Crochet Blogs I Read

I am so appreciative of my readers. Having all of you nice folks read my blog not only makes me feel good, it also helps me focus on producing interesting content, gives me production deadlines, and encourages me to connect with others. Blogs are a great way for the people interested in a topic and the people who are knowledgeable about that topic to find each other and rejoice in their shared interest. Yay!

I don't just write a blog... I read blogs, too! Just as I think it's important for designers to work up others' patterns, I think it's important for bloggers to read other blogs. There are so many great crochet blogs out there. If you're in the mood for adventure, go click on the Spark in the sidebar labelled "Friday Focus" and scroll to the end of each feature. Nearly every single designer I have ever featured has a blog. Some update frequently and some not as frequently. I use Feedly to aggregate the blogs I like to read. It shows me every update so I don't have to worry about who updates when.

Today I'd like to share the blogs I read on a regular basis with you. Reading blogs helps me learn new things, connect with the crochet community, see awesome projects, and have fun! This isn't a complete list. I've selected the crochet blogs that I read most often and that update most frequently. I also want to note that none of the bloggers asked me to write about their blogs and I am not being paid to do so. I simply enjoy them! Here they are in alphabetical order.

Important: All pictures/banners/logos/brands below are the sole property of the linked bloggers and are pictured here to help organize this post, give you a feel for each blog, and help you recognize blogs you may have seen before.

According to Matt is such a beautiful blog. He's been updating a lot more frequently lately which is awesome! Matt writes about his daily life, his relationship, and creative projects. He often writes about crochet and the projects he's working on. He recently featured a glorious crochet wedding bouquet that he and his partner made for their friend. So pretty! This blog has lots of nice pictures.

Attic 24 is a very popular blog. Lucy has become well known for her liberal and eye-catching use of color. She has quite a few patterns available on her blog that you can also find listed on Ravelry. The best word I can think of to describe her blog is charming. She writes about domestic life, simple pleasures, her family, and crochet. She includes many high quality photos in each post, both of nature and the topics I mentioned.

Cardigan shows off the unique crochet and knit art of Kate Jenkins. She does a lot of detail work with thin yarn and sequins. My favorite posts are her "Fishy Friday" offerings that play around with puns. She updates regularly. Cardigan is mostly a one-pic-a-post kind of blog.

The Crochet Architect is the blog of designer Susan Lowman who is just the nicest woman ever. I've had her over for a Friday Focus and working with her was a delight. She regularly posts a lot of book reviews for new crochet books which I find useful. She shares her own pattern information and general crochet-related thoughts. Susan also keeps her readers up to date with current CGOA happenings. Fun fact: The colorful crochet banner on the CGOA website was made by her!

Crochet Concupiscence... wow where do I begin? This blog is like the vortex of crochet. It has it all: news, patterns, ideas, art, fashion, everything! Kathryn updates really frequently so there's always something new going on. She's really good at bringing together all kinds of crochet related stuff from all over the web, from the obscure to the super popular. Her round-up posts are amazing too and make it easy to find what you're looking for whatever that may be. I'm glad I was already subscribed to her blog or I may not have noticed that she mentioned me a few times recently! Visit my Media and Press section to check it out.

Fresh Stitches is the blog of designer Stacey Trock who was kind enough to join us for a Friday Focus some time ago. This blog updates very often and covers a wide variety of topics. My favorite posts are those with tips and tricks for crochet designers. She is one of the few bloggers I've encountered who regularly tackles design and time management related topics.

futuregirl is a craft blog that often references crochet and knitting but also features other crafts. Alice mostly writes about her current projects, projects that she works on for enjoyment. She's designed a few patterns and has a few tutorials but she doesn't really focus on design most of the time. I like this blog because I think Alice is cool. That's really all there is to it :p This blog doesn't update as regularly anymore, which I can understand (blogging is a lot of work!), but it makes me a little sad.

Go Crochet is the blog of designer Ellen Gormley, a well-respected name in the field. Her blog's feel and her voice are both bright and cheerful. Her blog mostly focuses on her recent publications and crochet experiences.

Hakelmonster is an interesting little blog from Germany. I can't quite remember how I came across it. The author writes about her crochet, knitting, and other craft projects with a little bit of domestic life thrown in. I like looking at the pictures on this blog and enjoying the calm, quiet nature of the posts.

Repeat Crafter Me is an extremely popular craft blog, one you've probably heard of. Sarah posts tons of free crochet patterns to her blog and updates very regularly. She sometimes mentions her family but most of her posts are craft tutorials or recipes. I have successfully followed a few of her crockpot recipes and they are pretty good! I haven't worked up any of her patterns quite yet but I know that they are quite popular with the online crochet community.

Twinkie Chan is the blog of crochet personality... Twinkie Chan! I call her a personality because she has lots of it. She is more than a blogger, designer, author, and Etsy seller. She has a very unique style and brand that is fun, youthful, and cute. I like this blog because I find Twinkie Chan to be very creative and personable. She writes like she speaks. She is upbeat and happy most of the time, but something I admire about her is her honesty. She's not afraid to be a little grouchy when she's sick, tired, etc. She comes across very real while still extraordinary. Twinkie writes about her projects, her patterns, and her day to day life.

Wonderstrange is a blog written by two different people who pursue different crafts. I started reading it when I featured Ann D. Angelo's crochet patterns for a Friday Focus. Ann is so cool. Her personal aesthetic is really interesting and weird. I love her writing style and her personality that comes through on the blog. Both she and Sarah chronicle their very interesting artistic and crochet pursuits on the blog.

That's it for blogs that feature crochet either solely or in part. Before I sign off for today, I also want to tell you about two blogs I read on a regular basis that have nothing to do with crochet. 

All Things Paper is a gorgeous blog about every paper craft imaginable plus a few you haven't imagined before! The art featured here is simply stunning. I love looking at all of the pictures and learning new things. A main focus of All Things Paper is quilling, which is a hobby I personally enjoy and the craft that led me to this blog. I once won a giveaway prize from an artist featured on this blog and I was so excited about it!

Rebecca Demarest is the self-titled blog of the author. She recently published her first book, Undeliverable. Though I know her personally because we attended college together, I don't follow her blog because I know her. I follow it because it's interesting. Rebecca writes about other authors and helps me to learn more about books I've never heard of. She also talks a bit about what's going on with her own writing. My favorite part of her blog? The writing prompts. I used to write creatively quite often and want to get back into writing poetry for enjoyment, maybe even some fiction. Her prompts make me think and create stories in my mind. They are a good reminder that creativity is a muscle that needs constant exercise. 

Thanks for reading today. I hope I've acquainted you with a new blog or two!