Swap Package - These Are the Creations That Came from It

Part 2 of the swap package creations:
Swap Package - These Are the Creations That Came from It, Part 2


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Here you can enjoy a very special kind of window-shopping stroll. There are only creations to see that were made from the yarn in Ina's (Schnuckelina) swap packages.

To everyone who took part in one of these swaps:
Here you can show your results - the yarn should come from one of the swap packages.

All participants' thanks go especially to Ina (Schnuckelina), who set these joy-filled packages on their way. Each package brings great joy to its recipients, because it is full of all kinds of colorful yarns. A true land of plenty for us yarn addicts.

Here you can now see the beautiful things that were conjured up from the swap yarn.

I’ll just go ahead and start. From the swap package I received in early 2022, I made this slipover for my six-year-old granddaughter.

I took part in the first swap package and used yarn from it for this little doll dress with hat and shoulder bag:
.

And this wintry polar landscape was also made from the swap yarn from the same package, which decorated my entryway in January:



At the moment, I'm crocheting something else from the swap yarn. When it's finished, I'll show it here. Let it be a surprise!

Wow, Ines, that’s great.

I think Ruth’s doll dress and igloo are fantastic.

I knitted this cardigan for myself using yarn from the January 2022 swap package.




And I knitted and felted these swings for sick and injured squirrels using yarn from the first swap package. They were given to the animal caretakers.

Using the swap yarn from several packages, I’ve now finished these two crocheted felt baskets. The square one needs to go through the machine one more time. Both are for the RV.

This Sleeping Beauty dress was made from the pink-lilac-colored swap yarn. It sparkles so beautifully, though unfortunately you can’t really tell that from the photo.

So beautiful. Did you crochet that and sew a fabric strip at the bottom? Simply enchanting 

What a beautiful, enchanting dress for a Snow White. Or should it be a Sleeping Beauty with the dwarfs?

Yes, that’s right—the petticoat is made of foil jersey and sewn right in. So, the one in the picture above is probably Sleeping Beauty. But I also have a Cinderella and a Snow White (though I used different scraps for those and not the swap yarn).

I’m not participating in the swap myself, but I admire the pieces you’ve created from it.

Rurh, that’s such a beautiful dress.

Hey there from Italy....
I’m sitting comfortably in the shade right now—it’s over 30 degrees—and knitting with yarn from the last swap package.
No idea who put the alpaca and Woll Butt yarn in the package, but it’s absolutely beautiful. Photo to follow—it’s not working on my phone. 

You’ve got us curious, Steffi!

i
But now.... The first glove is almost off the needle.... 

The second one is knitted as a mirror image. That way, you get a “whole” owl...
And this time, I’m keeping them myself—the last pair was barely off the needles before they were already “out the door”.... 

Wow, how beautiful!

Oh Steffi, those gloves are really beautiful.

I’ve now also knitted up the first yarn from the last swap package—it was this yarn from Tausendschön—and I ordered one more skein to go with it, so I could knit the desired length and width: 180 cm long and 45 cm wide.


Here you can really see the stitch pattern again.
Let’s see what I’ll make with the other yarns—I don’t have a set plan yet, just some ideas, but I’ll have to check whether the yarn is suitable for them.

Awesome! I’m really thrilled by your creations made from the swap yarn. If I’d known what you could make with it…—well, you also need the right idea for each type of yarn.

Steffi, I think the owl gloves are super cool. I especially think it’s super genius that the second glove is the other half of the owl’s face. You can amaze anyone who sees them that way. That yarn (alpaca) ended up in exactly the right hands with you. I could never have made something so beautiful out of it.

Ines, a big compliment to you, too, for your scarf. The “Tausendschön” yarn just didn’t inspire me. That’s why I let it move in with you… and just like that, look at it now—it’s really shining with its colors and pattern. It turned out great!

And Ruth also put the swapped-for yarn to wonderful use. What can you even make out of pink-lilac glitter yarn? Back then at the wholesale market (Turkish vendor), I really liked the shade. But in reality, it just sat in my box of specialty yarns for years. And I couldn’t come up with a single idea. I’m so glad, dear Ruth, that you’ve now awakened it from its slumber and crocheted this wonderful dress from it. It’s perfect for that.

I wish everyone continued joy as you knit or crochet with your swapped yarn treasures.

Warm regards, Ina

Steffi, your gloves are absolutely gorgeous and truly something special. Alpaca is very well suited for that. They look really warm and cozy.

Ines, your scarf turned out very pretty, too. It’s a great pattern, and I like the colors as well.

I’ve set aside the Babymerino (purple) for a gauge swatch. I’ll probably knit that up next from the swap yarn. You can do quite a lot with 5 skeins, maybe together with another color.

Now I’ve finally gotten around to using some of the swapped yarn myself:

Wow, Veronika, that looks amazing!

I started the gauge swatch with the purple Baby Merino, but the yarn gave out right from the first few meters. It kept breaking and unraveling into separate strands. It worked after that, but it’s very thin. I might save it for a double-faced hat. In any case, I can’t do anything with it for now. Now I’ll have to come up with something else.

Wonderful, Veronika, your Neptune—also quite an original idea.

Thanks for the feedback on the scarf.

@Ina, I had always been toying with the idea of buying yarn like that sometime, but since that is often only possible online now—at least here there are hardly any well-stocked shops with a yarn selection anymore—the skein came along at just the right time for me to feel it, etc. So I’ve snagged a few more skeins in other shades; I’m going to knit a shirt with 3/4-length sleeves from them.

@Monika,now I’ve worked some of your yarn into something too; the result will be coming soon. The yarn is from the previous package, in beige and purple, that cotton from Ritohobby... the other yarns will get their turn too, but I’m going to squeeze in an “order” first.

Ines, that’s great that you still remember who each skein is from. I’m really curious to see now.

I’m married to an Aquarius who sometimes eyes my crocheting with suspicion. When I discovered the pattern for Neptune here, I knew I’d make it someday, and now the perfect yarn was right there in the package.

Speaking of swap yarn. Among other things, I’d included some gray chenille yarn in the package—I don’t know who got it, but if you’re reading this and need more of it, I still have some left; it just didn’t fit in the package weight-wise.

Now I can join in again… I’m back home…
I’ve finished one glove… I knitted for 7 days 🙈

The Aquarius is cool.... 

Wow, Steffi... I’m amazed!!! That’s a work of art. You did an aaaamazing job! Your gloves turned out unbelievably beautiful.

🙈 Thanks, Monika....

They’re truly sensational!

My goodness, Steffi, these are absolutely gorgeous—I could just snatch them right from you :) Unfortunately, I have a really hard time with double-face knitting; I can’t even imagine creating works of art like these.


But now I have something to share again—namely, my grandma and grandpa. There’s a little cotton yarn from Monika in there; hmm, I remembered it was from you, Monika, because I was thinking about it while I was picking things out, and then you wrote it down too. Oh look, Monika shops there too, haha—so the beige and purple came from you.....

These two turned out absolutely adorable, Ines! Are you keeping them, or will you be giving them away?

This pair is just so adorable—great job!!!

Best regards, Inge

My goodness, Ines, these are top-notch works of art again! So beautifully shaped—you’re really good at this. And you even used knitting needles, newspaper (?), and glasses! I think the bun is especially cute.

I don’t know if I could part with these… You really put a lot of work into them.

Yeah, it’s funny about the yarn “from me.” I rarely buy yarn—I’ve swapped most of it—on my swap platform. And I had exactly those two skeins left over and didn’t know what to do with them. As I can see, they’ve ended up in exactly the right place with you. Fantastic!

They turned out so cute!

Thank you—that makes me very happy.
These two are staying with me—since we’re grandparents, too—and they’re standing or sitting by our front door, with a sign above them that says, “Grandma and Grandpa live here 😉”

How sweet, Ines! What a wonderful idea! So that works out perfectly with the knitting needles. :))

Oh my, I’m completely out of the loop. That made it all the more enjoyable to look at your creations.

ines, I think your scarf is really beautiful with that pattern. It looks complicated.
Your grandma and grandpa are just brilliant, sitting there on the “retirees’ bench.” You did a great job with them. I wouldn’t want to part with them. I could look at those two all the time.

Veronika, your Aquarius is a real stunner, it turned out great. I like it. I really like crocheted figures. By the way, I’m married to a Pisces. That has to do with water, too.

Hopefully I’ll be able to show something again soon. It really bugs me that when I’m always working the late shift, I hardly get any time to crochet.

Hi there,

I’m working in this thin pink yarn from the swap package because I’m not sure whether my own yarn will be enough. Just for contrast. Maybe I’ll crochet in the light blue yarn from the swap package too.
I can only crochet a few rows at a time in between other things.
This is what it looks like right now.

Oh, Andrea, that looks really pretty with the contrast. Is that going to be a top? 

I really like that, Andrea—I’m looking forward to seeing the finished piece. I can imagine it’s hard to put this craft project down. 

Thank you for your feedback.

Yes, Monika, that’s going to be the RvO sweater (pattern from here). This pattern has been on my list for a very long time.

Wow, absolutely fantastic!

Oh, Ines, aren’t they both cute? 😍

By the way, the gloves are knitted in Fair Isle style.... So it’s “just” a lot of counting—I knit them using the magic loop method; a set of double-pointed needles isn’t my thing, and it’s not really ideal for Fair Isle either.... 

Steffi, your gloves are beautiful. I can’t manage to do that myself. I can’t get the hang of a set of double-pointed needles either. I do have that other curved size 2 knitting needle, but I haven’t tried it out yet.
But these gloves also remind me of Norway—they knit a lot there, and this style too. All those gorgeous patterns really fascinated me.
You’ve really got a knack for this. Great job.

Hi, where can I find the patterns for these? They’re so beautiful that I want to make them too. Best regards, Kerstin 

Now just a few more stitches and my gloves will be done.... The thumb is still missing 😇 well, and things like washing them and stretching them out a bit to “shape” them... 

It turned out great! I’d just sit there with my hands folded in my lap, gazing at the owl 😉

They look really great!

@kerstin-bruhne,
which model do you mean?

Thank you, dears.... I’ll “hide” them well too, so nobody “talks me out of them” 🙈

@ Josefa..... Kerstin meant the gloves 😇
I’ve already written her a message... 

Steffi, your gloves are absolutely amazing!! You really need to hide them well—otherwise, they’ll find a new owner in no time.

I’m currently gathering some swap yarn and already have a few ideas for what to make with it.

Thanks, Steffi :-)

I’ve knitted another felted nest (swing) for orphaned squirrels. This time, I used the swap yarn from swap package No. 2—the purple and pink yarn at the top and bottom. I’ll post a photo of the felted nest as soon as it’s finished.

And here is the finished felted home for squirrels that are being cared for or raised.

.... I like the colors. 
A little bigger and it would make a great “hanging bed” for the cat 😊. Maybe at some point I’ll feel like doing some “knit-felting” again. 

Yes, Steffi, that would be something for a cat too. :)

I knitted the following set from cotton in Swap Package 1: a guest towel with a washcloth.

Good morning, everyone.....
For the past few days, I’ve been working with yarn from the swap package again. The purple one from Monika from the 2nd (I think) and the gray alpaca from Ina.... I’m knitting a cozy sweater from the bottom up. Not exactly my favorite way to knit, but I liked the design so much.....

It still looks pretty “lumpy,” but it’ll even out after washing.... 
Just two more rows of the pattern, then I’ll knit straight up in stockinette stitch so the purple color gradient can really come through.... 
Have a great day, everyone!

Wow, Steffi, I really love that. It’s the kind of pattern I’d love to try myself. Above all, it looks so cozy with that yarn.

I’ve also finished another project from the swap packages—this time using yarn from several different packages.

First, a home for a rescue squirrel—it’s now felted. I knitted in some of the swap yarn from Ina.




And then there are my colorful jar covers, to protect against insects. The colorful yarn is from the first swap package and comes from Andrea.

The little glass coasters are a great idea 😍
Put a little dinosaur on top, and even my nephew would remember to cover his drink.
   ....and you can even wash them.
I’ll give it a try—maybe I can crochet.... I can’t really knit right now, though—a hornet “stung” me yesterday on my right forearm 😤—it’s pretty swollen and hot. I can keep it elevated and apply ice, and maybe even crochet 😊

Oh Steffi, I wish you a speedy recovery and hope your arm is fully usable again soon.

Get well soon from me, too!
And jar lids are more necessary this year than they’ve been in a long time—there are wasps everywhere!

....we have “just” bumblebees here—and, of course, a few hornets. They’re actually quite peaceful creatures. In previous years, they built their nest in our attic; this year, I’ve been keeping a very close eye on things to make sure they don’t build one here (the new roof will actually be installed starting Monday), and as a result, the “little ones” are now flying around here looking for places to nest.... Starting next year, they’ll be allowed to build under the roof again; that way, they won’t come into the house and will make sure that “their” territory isn’t “invaded” by others. ...
Crocheting is also only possible “to a limited extent”.... 

I’ve now finished a hat using alpaca yarn from the last swap package in May 2022. It’s the yarn in the bottom left of this photo.



And here’s the result. I can wear the hat as a beanie or with a rolled brim.

Great job, Monika! Now that I see it like this, it could have stayed with me. But no, this is actually for the best. I’d fallen in love with that bright blue, but somehow it felt a little too prickly to me. That happens to me sometimes with natural fibers. I’m so glad you knitted such a beautiful hat from that lovely yarn. It’ll keep you warm and look great on you.

Warm regards, Ina

Thanks, Ina, for sharing in the joy. Yes, the yarn really isn’t quite as soft as it looks. It would be too scratchy for me as a scarf or loop. I used just a little more than one ball for the hat. I’ll knit wrist warmers from the rest to match the hat. They’re perfect for those first cold days when it’s not quite freezing yet. Since I don’t have anything in blue yet, this is a nice change of pace.

Warm regards from Monika

Happy Sunday

Made from yesterday’s swap yarn. I just had to try it out right away.

Wow, Andrea, that was quick. It looks great.

The color combination looks great! The warm colors go together just wonderfully—no bright summer colors, but something a bit more muted and cozy. And they really harmonize in your mosaic. Oh, and it’s always wonderful to see what you all do with the swap yarns. They sit in a closet for years, not knowing what will become of them, and then—just like in a fairy tale—they’re kissed awake and show what they’re made of. Thank you, Andrea, for sharing.

Warm regards, Ina

Thank you. My pleasure.
These colors work great for Christmas, too. Add a bit of glittery yarn around the edges, and you’ve got a festive mosaic doily.

I’ve also finished another project using swap yarn. I crocheted the second skein of the colorful yarn from the first swap package into a counting snail (counting chain) for Linja for her first day of school. I’ll use the rest to crochet the same chain for Juna later.

I’ve just started working with the swap yarn from the last package, and this is such a great example of what swapping can be good for.
I wasn’t familiar with this yarn before and would never have specifically looked for it—it’s Alize in orange. I probably would have reached for Catania again, but the Alize feels really nice and is a joy to work with.

Now I can finally show you something I’ve crocheted using the swap yarn:

The neon green yarn (a kind of sponge yarn, but softer) was used to create a meadow in this mini door wreath.

Ruth, that looks great. What a beautiful door wreath! Wow!

Is that the green one from Ina? The one with the glitter????
It looks really great on your wreath. Great idea. I actually have a skein lying around too, if it’s the same one...

Yes, Steffi, that’s from Ina—a Turkish yarn called Yumos. It caught my eye right away, even though I had no idea what to make with it at the time. Now I’ve had this idea.
I think you could also make pretty little Easter baskets out of it.

Then you felt the same way I did... This color literally drew me in—it’s totally out of the ordinary and goes perfectly with the yarn I usually have lying around here. But I just had to adopt it... 

Hello, everyone.

Here’s another mosaic crocheted from the latest swap yarn.
However, the pink doesn’t really stand out. 

Your creations are beautiful, Ruth and Andrea.
I’d already seen the door wreath in the new arrivals—such a lovely idea, and the greenery is so gorgeous.
Andrea, the mosaic is also soooo beautiful; I’ve been putting it off because other things always take priority, but I really need to get started on it. 

Thank you, Ines. Once you’ve tried the mosaic technique, you’ll be hooked. There are sooooo many pattern examples where you can really let your creativity run wild. You can do it too, I’m sure of it.
With this acrylic yarn, the mosaics are as light as a feather. Cotton is heavier.

ruthk, your door wreath looks beautiful. The bright green in the scrubby yarn looks really great. Thanks for the idea to use this yarn for more than just sponges.

Have a wonderful evening, everyone!

Andrea, you’ve created another beautiful piece. Thanks for sharing it. :)

Andrea, your mosaics look really great! Someday I’ll give it a try myself. 

Dear Ruth, the bright, light-green yarn really works wonderfully as a meadow. No other yarn could have achieved this effect. The little door wreath really does look like an orchard. You did a great job! And yes, I’m sure Easter baskets would look great with it, too. The light-green yarn replaces, or evokes, the meadow. Maybe we’ll even get to see the idea in real life from you, too.

Dear Andrea, I really like your vibrant mosaic, too. I love ornaments, and this one has such a beautiful oriental feel to it. Plus, the vibrant dark pink shade (the camera probably can’t capture it very well—I know what the original looks like) against a black background—you can’t get any more contrast than that. Since the (Polish) acrylic yarn is thinner than the “regular” kind, you can use it to crochet finer pieces. And it’s nice and soft to work with. Cotton can sometimes be so stiff and doesn’t glide as well.

Thank you both so much for showing what you made with the swap yarn. I would never have thought of what you could create with it.

Warm regards, Ina

I’ve used the Alize yarn from the previous swap package—bring on Halloween!

The pillows turned out great, Veronika! A wonderful decorative idea.

Ooooh, Veronika—spiders!!
But when they’re perched on such a vibrant pillow, they look really decorative. Definitely something very special. Your spiders almost look cute...

Yes, we only get guests with strong nerves for Halloween—here’s the table decoration:

Veronika, your decorative pillows look great.
Your decorative spiders—how big are they?

I’m not a fan of spiders, whether crocheted or in real life. I’m afraid of spiders. But I like the spider appliqué. Did you come up with that yourself? That’s great!

No, the appliqués on the pillows were exactly as described in the pattern (which can be found here at cp)... The little spiders are my own creation, but that’s not too difficult. These have a body diameter of 4–5 cm. The ones on the pillows are a bit smaller.

Good to know, thank you.
Now I just need some orange for those pretty pillows.

Found it yet? Here: https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/items/64863/haekelanleitung-halloween-kissen

I’ve now knitted a ball of yarn from the last swap package into a hat. It’s wonderfully soft and warm—Merino Extrafine by Schachenmayr.

I don’t know yet who will get it. It’s intended as a gift; otherwise, I’ll keep it for myself. It can be worn as a beanie or a hat.

Oh Monika, that hat looks great. If only I’d known what potential this yarn had… plus, it’s warm and soft. It’s wonderful that you knitted such a beautiful hat with it. I’m sure it’ll find the perfect owner.

Best regards, Ina

Thanks, Ina! :)
I was originally planning to knit wrist warmers with it, but since hats are always in demand and I had some leftover blue yarn of similar quality, I decided to make a hat instead.

I think it’s great, too—it’s actually incredibly beautiful and warm, really cozy. If neither of my two candidates wants it, I’ll keep it for myself. I really love it. Thanks for the great yarn, Ina.

Best regards, Monika

Thank you, Veronika. I found it. It practically calls out to you.

Oh, Monika. Your hat turned out great. Your colors are neutral, so even men can wear it. I’m curious to see who ends up with it.

Sometimes even unassuming swap yarn looks really great once it’s worked up. It keeps surprising you.

Have a lovely evening, everyone.

Thanks, Andrea. :)
Yes, the colors are really neutral. I’m excited to see what’s in mine, too.

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend!

In the last swap package, this yarn spoke to me and said it wanted to become a pillow:



And this just got finished:


It has a hotel-style closure:

 The package contained 3 skeins of gray and 1 skein of white. I still have half a skein of gray and the white one left. Let’s see what I’ll make with them. Maybe a scarf 

Hi Sandra, that’s such a gorgeous, cozy pillow. It’s crocheted beautifully. The textured pattern is perfect for this thick yarn. I also really like the gray here—it’s not usually my color. What crochet hook size did you use?

Best regards, Ina

There’s no needle size marked on the needle. I’m guessing 6 or 6.5.

I’m also completely in love with the pillow

The pillow looks great! The yarn was mine—I’d bought it a while back but couldn’t remember what for, and when I still couldn’t think of anything to do with it, I put it in the package. A pillow… I could have thought of that! Have fun snuggling with it!

Continue writing here:
Swap Package—These Creations Were Made From It, Part 2