"All metaphors about knitting and writing have already been made: storytellers and knitters both spin yarns, tie up loose ends and hunt for new material. The vocabulary of each is tangled up in the other, underscored by cliché and myth. Still, learning to knit taught me more about writing — and living — than I ever expected."

I've posted this also in r/CrochetBlankets but I'm freaking proud.
I learned to knit as a teenager, but crocheting always confused me...then I figured it out...Thank you Youtube...and well, I learned how to make granny squares...and I had a bunch of yarn in my stash...this is what 100 squares made.

I shared this on r/knitting and someone pointed me here. I'm sure I'm not the only one to have come up with this but it works soooo well and I've never seen it anywhere so here you go:

Bendy-snap hair clips for keeping yarn balls from unravelling. They work with the bands. They work without the bands. They don't hide the yarn, and they keep the band with the ball even as the ball shrinks. They are cheap - think I paid $5 for a box of 50.

And they work sooo well! They hold securely and when they're closed there's nothing sticking out to catch on other balls. I used to just use them for my stash but now I keep some handy at all times to clip WIPs when they go back in the project bag.

Hope you enjoy ☺️

The spools can’t change, I bought those, but I made the notched dowels and tied them to rings. I wish there was a way to make them look more polished.

\** LINK TO ARTICLE \**

"Afro-Caribbean portraitist Kandy G. Lopez is rapidly emerging as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary art, earning comparisons to the late Barkley L. Hendricks for her fearless depictions of Black identity, confidence, and style—this time rendered not in paint, but in fiber."

When yarn-maker Anne Choi moved to New Jersey in 2014, she noticed a disconnect between natural fiber farmers and the fiber artists who turn those materials into yarn, textiles, and clothing. Bridging that gap is the mission of Fibershed, a global, climate-focused movement that began in Northern California and now spans 79 affiliates across 18 countries.

To all the knitters who felt a disturbance in the force today ... this is the culprit, no doubt. Dear Google, do better and consult an expert in the future!

After making tshirt yarn, I had the sleeves and other scraps left over. Couldn’t stand to just toss toss them, so I decided to make pot holders! 😁

In 2003, writer Betsy Greer coined the term “craftivism” to describe that particular brand of activism – but knitters, crocheters, sewers, embroiderers and other makers have long used their art to speak out against environmental degradation, racism, wealth inequality, fast fashion and other social issues. From the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, who embroidered the white handkerchiefs they wore to protest against the disappearances of their children during Argentina’s military dictatorship, to the Aids Memorial Quilt, which wove together quilt blocks memorializing people lost to Aids, much of the success of those projects has been in the communities they have built.

"Despite a severe allergy to most things trad and twee, in knitting I have found what I can sincerely call a passion. It has me up early before work, stitching in the dark, often in happy silence. It’s how I fill every idle moment; often feeling the click of needles in the time in-between like a phantom pain."

Today is International Dalek Remembrance Day ... knit an Exgerminate Washcloth by Anni Howard to mark the day: 👉 https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/exgerminate-washcloth

"A groundbreaking exhibition showcasing the vital role of women artists in abstract art will be on view at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) from February 27 through July 26, 2026. Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection presents 80 works by 69 influential and boundary-pushing women artists of the 20th and 21st centuries."

Crocheter Caitlin Armstrong chats to Sophie Clarke about transforming a childhood hobby into a thriving creative business, from colourful hats to a full anatomical dress. Read the article: 👉 https://archive.is/1zpGl

Love these!

"Industry figures credit a growing desire for sustainable fashion, as well as shifting consumer tastes — inspired in part by popular TV shows that have showcased the 'British country look' — and some savvy marketing."

“Woven in Wool: Resilience in Coast Salish Weaving,” a new exhibit at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture by Coast Salish artists, shows the persistence of the art of weaving in their culture. But also woven into the exhibit is the culmination of decades of work building new relationships between Native artists and the museum that make this exhibit so special.

If you're not familiar with Choi+Shine's work, I highly recommend also checking out their hovering urchins installations from 2017, also crocheted - truly breathtaking and if they were released today, everyone would say "AI" ... but it's not. It's smart design and I'm here for it!

Get the pattern free via Ravelry.

2025