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Welcome to the Saturday Coffee on the first weekend of Advent! With knitting ideas, net talk, a bit of chaos here and there, garnished with fir branches and the smell of cookies and of course - so tomorrow then - with the first candle of probably the most unusual Advent we've ever had (Feel free to correct me at this point).

I have appointed myself to the maschenfein Christmas commissioner. With the result that I got there this week but slightly stress. Sandra has already wondered how I, of all people, could not yet "lie under angels and stars". I asked myself the same question. And directly I had the realization that I have missed it smoothly to provide also with me for the appropriate ambience. So poof everything stand and lie let, the box with Christmas decorations from the basement fetched and the apartment aufgehübscht.

And maybe I'll manage to bake a few cookies. But if not, I know where to buy good ones. None of us needs unnecessary stress. By the way, I still haven't managed by far to make the presents I originally planned (by "by far" I mean "nothing"). So: Let's just make ourselves comfortable together with this Saturday coffee. Plans just change.

Coffee, cookies and inspiration

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And to give you a good start to Advent, I asked a few days ago on Instagram what you want here today: Rather "egostrick" or still inspiration for Christmas gifts? You guys have a slight tendency to "gift inspiration". But I think I can make the other faction happy today too. Have fun reading! And of course I have also picked out a nice playlist for you.

Little things for the gift

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I love to wrap gifts. Almost more than I like to make them. I just like to pin a little twig here or tie a little heart there. And how nice is it please to add a corresponding mini version to knitted gifts? I find something like that totally cute.

In the store of Say! Little Hen you can find for example this tutorial for a small sweater. As yarn you can use for example Como from LAMANA. And if you're giving a hat as a gift, why not hang one of paula-m's mini hats on the present? In an Instagram highlight, she explains to you how the hats are knitted. For the hats in the photo Susanne used yarn in Aran strength (about 80 meters per 50 grams). If you use thinner yarn, the hats will be smaller - but that wouldn't be so bad. So you have quite free choice and can use up super yarn remnants.

For the good cause

Just in time for today's start of her charity campaign, I would also like to recommend Miriam 's new tutorials to you: A three-piece set consisting of a hat, loop and cuffs: the Kate Charity Pattern Set. You can buy the patterns individually or bundled.

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The proceeds from the sale of the cap and gauntlets go entirely to the work of Equality Nowan organization that campaigns for the rights of girls and women. They work with the legislature to bring about lasting change in society and improve the lives of women, which is something I am SO supportive of and so happy to see Miriam doing. The tutorial for the loop is free, so really everyone can be a part of Kate. You can find all the tutorials in Miriam's Ravelrystore since tonight.

Who this Kate actually is? The design is inspired by Kate Sheppard, a women's rights activist from New Zealand. It is thanks to her efforts that New Zealand women were the first to be granted the right to have their voices heard in elections. "I think it fits this year and the whole situation and just gives courage - every little action of a brave woman has a value, a meaning and can become part of something big, something world-changing," Miriam wrote me and I can only agree with her.

Do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops.

Kate Sheppard

We may all be just a single drop, but together we can make a difference. So maybe you'll feel like buying the pattern and even giving a gift to someone else. Double the joy, so to speak. And you can also follow the current donation status on Miriam's Ravelry page. I will participate!

All pieces are knitted from Como Tweed and Premia by LAMANA. Coincidentally, both are among my favorite yarns. It's a match, as they say 😉 All three garments are decorated with a beautiful zigzag pattern, which is not obtrusive, but leaves enough room for the yarn - and vice versa. Surely even advanced beginners can dare to follow the pattern: You don't need a cable needle for the mini braids, and the pattern is included in charts as well as written out ininstructionstterninstructionshe pattern are available in German as well as in English.

Maschenfein in felting fever

On Thursday, our live evening took place on Instagram. Wow, we were really a bit excited. But it was fun! You'll find all sorts of tips on the subject of felting and the projects presented. By the way, we also have tutorials on the popular felt slippers in our videos. Feel free to check them out if you need some help! Click here to go to the YouTube channel.

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For those who can't/won't let go of felting, here are two more bags I found. The Curve Bag would also make a great project basket. The felt clutch still requires a bit of sewing skill, because it is lined and has a zipper - but what can scare you? 😉 You get the tutorial in any case via the link in the Ravelry description. Oh, and of course you can use the Fritidsgarn from SANDNES for both.

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Also, during our stream, someone had asked if you could work cable knit gloves that would then be felted. Since we haven't tried that ourselves yet, we were unsure if the pattern would come out right. However, while searching for inspiration for this Saturday Coffee, I found Mitten No. 1. Here you see: a cable knit pattern definitely works. Unfortunately, the pattern are only available in Norwegian. But maybe you dare to do it anyway? The Internet helps for sure!

Cute foxes

And who is still looking for a gift for children, I would have this cute fox hat and matching scarf in the luggage. Aren't they cute? I've had them in my favorites list on Ravelry forever. And for this Saturday coffee, they just fit perfectly. As yarn we would advise you here to Bergamo from LAMANA. A rust red is not yet available there as a shade, but also the combination of gray-cream I imagine beautiful. Or green-grey or or or. You're sure to find something!

Team Egostrick: Here's something for you!

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Paula-m has published a sweater - after many doubts whether she can and wants to wear something like that. I think: She can! And you too, of course. For example, you can knit the Mara Vest with Merino 50 from Lang Yarns. On 8mm needles it goes very quickly and maybe it will even be a Christmas gift for one or the other.

By the way, if like me you cringe at the yarn description because the merino wool comes from Australia and you are concerned about the sheep (keyword mulesing), then I recommend this blog post. Lang Yarns decided in 2017 to switch to wool from merino sheep that are guaranteed not to have been subjected to the procedure of mulesing.

The sweater is knitted from the top down. First in rows, because front and back are knitted separately, and from under the arms then in rounds. This way you can adjust the length flexibly. And with Susanne you can be sure that you get a super detailed pattern with all the help you can use so.

Maschenfein knitting round

When I now looked at Instagram, what's going on in our knitting group, it soon blew me away. You knit tirelessly many little things and I'm sure that there will be quite a bit under the Christmas trees. Great!
Simone, for example, knitted the headband Ava by Paula-m from the Cusco by LAMANA - all ears stay warm (in our knitting kit you'll find the Puno by LAMANA). And warm hands you get also with our maschenfein cuffs with cable pattern (with us in the knitting kit also with the Cusco). Here knitted by Anja.

Fritidsgarn I have of course discovered heaped. For example, with Claudia. She has her Dimasq scarf from Stichfest lying next to it (knitted from Mini Alpakka from SANDNES). At Lina 's place our popular Doble Tøfler are finished, at Christina 's place our felt gloves Fritzi and at Jana's place you can see one of our classics: the shawl Hinata. Jana calls herself a "knitting beginner" - I'd say that's an understatement!

Finally, I'd like to recommend that you check out our podcast "Just One More Row" tomorrow. Maybe there will be a new episode? Who knows 😉 In any case: Have a nice weekend and a (preferably) contemplative first Advent. Stay healthy!