Photo courtesy of Gwen Kranz

With only 2 years of crochet experience, Morgan Kranz is a great example that you can make a difference at any age and skill level (and turn a profit at craft fairs).

The button above will also show you a sample gift certificate with instructions on how to use it and walk you through customizing it!

So far Preemie Project volunteers have donated 1,700 hat and bootie sets, 1,500 blankets, 300 bereavement packages, and counting! Here are some free crochet patterns on Crochet Spot that you can use to create items to donate to The Preemie Project and other wonderful organizations:

Crochet Pattern: Basic Preemie Hat
Crochet Pattern: Newborn Baby Hat
Crochet Pattern: Shell Stitch Blanket
For more patterns, check out the Crochet Spot Archives.

To learn more about this organization and how you can get involved, feel free to visit The Preemie Project website.

Photo by StartTheDay

The yarn-happy vehicle was seen on the streets of Rome, courtesy of Magda Sayeg, the woman behind Knitta, Please. She is known for taking knitting and crocheting to the streets–quite literally–in the form of public works like the above. For Sayeg, it’s about looking beyond the purely functional and practical uses of these fiber arts. In addition, she likes adding an element of handmade and human-ness to an otherwise very concrete, sterile world we find ourselves in. This particular work was made for Il Lusso Essenziale, an arts festival in Rome that celebrates “the rediscovery of the the extraordinary nature of everyday life.”

In the words of one blogger, “It sort of looks like the Smart Car crashed into a bus full of little blue haired ladies.” Well, I think this car screams COOL rather than GRANNIES, but okay. The car can still function as a car too, as opposed to some of the yarn-bombed bicycles one sees that are completely covered in yarn and rendered mostly useless.

Have you come across any non-afghan items that use the granny square as the building block?

Upon her return to Sioux Falls, SD, she wanted to do something more for the people of Haiti, so she started brainstorming. Her memories of the mothers and children sparked an idea: cutting up t-shirts into strips and crocheting mats from them. Soon enough she was requesting t-shirt donations from the community and asking for volunteers, from experienced crocheters to those who have never crocheted (but are willing to learn!). The collective effort has already resulted in dozens of completed mats and it’s fortunately an ongoing effort.

You can read more about crocheting for Haiti here.

The sale includes the following Christmas crochet patterns:

Santa Claus Hat (5 sizes) – Yes, that’s right, this pattern includes instructions for crocheting the Santa Claus Hat in 5 different sizes! From a newborn baby to a man, everyone can have a crocheted hat.

Christmas Applique Set #1 – This set includes 5 crochet patterns: candy cane, Christmas tree, gift box, Santa Claus hat, and stocking. Appliques are great to use as ornaments, pins, or to sew onto a bag, hat, or blanket!

Christmas Applique Set #2 – This set includes 5 crochet patterns: elf, gingerbread man, reindeer, Santa, and snowman.

Don’t forget that patterns can be downloaded straight from your store account after purchasing. No need to wait for an email

Have fun crocheting your holiday items this summer!!

Photo by Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery

Most recently, Come Dine With Kate debuted at the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery in London to hungry eyes. The exhibit features over 80 of her original creations, including sparkly crocheted anchovies, a beef wollington wearing boots, a candelabra with real lights, and a whole slew of fruit tarts. If you can’t make it across the pond, check out the exhibition slideshow to get your fill.

What are the most “out there” items you’ve come across in crochet, either from your own projects or those of others? Any “I can’t believe someone crocheted that!” moments?

Hello! My name is Erin and I’m a writer, mother and crocheter. My days are filled with mayhem, mischief and makings.  I started crocheting while on bed rest with my second daughter and have been crafting items for sale and as gifts ever since.  You can read all about my chaotic life at my personal blog Blogging is For Dorks and see my hand made items at Ultra Cute Crochet.

I love sharing my patterns and experiences in crocheting with beginners and with more advanced crocheters looking for more to learn!

I considered my little crochet business a “hobby” to occupy myself until I was healthy enough to return to my teaching jobs. Well, that never happened, unfortunately. BUT, five years later, it has developed into a full-fledged business where I am approaching 1500 Etsy sales and I sell in brick-and-mortar shops. Most recently, I’ve started to design patterns for magazines like Crochet Today and Knit Simple. I even co-edited/contributed to a book coming out this fall entitled Witch Craft, Halloween crafts including a few crochet projects like creepy bones and Vampire bite necklaces.

I was always crafty, but crochet holds a special place in my heart because of the way it “saved” me during such a difficult time, physically and emotionally, and continues to do so. Additionally, it’s part of how I make a living! I feel very lucky to have found something that can fulfill me on so many levels. I hope to “meet” a lot of crochet enthusiasts here on Crochet Spot, hear your stories, answer your questions and, in general, spread the word about everything crochet!

If you’re interested in checking out my Etsy shop, please do! And here is a link to Stitchy S’mores, in this month’s issue of Crochet Today.

Photo by Saki Chikaraishi

You could crochet a cozy for your brand-spankin’-new iPad like Japanese crocheter Saki Chikaraishi did…wait, you’re a novice still learning the crochet ropes? There’s an App for that! Thanks to Jones APR, a mobile app, consulting and PR firm, there is now “Knitting & Crocheting HD,” an application specifically created for Apple’s iPad. The app just hit the iTunes store in late June and features over 500 photos, illustrations as well as instructions to take you through the knitting and crochet basics, including supplies needed and yarn types explained.

Apple gadgets are no strangers to crochet applications: there’s already one for the iPhone and iPod Touch, not to mention a few podcasts to choose from. But, the iPad is obviously more conducive to learning just about anything because of its visually-friendly size. Have you tried out any of these crochet apps or do you stick to crocheting up gadget cozies when it comes to the intersection of tech and craft?