Yes, you heard correctly, my friends. In addition to being National Craft Month, and “coming in like a lion but going out like a lamb,” the third month of the year is annually dedicated to our favorite craft, crochet. In honor of this, I encourage you to share Crochet Spot with someone who might be interested. Tell your crafting friends to check us out and join the fun! And since it’s also National Caffeine Awareness Month, why not work on your crochet together at a local cafe? (Bring one of these to help reduce waste.) Crochet and caffeine go great together, but herbal tea works just as well! (I should know!)

Here is a list of other holidays and observances happening this month, along with suggestions on how to celebrate!
read more »

How many of you started to crochet when you knew a little one was on the way? I have definitely crocheted quite a few things for my little loved ones-both relatives and the children of friends. It seems like the perfect time for the hooks to come out is when we know someone has a “bun in the oven!” There are many advantages to crocheting for little ones. Additionally, baby projects may be perfect for beginners! Here are a few reasons I love crocheting for children.
read more »

Since I started teaching crafts and getting involved in the online community, I’ve noticed that some crafters are very hesitant to modify crochet patterns. There could be several reasons for this point of view. Perhaps this crocheter is afraid of doing it “wrong” or s/he is unsure of how the finished product’s look will change in a different color or yarn.

Some crocheters will relate to this and others will not. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed the idea that crochet allows me to make design choices, even if they are as simple as choosing colors. I’d even go a bit further to say that I try not to do my projects so they look just like the picture. However, I’ve heard a lot of stories about people who do not craft that way, and choose to follow the pattern to the letter, including yarn colors and brands.
read more »

I am always astounded by the versatility of our craft. While crochet is perfect as a solo activity, maybe relaxing on the porch with some tea in the evening, it makes a fine group activity as well. Stitching while chatting over coffee with friends adds an entirely new dimension to the crafting experience.

I have to admit, my love of fiber crafting was very clearly driven by connecting to a craft community. At first this community was online, through podcasts and my personal blog. I later joined Ravelry and started a crafting group in Mexico City. It took me a long time and a lot of perseverance, but I finally attracted a core group of similar yarn lovers and we shared tips, patterns, encouragement, and most of all, friendship. We eventually became the first Mexican chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, Ganchitos Mexico City. The Ganchitos are still going strong although I’ve changed locales.
read more »

I thought we’d take a peek into the world of crocheted artworks every now and then. This week we’ll talk about Japanese and Canadian artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam.

When appreciating the massive artworks by MacAdam, you don’t have to keep your hands off the art. Many of her works are literally colorful playgrounds meant for children to enjoy, but they didn’t start out that way. The idea was born when children climbed onto a gallery installation resembling a hammock. MacAdam observed as her artwork as it changed shape and was inspired.
read more »

We began our discussion of crocheting for the holidays here, but I wanted to take it even further. I think holidays are lots of fun, and there are some very unusual holidays that I’ve found, along with our old favorites. I thought it would be fun to match Crochet Spot patterns with holidays each month. We don’t need an excuse to crochet, but a little motivation never hurt! Here are some of February’s fun and fabulous occasions to crochet!

Bubble Gum Day – February 1 – Crochet one of these quick and beautiful bags and fill it with bubble gum to give to a friend. 🙂

Ballet Day – February 7 – Ballerinas are known not only for their grace, but also for their hairstyles. Crochet one of these three bun covers for a ballet enthusiast in your life.

Valentines Day – February 14 – One way to show you care is by giving this sweet heart to your sweetheart.

Love Your Pet Day – February 20 – Spoil your pet with a new dog bone or cat toy.

Academy Awards Night – February 24 – Whether you are on your couch or on the red carpet, rock it granny square style! 😉

National Tooth Fairy Day – February 28 – Your child will love placing his or her lost tooth in this and finding money the next day!

What do you think of these crochet holidays? What else would you recommend to celebrate these or any other February observances?

If you perform a search on Google for “Overlay Crochet”, be prepared to see the most spectacular display of color on the internet! It looks like you are viewing individual patterns from a kaleidoscope. Just amazing! What was I expecting to see and how did I come across this? I was trying to incorporate a chain stitch on top of one of my projects and thought this was called overlay crochet – well it is, but isn’t…

read more »

Since it’s so much fun, I thought we should continue our yarn chat on a regular basis, with a focus on different types of fibers and their qualities. I thought we should start our fiber-specific conversation with the basic standby, acrylic yarn.

Acrylic is probably the most common type of yarn. It is very popular. In fact, good old Red Heart Super Saver has been used in almost 107,000 projects on Ravelry. Acrylic yarns are readily available at big box stores and craft stores, and they are relatively inexpensive, making acrylic very accessible.

Did you know that acrylic is made from petroleum? That’s right. The same substance that runs your car warms you with that brightly colored afghan you made. Aside from afghans, acrylic yarn is popular for all kinds of projects.

Acrylic is loved for its easy care. Because it can be machine washed and dried, it is an excellent choice for baby and child garments. It is soft to the touch and popular in warm garments. It also drapes well, particularly when blocked with steam. One drawback to acrylic is that it can pill easily, but pilling can be minimized with hand washing and drying flat.

Do you have any fun facts about acrylic? What is your opinion on acrylic?

Do you like to keep in touch with old friends and colleagues? I do! Even though there are always more and more ways to stay connected, my favorite way to receive correspondence is through old fashioned, handwritten mail. There is nothing quite like opening up a personalized letter or card. Aside from crochet, another favorite hobby of mine is making greeting cards. I thought it would be fun to combine that craft with crochet.

Because greeting cards are relatively small compared to many crochet projects, it would be best to use thin yarn or thread and small hooks. In general, I think it’s fun to explore the ways a crochet pattern transforms by changing the hook and yarn size, so this could be a fascinating project! You could take a larger, flat project and scale it down, making an applique for the front of your card. Of course, there are lots of quick patterns that would fit onto either a folded or flat card just as they are.

For instance, I think the Cherry Applique would be adorable on a card! Since it’s only 2 x 1.5 inches, it’s the perfect size for an invitation. A simple granny square done in sock yarn would look beautiful covering the front of a square card. In that case, if your yarn is variegated, then you wouldn’t even have to switch colors. These appliques could be attached using simple white glue or tacky glue. It might be a good idea to apply it with a toothpick, so your card doesn’t weaken with the liquid glue. It will take a little bit of trial and error before you get the perfect adhesion to the front of your card. If you don’t want to use glue, you could always just forget the appliques altogether and crochet a simple edging onto a plain greeting card.

As you can see, there are lots of possibilities! Have you ever used crochet to keep in touch? Which Crochet Spot patterns do you think would be cute on greeting cards? Please also let me know if you’re going to try this. I love hearing from you!

Spending the last several weeks making presents for everyone has led me to want to spend some time making some things for me. This always leads me to research new things. I don’t even know how I came upon this item, but I’m so excited that I did. It’s called the Sharp Crochet Hook. I love crocheting around the edges of things. The ends of pillow cases, the bottom of a shirt or even tablecloths are made to look elegant and classy by adding this special touch – but the work to get started keeps me from doing this as often as I’d like. Rachel posted a great tutorial about this here: How to Crochet Edging onto Clothing.

read more »