful.

For felt moccasins in size 39, you need 3 1/2 balls of felting yarn (about 170 g).

@Ina
For me, the felt shoe trend is here to stay for a while. I hope you’re not getting bored of it. But I have so many orders from family and swap partners in my swap group that I’ll be knitting a few more pairs.

Today’s pair is for my daughter-in-law. She loves dusty pink. What’s special about these is that they have “pull tabs.” That way, she can put them on more easily. My grandson’s felt shoes also have “pull tabs,” so that’s what she requested. But her shoes will also get a leather sole and a sewn-on “glitter brooch” on top. That means you’ll get to see them again later.

I hope you have a pleasant afternoon.
Best regards, Ina

Thank you so much for your kind words, Ina—that really did me good. 
I just took a look at your felted slippers pattern in the shop—WOW, that seems to be a big hit. You can be proud of your idea! 

Sigh… it’s a shame I don’t have any friends who do crafts. I’d be so happy if someone would knit or crochet something for me too. Somehow, I’m always just the supplier. Do any of you feel the same way? 

Guess I’ll “have” to go out and buy some felting yarn again—can’t wait.... 
I know all too well what it’s like to buy yarn—just opening that drawer, seeing it, and touching it makes me happy. This year, I actually bought very little and sorted through and donated a lot.... what can I say, one or two skeins are missing now 🙈
even though I still have so much that I just can’t bring myself to part with. And I know for sure that I’ll never knit it up. Just looking at it is sooo nice.... 
I’m going to knit a little more on the scarf now, and then I’ll get some felting yarn.... 
and a cardigan still needs one sleeve... then my UFO box will actually be empty... oh, no, not quite—I still have a crochet bag that isn’t quite finished yet 🙈 but then everything should be done 
Anja.... It’s pretty rare for me to knit or crochet for others—I always end up putting pressure on myself. But once a week, I meet up with about 10 others for knitting coffee, and that’s when we swap the occasional “finished” item.... Two weeks ago, I traded gloves for socks. Or sometimes someone really likes a crocheted backpack, for example, so much that they’ll pay for the materials and the coffee.... 
I’d never finish “commissions” like that scarf for my friend, because I can only knit what I like. Everything else just makes me feel blocked; it simply won’t go onto my needles. 

I feel the same way. I only accept requests from my grandson. Because with friends and strangers, the pressure is there: I have to do it, whether it’s fun or not. Anything voluntary can be set aside and knitted whenever you feel like it.

I’d love a knitting group like that too. Maybe then one or two of my UFOs would come off the needles more easily. But I haven’t found one like that around here yet. 

We could always start an online knitting circle. :-)

I was at one once—a Mexican restaurant—but afterward, the yarn always stank of frying oil, YUCK!

It ended with one of the ladies naming a pattern after me on another pattern site. hehe 

We put up a notice in the yarn shop.... so every now and then “new” people join and bring a breath of fresh air to the group.... We meet at a hotel/restaurant for coffee, and in the summer we sit outside under a parasol and enjoy the cool breeze..... and always without that fried food smell 😇.
At first, we met every two weeks, and eventually we started meeting weekly....
Now and then, someone sends a WhatsApp message in between, asking things like, “Which yarn would you choose?” or questions about patterns or something like that.... I think that’s really nice... 

Finally! My unruly sheep has been tamed and is now ready to be shown off:



However, I can’t give it top marks for sewing yet—I struggled with this cotton for a long time, especially since I always had to pull the stitches tight and the yarn would split…














When 

A warm hello to everyone here,

I just wanted to check in again. I’ve been following along here diligently, but at the moment I don’t have much time to comment on everything. I still haven’t unpacked all the boxes from the move. Ordering from Ik.... is pointless, their shelves are apparently empty. What a nuisance.

You’ve all made so many wonderful things again, the pumpkins, felt shoes, the placemat, I think everything is really beautiful, and the one with the sheep too. It looks great crocheted, and Anja’s knitted piece does too.
My hands are itching too, but that will have to wait for now.

Question for Anja: Is the yarn really that soft? Especially around the neck? Since I’m very sensitive to scratchy wool, I’m interested because I usually work with cotton. Knitting, yes, but what about crochet? Maybe it’s not so good for that?

Then have a lovely time here, everyone

Best wishes
Andrea

@Andrea: 

I’m also very sensitive to scratchiness. I just briefly put the knitted piece around my neck, and I don’t like it against my neck. 
Crocheting works (just tried it), but knitting is better. And as mentioned before, unraveling it doesn’t work. The yarn gets snagged. 

Wow, there’s really a lot going on here! And so many beautiful things you’re showing off.

Ines , I know the shop in Friedrichshafen from the inside, too. I felt exactly the same way as you did a few years ago. It’s just too tempting, isn’t it? You’ve crocheted some enchanting Christmas decorations again. That placemat is absolutely amazing—and in three colors, too! I really like both of them, and I wouldn’t know which one to choose… well, maybe the red one in that case. The tea lights and the bells are simply beautiful, too.

Steffi , your scarf is something really special. The patterns and colors really speak to me, too. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s completely finished.
I feel exactly the same way as you do. Just looking at them and feeling them is simply a dream. I love having my closets full of yarn. And eventually, the ideas will come too.
Swapping knitted items in a group—I’d love that too. It’s a brilliant idea. I miss having a knitting group like that here. That’s why I’m all the more excited about our virtual get-together here.

Anja , why be embarrassed? :-) Buying yarn is the best thing ever—except for knitting or crocheting, of course. Do you already know what you’ll make with that skein? Don’t worry about what others are doing here. Just do your own thing. For me, having fun is still the most important thing, and after all, we’re not in a yarn race here. I also like working on several projects at the same time.
Yeah, I’m the same way—I knit things for others. But I like it best when I knit things for myself. Because I know best what I like.

Ruth , I admire your creativity with the little things. The idea of crocheting snowflakes with pockets—that’s really something. I can totally picture them as gift tags. The snowflakes even have cute little faces! :)

Ina , your slippers are simply beautiful—each one is completely one-of-a-kind. The loops are really practical; I can totally see that. Like I said, we love them, too. I just can’t make them as well as you do. Everyone has their own strengths. You’re a master at felting, Ruth at little crochet projects, Ines at great crochet ideas and tapestry, and Sonja at beautiful designs for double-face and tapestry. I really admire all of that. It’s great that things are so colorful here and that we always get to see something new.

Christina , I’m totally thrilled with your sheep washcloth! I’m going to knit or crochet one myself, too. It’s on my Christmas gift list for my granddaughters. I really like it knitted. And the colors—beautiful! Is that for your grandson?

Andrea , it’s great to see you stopping by again. I totally believe you when you say you’re still far from finished with the apartment. Maybe secondhand furniture is an option. We’ve done that before and found some nice pieces. The classifieds on e...y always have good deals.

I’m now on the second sleeve of the jacket for my son. It’ll probably be done by the weekend. The hat for my daughter-in-law will be finished soon, too. I’m now working on the decreases at the top. I like knitting for others, but only for those who appreciate it. I’m planning to knit a triangular shawl for my friend for Christmas—made of cotton. She saw this black-and-turquoise color combination at my place, and those are exactly her colors.

Have a lovely evening, everyone, and keep those needles clicking.

Best, Monika

October Projects 2021, Part 2: The Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Enjoy the new thread.