The other day I was crocheting (shocking, I know), and a thought occurred to me: I should crochet...yarn! Which might be crazy. But I think it's just crazy enough to work. So I designed myself a little yarn buddy! The construction was a bit tricky, so I designed a simpler version as well, and now I have two little yarn assistants. Their current job? Supervising my growing pile of unfinished crochet projects. I should probably finish some of those before I do anything else...but at least for now, I've finished up the pattern for this cute little yarn buddy so you can make an assistant of your own! 

Who else is super excited for another Designer Spotlight? For this week's Designer Spotlight, I was lucky enough to get an interview with Carol of Sweet Potato Crochet Creations. Carol is a super talented crochet designer who specializes in lovely wearables. You may have seen some of her designs before, but if you not, you definitely need to go check them out! But first, be sure to read through her interview, learn more about Carol and her crochet inspirations, and get a sneak peek of some of her gorgeous designs.

I'm always on the lookout for ways to give back with my crocheting. So when I saw that Warm Up America is teaming up with UCSF's East Africa Preterm Birth Initiative to run a Tiny Hats for Tiny Babies campaign, I knew I had to participate. 

Some of you have been making my 3 mL slouchy beanie pattern, and it's been super cool! I have loved seeing your pictures and hearing your feedback. But there are also a few questions that I've been asked several times about the pattern. So I decided to put together a quick Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) post about this pattern. If you've found yourself with questions about this pattern, take a look through these FAQs and solutions and feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions. Like I used to tell my students, "If you have a question about something, the odds are good that someone else does too."

This week's Designer Spotlight features a super talented crochet artist who finds inspiring ways to give back with her crochet. Roxann is the designer behind Crochet Rox. She designs a variety of patterns, ranging from blankets to clothing to toys, and has had her designs featured in fashion shows and on television. So take a look at some of her work, read more about Roxann's crochet story, and learn about a wonderful nonprofit organization she works with.  

Is it just me or did fall just come out of nowhere this year? I guess the weather varies depending on where you are, but around these parts, it just suddenly decided that it was fall. It was hot and summery and humid, but then September started and BAM! New season. The high temperatures have been in the low 70s and some of the leaves have already started changing (!?!). I'm sure it'll get warmer again soon, because weather's bonkers like that, but either way it's definitely got me into the fall/winter crafting mode. So when I found a few skeins of super bulky yarn in my stash, I knew I needed a chunky sweater.