Hey, Crochet Spotters! Today I am excited to introduce you to one of my favorite crocheters and designers, Twinkie Chan! Twinkie Chan is a celebrated crochet designer who has created her niche by crocheting all things delicious and wearable! If you see someone wearing a pizza scarf, it’s most likely her design.

I’ve been following Twinkie since 2010 and I’ve learned that there are many exciting aspects to her career. She has been a successful seller on eBay, Etsy, and at craft fairs. She’s authored a popular pattern book and has another one in the works. She did a series of patterns for Michael’s and is currently featured on the website as a “Celebrity Crafter.” No doubt, all of this success is due to talent, focus, a lot of hard work.

One of the things I most admire about her is her focus within a well-defined niche. She’s really intent on creating adorable, food-related, crocheted wearables and items for adults. While that may perhaps sound somewhat limiting, it’s amazing to see how creative she gets within that category. One of the more surprising and certainly delightful works she has shared on her blog is a crocheted painting.
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Ever get lost in thought while dipping and diving through all of the beautiful inspiration on Pinterest? You have? 🙂 Of course you have! This post is inspired by the never-ending stream of visual stimulation that is Pinterest.

For whatever reason, my Pinterest feed is exploding with tons of gift wrapping ideas right now. There also seems to be a trend with giving food items like cookies, cupcakes, and candies. Well, I am fully in favor of that! Since I feel the need to put my own stamp on things, I decided to combine (what else?) Crochet and Candy!!

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The seasons have turned, snow has begun to fall, the stores are already decked out in their Christmas splendor… Doesn’t it just fill your heart with excitement? These signals tell us it is time to nest. It’s time to connect with family and friends. It’s time to make everything warmer with crochet.

Have you planned your Christmas decorations and gift wrapping yet? Crochet can and SHOULD be a part of that! Why? Because it can be! The wonderful ritual of decking the halls, trimming the tree, and wrapping the gifts is made all the warmer with crochet. I’ve put together a round up of versatile and adorable Christmas ornaments for you to enjoy!

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When I was interviewing for my teaching job in Mexico, the principal scheduled our meeting at about 10:30 A.M. As I walked across the campus to get to her office, I passed the kindergarten playground and the air was filled with the joyful squeals of laughter and happy chatter as the children ran and played. They were princesses, sailors, police officers, mamas and daddies. They were big blue whales, lions, puppies, & duckies.

I was sure the principal must have scheduled me right then on purpose. Who doesn’t delight in the sheer joy of children at play? It was a very happy time.
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Now, I know this seems a little redundant, but it is not because there are so many ways to recycle yarn. There are many ways to get yarn in order to recycle it. I have seen so many people talking online about a variety of ways they recycle yarns. We’re not just talking about the yarn you already have at home like I talked about in previous posts, but other yarn resources.
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Hey there, Crochet Spotters! Is it just me, or is life a whirlwind of activity for you, too? I LOVED reading your responses to my recent post How Much Do You Crochet? and those responses have informed this post!

Although the high holidays just ended and Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, the perennial question, “What are you crocheting for the winter holidays?” has come up! As well it should! And I’m going to be very, very realistic this year. Not everything needs to be handmade, and it really is the thought that counts!

Having said that, let’s put some thought and some handmade into this gift-giving extravaganza. This year Haunukkah runs from December 16 through December 24, meaning (YAY!) we have more time this year! Christmas, is (of course) on December 25, as always.

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Crochet is hands down one of the best ways to relax on a sunny or a rainy day. With yarn and hook in hand, the only thing that matters is the pattern you wish to make a reality. This is crochet at its best.

If you think about some of your favorite crochet creations, you’ll probably find that many of them tinkle your fancy because of the pattern, but also because of the colors you chose to use. The color of the creation is just as important as the creation itself. But how can we take color choice to another level with our crochet creations?
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Well, the seasons are changing and fall is definitely in full swing here in the United States. For those of us in South Florida that means sunny skies, mid-70’s, and snowbirds. My friends up north tell me this year the fall foliage is gorgeous! And those lucky people are probably wearing sweaters and cute legwarmers already!

I have to tell you, having made the move to a warm (Mexico) then even warmer (Florida) climate, these subtle seasonal changes are barely perceptible to my northern-bred body, but even so, the longer you stay somewhere, the more you become in tune with those tiny shifts. This year, I actually noticed a change in weather! In these climates, the holidays become even more important indicators of seasonal changes.
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This is the last installment of this series on transforming your crochet mistakes. In truth, some of the mishaps that occur in our crochet projects aren’t always mistakes. I say it that way because we tend to look at things that way. Crochet is a fun activity, a relaxing hobby, yet it doesn’t go without its frustrating moments

In addition, it may not be a mistake, but a coincidence that can turn into a creative treasure. The key factor to handling a crochet mistake is to tap into one’s own creativity. In part 2 of this series, I shared ideas on creative ways to use leftover afghan squares. In this last installment of the series, I will share some fun ideas on what to do with spare yarn (i.e., small amounts of yarn leftover). You’ll see what I mean, check it out.
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The inspiration for this post was my own personal reflections about my relationship with crochet. Crochet is a wonderful craft and since it’s portable, people may do it more often than some of the other crafts. However, I would like to get an idea of how often you, Crochet Spotters, actually crochet.
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