November Projects 2021, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

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November Projects 2021, Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group



Dear users, dear authors,
here is Part 2 of the November projects.
You can read the earlier posts at the link.
Have fun with it.

Steffi, that detour is really annoying... But I’m sure Alex will be really happy to get a package too 😃 My girls, at any rate, are always super proud when they get mail! 

Alex too 🙈😍 Every now and then I send him a little something. When I’ve discovered something while shopping or at the flea market....
Then there’s always a video—it’s a “must,” says Alex 😂😍 

Hello everyone,

you’re all truly strong women, and I believe you when you say that some people just can’t understand that—unfortunately, emotional pain isn’t visible, so many people think, “Oh, she/they have it so good; they shouldn’t complain so much.”
I, too, had to come to terms early on with the fact that people can be very superficial—and as the saying goes, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” But everything you’re writing about can’t be compared to my situation. Even though 30 years ago, it felt to me as if the world was about to collapse around me. From one moment to the next, I lost my husband in a car accident, and there I was with a child who was just nine months old; we’d been married for 14 days and were planning to build a life together—which I was eventually able to do with the help of my parents and friends.
I would have loved to send you some flowery greetings as well, but my photo wouldn’t load, even after I resized it. I really appreciated your openness while reading your posts; it’s truly enriching to see your wool creations and read your opinions on others’ work.

In the meantime, I’ve taken a free minute to send my creations off for a photo shoot… no… of course I’m doing that myself—let’s see if I can upload these pictures now :)

First, a small centerpiece doily



and here I have 2 candle rings


Now I need to go through my notes to see what’s next on my to-do list....

Sending sunny greetings to all of you

Wow, you guys, you’re absolutely amazing! I really can’t keep up with everything you’re writing here.

Petra, that’s such a great idea—gift wrapping made from old clothes. If only I weren’t such a slacker when it comes to sewing. But I like your shirt so much that I might give it a try myself. A turtleneck would work too. A flower vase made from a turtleneck… I imagine that would be really funny.

Ines, I feel the same way as you. For me, movies are more like radio plays, too. ;-)
Your new creations look absolutely charming again.

Marlies, that’s such a cute door wreath and perfect for a pantry. Now I know why it’s called a “cheese wreath.” I’m never in the mood for fiddly little projects like that—otherwise, I’d definitely crochet one just like it.
That cardboard find of yours is so cute. Unfortunately, I don’t have any items like that left from my son’s childhood.

Dear Anja, Marlies, and Steffi. I’m sending you a heartfelt hug, too, and I think it’s really great that you’re opening up about having your own dark moments and not always functioning the way the world would like you to. I, too, have my weaknesses and can relate to a lot of what you write. I’m highly sensitive (known as an HSP), and that isn’t always easy. I used to think I was just way too sensitive or too anxious. Today, I’ve come to accept it and know that many people feel the same way. Crowds aren’t my thing, nor are places that are too loud, and I rarely drive anymore—and never at night. To this day, I still can’t swim because my fear of water is far too great. Without my husband, my life would certainly have turned out differently. He’s brought out sides of me that I didn’t even know existed before. I’ve learned to focus my attention more on the things that bring me joy. My favorite saying is still: “Whenever you think you can’t go on anymore… a little light comes from somewhere.” :) Yes, I can say that’s actually always been the case.

This is a space I love very much. Here, we’re allowed to be just as we are. And we have something that connects us: our love of crafts. I’m truly grateful for that—just as I am for every new day I get to experience.

Sonja, I couldn’t have said it better myself. I wholeheartedly agree with your words. You have a gift for leaving a few rays of sunshine everywhere you go... your name suits you perfectly.

Ines, what you went through so soon after your wedding... I have the utmost respect for you! My friend—we were 20 at the time—went through the same thing. She suddenly found herself alone with two small children. And some time later, she found her new love in a friend of my husband’s at the time. She’s still with him today. You’re happily married now, too. I think experiences like that make us appreciate life so much more. That’s certainly how I feel.

So, now I’ll show you how far I’ve gotten with the DF Loop. I’ve finished a quarter of it—after successfully unraveling the Möbius Loop. It feels so nice and cozy. I’m already looking forward to wearing it.

I really like the colors.... I see you’re using one of those “thimbles” 😲 I threw mine into the corner after just a few stitches. It just kept getting tangled up 🙈
At the adult education center, in the Fair Isle course, Regina showed me—and the rest of us—a trick for doing it really easily without one 👍. Ever since then, I’ve been knitting everything that’s two-colored that way.
Today was a “knitting-free” day—out of necessity—I’m lying in bed with a fever and a runny nose.... Who else would this happen to? 😂 That’s what you get for having to go up on the roof in the pouring rain because it’s leaking.... And that was just the stupid garage—the car doesn’t even fit in there 😂😂😂😂
Maybe I’ll still manage to knit a little bit; my eyes always start to burn when I do. On the other hand, it’s just knit stitches, so it’s a “no-brainer” project.... 

Oh Steffi, I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks, Ines.
I’m “lying low” right now 🙈. At least it’s “just” a flu-like infection—the COVID test came back negative, anyway. 👍
Knitting was completely out of the question. So I’m spending a lot of time on my tablet right now, just browsing around 🙈. I found some really cute miniature kits—little rooms and a greenhouse… complete with furnishings 😍😍😍. I’m totally in love with them right now 😇. Evil Etsy… Not that something might end up hopping into my shopping cart after all. 

Oh, Steffi, I hope you feel better soon, too! And take good care of yourself—a cold like that can get expensive—*laughs*
Get well soon...!

....I’m rewarding myself for staying in bed 😂😂😂
Luckily, my dog is in heat and currently going through a phase where she sleeps a lot and has little energy 🙈 so a little romp in the yard is enough. Throwing the ball and looking for it, I’m not very good at throwing 😂 at least Emely always has to check which direction it’s going first, and every now and then she has to look for it too.... 

Haha, Steffi, my dog usually thinks, “Go get it yourself—you’re the one who threw it away.” Since we used to have two dogs like that—a mother and daughter—the mother would always dash off, and the daughter probably thought, “Nah, let her do it,” so that way she could save herself having to chase balls and sticks, but running—preferably for hours on end...

Oh yeah, Etsy is tempting, like everything online—all it takes is a few clicks, and before you know it, you’ve spent a ton of money.

My first dog always just gave me a silly look, as if to say, “You threw it, so go get it yourself.” Emely loves to run, go on really long walks, and every now and then plow through the leaves, play fetch with sticks, and do it all over again in the evening—preferably with a Frisbee on the lawn. But two or three throws are enough, and she’s happy.... 

Dear Monika, Anja.........., I just read your posts and think it’s great how openly you’re talking.
Monika, I’m also a highly sensitive person (HSP) and have come to accept that I am who I am. I also struggle with depression from time to time, but I try to think positively. It doesn’t always work, but it’s actually happening more and more often.

My tattoo on my shoulder (The world feels so strangely foreign to me)

Well, now it’s time to get back to crocheting :-)

All my love to you all

Hi everyone,
warm greetings from the Altes Land. I’m currently enjoying the master of the house’s midday nap. This gives me a chance to sit down at the computer in peace without being immediately pulled away for something else.

There are so many strong women gathered here, and it’s nice to be able to talk openly about these things without having to put up with stupid comments. Thanks for your kind words and the heartfelt hug.

Get well soon, Steffi. Make sure you recover properly.

Monika: Back then, I packed that box I found into a box of baby clothes, but there are still bags full of stuffed animals in the basement. I’m sure there are some knitted teddy bears in there, too.
I’d make even more door wreaths if it weren’t for the tedious assembly process…

We’re invited to an anniversary dinner today. Let’s see what’s on the menu.

Take care, everyone, and stay healthy.
Love, Marlies

Thank you, dear Imelda! It’s nice that we have something in common.

Steffi, I wish you a speedy recovery, too. Sometimes a little rest does you a world of good and works wonders.

Marlies, I actually still have some of my son’s baby clothes, but only a few pieces left. Some of them went to the grandkids. I even still have a bath towel from when I was a baby—it’s almost 70 years old now and still holding up. I hope you enjoy your anniversary dinner.

I’m now 1/3 of the way through the loop, but it’s not quite ready for a photo yet. I had a lot of other things to do today. I’ll get back to knitting tonight.

Have a wonderful evening, everyone, and take care.

Oh man, I just wrote a long post and thought I’d sent it, but it hadn’t gone through. Hmpf!

Long story short: I’m an HSP, too.
Steffi: Get well soon—thank goodness it’s not COVID!

I’d also love to learn the technique with 2 strands without that silly thimble—I can’t use it either. 

You have some funny dogs. 

Darn... that nice text is gone... *grumbles* Stupid technology

Technology and I don’t always get along that well either 🙈
Then I want to click the “Notify” button, and just like that, I end up at the privacy policy stuff, and then the text is gone....

I just tried knitting—it’s not really working out.... 

🤣 I still haven’t managed to get caught up in the data protection fuss.

Wishing you continued recovery, dear Steffi!

I’m still busy with the move, since I still have the old basement to tackle.
We’re doing everything on foot with the help of (from now on) two trolley carts.

Luckily, both apartments are only a few meters apart.
It’s still a pain, though.

Other than that, I’m working on my 100th pattern: a crocheted loop scarf.

I wish everyone who’s sick a speedy recovery.

I completely forgot: We now have a bird-watching window :)

I have something to show you again:



Now Selina can be bundled up warm and won’t have cold little hands anymore.



For my daughter-in-law in America.



For a little flamingo fan!

Marlene.... I hope you still have a bit of strength left; you’re almost there. It’s still exhausting, though.... Do you like your “new” one????
How lovely that you now have a “cat TV window”... There’s a firethorn by my window; the blackbirds are sitting in it now, and the cat sits with his butt on the radiator and comments quite loudly on “the program.” Kind of like a live reporter on the scene. 
But I prefer watching from the living room window without the cat; somehow it’s relaxing.

Christina, the baby set is absolutely adorable 😍💖 

The old basement has to be cleared out by the end of November, Steffi.

Our current apartment is a bit smaller and the kitchen isn’t fully functional yet, but we have enough outlets now.
It also helped a lot that we were able to keep the wallpaper and curtains.

Overall, we feel very comfortable here.

The baby set is great—I squealed with delight when I saw it!

By the way, I had to turn 50 to learn how to knit 2 stitches out of a purl stitch. Thanks to YouTube. And then I felt a little sad again right away because it was a video by elizza, who, sadly, has also passed away. :-(

Wow, Christina, you’ve been super productive!!! You’ve created some beautiful pieces—that set is to die for :-) And those two shawls turned out great. They’ll make very special gifts!

Steffi, are you feeling a little better? Well, I think that if you can’t knit, you’re REALLY sick. Like, really bad!!! Knitting usually works almost any time ;-) So, get well soon, and may those needles start clacking again soon :-)

Marlene, all the best for the final stretch! Just two more weeks, then it’ll all be done. You can do it!

Marlies, I hope you had a nice evening yesterday and got to eat something delicious :-) Why don’t you make our mouths water a little... (We had spaghetti—nothing spectacular, but with two kids, it’s always a safe choice...)

Anja, my mom could only knit with a DF thimble, but I can only do it without one. You either love that thing or hate it :-)

After fiddling around with the finishing touches on my cowl/shoulder warmer for quite a while, I’m finally done—hurray! Since I’m so happy it’s finished (the next project’s been in my head for ages and is just waiting to come out), and I’m also totally thrilled with the result, I just had to snap a couple of quick photos to show it to you:





I’d love to jump right into my next idea, but I’m afraid my family won’t want to skip dinner tonight, so I guess I’ll have to cook something first ;-)

Very well done, Sonja it made me think of the sun in Tangled. Those suns that are a theme in the movie. 

So, I unraveled my new shawl again after 3 days of work. I thought bright and colorful would definitely be great, but it looked like color vomit (sorry). I once randomly crocheted all the colors into a granny shawl, and that looked great, but knitting all the colors in stripes was only semi-pretty. So I unraveled everything again and knotted my tiny colorful scraps together by color. Only with that strange petrol, I don’t know—is it more green or blue? It doesn’t go with anything. Now I really don’t know what to do with it... very unsatisfying...

Yes, if you can’t knit, things definitely aren’t looking good for you. I know what you mean! 

You’ve created such beautiful things. I’m just popping in for a moment…

Anja, I figured as much about the HSP. :) Welcome to the club.

Marlene, I hope you’ll soon have everything sorted out and loooads of time for crafting. I’ve moved so many times and have always felt that there’s a certain magic to every new beginning. That’s already evident in your view of the birds.

Sonja, your loop scarf really suits you! Great photos. I can show you my progress so far, too. I’m just past the halfway point and can’t wait to wear it. The Drops Flora yarn is sooo cozy and soft, and the colors are a dream (for me). By the way… you always keep us in suspense with your new projects. What are you hatching up this time? ;-)

Here’s how my loop is coming along:

Sonja, the loop turned out great—the color suits you perfectly. I’m also curious to see what your next project will be!

Monika, I keep wondering how you manage to make such quick progress. I really like your color combination, too. I had to Google the yarn right away—it looks really elegant and very soft!

I’m definitely going to take a deep breath once this whole moving chapter is finally over.

I’ll show you the front once the pattern for it is finished.
Hopefully still this month:

So, I’ve read through everything now and have to say, once again, you’ve all created some beautiful pieces.
To everyone who’s currently sick or not feeling well, I wish you a speedy recovery.
I had a pretty bad cold myself, but I’m feeling fine again now.

Here are the pieces I’ve finished.
The cute Christmas mouse



And then the loop scarf

Oh, look how pretty “Mausi Christmas” looks with those cute little beads on her skirt, hat, scarf, and mittens! 🐭🤶🎄

I’d love to see that infinity scarf worn sometime. 🧣

Oh, you’ve all been so hard at work! I can’t possibly go into everything individually, so a huge round of applause to everyone! You’ve created some amazing things!

Just regarding the latest posts:
Sonja, I’m always amazed at how quickly you design and finish your double-faced projects! And Monika is right up there with you. I like the cowl in both color combinations, but I think I’d go for the yellow-and-blue version—it really makes you feel the warmth of the sun.
Marion’s Christmas mouse is just sooo cute!


I have something to show you all again, too.
After crocheting a dress for Barbie using the swap yarn, I crocheted the same one again in red. That way, you can dress up the little doll as a Christmas lady. And since the Christmas lady needs a Santa Claus, I went ahead and designed a costume for the male dolls as well:

He can even accessorize with glasses and a bushy beard:


Okay, now I want to get back to embroidery. I’ve been neglecting the picture for my granddaughter quite a bit lately. But it’s getting dark so early now that I don’t have the right light for it anymore.

Ruth, I’ve said it before: what a shame I didn’t have all your awesome stuff when I was a kid—I loved playing with my Barbies so much!!! The Santa beard is such a brilliant and funny idea! ♡

Ruth, your two Christmas Barbies look good in their outfits.  The beard is really great!

I'm glad that you and Anja like my mouse. It's a pattern by Ines; I only added the scarf and a few little details.

Anja, especially for you:
My husband already wore the cowl this week; it was just right for the cold weather,
.

Ahhhh, thanks, Marion. I always struggle with visualizing things in 3D when they’re lying flat. It looks good.

Well, I don’t have anything to show… yesterday I could’ve only shown you what I’d unraveled. And today I’m already lacking the motivation again—so stupid—even though knitting is always such a nice distraction. I feel like one of those bored kids who doesn’t know what to do with themselves. I don’t feel like doing anything. A while back, I wished I could be bored again. Uaaah, be careful what you wish for! 

Sonja , we already had spaghetti this week, too.
For dinner, there was a hot-and-cold buffet. The opening was celebrated in style with huge plumes of fog billowing from a tower of cooking pots and a mini fireworks display (3 tubes); in the middle of the room—where the buffet was set up—stood a large seahorse carved out of ice.
Many varieties of bread, cheese, sausage, ham, eggs, and fish were beautifully arranged and served. Then there was steamed salmon with rice and curry sauce, beef and smoked pork loin with a creamy mushroom sauce, pork medallions au gratin with tomato and mozzarella, green beans, corn, and cauliflower (which, unfortunately, was a bit mushy when mixed together), delicious fried potatoes, and croquettes.
For dessert, we could choose between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, served with raspberry and vanilla sauce, as well as chocolate pudding garnished with whipped cream and physalis. There was a free choice of drinks.
We were so stuffed, but everything tasted great, and of course we wanted to at least try as much as possible.
Then we received a small Advent calendar and a pocket calendar as gifts. All in all, it was three entertaining hours.
Once home, it was time to relax on the sofa.

Best regards, Marlies

Do you know that feeling of impatience—wanting to finally finish a project so you can show it off?

And yet I still have so much yarn left on the skein.

Where were you, Marlies?

@creatowl Nope *snort* I haven’t finished anything... 🙃
Sorry, without a name signature, I can’t remember first names. 🦉

No big deal, Anja. This is Marlene writing.
Note to self: Include first names in the signature.

The turbo-writers are at it again. Wow, you guys are so hard-working!

Christina, I’m also really excited about the yarn and am already thinking about what else I could knit with it. I’ll probably only need one skein of each for the loop.

Oh Marion, the mouse is absolutely adorable. And thanks again for test-knitting the loop. You were super fast! I think it’s great that your husband could use it right away. Mine is already waiting for his own, too, because the two-tone one is going in the package to my daughter-in-law, since it matches the hat perfectly.

My goodness, Ruth. You make such pretty things for the dolls—I’m always thrilled and amazed. Lots of kids will enjoy these.

Yeah, Anja, things can happen fast when you send wishes out into the universe. ;-) Maybe taking a break is actually a good idea, and your inspiration will come back.

Marlene, yes, I know that impatience too. For now, I’m hoping you can finally settle into your new apartment in peace.

And I’m now more than two-thirds of the way through the loop. It’s looking really good already, and I’m really looking forward to wearing it. By the way, it takes me 11 minutes to knit one round. I timed it today. I can knit double knitting really fast now.

Thanks, Moni :)

Ah, that’s why I can’t keep track: Marlies, Marion, and Marlene. That’s too much for my brain!
In our neighborhood, we have Ines, Ina, and Isa. I always get those mixed up too, until I’ve managed to stammer my way through all the names. 😇

Anja, we were at the Vier Linden restaurant in Stade-Schölisch. It’s definitely one of the top spots in town.
Best regards, Marlies

Barely gone for a moment...
Hey everyone! 💖
I’m always amazed at how fast you all are and what beautiful things there are to see....

Today I have something to show, too—it’s finished (not yet washed or blocked) 

Once it’s washed and dry again tomorrow, hopefully it’ll look “better.” … The stitch definition doesn’t look that nice yet… 🙈
But it fits 👍😇
Now I’m “planning the Italian cast-on”…
  I’m just getting the stitches for Sonja’s “Winter Dream” onto the needle....
Let’s see if DF still comes naturally to me—it’s been a while. 

Wow Steffi you can be proud of that! Very nicely done ♡

Thank you 💖💖💖💖

Steffi, your sweater turned out beautifully.

I’m actually thinking about knitting one like that myself.

*grumble grumble*... my 100th pattern is a real challenge.
Not because it’s hard, but because I messed up again and have to rip out a few rounds (280 stitches per round).
At this rate, I won’t finish it this month.

Hi Marion.... I actually quite like knitting them this way.... this one from top to bottom; I’ve also knitted them from bottom to top before. So first the sleeves, then the body, and then everything together on the needle to knit the yoke....
Marlene, that’s so frustrating, and you were already so impatient 🏵🌺🌸🏵🌸🌺🌺🏵 A few little flowers for you....

I’ve cast on and knitted the first row, and now I’m supposed to join it in the round....
It could have worked, but nope, now I’ve got the “wrong” color at the front.... For the knitting itself that doesn’t really matter; the question is whether I can make it work with the knitting chart too. That’s blue and white, but on my needles right now it’s exactly the other way around 😲🙈😲
Or... I’ll knit one more row, then it’ll be right again; it’ll just be one row longer, and I’ll have to sew two rows together....
I don’t want to rip it out,

What's going on? Frogging fever everywhere? 

Marlene when you really want something urgently, that's usually how it goes. Relax, the 100th one might end up being more of a December pattern. 

Who doesn't know it, Steffi... 

Thanks for the kind words, Steffi :)

As long as I can finish them this year—otherwise I’ll think of something else, Anja.

Steffi, your sweater turned out sooo beautiful! I’m so glad you managed to finish it!
For the loop, I’d also knit two rows and sew them together later. Unraveling is always a pain, but having to redo the Italian cast-on… Nah……

Marlies, the meal sounds very exclusive. And varied—everyone found something delicious to their liking. I find ice sculptures like that really fascinating.

Ruth, you always come up with such extraordinary ideas! The Christmas outfit for Mr. Barbie is really cool.
Do you need daylight to embroider? You’d have a hard time doing that here all winter—we’re usually in fog ;-)

Marion, you did a great job on Ines’s mouse—it’s so cute :-) And of course, the loop turned out wonderfully too. It’s great that your husband wears the things you knit! For mine, unfortunately, a hat is all he needs in the way of winter accessories.

Anja, the whole thing with similar names is really tricky. But imagine—I even mix up my kids’ names all the time. I’d start to doubt my sanity if it weren’t for the fact that my husband and my mom do the same thing all the time, phew....

Monika, your loop is turning out beautifully—the colors are so delicate and go together perfectly. I have the Flora yarn too; I think it’s soft for “real” wool. But unfortunately, like most real wool, it doesn’t come close to the coziness of some synthetic yarns, which I think is such a shame. 

Marlene, it really seems like an “unraveling monster” is going around right now. Now it’s got you, too. That’s tough—but the 100th pattern is something special, after all. You’ll be all the more proud when it’s finally published. Unless you throw it in the corner in a fit of rage before then… ;-)

Have a lovely evening and a wonderfully relaxing Sunday tomorrow!

Steffi, sticking with it paid off: Your sweater turned out absolutely beautiful! I really like patterns like this, but I’m still a bit rusty when it comes to executing them. In German, they wouldn’t be a problem…

Sonja, I just admired the crocheted dino loop. When do you find the time to do all this? Tapestry crochet is also on my to-do list at some point; I’ve tried it out on a small project for now.

I also wish everyone a peaceful Sunday in the warmth, with a hot cup of tea and some delicious cake… Now that we’ve tested negative for COVID, we’ll be able to enjoy the day and recover from our colds at home. I wish everyone who’s sick a speedy recovery!

Take care and get well soon 🌺🌸🌺🍀

Christina The main thing is that it’s not COVID! Best wishes for a speedy recovery from me too 🤧💊

Christina, I hope you feel better soon, too. It’s just cold and flu season right now. Enjoy your day on the couch with a nice cup of tea. It’s nice to do that once in a while.

Steffi, your sweater turned out so beautiful. I hope you enjoy it a lot after washing it.

I’m slowly transitioning from fall 



into the Christmas season. Now I’m going to crochet a few more Christmas acorns before I start working on the Christmas gifts. 



Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone, and stay healthy! 

I’m still giving the pattern a chance, Sonja.

Hi everyone,

I’ve finished another little project. The pattern is from here on the blog page.
It looks delicious. Now all that’s missing is Mrs. Claus.
Thanks for the great pattern. It was fun to make.

Andrea, that cupcake looks super delicious. Black Forest cherry… mhhhhhh 

A little cupcake good enough to eat....
I showed this to my sister 😊
and she just said, “Why wasn’t there anything like that when I was little?
I would have really loved to have this to play with in my toy kitchen. Grandma bakes in the big one and she in the little one....”

I’m actually working on the loop right now… this Italian cast-on looks really great.
Thanks, Sonja, for the super clear explanation 💖👍

Andrea, that little cake looks really cute—I like it, even though I don’t eat Black Forest cake.
The table setting is very nice—really inviting.

Andrea, what a pretty little cake—it looks totally delicious :-) That’s pretty mean—now I’m really craving cake for breakfast...

Christina, get well soon from me, too! At least it’s “just” a regular cold, which will hopefully go away quickly. I was actually super fast with the crochet loop this time. But I took a day off from yarn yesterday.

Steffi, I’m so glad you got on so well with my explanation of the Italian cast-on. It is a bit tedious, but it really does look beautiful. Have you washed your sweater yet?

  Petra, your Christmas acorn looks really festive! It’s such a cute decoration—for example, on a cookie plate.

On my to-do list today: “Find paper for Bascetta stars” and “URGENTLY find ideas for two Advent calendars”... I’ve never been this late before...

I wish you all a great start to the week!

Petra, I forgot to compliment you on your awesome acorns. They look great with that yarn. You could easily sell that photo to Schöner Wohnen. ♡

....I’ve pulled out my “knitting board” again.... 

Now I have both sides of the knitting chart neatly laid out side by side....
The board can be moved around, and there’s a layer of foam mat underneath the fabric, so I can also pin “things” in place with straight pins.
The sweater is washed and is now drying on its own 🙈

I wish you all a lovely afternoon.
Finally, the workday is over, and we also had some delicious cake from the bakery—a cherry roll and cream-filled pastries.

Thanks for the compliments, and I’m glad you want more (cake).
It’s actually supposed to be a Christmas cake according to the pattern, but you’re right—it could also be a Black Forest cake; I like those too.

Sonja, do you make Bascetta stars too? I use this origami paper for them, or that colorful kind you also use for those flower balls by Karin Ji... Mayer.
That one was made by putting individual modules together, right? I could make that again for Christmas decorations at home.
I’ve also made it before using regular colorful notepads. That worked, too.

Petra, I really like your acorns, too, but that little one there is so cute. Is that glittery yarn?

Steffi, I’ve never heard of a “knitting board” like that. Did you make it yourself, or did it come like that? I think it’s very practical for crochet, knitting, and embroidery patterns.

Warm regards from me

@Andrea Yes, I have two different types of yarn in my stash. Here, I’ve used a slightly thicker one along with the white fuzzy yarn. The second one is so thin—I think it must be embroidery thread. 

*Googles “Bascetta stars”*

Hey Andrea.... Yeah, I built the board myself—you can only buy the metal ones with magnets, which are also handy, but they get more complicated to use when you’re working with longer patterns. So off to the workshop to tinker around and see what a girl can whip up there....
I used to knit a lot of these lace shawls, and the pattern repeat is bigger than a sheet of A4 paper....

Do your Bascetta stars light up too? I really love that. My cat snatched mine right off the ceiling—no idea how that little “chubby-meow” managed it. I knew fat floats, but I had no idea it could fly too 😂

Oh wow, it’s crazy how much you’ve all written. I didn’t check in here for two days, and now I can’t even keep up with reading everything.

Steffi, your sweater looks great. You can really be proud of it. It’s actually motivated me to tackle something like that again. Someday in this life...
I can’t even imagine knitting with a knitting board...

Marlene, congratulations on your 100th pattern. You’ve been really hard at work. I just finished unraveling that many stitches myself. It’s no fun—it takes a lot of patience. Don’t give up—if it’s worth it to you.

Anja, I always have a hard time remembering names, too—it’s really strange... I also keep mixing up Sonja’s kids’ names, maybe because they have such unusual names.

Sonja, the Flora yarn feels super soft and fluffy to me—so different from regular wool, because the alpaca content is pretty high. But I also have pure alpaca yarn—I think it’s 167 m/50 g. I ordered that and am already looking forward to knitting with it.

Petra, your acorn decoration looks fantastic. Very well done.

Andrea, those little cakes look delicious. I can tell you’re back in full crochet mode. Great! That really is a dream for any kids’ play kitchen. My two granddaughters’ eyes would light up because they look so real.

Christina, get well soon from me, too!

I’m going to finish knitting Sonja’s loop scarf tonight. It looks really great. I’ll post a photo tomorrow.

Have a nice, cozy evening, everyone!

Steffi, your knitting board is great—very well thought out. Too bad it’s not available for purchase; it would surely make many a “pattern” knitter or crocheter happy.

Andrea, I made a few of those Bascetta stars a couple of years ago. They were sold as a set at a discount store, in various sizes and colors. You remember it exactly right—you have to fold individual modules (a total of 30 sheets per star) and then assemble them. It’s quite time-consuming, but I really enjoyed it. Now we need five stars—as large as possible—to serve as the backdrop for a children’s theater performance. I found some star kits online that make stars 40 cm tall. Let’s see what the rest of the group thinks.

I’m also making good progress on the Advent calendar for Nily and Lucy—they’re getting a gift certificate for a visit to Connyland next year. Connyland is a small but very lovely “amusement park” in Switzerland, especially for younger children. Among other things, you can have breakfast with sea lions there :-) I designed the gift certificate as a photo and am having it printed as a 266-piece photo puzzle. That way, most of the little bags will contain only puzzle pieces. The pieces with the solution, of course, will only go into bag No. 24, hehe :-) That seems more sensible to me than giving out candy or some cheap trinket every day.

So, I didn’t do a single stitch all day and still got a ton done *pat on the back*

I’m trying to see the silver lining in all this, Moni—things can only get better :)

Thank you so much for your kind wishes. We started our activity week today as usual, of course with the necessary caution.

Sonja, I think the idea for the Advent calendar puzzle is great! How do you make the little bags? I’d actually like to crochet the rest of Elke’s little bags for my daughter—if I get around to it!

Wow, Sonja, that’s such a wonderful idea for how you’re designing your girls’ Advent calendar. You really have to think of that first. Really great. I’d already thought of gift certificates, too—for example, doing something with the kids every day: painting, crafting, going to the zoo, etc. But this is even better, and of course it doesn’t take as much work. Does everyone get their own puzzle with a different design?

Marlene, unraveling can also be very meditative… in a positive way. ;-)

I’ve now finished knitting Sonja’s loop scarf. Here’s what it looks like from both sides. Unfortunately, the lighting isn’t great today, but I think you can still see the result pretty well.

Wow. The colors and patterns are great. Did you make it for yourself? It must be really warm.

Christina, what are you guys doing during Activity Week? Is it like a vacation with a sports program? I made the little bags for the Advent calendar a few years ago. Nily has bags in different colors with various crocheted appliqués; for Lucy, I crocheted little socks and sewed stars on them with embroidered numbers.

Monika, your loop scarf turned out super cute. I’m sure it looks great on you! The girls are putting together a puzzle—there are plenty of pieces. They’ll have to “work together” to figure it out :-)

Hey there,

you’re all hard at work again. Too bad for me—I won’t be able to join in this week because I’m working late shifts until Sunday. You don’t get to enjoy the day at all, and after work I just collapse into bed, especially since I don’t get home until 9:30 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. (depending on the late shift).
Monika, your Turbo Loop (I’ll call it that because you’re always so quick) looks so great—those would have been my colors too.
I’m sure it looks totally great on you. Maybe you could take a photo of yourself wearing it sometime. I like DF because it gets nice and thick and keeps you warm, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Sonja , oh, so that’s how big it’s supposed to be. Have you ever tried that colorful printer paper in A4 format, if that size works for you?
Maybe I’ll manage to make one too—then you’ll definitely get to see a photo of it. Folding is faster than crocheting, after all. We’ll see.

Good to know about the knitting board . You have to help yourself. I usually need my templates on a single sheet too, for a better overview.

Have fun. I’m slowly getting ready for the late shift.

Sonja, I simply called it “Busy Week” because there’s so much on the agenda. The “worst” day is already over:
a seminar in Lucerne in the morning, exchanging yarn, lunch at a café, then the trip home, volleyball, then at least half an hour of English was planned, and finally “Spirituality in Dialogue.” At least I crocheted on my little angel on the train, and later that evening I managed to get a few rows of DF in. Yeah, unfortunately, the English didn’t happen because I spent twenty minutes at home searching in vain for my bike key (I’d parked and locked my bike in front of the garden after volleyball!). It’s a complete mystery to me!
This morning it was Pilates; this afternoon, quinces are waiting to be processed; tomorrow I’m getting my booster shot—and at some point, I need to get those Christmas gifts done! 

Monika, I completely forgot to give you a big compliment on your loop scarf: It turned out great.

Andrea, I hope you have a week that isn’t too exhausting with your late shifts. I totally believe you when you say you fall into bed dead tired every night…

Velo 😃 My family lives on the Swiss border, so I know the term for bicycle Christina. 

I’m also practicing English right now; I downloaded an English-language audiobook and I’m constantly looking up words (with Google Translate). I have a new favorite word; it sounds so cute when you say it: perpetuate ((perpetjuejd)), which means “to immortalize.” 

Hey there....  
Christina...
Well, your active week would totally overwhelm me—I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink just thinking about “something” being on the agenda.... 
So you have a key troll in the house too.... Mine managed to hide two mailbox keys within a week.... I’m absolutely certain I hung them back in the box. The day before yesterday, my husband asked me if I’d turned on the coffee maker—when he got up in the morning (4:30), the coffee was already ready.... Definitely a troll! 

Anja, learning English works really well with patterns in English 🙈💖🙈.
On another platform, most of them are in English, so I read a lot there... It works great, and I find it interesting too. As an audiobook, I think it would be too much for me... even so, I always have my “dictionary” within reach. Yes, I still have it, the little yellow book 😂

I can’t really shake this “flu-ish” feeling. I’m so “restless” again that I’m finding it hard to just stay lying down for once.... The dog needs to go out, my husband asks if I could quickly pick something up...  The cat is “sick” (more like old, which doesn’t make it any better).... 
I’m going to make myself a huge milky coffee now and knit a little more—I’ve already got to row 20.... 

Steffi, that’s true, but those are always the same terms. They’re not very useful to me in everyday life. But it’s good to know that you’re comfortable with English patterns… maybe I’ll reach out to you about that sometime. 

Yes, Petra, I made the loop scarf for myself. My version isn’t as wide as Sonja’s because I want to wear it as a loop scarf. It keeps me sooo warm.

Sonja, thanks! I’m also really thrilled with the finished loop scarf. Ah… the idea of splitting the puzzle between the two girls is great. That really builds the suspense—who will figure it out first?

Andrea, thanks for your feedback on the loop scarf. If the opportunity arises, I’ll take a photo of myself wearing it. Right now it’s still too warm outside for me. I hope you’ll have more time for crafts again and that your shifts aren’t too exhausting. The yarn swap package should be arriving soon, right?

Christina, thanks to you, too, for your feedback on the loop scarf. :) You’re incredibly active. Losing your bike keys is one of those things. If worse comes to worst, you’ll just have to pick the lock.

Anja, are you learning English? Well, that’ll sure put an end to boredom. It can be exciting and fun, especially with such cute words.

Steffi, that’s funny about your troll. Having coffee ready in the morning—there’s something special about that. ;-)
Mailbox keys are important, though. And if both of them are gone, you’ll need a completely different solution—maybe a new mailbox? The fact that you can knit again shows you’re already making progress in your recovery. The rest will fall into place.

I don’t have anything to show—I have to knit two new dish towels first, since I mailed them out today. I’ll need them for the photo in the pattern. My kids will try them out first; the rest will follow later.

Losing keys—that happened to us years ago with the key to someone else’s apartment.
If it had happened just one day later, we would have had to call a locksmith because the landlord would have been on vacation by then.
He had a spare key at the time.
Since then, we’ve made sure to always take our keys with us.

Hi
Monika, that would actually be the third mailbox 🙈 If worse comes to worst, I can still get to the mail in the box anyway.... The mail carrier doesn’t arrive at the box unnoticed—my dog “lets me know” as soon as he rolls up the driveway. 👍

Anja,
what kind of patterns have you read in English? I have one with baking recipes... since the MKAL ran for 4 weeks, you have plenty of time to bake something delicious in between. An afternoon with coffee, cake, and knitting projects is just great...
One with a medieval story, something to make you smile, and always nicely "in bite-sized chunks". The entire pattern is 27 pages long.... about 10 of those are knitting instructions / knitting chart....
The "rest" is for "learning English"....

Anja, Swiss German has adopted many French words - I also live in a bilingual canton. So we ride our bikes to the coiffeur, but preferably not on the trottoir. For public transport or a concert, we need a billet, and for dessert we enjoy a delicious glace. But there are also "false friends": we put letters in a Couvert or Kuvert, but the French-speaking Swiss and the French say "dans une enveloppe", and when we wait for the train on the platform, they do so "sur le quai".

Learning (or boosting) English with knitting patterns or recipes does sound interesting, but to be honest, I find it too much of a hassle, and the vocabulary in patterns is quite limited and not necessarily useful in everyday life.

Now I have to show you my latest piece, even though it isn't finished yet:


These are the front and back of the same potholder. I practised quite a bit until I got the technique right.

Christina, what a cool idea to turn the sheep into pot holders! They look so funny :-) And you nailed the different patterns on each side perfectly. Your “active week” really lives up to its name ;-) Hopefully you’ll have it a little easier the next two days. Did you get through your vaccination okay today?

Steffi, some people collect handbags... *laughs* I really can’t imagine how anyone could lose a mailbox... We’ve been missing one of our two garage door openers for a while now. Secretly, I suspect my husband—I’m sure it’s tucked away in one of his summer pants and will turn up again next spring...

Andrea, unfortunately, A4 printer paper isn’t big enough for the stars—the paper needs to be 30 x 30 cm. So I’ve ordered three sets online for large stars, plus 100 sheets of sturdy 20 x 20 cm paper, which will make three smaller stars.

I dug out my “old” Bascetta stars from the basement and took some photos so everyone can get an idea of what they look like.



As far as knitting goes, I had a precise plan for which projects to tackle next and in what order. But plans are meant to be ignored, so yesterday, after a spontaneous idea struck me, I got started right away—a keyhole scarf for children with a wintry motif. You can’t see much of it yet, though, so there won’t be a photo today.

I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon!

Sonja, thanks! Yes, so far I’ve gotten through the shot just fine; it went pretty quickly, too.
I’m really looking forward to seeing your keyhole scarf: Nicolas should get a new one, since the fox one is getting a bit small. Your stars look elegant and make me want to try making them myself: I do have the materials and the pattern, but so far I’ve lacked the time or patience. I went through a Fröbel star phase two or three years ago—I’d actually love to fold some again…
Unfortunately, the second sheep will have to wait a bit, since the gifts that are going abroad need to be finished first. The dinosaurs are also tapping their feet impatiently…

Steffi, do you have an invisible key-eater in the house? That’s amazing—a third mailbox.

Christina, I’m impressed! You did a great job with the pot holder. I’m a bit stumped on that one, but I think I’ll give it a try too—it can’t be that hard.

Sonja, now I know which stars you’re talking about here. I used to make those when I was a kid, too. They look great! Especially when they’re big.
I’m also really looking forward to seeing your slip-on scarf. That’s a great idea for kids. By the way, I’ve been constantly changing my plans lately. I still need to knit a new dish towel, and then I’ll start on the loop scarf for my husband. “His” one ended up going to my daughter-in-law because it matches her hat perfectly.

Have a wonderful evening, everyone!

....I’m going to have to rethink things a bit.... The Winter Dream cowl is turning out a little too big.... That’s what happens when you don’t make a gauge swatch 🙈 My sister is already really excited about getting it. As soon as she saw the first picture, she said, “I’ll take that one 😇”....
Now I’m going to finish knitting it, get some matching yarn and needles, and make the Dino Cowl!
I’m also really excited about Sonja’s new keyhole scarf 🙈

Christina, that pot holder is amazing,
so far I’ve always knitted both sides the same; maybe I should try that with the sheep too....
But somehow I also need to squeeze in a “dishcloth Secret Santa gift” on my crochet hook in between...
I need more time or more arms 🙈😂🙈

Little Hans, give us a peep! 
Are you all busy crafting? It’s so quiet here. 

Cheep, cheep 🐦🐦🐦

I’ve been busy.

😁
Ohhhhh ☆☆☆ so pretty 💫

I’d put that up myself.

I’m not in the mood for Christmas fuss this year. Usually by this time, I’ve already been crocheting stars or making Christmas trees on skewers... 

Beep, beep

I’ve been busy, too. I finished a hat. 



Now I’d like to make a collar to go with it, but I can’t seem to get the decreases right. I’m at my wits’ end....... I’ll have to come up with something else to go with it. 

....Beep beep....
Just got word that the yarn for the Dino Loop is coming tomorrow 💖😍💖
I’ve already gotten to row 26 of Winter Dream.... 

A squirrel can already romp through the snow.... 

... Beep beep ...

I’ve been busy too :-)






Steffi, how wide will the Bärchen Loop be? My kids fold their loops over once at the neck anyway, so it doesn’t really matter if it’s a little wider. But obviously your sister will be very happy when she gets it ;-) 

This week I’m so incredibly tired—is it just me, or is it because of the dark season? 

Hi....
Sonja, I took a quick measurement - it's roughly 70 cm.... So Schachenmayr Bravo is too thick 🙈 Much to my sister's delight
Tomorrow the Merino 150 will arrive, in kiwi and beige melange.... 
I actually found an online shop where there are no shipping costs for orders of €10 or more, and they don't add it to the yarn price either 😁
And they're fast, too - I ordered last night, and according to DHL, it's supposed to arrive tomorrow.... 
I'm going to knit a little more now....
Have a lovely evening, everyone 

I finally found the pattern for my crocheted loop scarf.

I must have started it over three times because I didn’t like it before.

That sounds great, Marlene....
I wish you the best of luck 👍

Thanks, Steffi :)

Continue writing here:
November Projects 2021, Part 3: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group