October Projects 2021, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Here is the new thread
October Projects 2021, Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group



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

You can read the earlier posts via the link:
October Projects and September Projects 2021, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Hi everyone!

It’s supposed to rain here today, so I’m leaving the garden be and taking care of a few things here.

Ina, you really have your hands full with those felt shoes, but when you know someone wants them, you’re happy to do it—the idea with the tab is brilliant. I’m curious to see what it looks like “all finished” with the brooch.

Christina , the washcloth looks really pretty again, too.

Andrea, it’s nice to hear from you again—I can totally believe what you’re saying about ordering furniture and all that; things are probably a bit tricky right now. My daughter’s been complaining about the same thing—she ordered furniture for the kids’ room and had to wait a long time for it.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you’ll be able to get your needles clacking again soon, too.

Monika, yes, the store is great—I almost drove to Ravensburg to Finkhof myself, but our days were so packed with activities that I figured, well, you already bought some yarn, so maybe I’ll just check out the online shop. Right now I have so much yarn that even two arms aren’t enough, haha.

I’ve already used some of the yarn to make a loop scarf, and now I’m working on a ghost—an order from a friend whose granddaughter absolutely wants a decoration like that for Halloween.



Have a wonderful day—hopefully with better weather than we’re having here

I hope you all have a lovely afternoon.
It rained here this morning too; now it’s cloudy and gray.

I went for a stroll through town with my mom today—for the first time in ages—and it was so nice, despite the rain and...
I signed my employment contract today. It worked out. Yay!

Our wall unit is supposedly arriving today, so I’m curious to see what happens.

Everyone, keep crafting away! Bye for now

Thanks Anja for the info, now I know.

Congratulations on the employment contract :-)

@Andrea: Congratulations on your employment contract. That’s great news.

I’m still working on the pumpkins. Right now, they’re all together on my table to delight me. And with each one, I say, “This is the last one.” But I still have matching yarn. 

Congratulations, Andrea! I’m so happy for you that it worked out so quickly, and I hope the work brings you a lot of satisfaction.
Fingers crossed for your furniture! It’s really frustrating when things aren’t delivered on time—you just want to finally get everything set up.

A long time coming... It doesn’t look nearly as bad as it was to knit. Terrible yarn. 

Petra I’d already written something about the pumpkins, but it doesn’t show up here. The variations are great—from round to elongated—and the bumps look really good, too. 

Ines the color of the cowl is great, so lemony and fresh. 

Andrea congratulations from me, too, on your employment contract! 

Anja, the collar looks great. I really like the colors.

Ines, I can totally imagine that you were kept busy at Lake Constance. There’s plenty to see and visit there. One vacation isn’t nearly enough for that. And you’ve already brought back quite a bit of yarn. The Finkhof isn’t going anywhere, and ordering online works just as well.
Your loop scarf looks very cozy and warm. I’m sure you’ll be able to put it to good use soon.

Andrea, congratulations on your employment contract. Now you’re really settling back into your old home here, and it looks like it’s doing you a world of good. Now you can catch up on everything you’ve missed over the last few years. Your furnishings are coming together bit by bit, too. Soon you’ll have time and leisure to crochet again. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that.

Petra, your pumpkins are truly amazing. So varied in color and shape. They look very decorative. And the leftover yarn is slowly turning into pretty decorations.

Anja, I’m totally thrilled with your beautiful scarf—or loop. I really love the yarn and the color. And I love the knitting pattern and the whole design, too. Congratulations on your perseverance! You’re now perfectly prepared for the coming cold weather.

I’m in the final stages of finishing the cardigan and the DF hat. I’ll show them to you when they’re done. And I already have the yarn ready for my next project. It’ll be… a DF project, of course. This time, I’m tackling Sonja’s “Breakfast Basket for Two.” And since I always need at least two projects going at once, I’m continuing to knit the colorful baby winter outfit. I can hardly wait to get started on it. You know how it is… right before the end, your enthusiasm tends to wane a bit.

Now I wish you all a lovely and cozy weekend with your needles and yarn.

Thank you so much for congratulating me on the job.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, relaxing weekend.

Best wishes
Andrea

“💖 Congratulations” from me, too, on the fresh start 👍

 Anja... The loop looks really nice; I like the color. What yarn did you use that was so terrible? 

Today my scarf finally came off the needles, and I’ve woven in the ends for now (I still have to wash and block it, so there are still a few bits hanging around). I probably won’t wear it 🙈; I just don’t know what with. But I’m sure someone will turn up who absolutely has to have it.... 
Tomorrow I’ll browse through the patterns and my yarn to see what catches my eye and ends up on the needles.... 

The center section knitted together.... it doesn’t quite fit in the picture... 

Steffi, the scarf turned out really pretty. It would definitely look amazing with something cream-colored or white, right?

  It was a novelty yarn from Schachenmayr. Maybe it was because of the plastic knitting needles—perhaps the knitting would have slid better on metal needles, I don’t know. But I don’t have any needles left because… well, you know… tons of half-finished projects just sitting around on needles. *sigh* 

 

You’re better off leaving things on the needles.... I’ve often had it happen that I just put the stitches on hold and then later couldn’t remember which needle size I’d been using 🙈😕🙈.
I now have several of the “standard” needle sizes 👍
 Sometimes you just end up with several projects/UFOs lying around. I know very few people for whom that isn’t the case.... 

Oh yeah, that happens to me all the time when I’m crocheting. I quickly grab a hook for the next project, and then later, when I want to pick up my UFO again, I can’t remember what hook size I was using. It gets even worse: I can’t remember the pattern either—I’ve forgotten everything—and I can’t find it in my jumble of stuff, not even in my book.

These days, I just unravel really old UFOs and start something new from scratch. 

Hello, my dears,
it's Sunday! And we have time for everything that brings us joy. I certainly make time for it.
After a good breakfast with homemade rolls, now comes a quick look at the computer. What new things are there to admire here?

@Ines
Your yellow cowl is very sunny and beautiful. I think the color is absolutely gorgeous. It must instantly put you in a good mood when you wear a color like that.

@Andrea
How fantastic that so shortly after your return to Germany you already have a permanent employment contract! Your colleagues will be happy to have your active support. And you can talk to the colleagues and residents in your native language—that's really wonderful for you. Until you start, you can keep making your place cozy so that you like your home more and more.

@Petra
Your pumpkin collection is really something to be proud of. One alone would look a little lost. I think it's good that you arranged them as a still life. That way your eyes can wander over all of them and linger on this one and then that one. Not one is more beautiful than the others; rather, they all look most beautiful together.

@Anja
Your neck warmer, well, I think it was for the neighbor, looks sooo great! I'm really thrilled—with the clever shape (knitted first in one direction, then in the other) and also with the play of colors. The cowl is far too pretty to wear under a jacket. It's so decorative that it should be worn exactly like your model is wearing it. It turned out really beautiful! Is your neighbor getting it now, or are you keeping it?

The fact that the yarn was horrible to knit was definitely because of the plastic needles. My mother-in-law left me a bag of them, so I tried them just for fun—nope, the yarn just doesn't slide on them and your hand cramps up. In the past people had nothing else, but nowadays I prefer to treat myself to "good" needles.

If that happens to you again, then it's better to thread an unfinished project onto a plastic needle and use the good one for knitting ;-)

@Monika
When reading your posts, I always notice your bubbling enthusiasm for everything you do or plan. I can easily imagine the cardigan that will soon be finished, because we know your style. Your DF projects are always delightful too. But what I'm really curious about is the baby's winter suit. Is it for a real baby or for your baby dolls?

I also know that waning energy for projects that are just before the finish line. You simply want to have something new in your hands again. While you're still knitting the old thing, your mind is already working on the new one. And then it wants to come out.

@Steffi
Your scarf is something very special. It's actually a shame that you can't see the geometrically unfolding pattern when you wear it. Unless you just drape it over your shoulders. In any case, that's exactly why I find it so exciting, because there is so much to look at: so many colors and patterns. Once it's blocked, you can see the lines even better. A real labor of love with a very beautiful result.

@Ina
Yes, as announced, I'm still knitting felted slippers. I'll be doing that for a little while longer, too. So today there are only 2 more pairs to see: one in yellow for me (Ines, I'm also having a bit of a thing for yellow right now) and one ordered pair in pink for a swap partner.

I wish you all a lovely Sunday. Enjoy everything you do!
Best wishes, Ina

Steffi , your scarf looks beautiful. Right now, I can’t really picture what it looks like when worn. Maybe you’ll have a photo of it sometime when you’re wearing it? The recipient will surely be thrilled.

Oh, my dears, I know very well what it’s like with so many needles. I have a few swatches on different needles, and I leave them there, too. I was once asked what I need so many needles for ... well, I’m sure you understand. I found the question very amusing.

Ina , how nice, are you one of the bread-roll bakers here too? We have them every morning, and we really enjoy that. Your Filzies are a hit again! I’d like the pink ones too. But last year’s are even prettier (for me), and I’m already looking forward to wearing them again.

Thanks for your feedback on my enthusiasm. It put a smile on my face. :) Yes, I really do love what I do. You’ll see photos of the jacket and the hat in a moment. I’ve already set aside the baby snowsuit too, and I’ll carry on knitting it tonight. Since unfortunately we don’t have a real baby we can give it to, my Paula (60 cm) will get it. She’s already passed most things on to my granddaughters. Now she needs warm clothes herself. ;-)

Here is the finished jacket for my son. Only the buttons are still missing. I photographed it on my model.




And here is the double-face hat for my daughter-in-law. This time the back didn’t turn out quite as nicely, I think. The first picture shows the main side.





Tomorrow I’ll take a photo of the bottom of the bread basket for two. I’m finishing crocheting it today.

And now I wish you all a lovely rest of Sunday and a good start to the new week!

Here I am again...
So much has been going on the last two weeks—preparing for two birthdays with surprises and gifts, planning and organizing a family trip, and to top it all off, having two kids home all day thanks to school break... ;-) I totally lost track of things.

But from my occasional quick peeks into the forum, I’ve remembered lots of great creations—super cozy felted items by Ina, a cool cape by Ruth, the enchanting Christmas placemat by Ines, the innocent-looking little sheep by Christina, a big family of pumpkins by Petra, a very special and chic collar by Anja, the beautiful scarf by Steffi in my colors (I still find the knitting-together technique fascinating), and yet again two finished projects by Turbo-Monika :-)

But now I’d like to tell you briefly about our trip—with my mom, my brother and his wife, and the four of us. My mom invited us all to Grindelwald for a few days to celebrate her 80th birthday. She’d never been to the Jungfraujoch and really wanted to go there at least once. We were so incredibly lucky with the weather that on her birthday, from the Jungfraujoch at an altitude of 3,466 m, we had an unbelievable, dreamlike view of the glacier, snow-capped mountains, and the surrounding landscape. On day 2, we took a leisurely hike on the First to Bachalpsee. And on day 3, on our way back, we took the cable car up to the Schilthorn. The 360° view from there is indescribable. You can’t really capture it in photos either, since the entire panoramic view doesn’t fit into a single picture. I’ll show you a few snapshots here anyway, but the sheer beauty of this little corner of the world can only be experienced in person.








And now that the gift has been successfully presented, I can finally show you my “secret project”—potholders featuring my mom’s Chihuahua:





I hope you all have a wonderful evening!

Dear Sonja,

and boy, did you capture the beauty of the mountains in those photos! Wow!

The Chihuahua (no idea how to spell that right now) is spot-on—it’s amazing what you can create with this technique.

hihi Turbo-Moni *giggle*

Guys, I was trying to cut back on yarn again, but guess what? I bid on 1 kg of mystery yarn on eBay and didn’t expect to win it for 6.50. Well... The yarn is on its way.... huuuh. But it’s so exciting, just like Christmas—what will be inside? Hot stuff or junk???
And I don’t even know where to put all this yarn anymore! Oh well. I’m just going to look forward to the surprise for now, right? 

Sonja, I envy you—the view must have been wonderful.... The photos alone really capture a lot of it....
And your secret project is amazing. It’s almost like a photo....

Anja, I know that feeling too—you bid just to have the “feeling” of having participated, and then you get this “weird” message saying, “Congratulations, you’ve won the auction”… It’s “happened” to me before, too… The yarn was so beautiful, and I just wanted to bid… 😇
Half of it found a taker—along the lines of, “Hey, you don’t happen to have the Zauberball in the color Herbstzeitlose, do you?” You bet I do!!!
The other half is still here, waiting patiently for “its” needles....
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there’s something nice in your package 👍😍
Now I’m going to put a few stitches on the needle—I’m supposed to knit a gauge swatch. It’s going to be a sweater, top-down. 100g/400m And all of it on size 3.25 needles for the cuff, 3.5 for the body, and the Fair Isle pattern on size 4.... That seems really “big” to me personally, given the relatively thin yarn. So I’m doing something I otherwise never knit: a gauge swatch 🙈😉

Good morning to everyone here

Wow, Sonja , those are some impressive photos. Amazing. Almost like being in Norway.
But I’ve never been that high up either. I just can’t get enough of these gorgeous photos. The main thing is that you had some wonderful, eventful days. How cold was it up there, anyway?

Your dog-shaped pot holder turned out great—I’m sure your mom was really happy with it.

To everyone: you’ve all been so hard at work, and you’ve created such wonderful things—the placemats, the pumpkins, the pot holders, the cardigans, the scarves, and so on.
I can’t even keep up with marveling at everything. I’ll check in here whenever my schedule allows. Until then, please be patient a little longer until I can show you something new.

Have fun!

Hello everyone,

You’ve all been so hard at work. We’re currently on vacation in the Black Forest, and while we were there, we realized that Sonja lives just over 100 km away. So we spontaneously got together and had a lot of fun 😃

Sonja, thank you so much for the great photos! Unfortunately, the view wasn’t quite as clear for us on the Stanserhorn, but it was still impressive!
The little dog turned out great, but for once, this definitely won’t be a project for me. Dogs aren’t on our radar (yet), and if they were, it would have to be something a bit bigger.
Sandra, I think it’s great that you guys got together! Actually, I don’t live that far from Sonja either—who knows… 

Sandra, who’s who in the photo?

I think it’s great, Sandra and Sonja, that you got together! In-person contact like that is really something else entirely compared to the virtual kind!
Your photos are gorgeous, Sonja, and you did a fantastic job on the pot holder for your mom. I’m guessing you used a photo as a reference. Did you use an app like Wooltasia to create it, or did you have to design everything yourself?

Monika, that jacket for your son really does look almost just like yours. Then the three of you can go out in matching outfits. And your sister-in-law in the hat should join your granddaughter in the colorful dress. They’re the same colors, right?

Anja, your knitted shawl collar looks great! It looks like a seashell. I’d really like that too—is the pattern from here?

I have something new to show you, too. I’ve always been fascinated by the delicate angels you see on (mostly Russian) crochet websites. Now I’ve designed one myself. It took quite a bit of fiddling around, but I’m happy with it. I crocheted it right away in both a white and a black version.

Dear Ruth, you really designed something great there!
The black angel in particular looks fantastic to me.

Yes, the pattern is from here. I was just about to copy you a link and realized that somehow it doesn’t work, and you can’t recommend patterns with a single click either. I’ll have to tell moderatoren. With the big online retailer, you can share a product too. The piece is called “loopkragen Luca.”

Thanks, Anja — I found it and added it to my wishlist right away.

Anja: Sonja is on the right and I’m on the left

Ruth: The angels look great 

I’m so glad you all like the pictures so much :-) But believe me, it’s nothing compared to the gigantic panorama in real life.

Sandra, your impromptu visit was great—thanks again!

Anja, that’s just like “Secret Santa for one person” :-) I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s more “hot” than “junk”!

Steffi, those needles seem really thick to me for such thin yarn—I’d definitely do a gauge swatch. And test out how the Fair Isle pattern turns out with those thick needles...

Andrea, yeah, it felt very Nordic up there to me, too :-) It was minus 6 degrees on the Jungfraujoch, but thanks to the sun, it didn’t feel cold at all. It was only uncomfortable in the shade...

Christina, you’re always welcome here :-) You’re right, it wouldn’t be that far. I’m sure we can make it happen sometime! We agree on the dog—"mine" would be bigger, too. But maybe my next project is something for you or your grandchildren: a double-faced loop scarf with dinosaurs :-)

Ruth, wow, your angels! They look enchanting, and really very delicate. And then there’s the sheet of music to go with them :-) A truly beautiful idea.
  For the dog, I used the photo as a template—I couldn’t have done it from memory. I first tried using the Wooltasia app. But the result was so imprecise that the dog didn’t even have eyes. I often admire the artwork others create with this app, but it just doesn’t work for me. Maybe I should edit the image, but I don’t even know how. That’s why I used the outlines from the app as a guide to get the size and proportions right. I then added the details on the face by hand in Excel. Do you have any experience with the app?

I’m so excited—the design for the loop is finished, now it’s time to start knitting, yippee :-)

Have a wonderful evening!

Sonja, I’m already looking forward to the dino loop! I’ll definitely get started on that in the new year: Nicolas is into dinosaurs and monsters and needs a new scarf. 
I’d be super excited to meet up with you. At the moment, I’m only knitting the DF shawl in small doses, since there’s an even more urgent project (but I’m not going to reveal that just yet). I also have some socks for my American grandchildren on the go, since the CD they’re getting for Christmas has a song about favorite socks on it, and of course a pair like that simply has to go with it. (Hopefully they’ll like them too!)

Sonja..... a loop scarf with dinosaurs 😍😍😍 that’s going to be “mine”.... 
Alex, age 4, is totally into dinosaurs. 
I’ve cast on the sweater now and have knitted the first few rows; I’ve adjusted the needle size. I’m knitting the pattern with a 3.5, which should work. Anyway, the “size” is right so far.... Tomorrow  I’ll knit the pattern, and then it’ll get “boring”: stockinette stitch in the round..... oh yes, separate the stitches for the sleeves 🙈

The wide-open expanse “right at the top” of the mountains is really something “special.” I was in Gran Sasso National Park in 2017.... on the Campo Imperatore high plateau, Abruzzo....
I want to go back there,  the air is so wonderful, and what “moves” me the most is that silence .... 

Sonja, unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with the Wooltasia app. I’ve thought about looking into it more closely, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’ve also heard very mixed opinions about it. Some people are really enthusiastic, while others can’t get the hang of it at all
I think you just have to try it out for yourself 

Good morning—

I’m always amazed at how hardworking everyone here is. And once again, there are a few things I particularly like.

Sonja, your dog motif is so lifelike—it caught my eye right away in the new arrivals. I’d once considered making a motif of a Yorkie, but crocheting one is a bit of a challenge, and I haven’t dared to try DF yet.
Yes, there’s something special about that kind of personal connection.
I also met up with Marion in July, and we hit it off right away.

Ruth, your angels turned out great—I’m also a big fan of Russian and Turkish crochet; it’s always so delicate and beautiful. Your creation really holds its own among them.

Anja, well, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’ll be a pleasant surprise when that package of yarn arrives. I have to admit, I’m often on eBay just to browse for yarn, and I’ve managed to snag a thing or two—I’ve never had any bad luck there.

I won’t have anything new to show you myself for a while—I’m currently working on little snowball gnomes for my girls’ night group.


Well, I hope you all have a wonderful day......

Steffi, it’s a good thing we have to/get to knit the dinosaurs ourselves—otherwise we’d end up fighting over them (like, “Mine! No, mine…”) By the way, Nicolas is 3 1/2.

Ines, I’m really looking forward to seeing your snowball gnomes.

😂😂😂 Yeah, that’s probably true about knitting it yourself....
I think it’s great that the kids are so excited about it. I don’t see Alex that often, and when we do visit, I always bring a little something as a gift… like this, for example. 


Or a deck of cards....
But a cozy scarf with dinosaurs is, of course, much better, and my other kid in kindergarten has one just like it 🙈👍
I’m also excited about the snowball gnomes..... I can really easily pick up little projects like that alongside my sweater....

Wowww—so much has been written here! I’m amazed and have to read through it all first...

Sonja, that’s absolutely gorgeous, where you went on vacation as a family. I’m thrilled! And the fact that your mom can still hike so well at her advanced age—hats off to her! The photos really make me want to visit there someday. I love the mountains so much, too. You’ve had some unforgettable experiences there that will stay with everyone for a long time to come.

Your pot holder with your mom’s dog—I’m simply speechless. You’re truly an artist, because I could never pull something like that off. Your mom must have been absolutely thrilled. At least she’ll always have this keepsake of her dog, even when he’s no longer with her.
I’m also really looking forward to seeing your new loop scarf. It’s definitely going to be amazing!

That you met up with Sandra—well, that’s quite a surprise! Such a beautiful photo of the two of you. I’m thrilled. You can really see the joy on your faces. A real-life meeting in person is something completely different from just meeting virtually. It’s a shame we all live so far apart. Otherwise, we’d definitely be working on projects together more often—probably over coffee and delicious cake. Turbo-Moni… now that’s a funny name. I don’t really think I’m that fast myself. But my husband says so too.

Anja, I have to really rein myself in right now whenever I see yarn sales. Then I look at my stash and say very sternly to myself: No! I need to use up my stash first. Drops is having another alpaca sale month… let’s see if I can make it through the month without giving in…
You’ll definitely show us your prize here, won’t you? I’m already excited to see it, anyway.

Andrea, it’s nice that you pop in here every now and then and leave a few lines. There will be times when you have more free time, after all. When there’s time, there’ll be crocheting (or maybe knitting). I’m glad you now have those cozy slippers from Ina, too. I love mine as well.

Ruth, thanks for your feedback on the jacket and hat. The hat does actually have similar colors to the little dress. Except that the hat is worn more outdoors and the dress more indoors.
Your beautiful little crochet pieces—and now these delicate ones too—are simply gorgeous. I really admire you for that, because I just don’t have the patience for it. The angel turned out fantastic and will delight many crocheters.

Christina, you’re always so hard at work. Of course, I’m also curious about your secret. When you meet up with Sonja, I’m sure there’ll be a photo, right?

Steffi, I also love the silence in the mountains and in nature. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been in the mountains. But I’m drawn back there again. I’m already looking forward to seeing your new creation. I’d love to see you wearing that beautiful scarf sometime. :)

Ines, it’s nice that you keep checking in every now and then. That sounds like something really special—snowball gnomes. Knowing you, they’re going to be totally cute. I can’t wait to see them!

My favorite project right now is the winter outfit for the baby. My Paula, who always has to try things on, already looks absolutely adorable in it. Here’s a little sneak peek at how it looked yesterday—I haven’t taken a photo today yet:



Now I wish you all a wonderful evening!

Turbo-Moni is at it again! I can’t believe what you’re always showing here! It makes me feel totally lazy every time.

Of course I’ll show you what was in the package. It’s supposed to arrive tomorrow—I’m already so excited.

I went to the orthopedist yesterday, partly because my thumb is always so sore. I’m now the proud owner of an osteoarthritis splint. Hey, I actually thought I was still too young for something like that! But apparently my thumb is a few years older than the rest of me...😕

Have a lovely evening,

ruthk —your little crocheted angels look so cute. How do you stiffen them so they stand up? Christmas can’t be far off now.
Sonja, thanks for the info. -6 degrees isn’t that cold when the sun’s out—I know that from Norway, too. By the way, it’s already snowed there recently. It’s nice that we still have fall-like temperatures here, and the colorful trees always look so great.
Monika , “Turbo-Moni” sounds great. Your winter outfit for the baby already looks fantastic—those would be my colors, too. I think it looks really chic with those wide color stripes.
Anja, I’m also curious about your yarn package and what you’ll knit or crochet with it.
What’s this osteoarthritis brace like? Can you still crochet or knit while wearing it, or do you only wear it at night? My knees creak from osteoarthritis, too. We’re just not getting any younger. Still, I hope you find some relief.
Ines, I’d love to see your snowball gnomes, too. I’m looking forward to it.

I can’t show anything yet. We were putting together small pieces of furniture again today.
My fingers are already itching to get started, but I still have to sort the yarn into my fabric boxes (it’s still in the box).

Oh, Anja.... well, I’ll just quickly wish you a speedy recovery...
“Turbo-Moni” must secretly have two extra hands—it’s unbelievable how fast you knit.
Andrea.... Assembling small pieces of furniture is fun, especially when it’s finally in its place. It definitely makes it cozier. And you’re getting closer to your “goal”... sitting comfortably in your new home and crocheting...
I knitted the first few pattern rows today; I think the needle size is right. 

Hello everyone, I’m still around.

So much has happened since my last visit here. You’ve all been so hard at work again and have created such wonderful things. There are so many in such a short time that I’ll just praise you all together.

I actually feel the same way as Sandra—I don’t really like to write, or rather, I keep it short.

But I especially like Sonja’s little dog. Couldn’t you design a Labrador sometime, too? I’m sure I’d have a perfect picture for you.

I haven’t had much time for crafts lately, but I’ve finally finished one piece.
I got to test-crochet the Christmas set for Ines. I made it a little differently for myself because it ended up smaller. I thought it was too nice to use just as a set because of the beautiful motif. So I ended up making a little table runner instead.





Steffi, your new piece looks really nice—what is it going to be?

Hi Marion,
I’m going to try my hand at a sweater, top-down…
I still had some hand-dyed merino wool lying around (300g) plus all those 100g skeins that are just begging to be put on the needles… So it’s going to be colorful…
I really like your table runner—it’s very atmospheric 😍

Hello everyone,

it’s stormy outside, and I’m sitting here warm and dry, browsing through what you’ve been crafting. There’s already so much to admire here again in such a short time.

@Marion
The Christmas set is enchanting! I like it even better with the crocheted edge than Ines’s original. Maybe she could add this lovely edge variation to her pattern? It’s truly beautiful to look at.

@Turbo-Moni :-)
The colorful jacket for your son and the hat for your daughter-in-law look warm and cozy. They’ll both be thrilled—you’ve fulfilled their wishes exactly.

The winter outfit for the baby is sure to turn out absolutely enchanting. It already looks lovely with that little hood—and once a little face peeks out, it’ll be perfect.

@Sonja
Thank you so much for sharing your travel adventures and the beautiful photos with us. It let us all get a breath of fresh mountain air—and everyone got to daydream a little about a vacation in the mountains.

The Chihuahua pot holders are a hit! Your mom must have been wide-eyed, constantly glancing back and forth between the original and the pot holder. A very personal and loving gift for your mom. She’s so lucky to have you!

@Sandra
It’s great that you met up with Sonja. When you read each other’s posts here on the forum in the future, you’ll have a whole different impression of one another. Too bad the visit was so short—otherwise you would’ve definitely chatted some more about crafts. In the photo, you’re having a great time—and rightly so! We were happy for you too.

@Ruth
Your delicate little angels are something very special! A beautiful, dainty little decoration that fits on any Christmas table or place setting. The little sheet of music goes perfectly with them, too. Actually, I’d usually say angels have to be white, but in this case I like the black one better because it’s two-toned. The outlines make the contours more distinct. Would embroidering a face have been too difficult, or does the angel intentionally not have one? I miss it a bit, especially on the white angel.

@Ines
“Snowball Gnomes”—that sounds like little round fellows—lots of them rolling around in the snow and charming people. I’m curious.

@Andrea
You’re doing a great job setting up your furniture and small pieces. Making your home cozy is especially important in fall and winter. When you come home from your new job, you want it to be cozy, don’t you? And then you can let your crochet hook dance again. Until then, just keep enjoying fall in Germany. It would definitely be much colder in Norway by now.

@Steffi
Your new project looks interesting, too. I read that it’s going to be a sweater. I’m curious to see how the pattern develops. Are you carrying the second strand on the inside, or is it knitted in double-face?

@Anja
The mail carrier is bringing your surprise yarn package today. We’re all really curious to see what you’ll get. Anything is possible—it’s really exciting.

Maybe we should start a sort of traveling yarn swap here. So one person (e.g., me) starts it off and packs the yarn they no longer need and want to give away into the package. They send it to the next person on the list (participation is entirely voluntary, and you’d only have to cover the cost of shipping). That person then takes out x grams, adds x grams back in, and sends the package on to the next person on the list. The list of recipients stays in the package at all times, so everyone knows where to send it next. In the end, the first person would get the package back. What do you think of this? It would basically be like a surprise package for everyone.

We could also set limits on what’s allowed in the package and what isn’t. And the package would always stay in the same box and weigh the same, so everyone would pay the same shipping costs. We could start a “Swap Package” thread on the forum, where the list of participants would also be posted. Everyone would then note when they’ve sent it on. That way, you’d know roughly when it’s your turn.

@Ina
I don’t have anything new to show, so today it’s just a little chat with you all.

I hope you all make it through the storm unscathed.

Warm regards, Ina

That “traveling yarn swap package” is such a brilliant idea 😍😍😍

I already went for a 4 km walk in the rain today.... My “little one” needs exercise even in the rain and wind 👍
The sweater is being knitted in Fair Isle. So you carry the yarn across the back and “weave in” every other stitch.... I don’t like it when the floats are too long; 4 stitches may be “allowed,” but that’s already too long for me. 

Maaaaan, I just wrote you all a text, then the pictures wouldn’t go in and whoosh, everything was gone. hmpf

So, yarn: exactly 1 kg, I paid €6.50 for it + €6 shipping. There were 16 skeins in it, or let’s say 14 and 2 half ones. Unfortunately without labels, so I don’t know what I’ve got in front of me. Wool, synthetic fiber? Nobody knows. Unfortunately, the fluffy-looking skeins did not pass the scratch test on my “Princess and the Pea” neck. So they can’t become scarves, hats, or headbands. Annoying. 

Okay, next attempt to load the pictures (plus one of the great arthritis splint): 

On the topic of “Wanderwolle”: phew… on the one hand, I’d love to join in. On the other hand, I’m a total scaredy-cat when it comes to giving out my address. Most people don’t seem to worry about it, but I do—I’m just a little crazy that way. AND my whole yarn problem is that I can’t part with anything. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a prooooblem.

I’ve actually had this idea before for product Secret Santa swaps. You could also include a handmade item that you don’t wear or use yourself, then there’d be even more surprise in the box.

Hi Anja, expectations were high, and now—do you like any of the yarns? Yes, a few are always good to have on hand. For now, they’ll go into your stash until you figure out what to do with them. If there had been a really soft one among them, you could have started knitting right away, but as it is, they’ll have to wait their turn.

Hopefully, your osteoarthritis splint will help you keep your thumb still for now. But it’s on your right hand, and you need your thumb for knitting and crocheting. I hope the pain goes away with the immobilization. And after that, you’ll probably have to be careful not to overdo it.

I just thought of something else regarding the swap package : everyone can write their wishes after their name on the list (e.g., cotton, sock yarn, cardigan yarn, acrylic in bright colors, fine shiny yarn or effect yarn with fringes, gradient yarn, yarn cakes, etc....) Then the person sending the package could check whether they have something suitable for the next person. Knitting needles are also welcome—you always need them, or you might have too many of one type. Let’s see how people respond to the idea.

Hello everyone,

Now that the rest of the small furniture has been assembled, and it's pretty stormy outside, I can also look in and read here in the forum again. You need a break sometimes, too.

I think Ina's idea with the traveling yarn swap package or Secret Santa swap is great. I know something like that from my bead forum. There, people string bead animals, send them on their way, and everyone gets to choose a beaded figure and puts an equivalent one back in + a small surprise gift (chocolate or similar).

So I would join in right away, because that was never possible from Norway.
I also have crochet thread and yarn that I no longer have any use for.

We just still need to set the rules.
For example, I send the package on to the next person, but that person wants wool/yarn that I don't have—what do I do then?

Maybe the same thing could also be done with crocheted shawls/knitted shawls/crochet books, etc., that you no longer like or no longer use; you simply swap with someone who thinks they're nice and would like to have them. What do you think? Or with finished crocheted figures, before you unravel them again. I'm curious to see how many will join in.

Coffee time is coming up soon.

Best wishes
Andrea

Ina, I love the idea of the yarn bundle! The only question is, which balls of yarn could I part with....
The angels are intentionally without embroidered faces. I often embroider faces on my little animals and figures, but I didn’t want to do that here. I think this way, everyone can interpret their own facial expression into them.

Anja, I hope your thumb gets better soon. Can you actually do needlework with that arthritis splint? The cartilage in my thumbs has worn away (“wear and tear,” says the orthopedist). Because of that, my thumbs bend inward. It looks funny, but it doesn’t hurt. I don’t have much strength left in my hands because of it, but I can still do needlework just fine.
I’m curious to see what you’ll conjure up with your surprise yarn. Surprises always have two sides to them, after all. You can also end up disappointed...

Marion, your table runner turned out great. Is the lace border also Tunisian crocheted, or just the additions on the sides?

Steffi, I really like the pattern on your sweater. I really like projects like this where it gets “boring” every now and then. You can just knit away without thinking, which is perfect for watching TV… And then every now and then there are sections where you have to concentrate more.

Monika, you’re already making great progress on the baby outfit. It looks very cheerful and colorful—typical Monika colors!

I’m back to sewing again. My granddaughter wanted a few “scrunchies” for her long hair. I had to Google what they were first. Well, I have plenty of fabric scraps (almost as much as yarn—I just can’t throw anything away).

Oh, Andea, you make beaded animals, too... I prefer working with the glass ones—they sparkle so beautifully in the sun. When I craft “my” elf doors, I usually include beaded animals and plants as well; they add a little extra magic to the whole thing. Like when a phoenix is perched in a tree... 

@Anja, you’ve really stocked up your stash now. I’m curious to see what ideas you have for the yarn. I could also imagine hand and leg warmers.

@Marion, your table runner turned out great. You’re right, the motif is so beautiful, far too lovely to cover up.

@ Sonja, your new pattern with the dog turned out so well. The little face is really adorable.

A traveling parcel with yarn sounds interesting. Even though I’ve already finished a few nests for wild animals, I still have some yarn left over that was simply too good for that, but I can’t really warm to using it. My pumpkins also used up lots of individual balls of yarn where I didn’t really know what to do with the yarn (mostly gifted).

After my pumpkin phase, I’m still pretty undecided about what I want to start next and have dug out a UFO bag. There were socks in it. I’ve almost finished the first one now, and tonight I’ll cast on the second one. With the different colors, I’m hoping for some variety and fun while knitting.



But before knitting, I urgently need to get some housework done.

I’ve also got plenty of knitting and crochet books. But that’ll make the package pretty heavy. And yeah, how are we supposed to coordinate this if someone wants something you just don’t have? For example, I have zero sock yarn and wouldn’t want any either. Just hypothetically speaking.

Beaded animals that sparkle? Pic, please! I love sparkles!!! When something like that hangs in the window and the sun shines on it, casting a pattern into the room... such a dream... I’ve wanted to buy glass beads from a***** for ages... never got around to it.

Yeah, I like some of the skeins—I already have an idea—but I’m not sure if it’ll actually look good… I’ve got other skeins stashed away that I haven’t been able to figure out what to do with all these years, and some of them can be combined with the new ones. I was thinking of a poncho made of 4 triangles, with each side in a different color—that way, you can always turn the side that matches your outfit to the front. It’ll either look absolutely amazing or like a used-clothing drive. We’ll see…

Knitting with the splint is working out (thank goodness).

@Ruth I’ve already made scrunchies too, but I crocheted them 

Yes, Steffi, something like this, for example

 

I think a swap package should definitely remain a surprise package—so there’s no need to work through a wish list. That way, you might find something you wouldn’t have thought of on your own.
Anja, crocheted scrunchies probably wouldn’t be for my granddaughter. She already knows pretty well what she likes.  She only likes crocheted things as stuffed animals 😉. Here’s what I made today:

Sooo cute 😍😍😍 Andrea!

Andrea oooohhhhhh, the chick with the headscarf.... sooo cute. Do you sell those too? 

Very nice, Ruth ! I don’t feel like getting the sewing machine out. I only get the urge to sew very, very rarely. 

Yes, Ruth, I think it’s good if the swap package really is a surprise package. That way, there’s something for everyone. I’ll start a separate thread for this tomorrow. We can gather everything there. 

Andrea, your little beaded animals look cute.

The crocheted and sewn hair ties (why don’t people use German terms these days?) look good, too. I used to have those as a child too — crocheted them myself. 

Have a lovely evening, everyone. 

Oh my goodness! You’re all such fast writers!!! I can’t even keep up right now.
I’ve read through everything, but I haven’t had time to write such detailed responses. The reason is that I’m currently preparing a children’s book for a dear friend to go to press. It’s quite a lot of work, and we’ll still be working on it for the next few days. It’s scheduled to go to press in early November. The book is sooo cute. The woman is almost 80 years old and has written down animal stories she experienced herself. It’s beautiful, with hand-drawn illustrations. It’ll be titled: Grandma Tells Stories – Funny Animal Stories. You can probably tell I’m really excited about it. And of course, that means I barely have time to knit right now – unfortunately.

I’ve thoroughly admired your creations. I like Marion’s placemat best. Wow – I’d love to have one of those myself.

But I also love everything else you’ve shown here – Petra’s great socks, Steffi’s pretty sweater pattern, Anja and Ruth’s hair ties, and Andrea’s cute little figures. It’s all absolutely enchanting.

Anja, your yarn looks great. However, it wouldn’t work for me if it didn’t come with a label. I really need to know what kind of quality it is.

That yarn bundle sounds good; I might like that, too. However, the only thing I really need right now is felting yarn for the animal dens. Well, sock yarn is always good, too. Posting addresses publicly is a bit of a tricky thing, though; not everyone is comfortable doing that.

I’ll check back here tomorrow, and for now, I’ll just wish you all a lovely evening together.

Oh Moni, that sounds wonderful and is a real enrichment for you. Not always just yarn and Kobel, positive animal stories for children - really wonderful! I also think it's wonderful for the 80-year-old lady - it keeps her young and cheerful and fills her day with lovely things. It shows that even as an older person, you can still make your dreams come true. Great that you're joining in!

I used to write children's books for my son, too. He still has them today and reads them to his son. Back then I also sent them to a few publishers, but because I was an unknown author, they wanted a lot of money from me to publish them. I couldn't afford that at the time. So only we in the family get to enjoy them.

For the idea with the swap package, I have opened an extra thread .

I wish everyone a lovely Friday. The weekend is coming soon :-)
Ina

Thanks, Ina, but I can’t get into it. 🧐

Hi Anja, now you'd be next... click here

Thanks, Ina ♡

Dear Ina, that’s wonderful that you’ve written a children’s book for your children and grandchildren! Wow! I can imagine it’s absolutely enchanting.

As for publishing, it’s really easy these days. I’ve published four books myself, two of them with Bod. There, you get the ISBN as part of an “author package” for 19 euros, and then you only pay for the books you have printed. Even the e-books are included for free.

However, it does involve a lot of work. On the one hand, there’s the writing; on the other, getting the book ready for printing. That naturally includes the cover, too. Everything has to be designed yourself.

I’ve known the woman I’m doing this for for a very long time through our swap group. She just recently found out that I’ve published books myself. And that’s how we ended up talking about her book. Another advantage for me is that I have special software with all the templates for different sizes and even different publishers. I didn’t have that for my own books—I wrote them all in Word. Anyway, I’m really enjoying it. It’s set to come out on November 2, her birthday. Now “all that’s left” is the cover, then everything will be ready.

Ina, maybe you’d like to publish your own book, too. It’s such a special feeling to bring a “baby” like this into the world, especially with your first book.

Wow, Ina and Monika, I’m amazed at everything you can do! I think it’s fantastic that you’ve written your own books—I would never have thought of that myself. But just a few weeks ago, a very beautiful volume of poems by my late mother was published, compiled by a former pastor who is very involved in local culture. Neither my sister nor I would have dared to take on such a project, and we’re now happy that someone did it for us. I wish you both the best of luck!

Thank you, dear Christina!
This book for a dear friend, which I’m currently helping her with, immediately inspired me to start another book. It’s just a shame that I have to sleep at night. There are so many wonderful things to do... :)

I’ve already reached the bottom part of the baby onesie, but I’ll have to rip it back again. I’m not quite happy with it like this. That’s how it goes sometimes. And on the side (in every spare minute), I’m now knitting something my daughter-in-law asked for as well. It’s a little dishcloth. When it’s done, I’ll show it to you.

For now, I wish everyone here a wonderful Sunday! Make yourselves comfortable with your needles and yarn.

Holy moly, things have really been buzzing here over the last few days! 

Ina, I think your suggestion with the yarn swap package is a really lovely idea! I'm sure quite a few people will be interested. I hope that in the forum we'll also be allowed to have a little peek at who picked out what and what he/she made with it. Unfortunately, I can't take part myself either; postage costs in Switzerland are simply too high :-(

Christina, the idea with the CD and the matching socks is just so sweet :-) Will you see the grandchildren at Christmas? Are they coming to visit you, or are you flying to them? You probably haven't seen them in person for an incredibly long time, since the start of Corona...
Being able to read poems by your mother in a "real" book now must be very moving! That's a truly special treasure.

Steffi, it's great that the sweater size fits. The pattern already looks wonderful. I totally understand that you find stockinette stitch without a pattern boring. I feel the same way. And then when I have to knit back again, or even unravel because I miscounted in the pattern, I wonder whether I'm still normal :-) 
Unfortunately, we didn't have the silence from your national park experience; we had to share the breathtaking view with lots of other people. 
It's really interesting that dinos are so popular with so many children. Even my 8-year-old daughter thinks dinos are great. We'll see whether I'm really allowed to send the cowl to the east... So are you not making the little bear cowl for Alex anymore?

Ines, thank you for your feedback on the little dog :-) I actually can't imagine the motif in crochet either; it probably wouldn't be fine enough. Maybe you'll just have to learn double-face after all :-) I'm curious about your snowball gnomes; how many are you making?

Turbo-Moni :-) the baby suit is turning out really cheerful and cozy; I'd put my baby in it right away! I think it's so wonderful that you're helping your friend with publishing the book. It sounds as if she has found really professional support there; you're well equipped and have lots of experience. Nily has wanted to be an "author" for quite a while now—if she really does want to write a book someday, you'll be the first person we ask for advice :-)

Anja, above all I wish you a very speedy recovery for your thumb! Your surprise yarn is mixed together in such bright colors. Now I'm curious whether you'll soon be able to show us a finished piece made from it, or whether the yarn will go traveling in the swap package ;-)

Marion, with a picture of the Labrador, I could basically try to design a knitting chart. He's probably one solid color in the face, which would make it quite difficult. But do send me the photo by PM. I just can't promise when I'll get around to it ;-) 
I've already admired your table runner in the gallery; it's beautiful. The wonderful motif really comes into its own like that, and the border is the icing on the cake!

Andrea, you're busy setting things up; that must often be exhausting. But little by little the apartment is filling up and becoming homey, and that's worth the effort. Your beaded animals are amazing! How do you even do something like that??? Really great!

Ruth, although I'm still a little younger than you, I also had to google "scrunchies" first :-) Then I realized that I had actually crocheted one myself before. However, I like your sewn version much better.

For me, it still feels like the time I spend with yarn is too short. At least I've managed a good bit of the dino cowl—the baby has hatched already. The mom is already happy too; only the brand-new dad is still a bit headless. But that almost reflects real life *laugh*
Somehow, for me, dinos live in New Zealand, so I had to add a little kiwi. Now I just need a good story for how the kiwi got into the dinosaur age... ;-)






I hope you all have a lovely Sunday evening!

Hey Sonja....
The Bärchen loop is already “packed and ready” in its “waiting box”—the pattern’s already printed, and the needles and yarn are in there too 😍💖
Now all I need is “a little” time.....
But now the evenings are getting “longer” too.... My dog doesn’t go out in the dark anyway, so I’ll plan my evenings differently—that leaves more time for knitting.
As for the sweater, I was already wondering if I should rip it out again 🙈—I don’t like the increases at all. They’re “invisible” increases, where you slip one stitch and then knit one from the stitch below it (Inv-L increase); I had to Google it first.... But the whole thing isn’t as invisible as described 😝—it looks kind of “bumpy.” A friend told me I should just keep knitting for now; it’ll sort itself out after washing....
I think the headless dad is great 😂
and the kiwi goes perfectly with the dinosaurs.   

Sonja, the dinosaur family already looks great—I’m definitely going to knit that right away! I like the colors, too, but for my grandchildren they’ll need to be a bit bolder.

Monika, how big will your baby outfit be? And will it be a hooded onesie? I’m curious to see what the finished piece will look like!

Hello everyone,

We’ve returned safely from vacation.

We were near Freiburg. I’ve already told you about our visit to Sonja.

The top photo is of the Belchen 


And the one below is of the Rhine Falls

I also managed to get a little bit done:

Have a lovely Monday afternoon,

so much has happened here again; I had to scroll through everything first. I’m a bit envious of you all because of the crafting. I just can’t get around to it—every day something else comes up, something that’s still missing or needs to be set up, and yet I still have space problems getting everything stored away.
At the weekend the place was full (children and parents, and us, all together properly celebrating the birthday again). With coffee and cake, and in the evening homemade lasagna for everyone.
Ina and Monika, what hidden talents are slumbering in you. Writing books yourselves. I never made it as far as a publisher.
But I do like writing rhymes for birthday cards or wedding newspapers. I used to make up stories myself, but mostly just for me. Writing suits me; that’s the secretary in me coming through again.
Sonja, your dino version looks promising. I also like those unicorn motifs.
But I haven’t dared to try DF yet.
Sandra, those are impressive pictures. I love rainbows.
Anja, unfortunately I can’t part with these few beaded figures; they’re staying in my possession. Most of them were made from purchased patterns, and whether I can sell them like that? The larger figures do take quite a while to string. I really need to get back to that again while my eyes and hands still cooperate (it’s so fiddly). It’s the Japanese beading technique (you can google it).
But since I’m starting my new job next week, I won’t get around to it again. Man, that’s just unfair.

Then enjoy the last autumn days, everyone
Best, Andrea

HA, Andrea - same here: I’m also a secretary, and I have a talent for rhyming, and my writing talent was confirmed in a creative writing course. Unfortunately, I’m too lazy to write; that’s real work, after all! For very few people do stories just flow from their pen (or into the keyboard). 
I can understand that you don’t want to part with it. And nope, I can’t be bothered with that kind of fiddling around with tiny little beads. My eyes are too bad for that, I’m too clumsy, and patience is also something I completely lack... 

Hi everyone,

So much has happened again since my last visit here four days ago.

Steffi, I’m really looking forward to seeing your sweater—I really like how it’s starting out. You’ve probably already finished a larger section by now.

Our Turbo-Moni is hard at work again, too. Your jumpsuit is probably almost done as well.

Sonja, your dinosaur is turning out beautifully again—I really like the colors. I’ll definitely get in touch with you about the photo. I’d be thrilled if you’d design something.

Sandra, your vacation photos look great. It seems like you had a lot of fun in the Black Forest. The weather was definitely nice, and Anton seemed to have a great time.
You’ve been busy again—the unicorn scarves turned out beautifully.

Andrea, you’re certainly not getting bored these days either. I hope you’re enjoying your new job and finding a little time for crafts.

I’m glad you like the Christmas doily, too.
Over the weekend, I quickly knitted two little hats for a premature baby. The mom needed them urgently—the baby was born early, and unfortunately, she didn’t have any that fit.

I hope you all have a lovely evening, and I’m thinking about what I’ll knit or crochet next.

Ugh, today is one of those days... I’m SOOOO in the mood to knit, and I’ve definitely knitted a total of 6 hours today. I’d love to keep going, but my fingers hurt now. Darn. Now I’m bored. I’m not used to “just” watching TV anymore. 

Honestly, you guys are amazing!! I didn’t check in here for just one day, and I’m blown away by what I see. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time right now to go into detail about everything. So my post will be a bit shorter than usual.

Sonja, that’s great that Nily wants to become an author. Interesting—I wanted to do that as a kid, too. I also started writing poems and stories at an early age. My son did too, by the way—and he’s written two books as well, though they’re non-fiction.
Your dino loop looks really cute again. Dinosaurs aren’t really my thing, but I’m sure lots of kids will love it—they’re crazy about them. Could it be that the mom is missing an eye? ;-)

Christina, the baby onesie is for a 60 cm baby, so about 3 months old. Everyone can adjust the length themselves so it’ll fit longer. Unfortunately, I barely have enough yarn, so it’ll fit my Paula perfectly. It’ll be something like a combination of a jacket and a sleeping bag—no legs, and really cozy at the bottom. I’ll be able to show it off in the next few days.

Sandra, thanks for the amazing vacation photos! It looks incredible!
Your unicorn scarves look absolutely fantastic, and so do the colors.

Andrea, welcome to the writers’ group. Writing really is a wonderful thing. It’s great that you enjoy it too. By the way, I was a secretary in my last job as well.

Anja, I’d also like to welcome you to the writers’ group. That’s true—it really is a lot of work. But it’s so much fun. Oh, another secretary here. Six hours of knitting—wow! That’s quite an achievement! Your fingers really need a break after that.

Marion, I’m also looking forward to your next project.

I’m going to pick up my knitting needles now. Tomorrow I have to go over the finer details of the book again. Then it’ll finally be finished.

Good morning, everyone!

Wow, you really have to scroll quite a bit to catch up on everything if you take a few days off… so please don’t be upset if I don’t mention everyone here with detailed comments.

Oh, so there are a few “book authors” here too. Carolin—my daughter wrote me a little animal story when she was 10; it was really nice to read it and, above all, to discover the childlike imagination with which she wrote it. Later, though, she focused all her attention on medicine and has stuck with it; her studies on the side are going well—let’s see where the path takes her from here. Right now, she’s primarily preparing for the birth—smile

Monika, you’ve been given a nickname too: Turbo Moni. But yeah, you really are fast, and sometimes that’s just how it is—everything just comes together quickly.

Oh Andrea, those little beaded animals are absolutely adorable—I wouldn’t want to part with a single one either. Best of luck with your new job.

Sonja, your new loop… very nice… yeah, I probably should do DF… but you can’t dance at every wedding, so I’d rather work on improving what I already know a little more, and Sonja, you’re much better at it anyway, haha.

Sandra, thanks for sharing the vacation photos—they’re really beautiful shots.

Anja, I hope your finger’s feeling a little better by now; as a woman, that does leave you somewhat handicapped.

Ruth, your ponytail holders turned out great too, and if your granddaughter gets to wear “one-of-a-kind” pieces in her hair, that’s just wonderful.

I’ve also finished a few things: my snowballs. I started making them back when I scaled back my “painting and sewing” a bit—I think I made 30 of them in one go—and now I’ll be giving them out as Secret Santa gifts at the next girls’ night, along with something sweet. This time I made these 5




and a window hanger in the shape of a star chain also hopped right off my needle



Well, I hope you all have a wonderful day. It’s rainy here, and my plans to do a little gardening have gone out the window once again—oh well, the garden will still be there tomorrow........

Ines, your snowballs turned out beautifully—they really make you look forward to winter.

I also really like the star pendants; they’d definitely look great on the large windows in my sunroom.

Anja, I hope your hands get better soon. I also have osteoarthritis in my thumb joints, so I can certainly relate. Unfortunately, I can’t do any handwork with my splint on. Luckily, things have been better lately—I don’t have to wear it anymore and can get back to doing things.

Have a great week and enjoy our wonderful
hobby.

Ines, your window hanging turned out really pretty 😍

Anja.... 6 hours of knitting 😲 My fingers would hurt too. But just watching TV isn’t really my thing either....
  Maybe that’s exactly why I “have” to try so many different things right now—weaving, crocheting, beaded animals, crafting with paper/wood, and whatever else I can get my hands on.... 


I’ve already finished knitting the yoke so far.... now I’m supposed to knit short rows "at the front" 🤔 I’ve never done that before.
A lot of others who’ve knitted this have skipped those rows, but they’ve also “modified” it quite a bit. I think I’ll just keep knitting according to the pattern and then see if I like it that way or not.... Maybe I’ll end up with a very “expensive” garden sweater 😂

Where can you actually read some of the patterns by our authors???? That’s really piqued my curiosity....
  I’m going to take a walk through the autumn forest now and enjoy it. We have a little bit of sun (just a tiny bit), but it’s dry, and I have a very “tired” dog. A short walk (2 km) should be enough.... 

Thanks, Steffi. I’m glad you like the star ornament.
Your sweater is turning out pretty—I just overlooked it with all the reading I was doing this morning. Are you knitting DF here too?
But I like the dog even more, haha......A German Shepherd? Or am I just seeing things...?

The one in the photo is my Malinois—she was just 1 1/2 years old then. I had to walk her in the rain today; we went through the woods, but it was 2 km... oh dear, she’d be disappointed, but she just had to go through with it today...

Wow Steffi great pattern! I hate patterns, always having to look and count, yuck! The garden sweater *wink* is looking really good so far. Short rows and I haven’t become friends yet. Those who can do them say they’re easy. You can make great things with them. But I just took an instant dislike to them. 

Ines, pretty dog, looking so cheeky in the photo.

Thanks again for your get-well wishes. ♡

Yesss, the 6 hours of knitting... terrible for me. Either I do things for too short a time or excessively long.... Finding a healthy middle ground is often hard. Let’s put it this way: when my head is really stressed, I have to knit a lot so my thoughts can settle down. Keyword: “meditative knitting.” 

The work was also in vain because I didn’t read the pattern properly to see how big the thingy would end up. So it was all for nothing. hmph 
I picked the pattern from a blanket, and you knit triangles together, but it’s only supposed to become a poncho, and what I had started would have been more like a full-body poncho... Instead of a housecoat ;-) 
Nope, not happening, my hot flashes and I don’t want that.  

Steffi, your sweater is going to be great. Unlike Anja, I really like, or used to like, knitting patterns like that. 
I haven't done it for many years now, though. I've also never knitted a sweater with a circular yoke, and I've never done short rows. That would be new territory for me. Exciting.

Ines, your snowballs are cute. A lovely Secret Santa idea. 

Anja, if I knitted for 6 hours, not only would my fingers hurt, but my whole back would too. Too bad you had to rip it out again afterwards. 

I crocheted a hat for my shawl. I already have some hats - green and natural - but the colors didn't match at all. So I made a gray one. Now I just have to see whether it gets a pom-pom or stays as it is. 

Huhu Ines.... 
my little one is a mix of St. Bernard, German Shepherd, and German Tiger (a herding dog from the south).... So I have a herding St. Bernard with German Shepherd energy and the very independent, stubborn streak of the Tiger 🙈😂😲🙈
She’s two and a half now, and starting tomorrow, “our” class at dog training school begins: calmness and concentration. 
Your little one looks very lively too.... 
I can only manage the 2 km walk by taking “shortcuts”; normally, the shortest route we do is 4 km. ... and we also play and “work” in between. ...
I’m knitting DF too... soon I’ll be making two cowls, 
the Winter Bears and the brand-new Dino Loop.... Both by Sonja. 
Anja, today I had to look online again to see how to knit those stupid short rows, I don’t really like them either....
But I already have yarn ready for my next project, there will be lots of them knitted..... (Phoenix Wings - you can find it here on CP).... 
I love counting while knitting, though here I have a relatively symmetrical pattern, so it almost knits itself.... 

Petra what a lovely hat. I really like pom-poms—and making them too, by the way. Especially trimming them into shape; then I feel like I’m 9 years old again and am playing “hairdresser” in my head. hehe

I also have to give a special mention to the snowballs —they’re so cute and look totally real with that yarn. 

Steffi I only count when I’m falling asleep, always backward from 100. That way I don’t have to unravel anything if I lose count. 😆

Let’s be honest—you’re all such turbo posters! I didn’t check in here for a few hours, and already there’s so much to look at and read again. It’s really impressive what’s going on here right now. :)

Ines, you’ve got an author in the family, too. Who knows—maybe your daughter will feel like it again; especially as a mom, it’s nice to tell your own stories.
Your snowballs are absolutely adorable. You just want to cuddle them right away—such a sweet idea, especially with Christmas coming up. And your star garland looks really pretty, too. So, from me, you’re now officially awarded the title “Turbo-Ines.” You finish new projects so fast—I can’t keep up with you anymore. Right now, I’m taking my time with everything, because it’s supposed to be fun and not turn into a competition.

Steffi, your sweater already looks really good with that pretty pattern. You’ve come a long way with it. It reminds me of the Norwegian sweaters I used to knit. Knitting short rows isn’t hard at all. You’ll see once you’ve tried it. You have a cute dog. :)

Anja, meditative knitting is nice. Unraveling, however, isn’t. Stay calm and just start over. It’ll be fine. Knitting without a pattern is nice for me every now and then, but somehow also boring. I can hardly tell that I’m making progress. I like knitting patterns best, but it’s not something you can do while watching movies.

Petra, your hat looks great. I’d leave it without a pom-pom, but that’s a matter of taste.

I’ve got something new to show you, too. The baby onesie just needs about 10 cm more at the bottom.



And I’ve now finished the dishcloth my daughter-in-law wanted, complete with a hanging loop. She’s going to try it out first to see if she likes it. Then she’ll get some more.

Here’s a tip again:
If you click on the images, they’ll enlarge. And by right-clicking and selecting “Open in a new tab/window,” you can view them in full size.

Good morning,

Steffi, your sweater already looks wonderful—I really like the colors, too. I’ve also knitted short rows before—in a scarf; it’s not that difficult.

Petra, I like your hat, too. I’d make it without a pom-pom as well, but, as Monika said, that’s a matter of taste.

Monika, I wasn’t too far off with my guess that you’d be finished soon. The dishcloth turned out pretty.

I also prefer knitting patterns, especially lace patterns; stockinette stitch is too boring for me.
That’s why I now have a patterned collar on my needles. It’s for my granddaughter. When it’s finished, I’ll be happy to show it here again.

By the way, Steffi, I really like your dog, too. I’ve already met Ines’s sweet Asira in person—she’s very pretty, too.

Let me show you our foster dog—he belongs to our son, but he stays with us from time to time.

Hey Marion....
Your foster dog looks a bit like mine.... 

As a puppy with “her” cat ..... 
The sweater is coming along very slowly right now.... I’ve separated the sleeves and am now knitting the stockinette section. I’ve done 7 cm out of a total of 30 so far. This is sooooo boring. 


It’s taking forever, and I was just thinking about whether I should knit short sleeves instead, and then make a sort of tunic where I’d work another pattern repeat at the bottom—or rather, the one that’s actually meant for the sleeves.... but then I’d have to knit even more rows of stockinette stitch.... I haven’t even used 100g of my gray yarn yet, and I still have two skeins left.... 
Long sleeves or a “long sweater”? ??? What do you think? 

I think a long sweater with a pattern repeat would look nice. 
But you could also make sleeves with a pattern repeat at the bottom. 

...so in the pattern, there’s one version with short sleeves and one with long sleeves, and instead of a conventional cuff, there’s the pattern (half of the one above)..... 
I’m knitting with a 3.25 mm needle now, and the knitted fabric is very fine/thin, so it’s more something I’d wear with a shirt or something underneath in winter.... 
My idea would be a “turtleneck” underneath and to make the sweater longer for that 🤔

The pattern is beautiful. The light main color gives you plenty of freedom when it comes to choosing a sweater or shirt to wear underneath. I knitted myself a little piece—thigh-length with short sleeves. I wore it with jeans and either a thin turtleneck or a long-sleeve shirt underneath. I loved it. I’ll look for it in my closet and send a picture.

For me, short sleeves (since it was a thin yarn) worked better; otherwise, it would have been too warm for me to wear indoors at the office. 

Hi Steffi,

A long sweater would definitely look great. Have you ever thought about incorporating a pattern into the gray section instead of just knitting it in stockinette stitch? Like stripes followed by stockinette stitch again. Garter stitch, seed stitch, or simply a similar knit-purl pattern like your motif might work well there.

 

....the pattern would be an idea. I’ll put the sweater back on the longer needle and see where it fits best.... Maybe the middle section of the yoke (diamond) in knit/purl 🤔 roughly at waist level.... 
Then I’ll knit the sleeves short first, so ribbing in knit/purl and bind off. That way I’ll have an overview of how long I can knit the sweater.... 
....and then I’ll have to count, since I need to adjust the pattern; I have fewer stitches now because of the held sleeve stitches.... 
But first a bit of housework, the dog has already been "taken care of" with food and a walk.... then lunch and then some knitting tinkering 😂😁

Just a quick different question....
a friend of mine wants to / or is already crocheting a string curtain out of felting wool.
She has already crocheted what feels like 70 leaves, and a long roll (a bamboo rod will go inside it later) 
Now, according to the pattern, she is supposed to cut 50 strands, each 2.50 m long, and felt them.... 
In the washing machine, at 60 degrees, and the whole thing in a laundry bag.... 
Will she be able to separate the individual strands again???? Or will they felt together? Just to try this out, that’s a lot of material that might end up in the trash..... The pattern is “very sparse” when it comes to the details, and at the yarn shop where she got the pattern and the yarn, they couldn’t help much..... 

50 strands, each 2.50 m long—wow, you’d need a duvet cover with a zipper to fit all that in 😳

I’m curious to hear the response from the felting experts. I imagine it’ll all come together like that, too.

I Googled it—it’s a pattern by Lana Grossa from *Filati. Strick & Filz* No. 12, Model 12. I’ll keep Googling. 

That’s true... sometimes I think they design patterns just to make a lot of money off the yarn, regardless of whether it’s actually “knittable” or not... 

I’m not very familiar with felting, but maybe you could wrap the threads around a plastic tube or something like that?

Steffi, I really like your sweater. For me, it would definitely have to have long sleeves. I’m curious to see how you’ll proceed. To keep things from getting too boring, you could simply work in purl stitches at regular intervals. This creates a very special effect that looks great on a sweater. Take a look at my baby onesie up above. I actually did the same thing on the bottom part.

As for felting, I do think that threads that are felted together will fuse. You probably won’t be able to separate them later. Normally, that kind of information should be included in the pattern.

It’s really interesting that there are so many “writers” among us. When I was 13, I also wrote little books. I illustrated them myself and bound them myself. It was all done in a pretty amateurish and childlike way, but I had a lot of fun doing it.
And later on, I also made up stories and puppet shows for my kids. But I never managed to get them ready for printing.
And my daughter wrote a little book called “The Little Dragon” when she was 4 (!) years old. Back then, she already knew the letters, but she wrote the words the way she heard them (e.g., “Vroinde” for “Freunde”). She also drew pictures to go with it and labeled it “for children ages 3–6” :-))) I dug it out again just recently and showed it to her. We had a lot of fun.

Monika, your baby onesie is turning out really colorful. I like it a lot. I think babies should definitely wear bolder colors too, and not just light blue and pink all the time. What kind of material are you using for the dish towels? Don’t they take a while to dry?

Steffi, I wouldn’t put too many patterns into your sweater. The round yoke is supposed to be the focal point. But I could definitely see adding a little of that pattern to the sleeves or the bottom. I’d really like it as a long sweater. I’d need long sleeves, though, because I’m always so cold.

Speaking of being cold:

The cover on my grain pillow bear was already pretty worn out.... I crocheted him a new body.

Oh, you have such beautiful dogs! Each one cuter than the next—I’m melting :-)

Since I have to start cooking soon, I’m just popping in briefly here. Steffi, I vote for the long sweater with short sleeves. The pattern will look gorgeous, and with something underneath, you can definitely make the sweater more versatile and wear it more often...

Today I had a lovely visit from Christina :-) We had a fun-filled day together. And of course, here’s a photo, as promised. Since the original photo unfortunately showed the terrible mess in our kitchen in the background, I quickly gave us a much nicer backdrop. Yes, I cheated a bit, but that’s really what it looks like here in Switzerland :-) :-) :-)




Have a wonderful evening!

Here is the new thread
October Projects 2021, Part 3: the Crazypatterns Handicrafts Group