#crochet-creativity — Public Fediverse posts

How I Turn an Idea Into a Crochet Pattern

If you’ve ever looked at a finished crochet pattern and thought, I wonder how designers come up with this stuff, I have a confession.

Most of us don’t have a magical notebook filled with brilliant ideas just waiting for the perfect moment.

I wish.

If that notebook exists, somebody forgot to send me one.

My patterns usually begin much less dramatically. Sometimes it’s a stitch I accidentally worked the wrong way. Sometimes it’s a color combination that catches my eye in the yarn aisle. Occasionally it’s because someone asks, “Could you make a…” and my brain immediately starts trying to figure out whether I actually can.

Ideas are everywhere.

The trick isn’t finding them.

The trick is turning one into a pattern that other people can actually crochet.

That part is a little messier.

It Always Starts with “What If?”

Nearly every pattern I’ve designed begins with a simple question.

What if I turned this stitch sideways?

What if I combined these two motifs?

What if this shawl became a cardigan?

That little “what if” is the seed.

Sometimes it grows into something wonderful.

Sometimes it grows into a tangled ball of yarn that makes me question every life decision that brought me to that moment.

That’s just part of designing.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is not to get too attached to the first idea. The first idea is usually just an introduction. The real design often reveals itself somewhere around version number six… or twelve.

Then Comes the Experimenting

This is the part most people never see.

There is a common misconception that designers sit down, crochet a project once, write the instructions, and call it a day.

I don’t know anyone who works that way.

For me, designing starts with playing.

I grab some yarn.

A hook.

Maybe a notebook if I’m feeling organized.

Then I crochet.

I frog it.

I crochet it again.

I frog it again.

If yarn could file complaints with Human Resources, mine would have an impressive case against me.

Some days I’ll spend three hours working on a single section, only to decide it isn’t doing what I wanted. That isn’t wasted time. In fact, it’s often the most productive part of the entire process because every failed attempt teaches me something.

Maybe the stitch pattern is too dense.

Maybe the fabric doesn’t drape well.

Maybe those increases looked perfectly reasonable in my head but apparently skipped the meeting where reality was discussed.

That’s valuable information.

The Yarn Has a Vote

This may sound strange, but after designing for long enough, you start listening to the yarn.

Not literally.

If your yarn starts giving investment advice, you may want to take a break.

But different fibers behave differently.

Cotton has opinions.

Acrylic has opinions.

Wool definitely has opinions.

The same stitch pattern can look crisp and structured in cotton, then become soft and flowing in wool. Sometimes switching yarn completely changes the personality of a project.

That’s why experienced designers don’t just ask, “Does this look nice?”

We ask things like:

Will this stretch too much?

Will those stitches disappear in fuzzy yarn?

Will beginners be able to see where the next stitch goes?

Can someone wear this comfortably for hours?

The yarn is constantly answering those questions.

You just have to pay attention.

Designing Is Really Problem Solving

People often assume the creative part is the hardest part.

Honestly?

The creativity is usually the easy part.

The hard part is solving all the little problems the design throws at you.

How do I make this edge lie flat?

Why is this corner curling?

Why does the stitch count suddenly have the mathematical integrity of a conspiracy theory?

Can I make this easier without changing the finished look?

Every design becomes a series of tiny puzzles.

Solve enough of those puzzles, and eventually you have a pattern.

Then I Start Writing

This is where the project shifts from being my design to becoming your project.

That changes everything.

When I’m crocheting for myself, I know exactly what I meant.

Future Me is surprisingly good at interpreting Present Me’s questionable decisions.

Other crocheters, however, deserve actual instructions.

Good instructions.

Clear instructions.

Instructions that don’t require telepathy.

Writing a pattern isn’t just documenting what I did.

It’s translating a creative process into language that hundreds—or hopefully thousands—of different people can follow with confidence.

That’s a completely different skill.

I’ve rewritten single rounds more times than I’ve crocheted them because one sentence felt awkward or one instruction could be misunderstood.

Words matter just as much as stitches.

I Make It Again

If I only crocheted every design once, I’d miss half the mistakes.

The second sample tells the truth.

That’s when I notice things like:

“This increase is awkward.”

“There’s a simpler way to explain this.”

“Nobody needs twelve rounds of this.”

“This section looked much more exciting yesterday.”

Making the project a second time forces me to follow my own instructions exactly as written.

It’s a surprisingly humbling experience.

Testers Are Worth Their Weight in Gold

By the time a pattern reaches testers, I’ve stared at it for so many hours that my brain starts filling in missing information automatically.

Testers don’t have that advantage.

And that’s exactly why they’re so important.

If five testers get confused in the same place, that’s not five people making the same mistake.

That’s me needing to explain something better.

Good testers don’t just find typos.

They help transform a pattern from understandable… to enjoyable.

Those are two very different things.

Finally, It Gets Released

People sometimes ask if I still get nervous publishing a new pattern.

Absolutely.

Every single time.

No matter how many designs you’ve released, there’s always that little voice asking whether you forgot something.

Then someone shares a finished project.

Someone else sends a message saying they loved making it.

Another person posts photos from halfway across the world using yarn you’ve never even heard of.

That’s the moment it becomes more than your project.

It becomes our project.

And honestly, that’s my favorite part of designing.

My Biggest Piece of Advice

If you’re thinking about designing your own patterns, don’t wait until you think you know everything.

None of us ever do.

Start small.

Experiment often.

Be willing to frog without getting frustrated.

Accept that your first design won’t be perfect.

Neither was mine.

The difference between someone who dreams about designing and someone who actually becomes a designer usually isn’t talent.

It’s persistence.

Because every polished pattern you’ve ever downloaded almost certainly began the same way.

With one little question.

“What if?”

The Porch Goose: America’s Most Fashionable Lawn Ornament

If you grew up in America anytime between the 1970s and early 2000s, chances are you saw one.

Standing proudly near a front door, decked out in a raincoat, Easter bonnet, Halloween costume, or Christmas scarf, the porch goose wasn’t just a lawn decoration—it was a lifestyle.

And somehow, after years of hiding in the shadows of flamingos and garden gnomes, the porch goose is having a major comeback.

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What Exactly Is a Porch Goose?

The classic porch goose is usually a concrete or resin statue about two feet tall. On its own, it’s just a goose.

But that’s not how porch goose owners think.

To them, the goose is a blank canvas.

One week it’s dressed as a pilgrim. The next it’s wearing bunny ears. By July it’s sporting patriotic stars and stripes. Some geese even have entire wardrobes with dozens of outfits.

The goose doesn’t live on the porch.

The goose works on the porch.

Where Did This Weird Tradition Come From?

Most porch goose historians trace the craze back to the 1980s when lawn ornaments were at their peak. The statues themselves were often sold through garden centers, craft fairs, and local concrete statuary businesses.

The real innovation came when someone looked at a goose and thought:

“What if it had tiny clothes?”

That simple idea spread faster than chain letters and Beanie Baby collecting.

Before long, companies were selling custom goose outfits for every holiday imaginable.

5 Crochet Porch Goose Outfits That Are Almost Too Cute

One of the reasons porch geese have exploded in popularity again is that people aren’t just dressing them up—they’re turning them into full-blown characters. Entire communities swap outfit ideas, compete for Goose of the Month, and create wardrobes that would make Barbie jealous.

1. The Bumblebee Goose 🐝

If there is a universal porch goose favorite, it’s the bee. It’s cheerful, instantly recognizable, and somehow makes a 25-inch goose look even more adorable. Bonus points if you place a few flowers around the base so it looks like your goose is hard at work pollinating the neighborhood.

2. The Strawberry Goose 🍓

There is something ridiculously charming about taking a giant white goose and transforming it into a giant strawberry.

The Strawberry Goose hits several trends at once:

Cottagecore — all those cozy gardens, handmade items, and vintage vibes.

Grandmillennial Style — younger generations embracing things their grandmothers would have loved.

Crochet Aesthetic — strawberries have become one of crochet’s most beloved motifs over the past few years.

It’s sweet without being overly seasonal. Unlike a Christmas outfit that only gets a few weeks of glory, a Strawberry Goose can stay on duty from spring all the way through early fall.

3. The Snowman Goose ☃️

If the Strawberry Goose is the darling of spring, the Snowman Goose is the cozy celebrity of winter. Among porch goose enthusiasts, snowman outfits are legendary and remain some of the most popular winter designs.

The Snowman Goose has one major advantage over every other holiday outfit:

It was practically destined to exist.

Think about it. A porch goose already has a long neck, a rounded body, and stands upright. It’s basically halfway to becoming a snowman before you even start dressing it.

Add a white crocheted body cover, a bright scarf, a few black buttons, and a jaunty top hat, and suddenly your goose looks like it stepped out of a Hallmark movie.

4. The Beach Babe Goose 🏖️

Yes, this is a real thing.

The sheer confidence of a goose strutting around in a bikini is exactly the energy we should all bring into summer. Beach-themed goose outfits are popular enough to have entire collections devoted to them.

5. The Christmas Tree Goose 🎄

The undisputed holiday heavyweight champion.

This outfit turns the entire goose into a decorated Christmas tree complete with ornaments, garland, and a topper. It’s one of the most recognized and widely shared goose costume styles online.

It’s festive.
It’s ridiculous.
It’s magnificent.

And let’s be honest:

If your porch goose isn’t dressed like a Christmas tree in December, is it even trying?

Want to Crochet Your Own Porch Goose?

After looking at all these adorable outfits, you might be wondering:

“What if I just made my own goose?”

Good news—you can.

While porch goose clothing patterns are becoming more common, actual crochet goose patterns large enough to serve as porch décor are still surprisingly rare.

One of the few dedicated options currently available is Penny the Porch Goose offered on Etsy from Loops to Loveys by Chantel. This pattern creates a freestanding goose inspired by the classic lawn ornament that has become a staple of front porches across America.

What makes it especially fun is that once you’ve finished the goose, you can start creating seasonal accessories and outfits for it—just like the concrete versions that inspired the trend.

Final Goose Thoughts

Whether you’re dressing up a classic concrete goose, crocheting a strawberry outfit, or making an entire goose from scratch, there’s something wonderfully wholesome about the whole phenomenon.

In a world full of complicated hobbies and expensive trends, a porch goose is refreshingly simple:

It’s a goose.

In a costume.

Making people smile.

And honestly, that’s enough.

Skull Granny Square Crochet Pattern

Few crochet motifs are as recognizable as the granny square.

Whether you’ve been crocheting for decades or picked up a hook last week, chances are you’ve encountered one. Granny squares have been used in blankets, clothing, bags, home décor, and just about every other crochet project imaginable. They’re simple, versatile, portable, and endlessly customizable.

But the granny square wasn’t always the colorful patchwork icon we know today.

A Brief History of the Granny Square

The origins of the granny square are somewhat debated, but crochet itself became increasingly popular during the nineteenth century. Early crochet publications featured motifs and lace designs, though the classic granny square as we recognize it today did not become widespread until much later.

By the 1970s, granny squares had exploded in popularity. Bright colors, scrap yarn projects, and handmade fashion were everywhere. Crochet enthusiasts began joining individual squares together to create afghans, vests, ponchos, purses, and even entire outfits.

One of the reasons granny squares became so beloved is their practicality. Small amounts of leftover yarn could be transformed into useful projects rather than being thrown away. The humble granny square quickly became one of the most accessible crochet motifs ever created.

The Evolution of the Granny Square

Over the years, crocheters have proven that a granny square can be much more than a simple cluster stitch design.

Today’s granny squares feature:

• Flowers
• Sunbursts
• Animals
• Seasonal themes
• Geometric designs
• Mandalas
• Pop culture characters
• Three-dimensional textures
• Intricate colorwork

Modern crochet designers continue pushing the boundaries of what can fit inside a square.

Which brings us to skulls.

Why Skull Granny Squares?

Skulls have become surprisingly popular in the crochet world. While they are often associated with Halloween, many crocheters enjoy incorporating them into gothic, alternative, fantasy, and year-round spooky projects.

A skull motif adds personality and visual interest while still maintaining the practicality of a granny square. Once completed, skull squares can be joined together just like traditional motifs to create larger projects.

The result is something that feels both classic and modern at the same time.

Meet the Skull Granny Square

This Skull Granny Square combines a textured skull motif with decorative petal rounds and a traditional square finish.

The finished square measures approximately 5 inches and works up quickly, making it perfect for stash-busting projects or larger motif-based designs.

Use a single color for a dramatic silhouette or experiment with multiple colors to create a completely different look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S12ufbweIVU

Project Ideas

Not sure what to do with your Skull Granny Squares?

Try using them for:

• Halloween blankets
• Gothic afghans
• Tote bags
• Market bags
• Pillows
• Wall hangings
• Table runners
• Cardigans
• Hooded scarves
• Book sleeves
• Decorative panels

Or simply make one square and enjoy the process. Sometimes that’s enough.

Lost Your Crochet Mojo? Here’s How to Find It Again

It happens to all of us.

One day you’re happily crocheting until 2:00 a.m., convinced you’ve discovered the greatest stitch pattern in human history. The next day you’re staring at a basket full of yarn wondering if maybe you’d rather reorganize your spice cabinet.

If you’ve lost your crochet mojo, don’t panic. It doesn’t mean you’re done with crochet. It doesn’t mean you’ve run out of creativity. It definitely doesn’t mean you need to buy more yarn.

(Okay, it might mean you need more yarn, but let’s explore some cheaper solutions first.)

What Is Crochet Mojo?

Crochet mojo is that magical feeling that makes you excited to pick up your hook.

It’s the urge to start new projects, learn new stitches, browse patterns, and think about crochet when you’re supposed to be doing other things.

When the mojo disappears, crochet can start feeling more like a chore than a hobby.

Step 1: Give Yourself Permission to Take a Break

This may sound strange coming from a crochet designer, but sometimes the best thing you can do is put the hook down.

If you’ve been working on deadlines, gifts, markets, or large projects, your brain might simply need a rest.

Take a few days off.

The yarn will still be there when you get back.

Trust me.

Step 2: Finish Something Small

Nothing kills motivation faster than a pile of unfinished projects.

Instead of starting something new, look around for the project that’s 90% finished.

Spend an hour completing it.

That little burst of accomplishment can be surprisingly powerful.

Step 3: Try a Completely Different Project

If you’ve made six blankets in a row, don’t start blanket number seven.

Make a hat.

Make a coaster.

Make a tiny crochet pickle wearing a bow tie.

Your brain loves novelty.

Sometimes all it takes is a change of pace.

Step 4: Visit Your Yarn Stash

Not to organize it.

Not to judge it.

Just to enjoy it.

Pull out yarn you forgot you owned.

Touch it.

Squish it.

Imagine what it could become.

Sometimes inspiration is hiding in the bottom of a tote bag you’ve ignored for three years.

Step 5: Learn One New Thing

You don’t need to master an advanced technique.

Learn one new stitch.

Try mosaic crochet.

Experiment with colorwork.

Watch a tutorial you’ve been saving.

A small challenge can wake up a sleepy creative brain.

Step 6: Crochet With Other People

Creativity is contagious.

Join a crochet group.

Watch crochet videos.

Scroll through project photos.

Chat with fellow crocheters.

Seeing someone else’s excitement can remind you why you fell in love with crochet in the first place.

Step 7: Stop Chasing Perfection

Sometimes we lose our mojo because we put too much pressure on ourselves.

Every project doesn’t need to become a bestseller.

Every pattern doesn’t need to be revolutionary.

Sometimes it’s okay to crochet something simply because it makes you happy.

Imagine that.

Step 8: Remember Why You Started

Most of us didn’t learn crochet because we wanted another job.

We learned because it was relaxing.

Creative.

Comforting.

Fun.

Try reconnecting with the part of crochet that first made you fall in love with it.

The Good News

Your crochet mojo isn’t gone forever.

It’s probably just taking a little vacation.

Every crocheter experiences creative slumps. The key is not to force inspiration but to create opportunities for it to return.

So grab a hook, pick a small project, and see what happens.

And if all else fails, there is always the time-honored crocheter’s solution:

Buy one skein of pretty yarn and see if that helps.

(Results may vary.)

Have you ever lost your crochet mojo? What helped you get it back? Let me know in the comments!

The Crochet Market Bag I Actually Use

There’s a funny thing that happens when you design crochet patterns for years.

You make beautiful things.
You photograph them.
You admire them.
You fold them carefully.

…and sometimes they quietly disappear into a closet.

But every once in a while, a project becomes part of your actual life.

This market bag became one of those projects for me.

It started simply enough — cotton yarn, a crochet hook, and an idea I couldn’t quite let go of. I wanted something lightweight but sturdy. Something soft, stretchy, practical, and beautiful at the same time. A bag that could hold fresh fruit from the market one day and yarn the next.

Living in Morocco has changed the way I think about handmade things.

There are colors everywhere here. Crates of oranges stacked in the sun. Worn terracotta walls. Olive trees. Market baskets. Fabric textures. Blue tiles. Dusty pink flower pots. Life feels layered and handmade in a way that’s hard to explain until you experience it.

I think this bag quietly absorbed some of that feeling.

The mesh stretches naturally when you use it, and instead of fighting that characteristic, I decided to design around it. I wanted the bag to drape beautifully when empty but expand when filled. I wanted it to feel lived-in instead of stiff and over-engineered.

And honestly?
It became the bag I kept reaching for.

Not because it was perfect.
Not because it photographed well.
But because it worked.

It followed me into grocery stores, outdoor markets, quick errands, and quiet afternoons. At one point, it even became the temporary storage location for yarn, oranges, receipts, and a crochet hook all at the same time — which feels like the most realistic crochet bag review possible.

And of course, no crochet project in this house is ever completed without cat involvement.

At some point during filming, a cat fell asleep directly on top of the yarn skein I was using. Production immediately stopped because apparently the yarn no longer belonged to me.

Honestly, that moment perfectly captured the spirit of this project:
slow afternoons,
sunlight,
soft cotton yarn,
and making something useful with your own hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXHOoyHqpHw

That’s what I love most about crochet.

Not perfection.
Not trends.
Not constantly chasing the next project.

Just creating things that quietly become part of everyday life.

So if you decide to make this market bag too, I hope it becomes one of those projects for you — the kind that gets tossed over your shoulder on the way out the door, stretched with groceries, filled with yarn, carried to the beach, or used far more than you ever expected.

And if it ends up full of oranges at least once…
I feel like you’re using it correctly.

Why Crochet Bags Stretch — And How I Finally Fixed Mine

If you have ever finished a crochet bag, held it proudly in your hands, and thought:

“This looks amazing.”

…only to use it for one day and suddenly realize it now hangs halfway to your knees…

trust me, you are not alone.

For years, crochet bag stretching frustrated me more than almost anything else in crochet.

I would spend hours designing a beautiful tote or market bag. It would look perfect laying flat. The stitches looked neat. The shape looked structured. The straps looked sturdy.

Then reality happened.

I would actually use the bag.

And suddenly:

• the straps stretched
• the body sagged
• the bottom drooped
• the sides warped outward
• the entire shape changed

Sometimes dramatically.

At first, I honestly thought I was just doing something wrong.

But after years of crocheting bags, testing yarns, experimenting with stitch patterns, and learning through a lot of trial and error, I finally realized something important:

Most crochet bags stretch because crochet itself naturally stretches.

Especially open stitch patterns.

Especially cotton.

Especially market bags.

And honestly? A lot of patterns never really explain that part clearly.

Why Crochet Bags Stretch So Much

Crochet fabric is flexible by nature.

Unlike woven fabric, crochet stitches are made from loops pulling against loops. That flexibility is part of what makes crochet soft, comfortable, and beautiful.

But in bags, flexibility can quickly turn into sagging.

The moment you add:

• water bottles
• yarn
• books
• groceries
• wallets
• phones
• everyday weight

…the stitches begin pulling downward.

And over time, they keep stretching farther.

Open mesh and lattice stitches stretch even more because they have larger spaces between stitches with less structural support.

That is why a crochet bag that looks small and compact while empty can suddenly become huge once you put items inside.

The Biggest Mistake I Used to Make

For the longest time, I designed bags based only on how they looked empty.

That was my mistake.

I did not think enough about:

• gravity
• weight distribution
• fiber behavior
• long-term stretching

I would finish a bag, photograph it beautifully, and think the job was done.

Then after actual use, I would realize the straps had grown several inches longer and the entire bag had changed shape.

That is when I started studying what was really happening structurally.

Cotton Is Amazing… But Also Sneaky

One thing many crocheters discover the hard way is that cotton yarn behaves very differently from acrylic.

Cotton is:

• durable
• washable
• crisp
• beautiful for bags

But cotton also has weight.

And once cotton stretches, it tends to stay stretched.

This becomes even more noticeable in larger bags or mesh bags because the weight of the yarn itself contributes to the pulling.

That does not mean cotton is bad for bags.

Honestly, I still love cotton for bags.

But now I design with its behavior instead of fighting against it.

What Finally Fixed My Crochet Bags

After a lot of experimenting, I found that fixing stretching is not about one magical trick.

It is about combining several smart design choices together.

1. Smaller Hooks Changed Everything

This was one of the biggest improvements I ever made.

For years, I crocheted bags using the hook size recommended on the yarn label.

Big mistake.

Now, I almost always size down my hook for bags.

A tighter fabric:

• stretches less
• holds shape better
• creates more structure
• feels sturdier

The difference is honestly shocking.

2. Dense Stitches Matter More Than You Think

Some stitches naturally stretch more than others.

Very open lace and mesh patterns can be beautiful, but they often need support from surrounding structure.

That is why I started balancing open designs with:

• solid sections
• reinforced bands
• tighter borders
• structured bottoms

That combination made my bags hold their shape dramatically better.

3. The Straps Need Special Attention

Bag straps are usually the first thing to stretch.

I learned this the hard way.

Now when I design straps, I think about:

• stitch direction
• density
• width
• reinforcement

Sometimes I intentionally make straps shorter than I want them to end up because I already know they will relax with use.

And honestly? That one adjustment alone helped tremendously.

4. Gauge Actually Matters for Bags

I know.

Nobody wants to hear that.

But for bags, gauge affects more than size.

It affects structure.

Loose tension creates softer, stretchier fabric.

Tighter tension creates stronger fabric.

When testers tell me a bag turned out much larger than expected, tension is often a huge part of the reason why.

5. Real-Life Testing Changed My Designing Process

This may sound obvious, but I used to evaluate bags mostly by appearance.

Now I test them like actual bags.

I load them with:

• yarn
• groceries
• notebooks
• random household items

Then I let them hang.

That tells me far more than flat photos ever could.

Some bags look beautiful but fail completely under real-world use.

Others become softer and more beautiful over time while still holding their structure.

Testing taught me the difference.

The Truth About Stretching

Here is something important I wish more crocheters knew:

Some stretching is completely normal.

Especially in market bags.

Especially in cotton.

Especially in mesh designs.

A crochet bag is not supposed to behave exactly like stiff commercial fabric bags.

The goal is not eliminating all stretch.

The goal is controlled stretch.

There is a huge difference between:

• a bag relaxing naturally
  and
• a bag losing its entire shape

Once I understood that difference, my entire approach to designing bags changed.

Crochet Taught Me Patience

Honestly, fixing my crochet bags taught me something bigger than just construction techniques.

It taught me patience.

Crochet is often about experimenting, failing, adjusting, and learning over time.

Sometimes the projects that frustrate us most are the ones that teach us the most in the end.

And after years of stretched straps, sagging totes, and floppy market bags…

I can finally say:

I think I figured it out.

— Tanya
HodgePodge Crochet 🧶

I Moved from America to Morocco and This Changed My Crochet Business

There are moments in life when everything changes so suddenly that you almost do not recognize your own life anymore.

For me, moving from America to Morocco was one of those moments.

When I first packed up my crochet hooks, yarn, cameras, computers, and the life I had spent decades building in the United States, I honestly did not know what would happen to my crochet business. I did not know if people would still follow my work. I did not know if I would still feel inspired to design. I did not know if I would even be able to find yarn I liked using.

What I did know was this:

I needed a change.

After spending most of my life in America, everything had started to feel rushed, loud, exhausting, and emotionally draining. Day after day felt like survival mode. Even creativity, the thing that once brought me peace, started feeling buried underneath stress, responsibilities, and constant pressure.

Crochet had always been more than yarn and stitches to me.

It was comfort.

It was therapy.

It was memory.

It was the one thing that stayed with me through every stage of life, going all the way back to childhood when I first learned how to crochet and make little outfits for Barbie dolls. Back then, I had no idea those tiny stitches would eventually become a business, a creative outlet, and a connection to thousands of people around the world.

Then came Morocco.

And somehow, slowly, quietly, everything began to change.

Slowing Down Changed My Creativity

One of the first things I noticed after arriving in Morocco was that life moved differently.

People sit longer.

Talk longer.

Drink coffee slower.

Families gather more.

Stores close in the afternoon.

The nights feel alive.

There is a rhythm here that is difficult to explain unless you experience it yourself.

For the first time in years, I felt my mind slowing down.

And strangely enough, that changed the way I designed crochet patterns.

In America, I often felt pressure to constantly produce:

• more patterns
• more content
• more videos
• more posts
• more engagement

Everything felt tied to algorithms, numbers, deadlines, and burnout.

But in Morocco, I started reconnecting with why I loved crochet in the first place.

I started paying attention to textures again.

Colors again.

Details again.

I began designing more intentionally instead of just trying to “keep up.”

And honestly, I think people noticed the difference.

Morocco Reignited My Inspiration

Morocco is full of texture, color, geometry, and artistry.

You see it everywhere:

• in the tile work
• in the architecture
• in the markets
• in the fabrics
• in the desert landscapes
• in the old doors
• in the handmade goods

Even ordinary things here often feel artistic.

As someone who designs crochet patterns, being surrounded by that kind of visual inspiration changes you creatively.

Some of my recent crochet ideas, color choices, and textures absolutely came from simply living here and observing everyday life around me.

Even the natural light feels different when I photograph my work now.

Warmer.

Softer.

More alive.

The Challenges Nobody Sees

Of course, moving overseas also came with challenges.

A lot of them.

Finding crochet supplies was not always easy at first. Yarn brands I used for years in America suddenly were not available anymore. Simple things became complicated. Shipping costs were shocking. Learning where to buy materials in a completely different country took time.

There were language barriers.

Cultural adjustments.

Moments of homesickness.

Moments where I questioned whether I had made the right decision at all.

Building a creative business while adjusting to life in another country is not glamorous the way social media sometimes makes it look.

There were days I felt completely overwhelmed.

But there was also something beautiful happening underneath all of that uncertainty.

I was rebuilding creatively from the ground up.

Crochet Became Personal Again

Somewhere along the way, crochet stopped feeling like a race again.

It became personal.

Peaceful.

Meaningful.

I started creating things because I genuinely loved them, not because I thought they would perform well online.

Ironically, I think that authenticity actually helped my business grow stronger.

People can feel when something is real.

They can feel when creativity comes from passion instead of pressure.

And I think moving to Morocco helped me rediscover that part of myself.

The Internet Made the World Feel Smaller

One of the most unexpected parts of this journey has been realizing how connected creativity really is.

Even while living thousands of miles away from America, I still wake up every day connected to crocheters from all over the world through:

• YouTube
• Instagram
• Facebook
• my blog
• pattern sales
• messages and comments

It reminds me that creativity has no borders.

A crochet pattern designed in Morocco can end up being stitched together in Texas, Canada, Australia, Germany, or South Africa by someone I may never meet.

That still amazes me.

This Move Changed More Than My Business

At the end of the day, moving from America to Morocco changed far more than just my crochet business.

It changed my pace.

My perspective.

My priorities.

My creativity.

And maybe most importantly, it reminded me that sometimes we need to step completely outside of our old environment to rediscover who we are.

Crochet followed me across an ocean.

And somehow, through all the uncertainty and change, it became home again.

24,500 Subscribers Later… Thank You

Today my YouTube channel officially crossed 24,500 subscribers, and honestly, I’m still trying to process it.

When I first started sharing crochet videos online, I never imagined that thousands of people from around the world would one day be watching my tutorials, following my crochet journey, supporting my designs, and becoming part of this amazing creative community.

What started as simply sharing something I loved slowly grew into something much bigger than I ever expected.

Over the years, HodgePodge Crochet has become more than just a crochet channel. It has become a space filled with creativity, learning, experimentation, encouragement, late-night crochet sessions, yarn piles taking over the house, cats supervising projects 😂, and people who genuinely appreciate handmade art.

One of the things I love most about this community is how supportive and encouraging everyone has been through every stage of the process — even the messy stages.

And trust me… there have been MANY messy stages.

If you’ve followed me recently over on Patreon, then you’ve probably seen me deep in the process of designing the new Lattice Top. This pattern has gone through more revisions, frogging, measuring, grading, and restructuring than I can even count at this point. Some days I’ve completely reworked entire sections just trying to get the drape, fit, and stitch flow exactly the way I imagined it in my head.

But that’s also the beautiful part of designing.

Sometimes crochet patterns don’t appear perfectly on the first try. Sometimes they evolve slowly through testing, experimentation, mistakes, and learning. And honestly, I think sharing that process openly has become one of my favorite parts of this journey.

Seeing people excited about the Lattice Top while it’s still being developed has been incredibly motivating for me. Knowing that people genuinely care about the work behind the scenes makes all those long design sessions feel worth it.

As my YouTube channel continues growing, I have so many exciting things planned for the future:

• New crochet patterns
• More detailed tutorials
• Behind-the-scenes design content
• Crochet vlogs
• Morocco lifestyle content 🇺🇸🇲🇦
• More pattern testing opportunities
• More creative experiments and projects

I’m genuinely excited about where things are heading.

And to every single person who has supported this channel in any way — whether you subscribed, watched a video, left a comment, purchased a pattern, shared my work, or simply followed quietly from the background — thank you.

Your support means more than you probably realize.

Creative work can sometimes feel very solitary behind the scenes. There are long hours spent designing, filming, editing, writing instructions, troubleshooting mistakes, and doubting whether anyone will even care about what you’re creating.

But moments like this remind me why I started.

24,500 subscribers may just look like a number to some people, but to me it represents years of learning, growth, persistence, creativity, and community.

And honestly?

I feel like we’re just getting started.

Thank you all so much for being part of this journey with me 💛

You can follow along here: https://www.youtube.com/@HodgePodgeCrochet

– HodgePodge Crochet

24,500 Subscribers Later… Thank You

Today my YouTube channel officially crossed 24,500 subscribers, and honestly, I’m still trying to process it.

When I first started sharing crochet videos online, I never imagined that thousands of people from around the world would one day be watching my tutorials, following my crochet journey, supporting my designs, and becoming part of this amazing creative community.

What started as simply sharing something I loved slowly grew into something much bigger than I ever expected.

Over the years, HodgePodge Crochet has become more than just a crochet channel. It has become a space filled with creativity, learning, experimentation, encouragement, late-night crochet sessions, yarn piles taking over the house, cats supervising projects 😂, and people who genuinely appreciate handmade art.

One of the things I love most about this community is how supportive and encouraging everyone has been through every stage of the process — even the messy stages.

And trust me… there have been MANY messy stages.

If you’ve followed me recently over on Patreon, then you’ve probably seen me deep in the process of designing the new Lattice Top. This pattern has gone through more revisions, frogging, measuring, grading, and restructuring than I can even count at this point. Some days I’ve completely reworked entire sections just trying to get the drape, fit, and stitch flow exactly the way I imagined it in my head.

But that’s also the beautiful part of designing.

Sometimes crochet patterns don’t appear perfectly on the first try. Sometimes they evolve slowly through testing, experimentation, mistakes, and learning. And honestly, I think sharing that process openly has become one of my favorite parts of this journey.

Seeing people excited about the Lattice Top while it’s still being developed has been incredibly motivating for me. Knowing that people genuinely care about the work behind the scenes makes all those long design sessions feel worth it.

As my YouTube channel continues growing, I have so many exciting things planned for the future:

• New crochet patterns
• More detailed tutorials
• Behind-the-scenes design content
• Crochet vlogs
• Morocco lifestyle content 🇺🇸🇲🇦
• More pattern testing opportunities
• More creative experiments and projects

I’m genuinely excited about where things are heading.

And to every single person who has supported this channel in any way — whether you subscribed, watched a video, left a comment, purchased a pattern, shared my work, or simply followed quietly from the background — thank you.

Your support means more than you probably realize.

Creative work can sometimes feel very solitary behind the scenes. There are long hours spent designing, filming, editing, writing instructions, troubleshooting mistakes, and doubting whether anyone will even care about what you’re creating.

But moments like this remind me why I started.

24,500 subscribers may just look like a number to some people, but to me it represents years of learning, growth, persistence, creativity, and community.

And honestly?

I feel like we’re just getting started.

Thank you all so much for being part of this journey with me 💛

You can follow along here: https://www.youtube.com/@HodgePodgeCrochet

– HodgePodge Crochet

24,500 Subscribers Later… Thank You

Today my YouTube channel officially crossed 24,500 subscribers, and honestly, I’m still trying to process it.

When I first started sharing crochet videos online, I never imagined that thousands of people from around the world would one day be watching my tutorials, following my crochet journey, supporting my designs, and becoming part of this amazing creative community.

What started as simply sharing something I loved slowly grew into something much bigger than I ever expected.

Over the years, HodgePodge Crochet has become more than just a crochet channel. It has become a space filled with creativity, learning, experimentation, encouragement, late-night crochet sessions, yarn piles taking over the house, cats supervising projects 😂, and people who genuinely appreciate handmade art.

One of the things I love most about this community is how supportive and encouraging everyone has been through every stage of the process — even the messy stages.

And trust me… there have been MANY messy stages.

If you’ve followed me recently over on Patreon, then you’ve probably seen me deep in the process of designing the new Lattice Top. This pattern has gone through more revisions, frogging, measuring, grading, and restructuring than I can even count at this point. Some days I’ve completely reworked entire sections just trying to get the drape, fit, and stitch flow exactly the way I imagined it in my head.

But that’s also the beautiful part of designing.

Sometimes crochet patterns don’t appear perfectly on the first try. Sometimes they evolve slowly through testing, experimentation, mistakes, and learning. And honestly, I think sharing that process openly has become one of my favorite parts of this journey.

Seeing people excited about the Lattice Top while it’s still being developed has been incredibly motivating for me. Knowing that people genuinely care about the work behind the scenes makes all those long design sessions feel worth it.

As my YouTube channel continues growing, I have so many exciting things planned for the future:

• New crochet patterns
• More detailed tutorials
• Behind-the-scenes design content
• Crochet vlogs
• Morocco lifestyle content 🇺🇸🇲🇦
• More pattern testing opportunities
• More creative experiments and projects

I’m genuinely excited about where things are heading.

And to every single person who has supported this channel in any way — whether you subscribed, watched a video, left a comment, purchased a pattern, shared my work, or simply followed quietly from the background — thank you.

Your support means more than you probably realize.

Creative work can sometimes feel very solitary behind the scenes. There are long hours spent designing, filming, editing, writing instructions, troubleshooting mistakes, and doubting whether anyone will even care about what you’re creating.

But moments like this remind me why I started.

24,500 subscribers may just look like a number to some people, but to me it represents years of learning, growth, persistence, creativity, and community.

And honestly?

I feel like we’re just getting started.

Thank you all so much for being part of this journey with me 💛

You can follow along here: https://www.youtube.com/@HodgePodgeCrochet

– HodgePodge Crochet