April Projects 2023, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Handicraft Group

Here is the new thread:
May Projects 2023: the Crazypatterns Handicraft Group


Dear users, dear authors,
so here is Part 2 of the April projects.
You can read the earlier posts at the link. 
April Projects and March Projects 2023, Part 2. 
Have fun.

I’m glad you like my Karl jacket, too.

I didn’t want it to be so colorful; I knitted it with slightly thicker yarn, which I liked better this time. If the weather’s nice at Easter, I’ll wear it right away. 😀

Marion, your jacket is absolutely amazing! Since I don’t want my Karl shirt to be quite as colorful, I can use your jacket as a model right away. Now all we need is a picture of you wearing the Karl jacket!

Your jacket turned out amazing, Marion! It’s amazing what you can create with just two colors.
That’s exactly how I’d imagine a Karl jacket.

Thank you so much, Christina and Marlies, for your wonderful comment.

I’m really curious to see if you’ll knit one yourselves.

So, the little dress is finished. The pattern is almost done, too...

It’s on my list as soon as my shoulder feels better. In the meantime, such great “Karl’s” have been knitted here that you’re bound to get hooked at some point… lol.

♡

My knitting needles are taking a break right now....
I really can’t find anything that appeals to me right now. And yet I have over 470 patterns collected in my libraries.🙈🤷
So yesterday, I picked up my scissors and paper again....

It’s going to be a table lantern 😊

Hi, after a long break, I’m back again. I’ve had a hectic time—one cold after another—and there was also quite a bit to do.
When you’re away for a while, you lose track of things right away, so I’ve read through everything now and have to say—every piece of work is really beautiful. I don’t want to name everyone individually, or I’ll end up forgetting someone, hehe…
But I’d still like to mention a few pieces that really caught my eye: Steffi, your scarf is gorgeous, and I also really like your paper craft project. Monika’s Karls and Marion’s jacket—they all turned out really nice.
Monika is now designing doll clothes using patchwork—interesting. I have a few ideas in mind myself, but they still need to mature; though they won’t be doll clothes.

Despite all the work and my runny nose, I was finally able to finish my Karl; I tweaked it a bit—here’s the result.


I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday.....

Oh, Ines, I’m totally thrilled with your Karl.

You did an amazing job on it—the alterations are perfect. 😍

Those little dresses are so cute, Monika. The young ladies look really chic.

Your table lantern is turning out great, Steffi. Unfortunately, I don’t have the patience for that right now.

Oh dear, Ines, I hope you’re doing well. For me, it’s the allergies… Your Karl turned out really beautiful. I really like your color choice.

I crocheted a lantern last night. I still need to get some colored decorative sand.

Thank you for your comments on my Karl, Marion, and Marlies.

I also have a few lanterns in mind; I’ve already set out the jars so that when we can sit outside, there will be a little soft, dim light.

Wowww, Steffi, what a beautiful table lantern!

Ines, your Karl looks great—a completely different take on the design in a new style—without all the stripes. Really great! I also like the long sleeves. I’ll probably knit something like that for myself this winter.

Thanks, Marlies. :) A little dress like that would surely be nice for your little one, too. The pattern is already being test-knitted.

My Karl is almost done, too—I only work on it in the evenings. During the day, I’m designing and knitting a skirt for Juna’s birthday. I’ve been itching to make it for a while now. It’s looking very promising so far. This time, I’m using Drops Safran yarn—without a color gradient. You’ll have to wait and see.

I wish all of you here a wonderful Easter holiday with your loved ones. Tomorrow we’re going to a friend’s house for a fish dinner. We’ll most likely have friends over for Easter.

I’ve been fiddling with this for three days now 🙈

Now it’s finished.....
I still need to put a tea light in it—couldn’t find a battery for it yesterday 🙈

Steffi, those are real works of art you’re creating out of paper! Awesome!

Thank you..... 
Little by little, I really need to "add an extension" .... There’s so much here by now, and there’s no one here who would truly be happy about "such a" gift.... 
I still enjoy it, though, so I’ll keep crafting and knitting and making things... 

Hello everyone,

and once again, such hard-working crafters here. Such pretty and unique creations have been made. I’m thrilled.

The door wreath isn’t quite finished yet. The heart is going to be a pillow for my mom.
The little yellow pouch will be a neck pouch—it’s just missing a button.

I’m still using up my leftover yarn, but also some new yarn.


Hugs, Andrea

Steffi, yes, that really is a work of art. I never cease to admire your patience. And I wonder just how big your house is that you can fit all of this in. You could definitely put on an exhibition or set up a booth at a market.

Andrea, your little crocheted items are simply adorable. That little bag would be perfect for a doll. The door wreath is especially cute.

I’ve set my Karl aside for now for the final push because I was really tempted to design a patchwork skirt for Juna. It’s almost finished already. There are still two lower patches missing on the back. And the elastic still needs to go into the waistband at the top. Then I’ll crochet around the bottom, sew up the rest, and it’ll be ready for her birthday. To be honest, I’m really thrilled with how beautiful it turned out.

Here’s the current progress:

Monika, you did a great job making that skirt for your granddaughter. Bring on the summer! 

Over the long weekend, I knitted “banana socks” for my sweetheart.

He loves the shape. They were easy to knit on the side without having to think too much. They’re heel-less again—just the way I like them 

Thanks, Petra. :)
Your socks have such a brilliant shape. Do they actually fit well on your feet? That’s exciting! I hadn’t heard of banana socks before—only spiral socks. I’m always learning something new here.

Juna is definitely going to love this skirt—it looks so cheerful....
Petra... I also had a pattern for banana socks in my pattern library... but I wasn’t sure if they’d actually be comfortable to wear. Please let me know how they turn out....
Over Easter, I quickly knitted a pair of fingerless gloves—it took three days, including washing and drying 🙈

Sock yarn, hand-dyed merino.... just under 40g for both.... so, a very quick knit.... I still have quite a bit of sock yarn lying around here—leftovers from scarves and shawls. That works out pretty well...
Right now I’m knitting a cable pattern—a dragon lady named Tahesha.
68 stitches wide and 98 rows high.... With an I-cord cable, and every row has cables—so both the right-side and wrong side rows... tons to count... 😊 exactly what I need right now.... I’ve already counted up to row 20 🙈 

Andrea, you’ve crocheted some really pretty things there. How big is the door wreath? It’s a bit smaller, isn’t it?

Monika, I’m absolutely thrilled with the patchwork skirt for Juna. It turned out great!

I hadn’t heard of banana socks before, Petra.  Is that really what they’re called, or did you come up with the name?

Steffi, the wrist warmers look great, but the new dragon motif has me especially curious—it sounds really interesting. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s finished. You always make such extraordinary things 

That’s really what the socks are called. I’ll post some photos of them being worn later. So far, they’ve only been tried on to check the length, and everything looked good.

Steffi, your wrist warmers with the lace pattern are great. Made with thinner yarn—hmm—maybe that’s my next idea.

I’m still working through the leftover yarn. Right now I’m crocheting an open-faced sandwich for the doll kitchen, and since all the eggs have been crocheted around, I’m now crocheting around CDs for after Easter. 

Last night I “worked through” the first page of the written pattern, up to row 36, and this is how it looks so far... 
 You can see the lower part of the dragon lady here (middle cable), and the two outer sections are part of the wings.... 
A few rows are worked as short rows. How do you work your turning stitch? 
I’ve always had some trouble with it—it never looked “very nice.” Here, you turn, attach a stitch marker to the working yarn, “knit it in,” and when you knit over it, you knit up to the marker, take the marker and place the loop it’s hanging in onto the needle, then knit it together with the next stitch. It doesn’t matter whether you’re knitting or purling. ... 
Now I’m “starting” my day. ... So the pets are already taken care of, the laundry’s already in the machine, the cauliflower’s already in the steamer... 
So first, a small breakfast for me, and then off for a long walk/dog walk.... 

Everyone starts their day differently. For me, it begins with about 20 minutes of crafting before I get ready for work and leave the house for a few hours.

Steffi has already finished part of her day’s work—I imagine it’s only a small part, though. 

Thanks, Ruth, for the feedback on the patchwork skirt. :) I’m glad to hear that.

Wow, Petra, you really have some great ideas. I’ll try crocheting around eggs next year too, sometime in between other projects. But crocheting around CDs—that’s just brilliant. Will they be coasters, or what are you using them for? I have a few data CDs I could use for that. You’ll definitely show us some when they’re done, right? Your bread looks a lot like the one I once crocheted for Linja.

Steffi, you’ve got another complicated project on your needles. It’s sure to look great when it’s finished.
You’re all already so hard at work early in the morning. I always have to wake up slowly first. Luckily, at 69 years old, I don’t have to get up so early anymore. I really enjoy that.

Petra, are they really called that—banana socks? 

Anja, they really are called banana socks. And I’ve already seen them in yellow—they looked great. 

ruthk, my door wreath has an inner diameter of 10 cm, which makes the bunny look a bit bigger, but that was my intention.

The heart-shaped pillow for my mom is also finished. I’ll post a picture soon.

Monika , the patchwork skirt looks really great. I’d even wear it in those colors.
It’s amazing what you all manage to create with your knitting needles.

I always think knitted wrist warmers are so pretty. I haven’t tried making them myself yet. I’m more of a crocheter, but I’d definitely wear them.

Steffi, your knitting project already looks great and intricate. I’m curious to see what it’ll look like when it’s finished. From the way you describe it, I can already picture it.

Dear Steffi, I know the problem with “a gift like that” all too well. There are always people who don’t appreciate the amount of work that goes into things like this, or can’t even imagine it.
Gifts that are really “fiddly” are now only given to people who truly appreciate them.
I really like your wrist warmers, too. I’m very excited to see more photos of your roof lady.

Andrea, you’ve made some cute little things again.

Monika, the skirt for Juna turned out great. Will there maybe be a matching top to go with it?

Petra, your banana socks turned out great. I’ve seen them elsewhere before, too. Are they really comfortable to wear? I’m a bit skeptical about that.

The lazybones finally pulled herself together and finished two UFOs.


   my Easter egg


  
was meant for a birthday but ended up not being needed for that. Now it’s hanging at my place.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Hi, I just wanted to check in again, because my creativity has hit a real slump.
My sister caught COVID-19 while in rehab after her cancer surgery, which wasn’t easy given her condition.
She’s doing fine now, but it’s still taking a toll on me—I’ve been unraveling more than I’ve been crocheting.

By the way, your creations are really great—I especially like the paper lantern. It looks so light as a feather and cheerful.

I managed to finish and send out a few Easter cards, but that’s all that’s happened here.

Then I hope, dear Claudia, that you get to spend lots of happy hours with your sister… and that the “dark clouds” clear away again soon. …

My Dragon Lady has grown to row 56…

Now she’s taking a break for the time being.... I have 5g of yarn left, which will never be enough.... According to the pattern, at 400m/100g and needle size 3, I should need about 21g of yarn... I had 40g in my leftover ball 🤷 
I’m counting what I’ve knitted so far as practice and have simply cast on again. So last night I wound a brand-new skein of yarn
(100g) and put 68 stitches back on the needle... Up to row 17 😊
At the moment I’m not really liking the yarn that much yet. It’s a vanilla-cream-colored yarn with reddish tints. It looked absolutely beautiful as a skein. But once knitted, it looks a bit like “I drank too much red wine and made a mess on the yarn” 🙈
But I’ve only knitted a few rows with it so far; I’m just hoping it’ll “come together” once I’ve knitted more, since the “red wine stains” will then appear evenly spaced.... 

Yeah, Andrea, I can see myself doing that too—I’m actually thinking about it...

Marlies, your door wreaths are amazing! They turned out sooo beautiful!
As for the skirt, there’s no top to go with it just yet. Pretty much any T-shirt goes with it. I’m curious to see how it is received in May.

Claudia, I hope you get out of your slump soon. I know those moments—I totally understand how you feel. I’d probably feel the same way. Your cards definitely turned out really beautiful. How exactly did you make them? Did you cut everything out individually and glue it together? These days, it’s really something special to get a real card—and a handmade one at that.

I’ve now finished my projects. The only thing missing from Juna’s skirt is the elastic in the waistband. And I’ve finally finished my Karl 4. Ta-da—here’s the result:

Front:



Back:



I ordered three more yarn cakes of that yarn from Rellana. The colors are simply a dream.

Claudia, I hope you’ll find your way out of this rough patch soon. Since your sister is feeling better again, you can see for yourself that things can get better. Those are such beautiful Easter cards you’ve made! I made two cards as well—mine are embroidered and are for my two granddaughters’ First Communions.






Steffi, looking at the piece you knitted, it’s already easy to picture the dragon. What are you using this pattern for?

Your Karl turned out really beautiful, Monika! So different from mine, but the colors are harmonious and lovely! It’s amazing how different the same pattern can look when you change the yarn and colors.

Monika.... The color of your Karl is so beautiful 😍

I think embroidered cards are pretty...

I’m knitting a “frame” around my dragon lady—of course, with a cable pattern too—and then it should be the perfect size for a pillow. ... or a wall hanging 🤔 I’m thinking a pillow, though.... My sofa is so bare in that regard—it could definitely use a few more on it. 

Thank you, Steffi and Ruth :) Yes, it’s really amazing that it looks different every time. I’m already looking forward to putting on my Karl.

Steffi, your dragon lady is sure to look great—it’s worth keeping on knitting it.

Ruth, your embroidered cards look great, too. I used to really enjoy doing that as well. Back then, I had plenty of time since my son was little and I was at home. Above all, there was no internet back then. ;-)

First of all, thank you so much for your kind words.

Monika, the cards are a mix of colorful papers—some stamped, while the simple shapes are drawn freehand and decorated with a few stickers.
Just as the idea came to me.
I just wanted to send some personal greetings to my loved ones again—it didn’t have to be perfect.

Your Karl turned out really nice; I really like the colors.

Ruth, your cards are great. I’m sure they’ll be a hit.

Claudia, you’ve put a lot of work and love into your cards. I’m sure your loved ones appreciate it too.
Thanks for your feedback :)

Claudia, your cards turned out great. What a lovely surprise for the recipient when they check their mailbox. A pretty card like that would have a place of honor by my fireplace.

Marlies, I like your wreaths. Your bunny looks adorable—too bad Easter is over now. I’m putting the last of my bunnies and chickens back in the box until next Easter.

  Ruth, the cards for your grandchildren are great. Put in a picture frame and hung up in their room. So great.

Monika, your Karl turned out great—now the temperatures should rise a bit, and then he’ll have his big day.

I’m showing you my crocheted little animals here—upcycled from CDs and my many yarn scraps. I have two so far, and the internet is full of ideas and suggestions


The “crazy chicken”—I think it’s more of an adorable chicken.



And a little sheep

Thanks, Petra! :) Yes, Karl is still waiting for his big premiere moment.

Your CD upcycling project turned out to be a real hit. It looks great. Did you crochet around both sides of the CDs? I could imagine something like that as a coaster, but then the question remains: how do I wash it? Hmm...

I’ve also been wondering if CDs can be painted with acrylic paint, for example—that would be another idea for coasters.

In any case, your version with the little animals on it looks great as a wall hanging.

@Monika – I’m glad you like them.

Yes, they’re crocheted on both sides and joined together with single crochet stitches.

  They’re not really suitable as coasters, since they’re very uneven and a glass would definitely wobble on them.

Acrylic paints would definitely work, and I can imagine using decoupage too—but then I’d varnish them afterward to seal them. The only thing is, there’d be a hole in the middle—I’m not quite ready to accept that yet. 

The Easter Bunny also brought a few surprise eggs. Of course, we crocheted covers for the empty capsules right away:

Surprise Egg Duck

Egg-Shaped Gnome Mouse

Surprise Egg Toad

Yes, that’s right, Petra—the hole will stay there. But it could still be made to look decorative. I’ll think about it.

Ruth, your little crocheted animals made from Kinder Surprise eggs look great! You really have to come up with an idea like that—cool!

Hi, everyone!
I haven’t checked in for a while, and there’s so much to see again!!! So many beautiful things and new ideas. I’m absolutely fascinated by the paper table lantern—it’s so delicate. I’ve already started working on the little Advent surprises for the calendars ;), time always flies by so quickly. But I’m not giving anything away just yet!
Happy crafting to everyone, and warm regards from Anja

Ruth, the surprise eggs are great! The frog’s mouth and the duck’s rear end—wonderful! 

....my favorite is definitely the frog.... 😍

I have about 30 rows left, and then the Dragon Lady will be off the needles. 

So tonight I’ll be winding yarn for the frame—I’m already curious to see how quickly I can knit it.... there’ll be even fewer stitches on the needle then... 

Claudia, those turned out to be beautiful cards. I wish you and your sister all the best. Hang in there!

Steffi, "drank too much red wine and mucked up the yarn" , that made me laugh so hard. I think it looks good.

Thanks Monika and Petra for your praise.

Monika, your Karl turned out stylish. You always manage the matching colors so well.

Ruth, your embroidered cards are a wonderful memento of a day like that. Your surprise egg creatures are awesome. I especially like the duck. Unfortunately, nobody at my place eats surprise eggs.

Petra, that was a great idea for repurposing CDs. I’ve got quite a few lying around too that would like to live on in a useful way.

I’ve got a few projects in the works right now, but they’re only going partly well. Plus, my shoulder doesn’t want to do much at all. I just have to hang in there until June 2...

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Marlies, thanks for the kind words—she’s back on her feet, and the aftereffects are slowly fading away.
Hopefully things will work out well with your shoulder too; I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you, anyway.

Steffi, your dragon patch looks promising—I’m excited to see more.

Ruth, I especially like your duck. It almost looks like it could lay eggs…

Petra, while you’re turning your leftover yarn into cute Easter decorations (by the way, I think the idea of using an old CD for stability is great), I’m still working on my belated Christmas decorations.

I’ve almost used up all my long-neglected acrylic scraps with this.
Except for one ball of yarn for the ox, I didn’t have to buy anything extra.
The colors aren’t the best, but I’m surprised at how well I managed with them.
There’s still enough green left for another fir tree; otherwise, just small, colorful scraps.

Here’s the ox that was still missing.




And here’s the complete nativity scene, with the decorated Christmas tree—though I probably won’t set that up with the nativity scene later. I like how it turned out.

Now I’m going to put away these last Christmas decorations along with the Easter decorations—I’ve never done that before either 🤣.

Claudia, your donkey 😍 turned out great. The whole nativity scene is wonderful. Beautiful.

I’m glad you like my idea with the CDs. I feel like my scraps aren’t getting any fewer, no matter how much I use up.

Marlies, get well soon with your shoulder—I hope crafting gets easier again soon.

Over the weekend there were more supplies for the play kitchen



So much green and yet not really matching, I thought



Now there are cucumbers

Thanks, Claudia and Petra. The new orthopedist specializes in shoulders. That explains the wait of almost five (!) months. 😒

Your nativity scene turned out so great, Claudia. Now that’s what I call making good use of leftovers. 👍

Yum, cucumber salad—I just had some. 🥒

Thank goodness. Marlies, have you “found” anyone at all…? Even that isn’t exactly easy…
I’ve finished the patch with the dragon lady… 

Now I just need to knit the outer border, but first I have to wind another skein of yarn.... 

Claudia, your nativity scene is absolutely amazing! It looks so lovingly put together. You’ll enjoy it for a long time, and I’m sure your family will, too.

Steffi, now I can picture your dragon lady better. A real work of art—it looks great.

Petra, your cucumbers look delicious. Olives would be another nice touch of green.

Marlies, I hope your shoulder gets back to feeling really good soon. Sometimes we just take on too much. Let it go. It sounds strange, but it can make a big difference.

I’m going to keep knitting the little dress for Juna’s doll—using the scraps from the skirt.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Steffi, now I recognize the lady, too. 🤣 That’s awesome. What are you going to make with it? I could imagine a sweater back panel or a pillow. 

Marlies what's going on with your shoulder? I somehow missed that. Specialist appointments are generally hard to get. Dermatologist where we are: 1-year wait. Cardiologist: 6 months. Thyroid specialist: 5 months. 
 
Every time I see the things by Petra, Monika or Ina , I think: Whoa, to play in the children's kitchen just once, or with the dolls & clothes—what a dream! I almost considered getting my daughters' dolls down from the attic and knitting something for them. At 52, I don't have any Barbies anymore, but as a child I loved playing with them. 

I'm in a crafting slump again. I'm mentally preoccupied with myself and don't really feel like doing anything. 
I also always spend too long thinking about what color I could use (I'm still trying to work down my yarn stash, which gets difficult when I make impulse buys). And then I brood for hours over which color, whether the yarn is the right weight, and by then I usually don't feel like it anymore. I'd really like to have a project that fascinates me again. The patch jacket is just kind of limping along. Actually the final stretch—I thought it was only small patches left, but nope, that's only around the top; around the bottom there are still big & small ones for the length. That somehow frustrated me. Then I forced myself for a few days to make 1 Pätsch every day (I just mistyped that and find the spelling much funnier) until I then got into the crocheting phase (and got stuck there). 

Steffi, your dragon lady is a knockout! That would make a great sweater pattern. I’d wear it in a heartbeat.

Monika, I’ve already dealt with the biggest hurdle. As soon as I get all my stuff back—which he unfortunately refuses to give up—that chapter will finally be closed.

Anja, this is a never-ending story with my shoulder(s). This time it’s the left one. I can only move my arm to a limited extent. When it’s really bad, I can’t even get dressed without painkillers. I’ve had this on the right side before, too. Back then, I got cortisone shots that knocked me out. And painkillers, of course. I went to physical therapy afterward. It helped a little. But it doesn’t go away completely.
A few years ago now, an MRI revealed “endplate damage” to a vertebra. The orthopedist at the time was more of a quack. He didn’t even look at the MRI images. All that manipulation just made it worse and worse.
Maybe someone needs to take a look at the whole picture—not just the arm or the shoulder—but that’s no longer possible in a single appointment these days.
I’m curious to see what the new doctor comes up with.
One “Pätsch” a day—funny, that’s what I used to be called many years ago...

I’ve got shoulder pain too, Marlies. It always switches from left to right for me as well. Now it’s on the right. My physical therapist says it’s caused by a cervical spine blockage that I haven’t been able to resolve for years—something’s probably being compressed there. No idea—it’s also the side I sleep on. 


I’m currently knitting the “frame”.... Very few stitches and lots of cables.... Just a few more rows and I’ll have finished the first quarter....
I’ve never knit increases or decreases within the cable stitches before.
What I really don’t like right now are stitches that are purled together through the back loop. I’m supposed to slip two stitches as if to knit, slip them back onto the left needle, and purl them together through the back loop... 

What you’re knitting there is going to be great. The color combination is awesome. 

Years ago, I had a frozen shoulder—very painful and a long-drawn-out process. I’m sure I went to physical therapy for about three-quarters of a year. And just when it was over on the right side, it started on the left. Thank God, everything’s fine again today, and I can move my arms up and back almost like I used to. But shoulder problems are a real pain. Wishing you a speedy recovery and good doctors. 

Thank you, dear Petra.

It’s excruciatingly painful and sooooo boring...

Last time, it got better after 5 days. I woke up at 4 a.m. last night and had to take an ibuprofen.  I can’t even put on my bra by myself, and I can’t stand the strap on my shoulder either. It really does leave you pretty much incapacitated. 😵‍💫

I just tried out my new pom-pom maker. I really like it, and it went really fast. I still need to try out the others so I can get a feel for the size. 

Great, Petra—I have the pom-pom maker too, and it works really well. Your hat with the pom-pom looks great.

Marlies, sometimes the best thing you can do is forge your own path. I speak from experience. It completely changed my life—for the better. Even though the beginning wasn’t so much fun and I had to find my footing again at first.

I wish everyone suffering from shoulder and joint pain a speedy recovery.

I’ve now finished the skirt for Juna and the matching little dress for the doll. I’ll upload some photos later. Next, I’ll probably knit some clothes for Julian. It’s been a while since I’ve made baby clothes—this time for a boy. I’m already looking forward to it, and I’ve got the right yarn ready to go.

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone!

Hi everyone,
sorry I’ve been MIA for a while… other things took priority and I didn’t have time for the internet…
But at the end of March, my Karl No. 2 was finished. Of course, I don’t want to keep it from you. ;-)
I was also able to wear it on the first weekend of April, since it was still very chilly. (I still need to rip out the neckline and make it a bit tighter when I reknit it. It slips off my shoulders too much. I don’t feel like doing that right now, though. But I should do it before it gets soooo warm that I can’t knit with wool anymore...)


I really like the color combination. :-)
I knitted the sleeves to be snug-fitting. Andrea was kind enough to confirm my thoughts on HOW to do that. ;-) Thanks again so much, Andrea, for your SOS help and support!

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday &
warm regards
Katrin

Sooooo now I'll add my two cents about the lovely things that have been shown here. ;-)

@Ines: Your KArl turned out suuuuper well. Hope you have lots of fun wearing it!

@Steffi: I like the finished shawl / stole veeeery much! *ThumbsUp*
Can you tell me WHAT pattern that is? Thaaaank you

@Marion: Your blue-and-white (?) dragon patch jacket turned out totally beauuutiful too.

@Claufdia: You designed some lovely Easter cards there!
I hope your sister is doing better by now!?
I know that all too well too, when you're stuck in a “creative slump” and then don't get anything done.
I've noticed for myself that when I finally push myself and just do it, it usually does me a loooot of good. ;-) But I just have to get over that “hurdle” ...
(By the way, I also really enjoy making cards (and then happily mess around with paints and stamps to my heart's content ...)

@Monika: Your doll patch things and the skirt are sooo cute. Your granddaughter will surely be absolutely delighted with them!
Wooooooooooooow, the Karl turned out sooooo beautiful too!! So wonderfully fresh and springlike. Now the spring weather can only get better. :-)

Soooooooooooo - you were all so wonderfully creative, and I'm always so happy to see such beautiful things here.

Warm regards again,
Katrin
 

Katrin, your Karl turned out super-duper beautiful ♡

Thank you for the get-well wishes, Monika. It’s a little better; I was able to sleep through a night again. However, ibuprofen always makes me so weak and tired. Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with the orthopedist. I suspect it’s what Petra has. 

Today I was able to crochet for 10 minutes after a 9-day break. Wow, it’s so boring without it... 

Hi, everyone,

I have another question:
I’d love to knit a summer sweater à la “Tunika Mystica” by Birgit Freyer.
(I’m not sure if external links for illustration purposes are allowed here?) You can find examples on rav***y, and the pattern is also available in Birgit Freyer’s shop.)
This tunic is knitted to a point at the front and back (V-shape).

I’d love to use Rellana Rainbow Bobbel yarn made from recycled cotton for this...
Monika had already written to me that the yarn knits up well.
For the color, I’ve chosen Fb 1310 this time.
I think with a shape like this, it wouldn’t matter if it isn’t a “classic” color gradient, but rather if the colors repeat themselves here and there…

What do you think???
Thank you so much
Katrin

Dear Anja,
thank you :-)))
Ugh, not being able to sleep is sooo annoying. (Unfortunately, I have that way too often, too!)
Is it because of your osteoarthritis, which often hurts like crazy when you’re at rest—when you finally get a chance to relax...
I have shoulder problems, so I know exactly what you mean.

Best regards
Katrin

That definitely looks interesting, Katrin. How many skeins are you buying for the sweater? 

Hi Andrea,

so for a short-sleeve version, 4x100g, and for a long-sleeve version, probably 5x100g?
But if I knit anything at all, it’ll be a short-sleeve version (with knitted-in sleeves). This whole thing is an RVO, after all. ;-)

And yet another new Karl—once again completely different but beautiful, Katrin.

I’ve crocheted around another surprise egg: this time it’s turned into a stroller that you can give as a gift for a new baby and, for example, put a gift certificate inside.
Or if you want to let your partner know that he’s about to become a dad, you could do that with a surprise egg like this, too...

😍 That stroller is so cute....

And Karl turned out really nice.
I’ve knitted half of my border so far, and this is how it looks so far...

....and I ordered some yarn 🙈 I just couldn’t resist. I was actually looking for “natural yarn” to dye myself, and then I stumbled upon a shop from Lithuania. ... Soon I’ll be getting 4 skeins as a set in the colors: saffron, pumpkin, cinnamon, caramel, plus two extra in berry/pink (they absolutely had to be included in the package) 🙈 100% wool and 400m/100g.... The whole lot for just under 20€ including shipping.... I’m so excited to see when the yarn will arrive. I’ve ordered something from Lithuania before, and that took about a week and a half.... They say three weeks max.... 😊 So it’s almost like “waiting for Santa” 😂

Wow, Katrin, your Karl looks absolutely fantastic—I really love the color and shape. I’m going to knit one with sleeves this fall, too, using sock yarn. Thank you so much for your feedback on my Karl.
External links aren’t allowed here in the forum; they’ll be removed. But I’m sure everyone knows what you mean. Whatever you’re knitting is sure to turn out great.

Oh Ruth, your cute little stroller is such a lovely idea. It looks really adorable.

Steffi, that trim is a work of art in its own right. Will it end up as a pillow? I could definitely see that.

Now I’ll show you the finished skirt for Juna and the matching little dress for her doll. I’ve temporarily dressed my little star in it. She looks sooo cute in it.

And here’s the skirt by Juna

Monika, Juna is going to be so happy when she gets such a pretty little skirt and the doll is dressed in the same outfit. Both turned out great.

Steffi, your dragon project looks fantastic! I really like it in these colors. 

Monika, the skirt for Juna turned out absolutely great. She’s going to be so happy.

Have a wonderful week together. 

Thank you, you two sweethearts, for sharing in the joy. :) I’m thrilled with both of them, too. Juna is sure to love them.

Now I just need to quickly knit some teddy bear clothes for Linja’s teddy bear. She loves getting nice things for him. She needs something to cheer her up and comfort her right now, because she fell out of a tree while climbing on Thursday. She was in the ICU until Saturday and is now on a regular ward. But it’ll take longer than that, because unfortunately, her head took the brunt of the fall. She’s been handling it very bravely so far, and we’re hoping for the very best for her. Our thoughts are always with her. It’s really getting to me a little...

Oh, poor Linja! What a scare! Get well soon, little one.
🦄🦄🦄

Thanks, Anja! We’re keeping our fingers crossed and will just have to wait and see what the next few weeks bring.

Oh, Monika, I know how that feels—it’s heartbreaking. I hope the little one gets better very soon!

I’d also like to send my best wishes for a speedy recovery to Linja. I’m thinking of you all and hoping everything heals well. 

Thank you so much, Petra and Ruth! She definitely had a guardian angel, because things could have turned out much worse. Still, even this is bad enough. I haven’t heard back from her parents yet today… I hope everything’s okay.

Juna learned to ride a bike yesterday in the hospital park. The video of it is really great. Those are the bright spots right now.

My thoughts are with you, dear Monika. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your little Linja that everything turns out well.... 

Oh Monika, I hope Linja gets well soon and feels better again quickly. 🍀

Best regards

Thank you, Steffi and Marion.

Hi Monika,

I also wish little Linja a speedy recovery and hope that everything will be okay.
Such little rays of hope do give you hope again, and I think it’s wonderful that she’s learning to ride a bike. It distracts her a little.
All the best to you

Best wishes, Andrea

I got the news tonight that Linja was allowed to come home today, buuuut… she has to be monitored around the clock to make sure she moves carefully and calmly because of the hematoma in her head. Of course, this will be exhausting for everyone. If she gets through this week okay, then the next step will be complete.

Your support has really done me a world of good right now. Thank you so much, my dears! Now let’s keep our fingers crossed. I’m definitely feeling much calmer already.

Thanks to you, too, dear Andrea. The younger Juna is the one who learned to ride a bike. The older Linja is the one to whom this just happened. Her guardian angel must have been very attentive. ;-)

Dear Monika,

I just read about the terrible thing that happened. I’m so glad the little one is already feeling better. It’s going to be a real challenge to keep her calm at home. I wish you all lots of patience and strength for that.

I went through something similar with my youngest son, who nearly died from an autoimmune disease. He was 3 1/2 years old at the time and, of course, didn’t want IV tubes in his arms and legs. It was very difficult.

I wish little Linja a speedy recovery and all the best. Sending you a virtual hug—and please keep thinking positively.
Warmest regards
Marlies

Dear Monika

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Linja will feel better soon. I can totally relate to your shock: Our oldest was hit by a car when she was seven and, luckily, got away with just a concussion, but of course you still worry so much. For me, it was even worse because her dad was so far away…

Dear Marlies, thank you so much, and a big hug to you too! Yes, this really takes a lot of patience and strength right now, especially for the parents. We’ve already exchanged voice messages and emojis today. She’s not allowed to watch videos at the moment. We both definitely enjoyed that.

Dear Christina, thank you so much for your sympathy as well. When something happens to the little ones, it’s not exactly pleasant, and you feel relatively helpless. If Linja gets through this week well and the test results look good, then I think the worst is behind us for now. She just isn’t allowed to do what she loves most right now—running around, biking, climbing, moving around suddenly, and so on. But the good thing is that she can be at home in her familiar surroundings. Of course, that’s a real boost for her, too.

Now I’ll see what I still have on hand to make some clothes for her teddy bear.

Hello everyone,

Sorry, but I don't always get around to replying right away ...

@Monika:
I hope your little granddaughter is doing better!
Most of the time, children recover from injuries like that faster than we do.
But you still worry endlessly anyway (no matter how old your own children / grandchildren already are!)
Thank you for your praise of KARL. :-)))

Here is the promised photo of my start on Karl (short-sleeved) tunic (though mine will have long sleeves!)



I have now started the first Patch 3.
I was inspired to choose my colors by a photo in the examples for the pattern.
Since there are no names there, unfortunately I can't say whose it was.

Best wishes
Katrin

I don’t see a photo. 

Katrin, that looks really promising—what you’ve started there. Yet another brand-new version of the Karl. Awesome! By the way, my girlfriend was super happy with her green-turquoise Karl. :)
Thanks also for your concern. Everything was definitely fine up until yesterday, and things were going well. Let’s see how the rest of the week goes. She has to take it very easy. We’ll know more after the next checkup.

I hope you all enjoy your favorite pastime—knitting, crocheting, or sewing.

KarlThanks, Monika! I’m also curious to see HOW this Karl will develop further. ;-)
I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for your granddaughter and the whole family.

I took another look at the pattern photos...
Here’s the KARL that I liked sooooo much:



Best wishes
Katrin

Yes, Katrin, I really loved this Karl pattern too—it’s the first Karl I’ve ever knitted.
I’m going to knit it again for winter using thicker yarn, with long sleeves.

Well, I’m already excited, Monika!
I think every KARL is beautiful—and always a little different. I’m especially fascinated by the ones knitted with long color gradients. ;-)
I’ll keep knitting my KARL as long as the weather allows. When it’s over 25°C, wool just doesn’t work at all—cotton yarn at most...
But I’ve already seen sooooo many beautiful new ZB yarns from Schoppel again, uhhhhhhhhhhh—actually, I want them ALL ;-)))
But I’ve already had an idea floating around in my head for 2 Cotton-ZB. I think I’ll have to cast on something soon. ;-)

Best regards
Katrin

Monika, my very best wishes to your granddaughter too, and lots of strength and patience to her parents for everything they have to cope with. 

Katrin, I really like your Karl; apart from the yellow, which I also like myself, those would be my colors too.

Even though I’m still clicking away with my needles in the evenings, I just can’t manage to write regularly or even show anything at the moment—one appointment follows another, and on top of that we’re renovating. I’ll be glad when everything is back in its place. 

Have a lovely evening, everyone...

Thanks, Ines, for your well-wishes. Linja is doing really well, and the last checkup looked quite promising. If things are even better next week, she’ll be allowed—with some precautions—to go back to the Waldorf school on Wednesday. Phew… we’re really relieved.
I can imagine how you’re feeling right now with the renovation. Phew… I really don’t like that kind of thing at all. But the result is definitely always worth it.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and enjoy spring, no matter what it brings.

...everyone’s still caught up in Karl fever..... 
🤔 although I actually think this gray one with just a touch of color is chic, too....

My needle has been “off duty” since last night.... The dragon lady is off the needle—or rather, the frame is finished... 

But it still needs to be sewn together. And washed and all that.... and the pillow still needs a back, too.... 
Phew, so the wait until my wool yarn from Lithuania arrives here isn’t sooo long after all. 

So great that Linja is already feeling so much better 🌺🏵🌺

By the way, I’ve discovered something again that I absolutely “have to” try out 
Viking knitting—it’s a form of jewelry making, similar to a knitting dolly but using wire.... There are some good videos on it.... 
That’s what happens when you live right next to a Viking village and there are a couple of shops around here where you can discover all sorts of things. The tool I need is pretty “simple,” and I’ll be “tinkering” with it today in my little workshop..... 

Here’s the new thread:
May 2023 Projects: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group