Recently, Leighton Meester an actress you may recognize from the TV series Gossip Girl, was spotted at a movie premiere with a crocheted dress by Marc Jacobs. This dress received some negative feedback in the press, ranging from being too revealing to too odd of a combination. How many outfits have you seen that combine a gold breast plate with a crocheted bottom?

I love seeing folks wear crocheted clothing, but not so much when it makes crocheted clothes look bad. Crochet clothes in general are fun to make and wear! What do you think about this outfit? If anything, what would you do differently?

Interested in spreading a little hope? Angels For Hope is a non-profit organization that crochets angels, butterflies, and smiley faces as a symbol and gift to someone in need of hope, weather they are facing an illness or going through a rough patch in life. Volunteers crochet an item per week and send it to a recipient in need of hope. Sending 81,489 items in 2009, it’s not too late to join in on their goal of 83,000 items for 2010.

If you are interested in spreading hope to others through the Angels For Hope organization, then feel free to visit the Angels For Hope website to learn more and to find the crochet patterns they use.

Looking for more ways to volunteer your crochet skills? Check out the Crochet Spot Charity Page for a long list of different charities. Have fun crocheting!

I got a good laugh after a Crochet Spot reader told me about the most expensive hand crocheted socks by Rodarte. Selling for $500, these netted styled socks are made of silky mohair. Due to the fine yarn that is used, these socks can not be washed, instead it is to be spot cleaned. I’m not sure who would actually purchase these socks, would you buy them?

Check out this quick video to learn more about the socks:

What do you think about these $500 crocheted socks?

Remember the Real Men Crochet post? Well, here’s another example to add to the list. Seeing these three high school friends, I wouldn’t have guessed that they crocheted. Or even created an organization called Krochet Kids that empowers Ugandan woman by teaching them crochet and providing them steady jobs.

Watch this short video to see for yourself:

What do you think of these 3 guys?

A Guest Post by Debbie Mac Millan.

I have to admit, when I first saw a pattern for a round baby blanket, I thought to myself, WHY??? A round baby blanket?? That is different. Well, I was right!!! They are different, and in an awesome way!!! 

Round baby afghans are the perfect size and style to cover a car seat or an infant carrier. They are also easier for the baby to snuggle with. As an added treat, they are amazing for taking baby photos. The round afghan drapes under the baby in a perfect shape to compliment the picture.
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A Guest Post by Dionne.

Yarn Projects from the Heart, located in Pasadena, California, is a group of crocheters and knitters who love making things for others who are in need. We work on a handful of projects throughout the year, but mainly we make hats, scarves and kitty blankets. The hats and scarves go to a local cancer center, City of Hope, and the blankets go to the Pasadena Humane Society. We have also worked on the Red Scarf Project and scarves for the Special Olympics– Miles of Smiles. Recently, we added making prosthetic breasts for women who have had mastectomies. We have 2 scheduled meetings each month and welcome anyone who wants to join us.

If you would like to see more about what we do or get in contact with us check out the Yarn Projects from the Heart website.

I just wanted to write this quick note to let you know that I updated the Crochet Pattern: Hooded Scarf (3 sizes). There was a mistyping at the beginning of the pattern. So if you purchased or downloaded the pattern before today (9/14/2010) feel free to log into your Crochet Spot Store account and download the new version (free of charge of course).

To download the new version, just login and download the pattern the same way you normally would. Go to “My Purchased Patterns” for non-members. For Premium Pattern Members, just scroll down to the pattern and click “Download Pattern”.

Sorry for any confusion in the pattern that the mistyping may have caused. Big thanks to the reader who caught my mistake! If you have any questions about the pattern, always feel free to ask me!

Morgan Kranz is an 11-year-old girl who recently sold crochet and knit items such as purses, hats, and wrist warmers, at a craft show in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Unlike many folks who sell at craft shows, this young lady was raising money for the Diani Maendeleo Academy in Kenya. Morgan was able to raise $1,485 the day of the fair and even more since then. The profits were much more than expected so it’s unknown what they will be used for. It may be used for school supplies or lunch for the students. Students attend the academy 12 hours per day Monday to Friday, and 6 hours on Saturday with only breakfast provided.

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).

Due to an overwhelming number of requests, Crochet Spot now has gift certificates! If you need a quick gift to give a crochet lover, you can now purchase a gift certificate to the Crochet Spot Store. Gift certificates can be for the amount you choose and can be printed out from your computer or emailed to the recipient. Gift certificates do not expire and do not require maintenance fees. To learn more about gift certificates, or to purchase one for a loved one, use the button below.

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

Looking to donate your crocheted items to a great cause? The Preemie Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization that was founded in 2005 to comfort premature and critically ill babies. Crochet and knit items such as hats, blankets, and booties are donated to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

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.