February Projects 2024 + January Projects 2024: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group.

Continue writing here:
March Projects 2024: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Dear users, dear authors,
here is the new thread for the crafting group. Have fun with your crafts in the new year. 

You can read the old posts here at the link:
December Projects, November Projects + October Projects 2023, Part 2: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group

Thanks, Josefa....
I hope you all had a pleasant start to 2024.
I’m currently working on a pair of wrist warmers—or rather, one—and I’m going to have to rip it out again 🥴 They’re turning out way too tight, and if I go up a needle size, I don’t like the texture of the knit. I should have realized that from the start—there just weren’t enough stitches. This pattern only comes in one size, but I really love the design.... the thumb gusset also fit “differently” somehow. Tonight I’m going to grab my blank glove template and see what kind of pattern it wants to become 😂 

👍
Wishing everyone a healthy New Year 🍀

Dear all,

Once again, I’m having trouble using up my leftover yarn. I started a wonderful shawl from here, but unfortunately, I don’t have enough yarn for the full size, and as it stands now, it’s barely enough to go around my NECK. That’s why I’m so reluctant to finish things—I usually end up frustrated with the result. I don’t have any matching yarn to “add on” either. 



Some of you
manage to just enjoy the process and don’t worry so much about the result. That’s the mindset I need to get into.

So I’m continuing on my leftover Granny jacket (photo to come when I get the chance) AND—since I love starting new projects so much—I started another knitted shawl today. But only out of “necessity.” There’s been a crocheted round thingy lying around here for 3 years (sorry for the word loss due to lack of sleep) that I don’t want to wear anymore, so I’m just going to reknit it. Just so it doesn’t keep falling at my feet (it really does every time I stand in front of the closet). 

@Anja – The colors of your yarn are great. The red and green—somehow perfect for Christmas.

Too bad there isn’t enough for a large shawl. I’m one of those people who believes “the journey is the destination”—maybe there’s enough for a simple loop scarf? It would be such a shame for such beautiful yarn. 

I’ve been spending more time with my embroidery needle lately. After my gnome, I’m now working on my first Christmas motif. I saw a blog post featuring a staircase banister wrapped in fir greenery, with these little embroidered designs on it. My goal is to finish one each month—hopefully 12 will be enough. 

Petra, it’s gray, beige, and burgundy.
I actually found a ball of it at home yesterday after seeing this post! It had somehow slipped under the bed. Now I can finally finish it. 🙂

Good morning, everyone...
Anja, I’m glad you’re feeling a little better.
And it’s great that you found another skein to keep knitting that shawl...
  Petra, that’s a “cute” idea. 😊

I’ve actually saved up a “little” and can buy a plotter next month 🥳🥳🥳—I’m so excited.
  At first, I was debating between a plotter and a 3D printer 🙈. My son basically made the decision for me—he bought an entry-level model, a great bargain, and if he has any questions, he can reach out to the “previous owner”...
But first, time for a walk through the snow—yes, snow, and quite a bit of it... 

Anja, I’m glad you found another ball of yarn. Whether it’s green or gray—I like what I see in the picture.

A plotter sounds great. I’m also thinking about buying one. So far, though, I’ve just been gathering information. I hope you’ll show us some of your work here and share your experiences. I’d be interested in stickers (for jars, for example), but also small prints on fabric (for pillows, etc.).

My pattern for the leg warmers is almost finished. I really loved the color (caramel) when I bought it, but now I don’t have anything that goes with it for the top half. My yarn was just enough for the leg warmers and a headband.

Now I’ve started knitting some more in black—they’re meant to replace my old, worn-out black ones. I like to wear leg warmers with my leggings at home or when I’m wearing a skirt. 

Wow, Steffi, you guys have a lot of snow. Here, there’s just a light dusting, even though huge flakes were falling from the sky yesterday at noon 

Good evening,

there are some great things to admire here again.

I just crocheted—or rather, tried my hand at—a little something based on a YouTube tutorial.

I thought the lucky piggy was so cute. The larger one was made with a 2.5 hook, and the mini pig with a 1.75 hook, so it’s only 3 cm long.


Hugs, Andiea😉

Oh, how cute!  

How adorable. You can always use luck (a lucky pig). 

Small projects like this aren’t really my thing; in the end, I just don’t have the patience to make sure the eyes, ears, legs, etc. are in the right places. 

Thank you for your feedback.
This little pig is crocheted in one piece, starting at the snout and ending at the curly tail. No extra sewing required. Great!



The first picture for Easter 🍬🐰🌺 is finished. Now it’s time to sew. It’s too narrow for a framed picture. 

Are you already working on your Easter decorations? 

That’s so cute, Petra. ♡

I’m working on two crochet projects right now, mainly a top. I’m mixing up leftover bobbles—it’s a total color experiment—so I just have to go with the flow and see how the final piece turns out. But it’s fun; right now, it’s all about hard work and sticking with it (practice, Anja, practice—phew).
  For a change, I’m knitting a shawl. I’ll take pictures tomorrow when it’s light out.

Then I thought I should reward myself for all the hardships I’ve been through lately—preferably with yarn, of course. BUT I have sooo much—where would I put it? And then again, maybe not—but then I wouldn’t be rewarded either, argh. So I figured, just work with what you have; that’s how life goes, after all.

Buying yarn is so tempting.... But the more we have, the harder it is to decide what we want to make next. And it’s very tempting to start something new before the other project is finished.

I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of your work. Color experiment—sounds good. 

Easter decorations will be coming from me in the next few days... 
Though made of paper 😄 
I'm just so unmotivated when it comes to needlework and crafting right now; somehow there's “something” putting the brakes on... 
I had started knitting a shawl from a 200 g yarn cake, and then last night (on row 112 of 149) I realized that I had knitted a mistake... It's really noticeable when stitches knitted together in a lace pattern run in the “wrong” direction. I should have paid more attention 🤷 I'll just unravel the whole thing. Ripping back almost 300 stitches per row, 5 rows down... oh, no. 
I'm sure I'll find an even nicer pattern, because I'm not really all that happy with what is still
on the needles 😉 
The journey is the destination. 
Maybe I'll find yarn with a matching yardage 🤔 then a double-knitting project would suit the yarn cake, or mosaic crochet... 
First a cappuccino, and then I'll browse through the patterns 😉

Anja, maybe you’d like to join the yarn swap package (https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/forum/topic/194732/tauschpaket-wolle-2024)? That way, you can get rid of old yarn and get new yarn in return to treat yourself. 

And that’s it. It’s really a lot of fun

Dear Ruth, 

I don’t want to get rid of anything by passing it on to others—I want to find suitable projects for my yarn and use it up; that’s the difficult part. Besides, I have a lot of things started and unraveled, and I can’t expect anyone else to take that on. :-)

Today it somehow never really got bright, so I couldn’t photograph anything, and it’s not that exciting at the current stage anyway. 
So far today I’ve only knitted; I’m already getting impatient again, and I don’t even know why. The crochet loop is going to be unraveled and knitted up, and something inside me thinks I have to hurry, like an inner taskmaster—do you know that feeling? Not even so much joy in making it, more like wanting to be finished. But the new motto was supposed to be “the journey is the destination.” 

Ah Steffi, that thing with the mistake and then starting over is rough. But I think you’re Team “Journey,” so you get double the joy of the journey. ;-)

I really have to watch out for knitting breaks today; that’s hard for me. But since I’m only lying in bed, I’m also extremely bored and don’t have much else to do. Since those stupid blood pressure meds also make my vision blurry, there’s not much TV watching either, and reading is completely out of the question. So all that’s left is knitting/crocheting. But knitting/crocheting 8 hours a day—those days are over too. 

How are you all doing with the change in weather? 

By the way, I treated myself to something completely different today: I ordered 1 kg of candied almonds online. I was really craving them and hope they’ll taste good. So, instead of yarn, sugar to eat rather than something nice to look at. 

Petra, I love the design 😍😍😍

Oh Anja...😳 a whole kilo of candied almonds.... That’s a lot 😍 I’m really keeping my fingers crossed that they taste good. 

...and yeah, I’m actually on Team “Get Rid of It”... But I still would’ve liked to just finish knitting that shawl. Now I’ve got a 200g yarn cake sitting here in front of me, and it doesn’t really know what it wants to become 😂 
Maybe I should finish knitting last year’s UFO and then see what I can come up with for the yarn cake 🤷 I still have the second poncho sweater on my needles, I think I’ll bring the knitting basket into the living room.... 
Or should I first rummage through the “sock yarn scraps box” to see what can move out??? If I’m honest, the whole box—right now it feels “right” for it to move out.... 

Dear Anja,
I’m glad you’ve rediscovered your sense of humor. A little something nice every day is good, too—even if it’s just looking forward to candied almonds.

@everyone
You’re all so hardworking and creative! Your diamond painting, dear Petra, already looks great. This year, I almost gave one as a Christmas gift to my daughter-in-law. She found the technique of placing the little stones so relaxing. But since we have very different tastes, I couldn’t pick a design for her. She didn’t like any of the ones I showed her.

I have so many projects I’ve started—still from last year—and I’m trying to finish them one by one. But you know how it is—sometimes it drags on: the old projects have already moved on in your mind, and you’d really rather start something new.

Right now I’m working on my blog post . It explains how to make an accordion-style picture book out of felt . You can swap out the pictures in the five picture frames. The grandkids always love it when they get to design something new. And so each grandchild gets their own accordion-style picture book to design and decorate themselves. You can position it however you like because the “hinges” are elastic. I’ve included the pictures shown here as examples from my collection.

I hope you have a lovely evening.
Warm regards, Ina

Roasted almonds. Mmm, delicious.

I also have so many UFOs lying around here and have to almost force myself to finish knitting my black wrist warmers instead of pulling new yarn from my stash.

I’d rather be embroidering right now, too, and I’m looking for Easter designs. The internet is full of beautiful motifs—I could look at them forever, and before I know it, the evening is over.

It’s raining again here today. I don’t like it at all. It was so lovely at the lake on Sunday when everything was frozen



UFOs! Don’t get me started! Countless ones here... Often I don’t even remember how they went anymore, or I just lose interest... 

Since the lighting is decent right now, here’s a photo of my color yarn cake project. I’m taking the yarn from two different cakes and holding it double (so 6-ply), and it’s interesting to see what new colors come out. At first I thought, “Oh my God, eye cancer,” but I think it’s turning out pretty well: 


The shawls aren’t that exciting to photograph right now. 

Yesterday I was once again looking for my favorite crochet hooks, which are often stashed away in projects. Then the right one is always missing. For me, hooks are like a black hole—never the ones I need. I can’t really search the way I’d like to right now either (strength). So I ordered four new ones yesterday. I only use one brand now; it glides the best (crochet hook). I’m looking forward to the new arrivals, even if—once all my hooks turn up again at some point—I’ll have three of some of them. Waaaah, sloppiness on the Bounty :-)

With any luck, the almonds & hooks will arrive together, and then I’ll be over the moon. Food and crocheting—a feast! 

New crochet hooks sound great. Send a picture of your new hooks when they arrive. I only ever use my really old ones. For me, it’s the knitting needles that tend to go missing. I have a ton of them here—somehow there are always more, even though I haven’t bought any in years. Here’s a look at my size 5 needles. There’s no way I’d ever have so many projects going at once that I’d run into a crisis.

Is your color gradient yarn cake project going to be a sweater or a jacket?

Petra is going to be a sweater.

😁 No, you’re not going to run out of size 5s. 🙂
I must have around 50 knitting needles in total (various sizes/lengths), so they do add up. And probably 40 crochet hooks or so, too. But I only crochet with the Clover Soft Touch now. It’s the easiest for me to hold and glides the best. 

Hi Anja, your crochet hooks are lined up in rows like tin soldiers, waiting for you to pick one of them. And they’re even labeled! I have one of that kind too, but all the others are from different manufacturers. I always buy the ones with the black or pink soft grips because they feel so nice and soft in my hand. But the silicone used in the soft grips—that is, the plasticizers in them—break down over time. And then the grips get sticky, which is just no good. And then I have to buy a new crochet hook again. I don’t really like the feel of other models that are more durable. We all have our preferences.

I wouldn’t be able to knit well with your gray knitting needles either, dear Petra. I used to have those a long time ago and always found them too blunt. When it comes to knitting needles, too, we now have a choice between different models and manufacturers. Everyone can find what suits them best.

Enjoy the afternoon. I’m about to have some coffee here… and there are still some gingerbread cookies left that I need to polish off.

Warm regards, Ina

Yeah Ina, I’ve been trying to get into the habit of putting the hooks/needles right back in the box after use, so they’re not always off somewhere in projects.
  At the front right and back right in my photo, you can also see two hooks with the soft grip—they’re good for crocheting too, but as you say, those darn plasticizers get sticky as hell. You can get some of it off with dish soap, and then I dust them with baby powder, but often you end up with those crumbly bits.
  None of this can be very healthy, either. The Clover ones are hard, but they still feel good in my hand—they’re just hard plastic.
Everyone has their own preferences.

Same goes for knitting needles. I have some newer ones, made of stainless steel. But I also like the old gray ones from Prym. Sometimes the plastic ones glide better with the yarn, other times the wooden ones do. It’s great that I have a choice.
  Right now I have one that glides well, but the tip is rubbing my index finger raw when I push the stitches along. I’ve got a real cut on the tip of my finger (though it could also be because of the thin skin from the cortisone).
What I also hate are knitting needles where the transition from the cable to the needles catches—yikes. 

@ Ina and Anja:
Nail polish remover works really well for getting those sticky handles back in shape!

@Anja, I’ve had that problem with sharp needles and sore fingertips, too. I tried using a thimble, but a band-aid worked better.

Those are some great tips!

I’m going to try the nail polish remover right away—I’ll let you know how it goes.

I had specifically bought a rubber thimble, but that got in the way; I hadn’t even thought of using a band-aid. I’ll try that, too.

THANK YOU :-)

This nail polish remover works really well! Yay 

Thank you, dear Ruth, for the tip about nail polish remover. I tried it out right away today:
It worked really well for cleaning my colored crochet hooks. After scrubbing them vigorously with the nail polish remover, they were clean, but they felt kind of dull to the touch. So I just rubbed some of my face cream into the handles :-) Let it soak in a bit, and now they’re like new!

Here’s a before-and-after comparison:





The soft grips on the black-coated crochet hooks must be made of a different material. In this case, the nail polish remover actually made the grips even stickier. So I just wrapped them in fluffy yarn. Thanks to the sticky layer, the fluffy yarn stuck on well anyway. Now I have crochet hooks that feel really nice in my hands.

Best regards, Ina

Wow, that pink needle looks brand new.

I’ll have to try that with my two as well. Just like yours, the top layer is peeling off.

Thanks for the tip. 

Face cream, hehe. Thought my usual “skin oil” would be enough. 
But seriously, it’s like new! 
A fluffy needle, cool. 

My new ones arrived within a day. 
But I ordered some more of the soft-grip ones—not that I needed them, but I think I’ll really like them for crocheting too, and they were cheap. 🙈🙉🙊

And I started a hexagon jacket because I found the pattern suited the yarn I already had. I started both sides because of the color distribution later, and then completely messed up the second one while crocheting, argh. So back to square one—the journey and the destination and all that... 

The ALMONDS arrived—they’re so-so. Not caramelized enough for my taste, but probably healthier this way. 

Dear Anja, with almonds, crochet hooks, and a suitable crochet pattern, nothing stands in the way of a cozy evening.

Today I sewed. Specifically, a rolled hem with a regular sewing machine.
I need the ruffle for a little dress for my granddaughter. The pattern was a bit complicated: there are 3 pieces for the front (1 center piece and 2 side pieces) and 3 pieces for the back. The ruffle is sewn between the center piece and the side piece.


Tomorrow I’ll continue with the neckband and sleeves. Let’s see how it looks in the end.

I wish everyone a lovely evening.
Best regards, Ina

Wow, Ina, this is going to look so chic 💕💕💕
I admire your skill with the sewing machine.
To me, it’s pure magic... 

Seriously, Ina, you’re a jack-of-all-trades! It looks great. 

Good evening, everyone,

I’m now the happy owner of some new crochet hooks. I went ahead and treated myself to the other ones after all (with the nail polish remover); they’re great for crocheting too, and I really love the colorful, soft handles.

I took the time today to photograph some projects just to have an excuse to get up and move around a bit. Guys, this muscle weakness from the cortisone is really getting to me. I’ll be so glad when I can taper off it (especially since I’m suffering most from the vision problems it causes). I have a preliminary consultation at the hospital on Monday regarding new medication.

But here are my current “projects to keep me busy” for some distraction: 

The tunic is growing slowly

The crocheted scarf is shrinking and turning into a shawl 


Finally, I know what to do with the thicker cotton yarn—it was actually supposed to be three solid-color tops, but the yarn is way too thick! 

Using up scraps—I love the granny style; I really enjoy crocheting it. This is going to be a jacket with a V-neck

And here’s the package that arrived today with my new crochet hooks and two skeins of yarn—because it was such a good deal and I had to pay for shipping anyway… you know how it is 😉

Dear Anja,

those colorful crochet hooks paired with that gorgeous light yellow yarn really make me want to crochet—and get ready for spring.

Thank you also for taking photos of your current projects for us. You can definitely switch back and forth between projects whenever you like. I also enjoy crocheting the granny style, but it’s too colorful for me to wear. But it’s fun to crochet because you can alternate between all the beautiful colors, and it looks different after every row.

Your shawl—which shrinks down to a scarf—looks really interesting, too. They’re muted colors, so you can always wear them. I took a closer look at it; it’s knitted and even has a little glitter in it. All very nice projects.

I totally understand that you need to distract yourself a bit with crafts. Sometimes we just have to hang in there for a while until things get better again. Be patient and do what you can right now.

I spent this afternoon sewing more on my little girl’s dress. It now has a neckband:


and sleeves. I would have gone with short sleeves, but my daughter-in-law wants long-sleeved dresses so the little one doesn’t get sunburned. Well, I can always shorten them later.


It gets dark so quickly, and then I can’t see well enough to keep sewing. So this weekend, I’ll work on the hem of the dress. I’d like to sew on a pink stripe here. I think it’s nice when the pink from the ruffles shows up again at the edge.

I wish everyone a lovely evening, and if we don’t get to read each other’s posts again, have a wonderful weekend.
Warm regards, Ina

First craft project in February: unraveling January’s last project because I didn’t read the pattern properly!! And I was so proud that I was able to lighten that scrap box just a tiny bit… In my defense, I can add that the pattern (not from CP!) is worded a bit strangely: Row 3: sc, but insert the hook only into the back loop of the previous row’s stitch from Row 1. What now? The previous row (i.e., the 2nd row) or the 1st row? That makes a significant difference! The instructions for the 3rd and all subsequent odd rows have been combined here…

Oh, how frustrating... 
I had to rip back my current project again too. I already had over 100 rows and then realized that my decreases in the lace pattern were “the wrong way round,” so the pattern no longer worked.... I had misread the knitting chart... 

....I’d say, “single crochets into the back loop” always in the previous row, otherwise it’ll “pucker”.... Are you doing mosaic crochet? Then the double crochets would be “into the front loop” one row below... 

But that’s poorly described too... 

Maybe this week is “Unraveling Week”

That’s frustrating, especially when you’re looking forward to finishing soon and your mind is already on the next project. 

I, too, basically unraveled it—or rather, cut it. The color was much too light; you couldn’t really see the little sheep’s face at all. So everything gone and back to the beginning, with a darker yarn

.... but not until tomorrow—the fabric needs daylight, otherwise I can’t see the individual threads. 

Argh! Now I’ve caught the “unraveling bug”.... Just had to rip half of it out—I forgot an increase on one side. Shit, shit, shit! Half a day’s work down the drain. Hmph. 
Well, at least I’ll get to enjoy crocheting for longer *grinds teeth*  But that’s enough for today—I’m putting this away now. 

How many days until Easter? 



Number 2 in the Easter series is finished

Petra, you’ll definitely manage that easily, at the rate you’re going.

You’ve picked out some beautiful designs—I wonder what it’ll look like when it’s finished? 

Easter is still a “while” away. ... You can do it 👍
I also conjured up a little “spring” today. 
a little “shadow box”..... 

Yeah, I think we all want to welcome spring.

The little ornaments will go on the Easter bouquet. The others will be hung on doors, lamps, etc. Let’s see

Steffi, did you cut them by hand or with a plotter? I’ll have to look online right away to see what a shadow box is

This was cut with a plotter. It would be way too intricate to do by hand.... 

So you’ve got the hang of your plotter already?

I checked out the Schadow Box online. Your flower must look amazing when lit up. I really liked what I saw there. 

....I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered it yet. There are still sooooo many possibilities I haven’t “discovered” yet...
Tomorrow, I’ll get some new paper, and then I can finish making the lighthouse. I already have the “inner workings”; just the box is missing, and I already have the light here.
Once my laptop is all set with its “upgrades,” I’ll be able to use the editing software and create my own designs.... Until then, I’ll be working on my tablet with the app 😁
Maybe the first stickers will arrive tomorrow 😉 The foil is already ready, too. 

You really need quite a lot of supplies for this.... Just like with knitting 🤣
Those needles, round counters, yarn, a pattern..... 

That’s just how it is. You start out and keep discovering more and more things you want to make. 

I’m looking forward to seeing your progress and hope you’ll keep sharing pictures with us

Dear Petra, you’re absolutely right. When you start a new hobby, you discover a thousand things you still need for it. We’re all perfectionists to one degree or another. Once we start something, we want it to turn out really beautiful. And for that, a piece of equipment—in your case, dear Steffi, a plotter—is just the beginning.

I feel the same way about sewing. Owning a sewing machine is just the beginning. You need fabric, needles, scissors, presser feet, interfacing, hem tape, patterns… and so on and so forth. But once a new hobby has captured your heart, you have to keep going down that path. And it’s fun to learn new things, too.

In any case, I think your shadow box—the one you showed in another thread—is absolutely fantastic. When I picture it lit up, it’s sure to look amazing. And that’s just the beginning!

I’ve become hooked on sewing. Right now, I’m making dresses for my youngest granddaughter. Here’s the ruffled design I started working on earlier.

I wish all readers a wonderful and creative day.
Warm regards, Ina

Hi everyone, 

I’ve noticed that crocheting relaxes me much more than knitting, since I have to go slower and the crocheting motions are somehow smoother & more harmonious for my hands. My heart rate monitor confirms it: when I knit, my heart rate is 20 beats higher per minute! 
But I also knit as fast as if I were on the run; I just can’t manage to go slowly, I’ve really tried. 😄
Especially with color changes, I always want to get there quickly because otherwise it gets too monotonous for me. 

I’m still hanging around at home; my treatment has been postponed yet again, somehow everything is going rather badly. The meds are still making me drowsy, causing vision problems, taste disturbances, and muscle wasting. Without knitting and crocheting I’d go crazy. Sometimes it’s just not possible at all (weakness, numbness). It’s enough to make you despair! But then I think of your kind words and keep going. 

Unfortunately, I keep getting excited about new patterns, starting them, and then failing to stick with them and finish them—same old problem. Finishing things really isn’t my thing. But I want to work on it; all those unfinished projects are driving me crazy again too. 

And about my tools: 
I’m currently knitting something on a 120 cm needle, but if I want to try it on, I’ll need a second 120 cm one. Of course, I have lots of different sizes and lengths here—but not this one right now. And so my collection of knitting needles and crochet hooks keeps growing.
That said, I really do enjoy good needles. 

Have a lovely day, everyone! 

Dear Anja,
I’m familiar with that issue of trying on large garments that are still on needles that are too short. But if you don’t try them on, you can’t tell if you’re on the right track. That’s why, at this stage, I always use very thick, smooth yarn from a ball of yarn and a large, blunt needle (embroidery needle). Then I transfer practically all the stitches from the knitting needle onto my thick, sturdy yarn. And once they’re all on, I pull the yarn out a little further and tie a knot or make a loop. This removes the cable completely, and all the stitches are now on my thick yarn. That way, you can try it on.

Of course, to continue knitting, you have to thread all the stitches back onto the knitting needle. But that actually works quite well. It’s a one-time effort, but it’s worth it.

Keep being patient with yourself, dear Anja—and enjoy what you’re able to do right now. And what doesn’t work (yet) today might work tomorrow or the day after. And if crocheting relaxes you more than knitting, then you should definitely stick with crocheting.

I wish everyone a wonderful day. I’m off to my sewing room now. My fabrics are waiting :-)

Warm regards, Ina

Hey everyone.....
I just had the plotter running 😊
A birthday card for my husband. It still needs a little decoration, but so far I like it.... 

Adjusting the blade for the different types of paper is still a bit tricky. I wouldn’t have thought that paper of “the same” thickness could vary so much from one manufacturer to another....
Tomorrow I’m getting a new/used laptop. My son (29) insisted that I take his laptop. Oh, it’s hard to accept that. He got a PC from a good friend and says he doesn’t need the laptop anymore.... He’s even already installed the software for the plotter on it 😁 ..... I don’t really feel good about it. Can you understand that???? 

Hi Steffi,

Well, “it’s more blessed to give than to receive”—I know what you mean.
I also need to work on being able to accept things, especially when I can’t give something back—that really stresses me out. I always want things to be balanced somehow.
Which they actually are—but just in the bigger picture.
  For example: It’s happened to me before that, while parking, someone gave me their parking ticket that hadn’t expired yet—I was really happy about that. But I couldn’t return the favor to that person. So when it happened to me, I gave mine to someone else in return.

As moms, we’ve done soooo much for our kids—you can definitely accept that! Give it a try and enjoy it—and how nice that he’s already installed software on it for you. Just try to be happy about it! 

Things are quiet here. 

I'm a bit stuck at the moment. I gave in to my urge again and started knitting or crocheting all sorts of things that caught my eye and appealed to me. Now I have so many unfinished projects again that I often can’t decide which one to work on next, and then I end up doing nothing at all. Hmph 

I can’t do what I want to do right now anyway, because of my illness. My arms are sometimes too weak due to the illness and medication. 

I’m undergoing chemotherapy now, and my body has a lot of little aches and pains. On top of that, I currently have a bladder infection. It’s physically and mentally exhausting, challenging, and I spend a lot of time lying around. I’m also alone a lot, have hardly any contact with the outside world, and that really takes a toll on my depression too. It’s really, really hard. 

I hope you’re all healthy and doing well. 

I sincerely wish you a speedy recovery. When you’re sick and spending a lot of time alone, it can really take a toll on your spirits. But better times are sure to come again. You just have to hang in there until then.
Best regards

A BIG THANK YOU to Brigitte ♡

Gosh, Anja,

that doesn’t sound good at all, but I understand you very well. Being alone and having hardly any social contact really wears a person down. It’s the perfect breeding ground for depression and illness.
I guess the only thing to do is grit your teeth and fight through it. Better days are coming, I’m sure of it!

We’re here for you—we’ll listen to you and try to support you, to give you strength, so that the sun will shine brightly for you again soon.

A warm hug and lots of love,
Marlies.

Oh, Anja, you’re going through a tough time right now. Why are you undergoing chemotherapy? What is it supposed to help with? I hope you have good doctors who know what they’re doing and who explain things clearly to you.

At least there’s the internet and our CP forum. That way, you don’t feel completely isolated, and you have at least a little entertainment and distraction. New craft projects always tempt us, of course, which is why we all love starting something new. And sometimes we lose interest, and then we don’t finish them.

I’m currently doing some spring cleaning of my craft supplies. I just sorted out 12 craft books that I no longer need—things like embroidery or felted crochet, for example. I’m putting them up on the swap board now. Someone else should get to enjoy them. I’ll use the tickets I get in exchange to look for fabric.

Dear Anja, I wish you continued patience and optimism. Have you done something nice for yourself today?

Warm regards, Ina

You’ve got a lot going on right now. I’m sorry to hear that, and I hope you feel better soon.

If it’s weighing on you, just leave your crafts where you can’t see them—your yarn will be waiting for you. What should you work on next—maybe something colorful? Holding beautiful, colorful yarn in your hands really lifts your spirits. Outside, the world is becoming colorful again—snowdrops, crocuses, and winter aconites are poking their heads up toward the sun.

Like Ina wrote above, I hope you have good doctors and are being well taken care of.

All the best to you
Warm regards, Petra 

Thanks, Ina & Petra! 

Ina, the autoimmune disease is treated the same way as it is for cancer patients, hence the chemo. # 

Petra, about the colorful yarn—yes. After my first infusion, I treated myself to 10 skeins of colorful yarn as a surprise package, as a reward for getting through all the anxiety and suffering. And then I got this run-of-the-mill basic-color se
lection, so I was disappointed. There are 30 colors, and they sent the ones I already have anyway. 
Last night I specifically looked for beautiful colors from another vendor’s selection, but now I have 15 skeins in my cart—another 40 euros—and then, once again, more yarn will be coming in. Argh—what a dilemma. 

Oops, I forgot to check the “Notify me” box when I posted. I accidentally tapped next to it on my phone. 

Get well soon, Anja.

@Everyone:
How are your projects coming along?

Things are moving very slowly for me 😕.... I’m still knitting my shawl, but for some reason the stitches just won’t slide off the needle. The shawl doesn’t grow more than two right side rows in the evening. And there aren’t even that many stitches on the needle.
  The plotter usually only runs in the morning—it’s so loud when it’s working. On the other hand, I have plenty of “other” things to do in the morning. I’m finally ready for spring. Then the cats will be outside more, the dog will be lounging comfortably by the front door, and I won’t have to clean “tons” of undercoat out of the house every day....

Just a quick question for everyone....
Cleaning birdhouses.... I have seven of them in my garden. Supposedly, you’re supposed to clean them all every year before the birds “move in.” But… two of them are occupied—the sparrow family has been living in them all winter. I’ve heard so many different opinions now about whether to “clean” them or not. My heart tells me I can’t just clear out their home… What do you think??? 

Thanks, Josefa ♡ 

I start something new almost every day. I don’t finish much, though. But right now it’s just about doing what’s fun.

I’ve started some hippie crochet pants based on a Portuguese video; that was challenging. 
And wow, it’s crazy how insanely fast other people can crochet. Whoa! And I’m not talking about videos played at a faster speed. Amazing. 

It’s raining and stormy here. How about where you are? 

Tomorrow is my 3rd chemo session, think of me. ♡

@ Steffi: Don’t clean it if they’re living in there

I wouldn’t clean it either if the sparrow family is living in there. If they move out before breeding and nest somewhere else, you can always start your spring cleaning then. They live in our blinds, and I don’t do anything anymore—except in summer, I don’t set the laid table directly underneath them 

My knitting and crochet needles are still resting. I’m sitting at the sewing machine and sewing hearts



and now I’m embroidering 




We had a few days of really beautiful weather, and the garden became lovely and colorful—snowdrops and crocuses. But yesterday it was autumn weather again, and it never really got light. 





Anja, I hope you continue to feel better. Show us your hippie pants

"Spring" has arrived for me, too.
I was sitting at my laptop this afternoon and loaded all my templates into the plotter’s editing software (library).... And what came out was an Easter bunny in an egg 😊 

It’s designed so that it can lie completely flat, which means I can mail it to a friend.... I love these pop-up cards. 
(Those bunny ears are just pinned on—personally, I’d leave them off.)
This is the small version of the egg; I have a larger one too, though I think the small one is really cute. The inner design is cut separately and consists of four individual “layers.” With a little drawing, I could even change the design.
If it weren’t so loud, I’d definitely have it plotted again 😁

Wow. That’s great—the little bunny with an egg in the middle.

I’d like it better without the ears, too. Maybe in the evening, instead of candles, now that it’s Easter time.

By the way—how long does the plotter take to make an Easter egg like that?

The ears are just slotted on—there isn’t a drop of glue on this Easter egg; everything is simply fitted together.
The plotter takes maybe 10 minutes of actual cutting time... The “problem” is that the paper has to be secured to a cutting mat so nothing shifts while cutting. That means once it’s finished with one page, the design has to be removed from the mat, and sometimes—especially when there are a lot of pieces cut out—it can take a few minutes before you can stick new paper on there. 😁 Good thing I ordered some new mats. For the egg, it had to cut four A4 pages, so not really that many.... 


I’ve finally finished something again after a long time 

Absolutely beautiful. I can tell you spent quite a while on that. Very nice colors. 

Wow, Steffi, what a great Easter egg! I’d leave out the ears, too.
I have no idea how that plotting thing works, but it sounds like quite a bit of work to me.

You’ve crocheted a really stylish blanket there, Mel. Such beautiful colors combined with the white—I really like that.

Thank you, Petra and Narlies!

Yeah, Mel, that blanket is super pretty—a real labor of love—kudos! 

I’m currently on a roll with frogging things. And it’s sooo nice to find the mistake in the first few rows when you’re already really far along. 

Yesterday I started making a granny jacket from a YouTube video—a bit tricky, since the lady speaks Portuguese, but with English subtitles and a close look it somehow works out. I already thought it looked so narrow, so I’ll just add a few more rows. So far, so good, but the sleeve is still too tight, so all of yesterday’s work is for the bin. I can’t sneak in any increases either; I have to start again from scratch, properly larger. Yay. Extended crochet fun. 
Plus, I always have to take lots of breaks because my muscles still don’t want to do what I want them to. 
Otherwise, the pile of newly started projects is growing here. I see something, start it, then lose interest. Whatever, from now on I’m only doing what brings me joy. 
A little while ago it occurred to me that I still have a jacket where 1/3 of one sleeve is missing and 1/2 on the other side, so I worked on that a bit, but I really have to force myself. 
Oh yes, and I did finish crocheting a sweater, but only because I needed the leftover yarn for a new project. Photo to come. 

Otherwise, my sleep is disrupted by the meds; I’m awake every night from 3 to 7. So I just crochet during that time too. Unfortunately, I can’t manage to take a nap (the cortisone makes me so restless). Honestly, if I didn’t have my hobby, I’d be sooooo bored. 

By the way: this morning at 3:06 a.m., the first blackbird was actually already singing. I’ve never heard one sing that early before. 

Steffi, it’s amazing what a plotter can do! How does it know what to do? Do you load designs into it too? 

Your blanket turned out really beautiful.... Did you sew or crochet all those pieces together? 

The plotter really just takes care of the cutting for you. It takes quite a bit of “technical know-how” 😳 
I need cutting files that are then sent from the computer to the plotter. I have to set which type of paper is on the mat so the blade adjusts correctly—I certainly don’t want the blade to cut through the cutting mat. 
But the editing program also lets me create my own designs... Though I’m nowhere near having figured out all the possibilities yet.... 
In any case, I can now really understand why “barely used plotters” are listed on various sales platforms. It’s not as simple as just letting it cut. 
Oh, and once the plotter has finished cutting, you still have to get everything off the mat—it has an adhesive film that keeps the paper from shifting during cutting. The downside is that once it’s cut and you try to take it off, most of the cut-out pieces stay on the mat, so it’s best to remove all the parts that “don’t belong to the design” first.... 
Weeding is my new yoga ☺️
At least with paper projects, it’s pretty time-consuming. 
But you can also plot iron-on vinyl, so create your own designs, print them on iron-on vinyl and then have them cut, or make more elaborate stickers, etc.... 

Here’s the new thread for the March projects:
March Projects 2024: the Crazypatterns Crafting Group