November Projects and October Projects 2021, Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

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November Projects Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group



Dear users, dear authors,
so here is Part 3 of the October projects.
You can read the earlier posts at the link.
Have fun with it.

Thanks again, Sonja! I really enjoyed spending the day with you and your family—and got to explore a new area at the same time. By the way, we didn’t just talk about knitting…
Yesterday I received some wonderful news: Our fifth grandchild is an adorable little girl (after the four boys), and she was in quite a hurry to come into the world yesterday, which really put her mother through the wringer! Now, of course, I’m really looking forward to holding the little one in my arms soon—something I’ve unfortunately been unable to do with my youngest grandchild so far.

Congratulations to Grandma, and all the best—and a wonderful life—to her granddaughter.

Dear Christina, congratulations on your grandchild. I wish you many wonderful hours and moments, and all the best to the whole family. I’m sure the knitting needles will be flying now, and some lovely yarn is ready and waiting. 

Dear Christina, my warmest congratulations on your grandchild. Best wishes to the mother as well.

A lovely photo of you and Sonja. I also had a lovely get-together with Marion; unfortunately, we were so busy chatting that we didn’t get around to taking any photos. Maybe next time. 

Dear Christina,

That’s wonderful news. Congratulations on your new granddaughter. I wish the family all the best.
Your get-together with Sonja seems to have been a lot of fun, as you can see in the photo.



Ines, I’m already looking forward to the next time.

Christina: Congratulations!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you’ll be able to hold her in your arms soon. I have this vague impression that your grandchildren live in America. Is that right? Does she live there too?

You and Sonja did a lot of knitting at your get-together, too.

I have something to show again today: a Christmas wreath
for Anton’s kindergarten group (the Raccoon Gang).

Wow, Sandra, the Christmas wreath turned out great. I’m sure the whole kindergarten group—including the teachers—will admire it.(And the other groups will be jealous!)

Dear Christina, heartfelt congratulations on the arrival of your granddaughter. When it comes to crafts, there’s so much more you can make for girls, I think. (Although… my grandson is already making requests too—they’re just often not as “cute.”)

Thank you so much for your kind wishes! It’s true—when it comes to crafts, girls are more rewarding because they’re more versatile. (Sometimes you can even let your inner kitsch side run wild a bit!) But there’s no question about it—the boys are great too…
Sandra, your door wreath is amazing!!! You always have such great ideas and really spoil the kindergarten kids. I’d love to see their eyes when the wreath is hung up…
You’re right—the two younger grandchildren unfortunately live in America, and the older ones in Zurich, but I’ve hardly seen them since the pandemic started either, since I’m no longer babysitting (i.e., mainly cooking lunch for them) because their parents are working from home. By the way, Sonja and I didn’t knit—we just clarified a few technical questions. I only knitted on the train ride!

Wow, there’s a lot going on here again!

Ruth, your grain pillow bear is adorably cute. He looks really great in his new outfit.

I’m making the dishcloths from Drops recycled cotton. I’m just realizing it’s perfect for that. I’ve already washed the first one and it came out really well. And it was dry very quickly after washing. I think my daughter-in-law will absolutely love it. The second one is already finished too—I’ll show it further down. I’ll cast on the third one by tomorrow at the latest.

Sonja and Christina, what a lovely photo of you! Even your clothes go really well together color-wise. By the way, I think it’s really great that so many people here are meeting in person.
Christina, that’s roughly how I imagined you would look too. ;-)

Christina, you brand-new grandma, what a joy! I wish you and your little granddaughter all the best, and I already wish the two of you lots of joy together. Well, I’m assuming you’ll surely want to knit quite a few things for the little one. Does she live near you, so you can see her often?

Sandra, your raccoon Christmas wreath for the kindergarten looks fantastic! Did you design it yourself? I can definitely imagine you doing that.

I’m busy finishing up knitting the baby suit. Since the 100 g of yarn is turning out to be a bit tight after all, I had to look through my leftovers for some that match well. Luckily, I found something. Tomorrow I’ll take an up-to-date photo—possibly even one of it finished.

And here is dishcloth No. 2; it will be washed tomorrow. The yarn for the 3rd one is already ready. That one will be purple.



Have a lovely evening, everyone, and enjoy the weekend!

Wow, there’s a lot written here...
Hello, everyone! 🌺🌸🏵

Christina, my heartfelt congratulations on becoming a “grandma” too.

I’m knitting away—my sweater is growing, slowly but surely.
  I ended up going with short sleeves, and now I’m knitting until I have only about 50g left—then I’ll decide whether to add a pattern at the bottom or not.... 

This is what it looks like so far.... It’s definitely going to take me forever....
But I really want to get started on Sonja’s new Dinoloop pattern—that’s a good incentive to keep knitting the sweater quickly. Stockinette stitch is just soooo boring. I’m listening to the ARD audio library on the side; I’ve almost heard everything interesting 🙈

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone,

You’ve created such amazing pieces again.
After a long time, I finally got my crochet hook out again. It just feels great. Nothing big, but I need to use up all my leftover yarn.
Maybe it’ll be enough for a little doily to put on top of the hallway bench. C2C technique.

Hi everyone,

hehe, Andrea, I have a ball of yarn in that color, too. I started the tunic with it... which, of course, isn’t finished yet... *hohoho*

  Once again, I was plagued by insomnia; I was already awake at 4:30 a.m., and since I hadn’t knitted for two days, I wanted to continue on my new project (which, by the way, I’ve already had to rip out four times—ARGH). AND, as always, I didn’t read the pattern carefully—boom—ripped it out again. I’m so annoyed at my own carelessness when reading. 

That used to be… right, a ball of sock yarn! Yes, for our little kitten, no shelf is too high! Unfortunately, I noticed the theft too late, and now I get to spend some time untangling and rewinding it.

I find untangling yarn very meditative. You can even throw it against the wall every now and then if it’s really putting up a fight and acting up. 🙃

Oh, Christine… I feel for you—I have two cats. Luckily, my male cat only “steals” whole balls of yarn, and only to cuddle with them. He has his own stash of yarn in his sleeping nook. Now my yarn always goes in the drawer, and Murphy has his “own”...
Is there even any chance of winding that back up again? It looks really tangled. I often have enough trouble with balls of yarn that just get tangled up in my bag... 

A quick hello to everyone.

Sandra, your door wreath for the daycare looks great—the kids are sure to love it.

Andrea, you’ve found time for new projects again. Will it be a solid color this time?

Steffi, the short sleeves go really well with your sweater.
I’m curious to see what you decide on.

Anja, your new piece looks interesting. I like the colors. What’s it going to be?

I can now show you my finished collar. 

Steffi, I really like your sweater. It’s worth finishing it. Maybe it’ll even become one of your favorites.

Marion, your doily already looks promising. I think this technique is really beautiful, but I haven’t crocheted it myself yet. And you’ve already finished more! The collar turned out great, too. By the way, I like the design as well.

Anja, keep at it! We’re all really looking forward to seeing the finished piece!

Christina, oh no! That’s so frustrating. But yarn and cats—that’s just a combination that’s very hard to keep apart. Yes, Anja’s right—untangling it really is meditative. I’ve done it plenty of times, even without a cat.

And I actually started the third dishcloth last night and am almost done with it now. Here’s what it looks like. (I already showed the second one up above.)



And I’m almost done with the baby winter suit, too. Tomorrow I’ll add the hood and then the buttons. I think it’s totally adorable. By the way, the ball of yarn was wound so that one color followed another, in random order. You can achieve the same effect with leftover balls of yarn in different colors.

Monika, I love the yellow dishcloth! I really like simple textured patterns like that.
What size is that cute baby onesie? That would be perfect for Selina.

Steffi, the mess has been untangled! The beginning was a bit of a struggle, but then suddenly it went really fast. The yarn does have some marks from teeth and claws in places, but luckily it’s mostly undamaged.

Good morning....
Christina 👍 I wouldn’t have thought it would be relatively easy for you to untangle that “cat chaos.” So you managed to save the ball of yarn after all.....

  Yesterday online I saw a really great long sweater... It was knitted with a round yoke, and so it wouldn’t hang like a “sack,” she had knitted cables at the sides at waist level.... It looked so great..... But the pattern is in Finnish.... Oh, should I try to figure out for myself where they need to go?????
  In the picture, it was three groups of three stitches worked as cables over a height of about 10 cm..... 🤔 It can’t really be that hard, can it???? 

I’m sure you’ll figure it out. And besides, Google also offers to display the pattern in German for you. I’m not sure if anything useful comes of it (I tried that once with a Portuguese pattern, and it just came out as nonsense)... Another time, though, it worked with a Spanish pattern. 

I’m guessing that with Finnish, it would end up being a total mess....
I also have patterns in Portuguese 😇, but those are mostly knitting charts or counting patterns for cowls.... That should work....
I’m going to put the sweater back onto the 120-cm cable, then put it on the dress form, and then “just” mark where they need to go 🙈

👍 or something like that



My DF addiction has me firmly in its grip… Now I’ve even managed to draw the name so that it’s legible from both sides.

Christina, oops, in all the excitement I completely forgot. Here are my heartfelt congratulations on your grandchild, too. You can’t help but be happy for the parents.
Unfortunately, somehow there are no grandchildren coming our way. Oh well. I can crochet things for my doll grandchildren.

Anja, that looks interesting, but at the moment I can’t quite imagine what it’s supposed to look like when it’s finished. Wishing you continued success.

Monika, you’re turbo-fast again. The baby outfit looks so colorful. The dishcloth has a great pattern. Is it only knit and purl stitches? Seed stitch around the edge, as far as I can tell. I can still manage simple knitting patterns like that.

Somehow cats and balls of yarn do go together. Cats are playful and like things soft and cozy, just like us. But luckily you were able to untangle the yarn mess.
I don’t like doing that, too impatient.

I know what you mean about Google Translate with patterns; it often comes out as gibberish.

Have a nice rest of Sunday

Well, basically it’s going to be a rectangle made of triangles. Two of them put together, plus sleeves—sort of like a poncho sweater. 

Unfortunately, I’m going through another one of those depressive phases where I don’t feel like knitting. Then I’m in such a lousy mood because knitting isn’t fun, and I miss it, and I don’t know what to do with myself. That’s why I just end up knitting for so many hours whenever it’s actually fun—basically, making the most of it while I can. 

I also think the dishcloths are very pretty, and the knitted collar too. 
I find DF fascinating to look at and enjoy checking out your photos. 

Now that I’m knitting these triangles, I’m reminded of my very first knitted sweater—I made it when I was 14 or 15. Back then, I didn’t even use a pattern. Two quadrilaterals were knitted, with a boat neckline, and the sleeves were two rectangles. I remember it was blue and red, and I was already knitting in two colors back then—those were triangles too. I started with blue and then had one blue stitch less and one red stitch more each time. I just saw recently that geometric patterns like that are back in style. 

Christina, what lovely thing are you making for Lynn? It already looks really great. I really need to make something in DF again—my fingers are already itching. But first, I’ve still got a few dishcloths to make; they’re really addictive.
The baby onesie is size 62/68, and if it’s knitted longer, it will still fit for quite a while. I’ll start writing the pattern tomorrow. You can see a photo of it on the baby right below here.

Andrea, yes, the dishcloths are knitted only in a knit-and-purl pattern, all different. There will be more to come. I’m sure you can manage them too.

Anja, the old patterns somehow always come back into fashion. I know that too, what you described. Your desire to knit will surely come back; sometimes you just have to feel unmotivated. But you’ve been writing diligently here, which is great too.

So, I finished the baby onesie today. This is what it looks like now with the baby wearing it. Paula feels sooo cozy in it, ready for a ride in the stroller (if she were a real baby).




And this is my dishcloth collection so far; the 4th one is currently on the needles. Then there are still 2 more balls waiting.

Monika, what material do you use to knit your dishcloths? And how big do they get? I’m taking a break from dishcloths right now (those were such practical train projects; now I’m just knitting little socks, since they’ll have to be mailed off soon), and I’m knitting washcloths instead of dishcloths at home on the sofa—in double strand, of course. And then, of course, I also want to knit and crochet something for the baby…

Good morning, everyone,

after a few days’ break, I’m checking in again too; once again there was a lot to read, and of course I had to admire your creations as well.

First, the beautiful door wreath by Sandra, the kindergarten group will be very happy to now have a door wreath made especially for them; maybe orders from the other groups will follow :)

Steffi, I still think your sweater is beautiful, and of course I’m very excited to see the final result. A round yoke isn’t for me right now, but a patterned border like that can be placed elsewhere too.

Andrea, it’s nice to see a few projects from you again too; I’m also excited to see your result, it will surely be beautiful again, as always.

Anja, the sweater you’ve started rings a bell somewhere deep in my memory. Unfortunately, I know phases like that too, where you throw everything into the corner and then don’t feel like continuing. That’s allowed and sometimes necessary; you’ll see, afterward things will go better again.

Marion, I had already been allowed to see your collar while it was in progress, and the result turned out lovely. Whether you still have to/are allowed to make a second one for the other young lady, haha......I told Carolin about it on Saturday, and she thought the idea was very nice too, even though she’s not really into knitted things.

Monika, you’ve been very busy again too; I like the baby outfit, unmistakably in your colors. Unfortunately, my daughter doesn’t want anything like that for her child, but that’s okay if you’re told beforehand; I’m welcome to make other things like little hats, socks, etc.
Your dishcloths turned out lovely too; after my Christmas crochet phase, a few of those will be up again as well.

Christina[/b,you’re also making beautiful shawls right now, and with you too I’ll let the result surprise me.

Last week I finished my new Christmas mouse, after it had to doze half-finished in the corner for 3 weeks and I was still missing an idea of what it should actually look like. I don’t know how it is for you, sometimes you have images in your head and think, that’s how it should turn out, but putting it into practice takes lots of drawings, etc.
My biggest critic was once again my daughter; she declared the mouse to be ....oh, how cute....and spontaneously gave her the name Filly......now I’ll go through the pattern once more.


I wish you all a lovely start to the new week.

Christina, what’s that going to be in double-face? It already looks really great.
Monika, the baby onesie is really cute. I like the colors.
And your Christmas mouse turned out absolutely adorable too, Ines. How big is Filly?

November 1, another month has gone by, so it’s time to show you the progress on my temperature blanket again:

Ines, your mouse is really cute—unfortunately, I don’t have the time right now to crochet it as a companion for my garden mouse (my friend the bunny is still missing, after all—no idea where our kitten dragged him off to…)

Ruth, I really like the temperature blanket—it makes me want to try making something like that myself.

Ines, I just admired your Filly mouse in the other thread. It turned out really cute and will bring joy to many this Christmas. I know that too — I wasn’t allowed to knit everything for my grandchildren either, especially when it came to colors. Parents already have their own ideas and preferences. But it is more than just socks and hats.

Ruth, your temperature blanket looks really beautifully colorful and vibrant now. What will it be used for once it’s finished? I could easily imagine it as a long table runner.

Christina, the dishcloths — which can also be used as washcloths — are knitted from pure cotton. I use Drops recycled cotton for them. It’s a bit firmer too, so not quite as soft. That works very well for cloths like these. They measure 20 x 20 cm before washing. After washing, they measure 19 x 19 cm. I think that’s quite good because it makes them a little sturdier.

Ines, your Filly turned out so cute. And you were right about the collar. I got to knit another one right away.

Monika, your Paula clearly feels right at home in her new outfit. Your dishcloths turned out lovely. It just goes to show that even with very simple patterns, you can knit some really beautiful pieces.

Ruth, your temperature blanket looks great.

And just like that, two more dishcloths are finished—Nos. 4 and 5. The 6th is on the needle. :)
Yes, Marion, this time they’re simple patterns, perfect for beginners. I’m just having a little fun experimenting with patterns right now. I really enjoy doing that. My daughter-in-law doesn’t just want the dishcloths for washing dishes, wiping down the table, and things like that—she also uses them as washcloths. So I’m making her a whole set for Christmas. That means there will be more to come with different patterns.

Monika, you’re so hard at work! Your daughter-in-law will surely be delighted.
My temperature blanket is just meant to be a cozy throw. It would be too slippery for me to use as a table runner. I get so cold, and in the evenings, while watching TV or doing crafts, I can wrap myself up in it. I’m already doing that while I’m working on it! Then I don’t have to turn the heat up as high.

Monika That’s a great idea—always trying out a new pattern. That way, you won’t get bored, and your daughter-in-law can easily tell which shawl to use for what. Of course, the colors help too, but the pattern is also a distinguishing feature.  

Ruth, your bedspread looks great. Summer seems to have been very hot—now the cooler colors are back. What temperature does green represent? And when does blue come in? 

It wasn’t actually that hot—I didn’t have any temperatures above 30° this year.
Based on my experience with temperatures over the past few summers, I chose my scale as follows:

I wasn’t able to use purple (below -10°), dark red (31°–35°), or brown (above 35°) at all. I always measured the midday temperature (12 p.m.) rather than the high or low. For the blanket, I’m hoping—for the sake of symmetry—that I’ll get a bit of turquoise, mint, and blue at the end, but otherwise I feel most comfortable in the “green to yellow” range.

Just me again briefly:

these projects were finished long before the move. A small wash bag, a melon-shaped bag, and decorative hearts.


Your new creations look great again—the washcloths, the wonderfully colorful temperature blanket—absolutely beautiful.

That looks very “fresh”.... I could definitely picture it for a vacation in a camper. Like a little beach bag....
How was your first day at work??? 

Hi Ruth.... I probably would have “cheated” with the temperatures just to get the brown into the blanket too 🙈😂....
I really hope you can still crochet with turquoise, mint, and blue. Those would be pleasant temperatures for fall. 🍂🍂🍂

Ruth, thanks for the color scale. I’m really looking forward to seeing the second half. Maybe it’ll get warmer again on one day or another, but I think the green colors are going to start showing up more frequently now. I think that would appeal to me, too. How did you handle the days when you weren’t at home? 

....I meant winter, not autumn 🙈

I checked wetter.com. You can also look up past temperatures for a location there.
Yeah, and I was often tempted to cheat, but I decided against it in the end. After all, the colors should be determined by nature, not by me.
Maybe next year I’ll make a temperature blanket “the way I’d like the weather to be”😆😆😆
Ina is also making a temperature blanket and has even started a second one alongside it, because she wanted to choose the colors herself. 🙂

It makes me smile. “Wishing for the weather you want…” would be an idea, too. Funny

Turbo-Moni again... those dishcloths are great, and so is the outfit. I forgot to check the box after the last post and missed everything.  

Ruth, I have to say again and again, the blanket is turning out beautifully. I can’t even say if I might have been tempted to cheat, haha—after all, the temperatures have been constantly fluctuating this year. Now I’m curious to see how it turns out in the end.

By the way, the mouse will be about 25 cm—you asked about that.

Monika, I think the dishcloths are really nice, too. So far, I’ve only ever crocheted them, but knitting them is actually a good idea.

Ines , where can I see the mouse?

Just stepped away for a bit, and half the thread is already full again :-) I just finished an exciting read—thanks for that!

Andrea, that’s great that you’re finding time for needlework again. I’d already admired your finished pieces in another thread. They’re absolutely amazing! It’s wonderful that you can showcase all your masterpieces so beautifully—they deserve to be shown off to their best advantage. How has your start at the new job been? When everything is new and you’re still finding your way around, it’s extra exhausting. I really hope you feel right at home right away and find some nice coworkers!

Steffi, did the cables work out? How far along are you with the tunic? Hang in there—when it’s finished, it’ll be a real gem!

Christina, that’s good to know—that you’re managing to untangle the cat-induced yarn chaos. I’ll call you the next time I have an emergency :-) (Although ever since the last yarn theft, I’ve been making sure the yarn is stored cat-proof...) Cool that the non-mirrored text worked out!

Anja, how’s your knitting mojo? Has it come back yet? Even if it doesn’t help with your problem, I often find myself laughing out loud at your posts—you have such a funny, dry sense of humor. So please keep enriching us with your comments, even when you don’t feel like knitting! By the way, that “ARGH, NOT AGAIN” thought also crossed my mind recently when, after 13 rounds (that’s 4,680 stitches, after all), I realized that I’d twisted my loop once while “closing the round” after casting on—and had thus started a half-Möbius strip, which wasn’t what I wanted. 

Turbo-Moni, how cute the little suit turned out! It’s even cuter when someone snuggles up in it. And your dishcloth production is in full swing—wow! They’re really beautiful, too, and make a great gift, I think.

Ines, your Christmas mouse—oh, it’s just too cute! Filly goes well with her. The figures you make always have such a mischievous expression that they really seem to come to life!

Ruth, your temperature blanket is something very special. I’m sure in a few years you’ll remember the weather in 2021 much better than the weather in any other year ;-) But I think the idea of “dream weather” is really great—maybe you’ll put it into practice and let us share in your dreams!

Marion, your collar is also very pretty. Is that a pattern of knit stitches and purl stitches?

I’ve got a lot going on right now, so unfortunately I don’t get to knit or crochet as much as I’d like. I’m currently working on a loop scarf—finally one for myself, yippee! Since I’ve started it for the third time now for various scatterbrained reasons, there’s not much to see yet. I’ll take a picture when you can actually make out a bit more.

Hey everyone...

Sonja, the issue with the cable was “resolved” pretty quickly—I would’ve had to rip out about 10 cm... I’d just knitted too far already. Now it’s a “nice” length, though. ... Arghhh, take a look... 


This stands out way too much to me.... I’m using hand-dyed yarn, in 100g skeins, wool from the same dye pot.... Now I have a line where I started the second skein..... 
This is annoying me soooo much right now. 
I’m wondering if I should rip it back to that point and then knit a “waistband cable,” about 5 cm wide.... then maybe it won’t be so noticeable that it’s different....

Hello to everyone from me too,

I took a little nap; I was totally exhausted today after work. I’m on the early shift for the next two weeks, then alternating with the late shift.
Thanks, thanks—my start at work went great. All my coworkers are nice, and we’re getting to know the residents better and better; it’s actually pretty fun. Many of them are still “clear-headed,” so we can have a little chat during morning care.
I just have to get used to getting up early again—I’m a bit of a morning grouch, so it takes me a while to get going, but once I’m up, I’m good.

That’s why I won’t be able to make things as often to show you all. But I have the weekend off, which I’m really looking forward to.
Admiring your amazing creations always puts me in a good mood.

Have a lovely evening,

Hey, everyone, I’m amazed at how much has already been posted here again. That’s enough to fill an entire evening. :)
Thanks for your feedback on the dishcloths. Number 6 is also finished, but I haven’t photographed it yet.

Andrea, from now on, you’re “Turbo-Andrea” to me. The speed at which you crochet—and especially the quantities you make—is unbelievable! When I look at your display, even a market stall can hardly keep up. I can totally imagine that you’ve already gotten your coworkers hooked on it. You’ll have your hands full if they start placing orders with you. I’m so happy for you that you’re enjoying your new job. That really means a lot. By the way, your bags look very original and especially creative. A really wonderful idea.

Steffi, your sweater is already looking really good. You’re “Turbo-Steffi” now—you’ve earned that name—because I think this has gone really fast. The fact that the colors are different wouldn’t bother me. If you do end up unraveling it again, you could knit a red stripe—or some other pattern—between the two shades of gray. Then it won’t be noticeable anymore.
We’re always out and about in our camper in the summer too. It’s almost a classic car now, nearly 34 years old. I can hardly believe it.

Sonja, how nice that you’re getting back to knitting again. But you also had a lovely time with family and friends. That’s something very precious. Winter is still long enough for knitting. It’s really annoying that you had to unravel your cowl again. I know mishaps like that. Luckily, I have a lot of patience when it comes to that.

Anja, I love your very special sense of humor too. It’s fun to read your posts. For that alone, you’re something of a highlight here.

And now I just have to tell you briefly that I’ve gone and done it again. You’ve probably already guessed—a big package of yarn is on its way to me. Drops is offering 30% off alpaca yarn, and I just couldn’t resist. For one thing, I ordered some thinner alpaca yarn for double-face knitting, and then also 1 kg of thicker yarn in two beautiful colors. When I placed the order, I was still thinking of a wool blanket. But now that I think about it, it’ll most likely turn into two jackets—one for my Peter and one for me—maybe a bit of a matching look. You can never have enough jackets. It’ll be thicker than my current one and more suitable for outdoors.

Have a lovely, cozy evening with your needles clicking away.

Oh Steffi, how annoying!!! Dealing with all the different colors is such a hassle... :-( Changing the pattern is the only thing I can think of right now...

Andrea, that sounds really nice for you. Aside from the early shift ;-) At least you can still make the most of the day and get home while it’s still “light out,” right?

No way, Turbo was explicitly invented for you once, dear Moni. 

We’ll come up with something for Steffi too. Speedy-Steffi or something. :-)

Steffi I don’t think the color change is bad either; I thought it was gradient yarn. It would really be a shame to unravel it again. Or you could just repeat the pattern from the top again at the bottom above the hem. Then from the top you’d have: pattern - light - dark - pattern. Then it looks intentional. 

I’ve had that happen twice too with color sections. On one it didn’t matter; the front and back pieces just had two different shades, nobody noticed, and because I didn’t see it, it only bothered me when folding it up. BUT in the middle of a cardigan I had that with black. One stripe was more reddish-black, I kept staring at it and then didn’t feel like working on the cardigan anymore. I unraveled it again after years. 
Or, I recently saw on Shopping Queen that someone was wearing a really great wide leather belt over a knitted dress. That could cover the stripe. As long as it’s at a reasonable belt height. 
If it’s at chest height, just wear your bra over the sweater, then nobody will look at the stripe anymore. 🤡

Oh, and thanks again for the kind comments about my writing style. That feels good right now. ♡

😂😂😂
Wearing a bra over it would be an idea too 💡💡💡
😂😂😂
Nah, I’m going to rip this back to the “edge.” Then I can knit in the planned cables (as a belt substitute), and if I need the third skein too, I’ll switch yarn row by row toward the end of the current skein.... So, one row with the “old” ball and the next with the new one, and so on....
Then the transition shouldn’t be so noticeable. That’s the plan...
and I was already mentally thinking about binding off 🙈

Good morning, you hard-working writers…

I just had to take it all in first—everything there is to read here :)

Steffi , that’s really annoying; the hassle with my sock yarn is still understandable, even though I was annoyed back then too. But socks in your shoes and under your pants aren’t that visible—though you just know it’s there. I think the solution you mentioned in your last post is a good one—then that’s just the way it has to be.

Andrea, I’m so happy for you that you’ve found a great fit at your new job—that’s how it should be; after all, who wants to go to work reluctantly? And now you’re enjoying yourself again and, most importantly, have time for crafts, and I’m really looking forward to seeing your new creations.

Monika, you’re churning out those dishcloths like there’s no tomorrow! I think the homemade ones are really beautiful, and every now and then you need a little something to give as a gift—contrary to what I assumed… that nobody wants them anyway… it seems to be really catching on. In any case, the people I give them to are always happy to receive them, and I still have a few orders to fill before Christmas.
And did you buy some yarn, too? I stocked up a little as well—now I’m waiting for it to arrive.

Sonja, I’m glad you like my little mouse. Yeah, the facial expressions—I always spend a long time “tinkering” with them. I’ve even had to crochet the head all over again because my tinkering left some unsightly “holes”...My husband doesn’t even look my way anymore when I’m sitting on the couch cursing out loud, haha.
I’m really looking forward to seeing your Lopp—I’m guessing it’ll be DF again with a beautiful design?

Anja , I really enjoy reading your posts too; I like the relaxed, uncomplicated way you write, and sometimes I even imagine a little bit how you, too, toss some of your crafts into the corner… Anyway, I get that sense from some of your posts and think, “You’re not alone”—that happens to me a lot, too, with my knitting projects (clothes).
By the way, my mouse is hanging out somewhere further up in the posts.

I also finished a project yesterday that I’d like to show you in the next few days—but first, it needs to be steamed and stretched, and who knows what else, to make it presentable. In the meantime, I’ll work on a few small things and gradually work through my orders.
The weather today isn’t exactly inviting enough to go outside, but I have to take the dog for a walk; otherwise, it’s just time for some homework.

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

Anja, that’s so sweet of you to defend the “Turbo” label for me. :) All right ... accepted.

Ines, you’ve already finished something new?! That’s unbelievable! And on top of that, you’re always making such complicated things. I couldn’t design and crochet them that quickly. Hats off to you - seriously!

Right now, I’m really into these dishcloths, and there will definitely be more to come. But I have other things to work on first. Here’s the sixth dishcloth—the last one for now:



You might remember that I knitted myself a colorful loop scarf this summer. Since Peter borrowed it yesterday evening, I got the idea to knit one like it for him from the leftover yarn from the hat. I’m doing a test knit, so to speak, for my own pattern, which I finally want to finish writing. Half of the loop will be blue and the other half mustard yellow. The pattern is also a bit easier to see in a solid color. Here’s how far I’ve gotten:



I’m really looking forward to my yarn package. It might even arrive before the weekend. But I couldn’t resist at my swap group either. This yarn arrived today, and I’m absolutely thrilled with how beautiful it looks. You can barely tell from the photo. It’s a bright red with colorful little knots in between. I’ll most likely use it for some kind of decoration—I just don’t know exactly what yet. But I’m sure I’ll figure something out.

Monika, your new yarn is absolutely gorgeous. And you have quite a lot of it. I’d love to see a scarf or a loop made from it. I can’t wait to see what you whip up with it. 

Yes, Petra, I’d already thought about making a scarf, especially since the yarn is nice and soft and also quite thick (80 m per 50 g). So I’m not quite sure yet what I’ll make. There’s plenty of time—the yarn doesn’t have an expiration date, thankfully. By the way, it’s a 50/50 blend of polyester and cotton.

A New Chapter: “Our Kitty’s Mischief”: Yesterday, while there was still nothing to do at the retirement home, I started knitting baby mittens and then showed them at the yarn shop on my way home, since I still needed some advice. Back home, I set the bag with my knitting supplies (plus another ball of yarn), the pencil case with the pattern, and a craft magazine on the coffee table. When I was looking forward to continuing my knitting after dinner, only the white yarn was left in the bag… A search throughout the entire house proved fruitless, as did a call to the yarn shop—total frustration and despair. This morning, more fruitless searches—until, in the afternoon, it occurred to me to pull out the large storage box from under the couch in my office… well, and what did the broom bring to light? Along with the missing knitting project, it also turned up the long-lost bunny (a little battered), a ball of yarn, and one of my dolls’ stuffed animals. The earthquake caused by the huge weight that was lifted off my heart must have been felt all the way to Bavaria, at least!

At least that was well hidden 😂🙈 Cats really are some “quirky” little creatures. With mine, I know exactly where to look—he’s “not so bright” when it comes to finding hiding spots.....

Monika, I really like your new yarn! Very nice color....

I unraveled my sweater today—a really big section—and now I’m knitting with two skeins, alternating between them.... Let’s see if I like it. In any case, I’m weaving in an SOS thread; that makes it easier if I have to unravel it again..... 

Yes, Christina, those are the joys—and not-so-joys—of life with our cute furry friends. Luckily, you’ve now found other things you’ve been missing for a long time. That’s a really nice story.

Steffi, you’re always so hard at work. Too bad you had to rip it out, but in the end, the sweater should be something you like and enjoy wearing.

Oh Christina, your Nala sure was busy :-) Why do you even leave your yarn lying around *laughs* Luckily, you found the items again—and a few other missing treasures to boot. Now you know her hiding spot, ha!!! Our cat used to have better luck at stealing things back when I still left the yarn lying around... But she didn’t bother hiding anything—instead, she left a fantastic trail, spanning three floors, wrapped around the stair railing, and finally 20 times around the desk... That was some beautiful, expensive alpaca yarn; I could still cry about it.

Monika, you truly deserve your nickname “Turbo”! The loops look great already. Does Peter like the colors? I certainly would. And congratulations on the red yarn—it’s sure to make something really cozy and snug!

Steffi, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the alternating skeins won’t be noticeable anymore. Are you going to knit the waist cable in right away, too?

I’m halfway done with my loop, yay :-) Here’s a picture of how it’s looking so far:

Hi Sonja.
...the stitch pattern on your cowl is turning out beautifully. 💖

I’ve already knitted a few rows, just plain stockinette stitch, with no pattern at all... Somehow I just want to get it off the needles now 🙈
Tomorrow I’ll wind the third skein and start working it in right away. That won’t happen to me again, having to rip back so much—it was a good 30 cm... 
Monika, I had a look online and saw some really pretty summer sweaters made with your yarn. I can really picture that in the red. 

Steffi, that’s a great idea for a summer sweater. The yarn is pretty thick, though. Maybe a vest would work… but thanks for the idea to browse around. I hadn’t even thought of that yet.

Sonja, I love your loop scarf! It looks fantastic! Especially with those colors. I have to say, I’m really tempted to make one myself… By the way, you’re pretty quick, considering you had to unravel everything.

My Peter likes the colors of the “scrap loop.” He especially likes the yellow, and blue always works anyway.

I can’t compete with your amazing dishcloths, but I still wanted to show you my “waiting room washcloth.”


I knitted it in the waiting room with my newly straightened circular needle (thanks to your tips). At home, I only need to knit the last 10 rows and the border.

Best, Marlies

Marlies, I always enjoy my knitted dishcloths too and love using them. They’re great to knit on the side while you’re waiting or sitting at the playground.

Do any of you use knitted or crocheted washcloths? I think they’re super cute, but I haven’t made any yet. What have been your experiences?

I’m still in fall mode and just crocheted a really big acorn. I used a size 5 hook, and it’s about 14 cm tall. 



And then there was a little mushroom—of course, it shouldn’t be left all alone. 

Marlies, how wonderful that you’re here with us now! Your Waschi turned out great.

Petra, wow, your acorn is huge. It turned out beautifully. I could imagine using it as gift wrapping if the little cap were knitted separately... Your other decorations look pretty, too.

So, now I’ll share with you the yarn package I ordered. Yes, I received it today and celebrated it thoroughly and with joy. The yarn feels soooo great—it’s cozy and soft. I could bathe in it.... :) I also knitted a gauge swatch right away for my Peter’s jacket. I’ll probably need more than 10 skeins for that, so for now, he’s the only one getting a jacket. I can knit something else with the rest, eventually. I also picked out yarn for the loop scarf that I’ll be test-knitting for Sonja. I’m really looking forward to it and got started right away. The swatches are knitted from the jacket yarn and the red yarn I’d already shown you. As you can tell, I’m totally in a yarn frenzy.

And here’s my package with its contents. The yarn was packed in 3 layers.

1st layer on top:



2nd layer, middle:



3rd layer, bottom:



The yarn for the jacket



The swatch:



The swatch made from the red yarn:



And here’s my leftover loop scarf—it’s finished now:

Monika, you’ve picked out some great colors again. I like the color of the jacket, from what I can see in the picture. I’d love to cast something on with the pink yarn.

The two-tone loop is a great combination.

I’d really love to buy some yarn too, but my stash is still too big. I’ll definitely be on a yarn diet this month. 

Sonja, your cowl already looks great.

Petra, you’ve crocheted some lovely fall decorations there. They’d go well with mine, too.

Monika, thanks. I just went for it. Your yarn bundle is gorgeous! I’d take it just like that, too. I really like the swatch made from the red yarn, and the leftover-yarn cowl has a great color combination.

My cheese door wreath still looks more like “cheese stew” at the moment,

but I hope I can finish the remaining pieces tonight. Then I could put it all together tomorrow. When I go to the Altes Land on Tuesday, I’d like to have it finished and wrapped, because it’s going to be a Christmas gift.

Hugs, Marlies

Ahhhh, finally something to read from you—I was already getting bored without any input from you.

I’ve been laughing at myself this whole time because I want to give a compliment, but apparently during menopause the brain switches back to pre-pubescent 15-year-old mode.... *snort* Let’s leave it at that. Petra that compliment was meant for you.... *laugh*

You got a wonderful yarn package Monika. Like Petra, I’d steal that dusty pink from you. I’ve never had any yarn from Drops before. *ordering noise* No, don’t!!!!! I’ve suddenly fallen in love with some Turkish yarn, and now it’s sitting in my eBay cart and ugh... No! I’m already getting stress hormones here because I have so much yarn and can’t part with any of it (a yarn swap package wouldn’t have worked either, because 70% of it has no label), and yet I never have the right yarn.
I wanted to make a farewell scarf for my therapist, looked at her clothes, and unfortunately I don’t have anything in those colors. That’s how it goes!
Then I found a shawl on my Pinterest shawl board and decided it would just have to be more colorful. A good-mood shawl. And luck was on my side: the pattern was available for free on Ravelry. Unfortunately, in English. I didn’t feel like googling all the abbreviations, so I’m making the shawl from the idea rather than from the pattern.
Meanwhile (that word looks strange somehow, I’d never noticed before), my cousin is sitting at home sick, and I still haven’t finished her shawl collar. And every time I read Petra I remember that I still haven’t finished the shawl from her pattern either. Waaaah! I’m suddenly thinking of SWR 3... back then.... Yogi Löw parody: "Extreme discipline!" - unfortunately I don’t have that. Like a little drunken butterfly, I stagger from flower to flower, uh, from project to project. Is there anything from ratiopharm for that???

Oh Anja..... 😂😂😂😂
I know that feeling all too well, and eventually there comes a point where you just can’t stand “this mess” anymore (which actually isn’t really a mess at the moment)..... Though, at least for me, it doesn’t feel any better afterwards once I’ve tidied up either 😂😇
And besides, no matter how much yarn you have in your stash, you never have the colors you need for a whole project.... and ordering just one skein isn’t worth it, so one or two others end up jumping into the shopping cart too...
and in the yarn shop they cling to you and want to be adopted.

I’m curious to see the cheese wreath.... I can’t even imagine what it’ll look like finished yet....

Petra. For the big acorn, couldn’t you use the inside of the large surprise eggs and then, as Monika suggested, make one with a “hiding place”???

Oh Monika, what a great yarn package, the first layer has really beautiful colors.
Do you actually like knitting with Drops Love You? I find it really “annoying” to knit with, because with mine the yarn kept splitting and then I had loops.... In terms of the stitch appearance it’s quite pretty; I knitted the sheep bag with it in DF.....

I’ve knitted my sweater back to where it was before unraveling it; you can see the edge a little where I started knitting with two skeins.... or am I the only one who sees it because I know something is “different” there. ...

Petra, thanks for being happy with me. I would have used the pink-looking color for my cardigan. I liked that one too. Now it will become stripes in the men's cardigan. I'll make something else from the rest later.

Marlies, thank you too for being happy with me. Your cheese door wreath looks interesting. Why do you call it that? I can't really tell yet what it will look like when it's finished. What do the colorful pieces in it mean?

Anja, I'm cracking up reading your lines. Your humor is unique. :)
You'll surely show us your new love, the Turkish yarn, when you have it, right? I'm looking forward to it. A good-mood shawl, now that's a really great idea. Colorful is always good. I'm already thinking about how to knit up different colors nicely. I know that kind of chaos all too well. Since I've been here, though, and we had the UFO weeks, that's history. What has stayed is that I always have several projects at once. That way it doesn't get boring.

Steffi ... I have to smile. You write so humorously too. I almost don't want to say it ... but I'm toying with the idea of buying more of some colors from the yarn that was just delivered. Then I'll still get the same dye lot. I'm still wavering ... we'll see whether the yarn calls loudly enough: "I want to come to you!" Then I won't be able to say no...
Drops Love You comes in several qualities and weights. I have the 9 now, that's the recycled yarn. It's very sturdy, and I like working with it when I'm making sturdy things with needles - both crochet and knitting. I had knitted the shawls with it. For DF, I prefer the thinner one with 180 m yardage.
The picture of your sweater can't be seen. Upload it sometime, I'm curious what it looks like now.

.Monika..... then watch out that no “postage-saving” skeins sneak in there..... That happens to me a lot—those are the skeins you don’t really need, but before you pay €6 for shipping, you just toss them into your cart to hit the
“free shipping threshold” of “X euros.” But I’d rather pay for yarn than for shipping 😂🙈😂
I try to stick to just one project at a time. Otherwise, I just can’t seem to finish them. I have a jacket lying around that’s missing just one sleeve… and somehow that annoys me, yet I still can’t seem to finish it. Everything’s ready and laid out—the pattern, the yarn, the right knitting needle—and yet somehow it feels like a real aversion… 

Hi everyone, oh, so much has happened here.

Monika: Your yarn looks great.

We were at a 50th birthday party this morning, and I was busy being creative in other ways:

This one is “cute”—a truly special gift.... 

I briefly put the sweater back on the long needle....

I do think you can still see where I started knitting with the two skeins... but I’m leaving it like that now. I guess that’s just how it’s supposed to be...
🤔or???? Now the “knitting monk” is coming out again 😂🙈
I’ll rip it back to the yoke and then continue with two skeins.... ???
Oh man.... 

I wouldn’t rip it out again. It’s definitely much better than before. Once you know what to look for, you can see the difference. Why don’t you try it on and check in the mirror to see if it bothers you? 

Yeah, Steffi, I already did that with this package. I wanted to make it up to 70 euros. But I’m not going to buy any more skeins now. Everything’s fine the way it is. First, I’ll knit it up.

Sandra, the beer garden is really a very nice idea that you’ve brought to life.

Steffi, I’d leave the sweater as is. At first glance, you can’t see any seam. I think you have to know about it; otherwise, you wouldn’t notice it at all.

By the way... I’m turning into the “Unraveling Queen” this month. I had the exact same experience with the loop as Sonja did. Last night I was happy to have finished the first 5 rounds. Then, unfortunately, I realized I’d knitted a Möbius loop. So this morning I had to unravel everything. Now I’ve finished the first round again—but the way it’s supposed to be.

Have a lovely evening, everyone.... 
I haven’t knitted a single stitch today.... The sweater is still hanging on the long cable on the dress form... 
I just haven’t found the motivation to take it down yet. Maybe someone will come along who’d like to wear it. 
But.... While rummaging through my stash, I finally found some yarn for the bear cowl..... Schachenmayr Bravo in denim and a more natural/white shade 👍

And me? Guess.... 
....
....
No, I didn’t order any yarn.
...
...
Exactly! I’ve started knitting something new again. Next, I’m going to knit myself a straitjacket.... 🙈

I spent a little time at the sewing machine today. 

I’ve been sewing my own gift wrapping out of clothes, bedding, and table linens for a while now. 

So today I cut up a shirt for a small gift. Since it’s for an adult, I decided to skip any embellishments.

Later on, you can pass it on as a gift, or you can use it to hold a flowerpot or a vase—that way you won’t see the vase, which might not match the flowers in terms of color. 

Good morning, everyone,

you’ve all been busy writing again...

Sonja, what a beautiful shade of yellow you’re using for the loop scarf—there simply have to be some sunny winter days when you wear it. I’m also rather in love with the color yellow at the moment, and I’m really excited to see the final result.

Steffi, I really think that the way you’re knitting the sweater now, it’s not noticeable anymore, and I’d keep going like that until the end.

Petra, the acorn is lovely, and the size really makes me think it could easily be made in two parts and used as a little gift box. It doesn’t always have to be sweets—I can just imagine hiding little cosmetic items, etc. in it.

Monika, wow, you really went to town buying yarn—I can’t compete with that, my package looks quite modest by comparison. But I was in the position of having to buy a little extra for an order from Carolin and not wanting to stock up on more supplies just yet.
But I really like the yarn, and I think we’ll soon be seeing some new knitting projects from you, given how fast you are.
You say I’m fast too—well, as I mentioned before, when the TV is on I mostly listen to audio dramas. I usually get anything that requires concentration far enough along that everything else can then be done while watching TV, and I don’t really make anything all that complicated. But I’m sure you mean the figures—yes, they do require attention, especially when it comes to sewing them together and doing the faces.

Anja, I had such a laugh.....straightjacket...well, whatever suits you.....your sense of humor is delightful; having a personal exchange of thoughts with you sometime would certainly be nice, especially since I also really like dry humor.

This time, though, I don’t have anything to show yet—there was quite a lot going on here over the weekend, so it’ll come later in the week.

Have a great start to the week, everyone!

Sandra: A great idea for a birthday. I’m sure it was a hit.

Anja: And here I was thinking I was the only one who needed an “I-love-you jacket” every now and then...

Monika: What do those colorful pieces inside mean?
We’ll reveal the secret now.
   Before


   after: the “Cheese Wreath.”

Actually, it’s called “In the Pantry, at 1:30 a.m.”
Designer: Barbara Saboth, Babsie’s Hook.
I bought the pattern a few years ago.

It was a bit of a fiddly job with all the tiny pieces, but I think it was worth it.

Best wishes, Marlies

I almost forgot this “box find”:

    
I knitted this little guy (12 cm) for my daughter 42 years ago. It came in various sizes and colors.

Kind regards, Marlies

Marlies, all that “fiddling” was definitely worth it: the wreath looks absolutely great!

The wreath is really great.... It’ll make a “super” gift 🎁.... 

Your wreath turned out great. All that work was worth it. What a wonderful gift. 

Thank you all. I think I like this one so much that I’m going to make one for myself, despite all the tiny pieces.

Best regards, Marlies

Marlies, I’ve already admired your wonderful cheese wreath in the gallery.
I definitely agree, all that fiddling around was really worth it.

Thanks, Marion. A friend I sent the photo to has already expressed interest. So I’ll probably have to make at least two more.

Best regards, Marlies

Marlies, your wreath turned out really beautiful, and cheese and grapes go together anyway.
Yes, those little pieces are always a bit of a fiddly job, but it was definitely worth it. 

That wreath is so, so cute! And just like that, you’ve already got more things to do, Marlies.

Ines don’t imagine chatting with me would be all fun and games. This is only one part of my personality (probably like everyone else).
The other sides of me are बेहद negative. I’ve been suffering from panic disorder for 33 years, and since I’ve been going through menopause, I’ve also been having more depressive episodes. My everyday life is hard work. What is normal for others takes all my strength: working, shopping, doctor’s appointments, driving. 
There are many things I can’t do at all (going out to eat, traveling, the cinema, or large crowds in general). 

If I didn’t have my sense of humor, I don’t know whether I’d still be here... It has somehow saved me. On the other hand, people often tend to think: "Oh, she’s funny, quick-witted, and confident — she’s only pretending when it comes to her mental health." 
That really hurts when people think you’re just pretending or expect you to "stop making such a fuss"...

Thanks, Ines and Anja.

Anja: I can partly relate to how you’re feeling. I’ve known panic attacks and depression ever since my divorce from the violent rapist I barely survived.
If you show strength on the outside, people assume there can’t be anything wrong with you. Especially great is the saying, “She just needs a real man, then she’ll feel better.” And when a “friend” then says, “Oh, you just need
some attention again,” you soon feel desperate.

Don’t let it get you down and keep your chin up—yes, that’s another cliché, but I truly mean it.

Best wishes, Marlies

Thanks, Marlies.

And I’m so, so sorry for what you had to go through. All that crap doesn’t just come out of nowhere. Physical and emotional abuse, along with being overwhelmed, precede these conditions. Anxiety and depression are the result.
Here’s a little love for anyone who might need it tonight: 
💋💌💝💖💗💓💞💕💟❣❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤍🌈🌞🎈🤗🧚🫂

Oops, a jumble of numbers... those were supposed to be friendship pictures... the chat can’t display them... 

Many thanks, Anja.

Best regards, Marlies

Thank you, Anja..... 
I’ve always recognized so much of myself in your texts.... Now I know why.... 
It’s just that I have the “luck” that I can plan everything myself. Shopping every 14 days; then there are no more than 10 cars there. So it’s “manageable,” and I can set off in daylight. We live here away from the village, have only one neighbor, and there’s the occasional hello and that’s it.... 
I “need” the dog just to leave the house at all. A cuddly compulsion, so to speak. 
And humor, yessss, we need that. 
Acquaintances no longer ask “how are you?” because “Anyone who asks honestly gets an honest answer.” .... Right at the very beginning, my sister once said I should read a certain book 😂🙈😂 
Slowly, she is starting to understand that too..... 
I also had to listen to what a “life of luxury” I have. ... I would really love to swap places with those people sometime. 

Hey, you wonderful, strong women—
thank you for your openness! I just have to tell you how much I appreciate that, even on your “dark days,” you enrich our group with creative ideas, admirable humor, honest words, and simply by being yourselves! I can hardly imagine how difficult everyday life must be for you at times. That’s all the more reason why I hope you’ll always find a little time for yourselves here—a bit of lightheartedness, a brief escape into a world made only of wool and, for once, free of problems. Unfortunately, smileys don’t work on my laptop, so I’m sending you lots of strength, a big hug, and a field full of sunflowers... Sending you a big hug!

Kind words and a “virtual hug” like that can really help sometimes, Sonja.

Best regards, Marlies

Thanks, Sonja....
By the way, I actually found some yarn for the Bärchen loop in my closet. Just about 10 cm left on the sweater, and then it can go on the needles. It’s not that many rows 😇, and then it can go in the mail. Right now, the Schlei Bridge in Lindaunis is closed, and I’d have to take a detour that’s twice as long. So Alex is getting a little package....

Have a good night, everyone.... 

Continue writing here:
November Projects Part 2: the Crazypatterns Handicrafts Group