Hi, it’s Michelle 👋 Here in Central Virginia, the weather has turned (for real this time) with crisp cool mornings. The leaves haven’t gotten the message yet, which is weird, but Halloween will be here before we know it! 🧡

And just like the seasons, it take courage to change things up again. Continuing on the them of Crochet Courage, in this week’s STITCH BY STITCH we’re talking about using courage to try new things in crochet.

In this week’s e-mail:

Canada's first crochet café is opening in Abbotsford, outside Vancouver. It mixes the comfort of a good cup of coffee with the creativity of handmade crafts. The cozy, colorful space will feature local artisan goods and provide the perfect setting to learn a new craft, connect with friends, or simply enjoy the creative atmosphere. (Read more and see Instagram: DailyHive)

Artist Carmen Paulino created a 120-foot crochet mural displayed along a temporary fence near East 100th Street, along the East River in New York with students and volunteers, celebrating Harlem and El Barrio's musical heritage from jazz to hip-hop. Eleven months & hundreds of skeins in the making, the vibrant installation honors the rhythms and cultural legacy that shaped the neighborhoods. (See video and read more: PIX11)

🔶 Crochet Skullcaps Are Winter's Mood-Boosting Trend

Crochet skullcaps adorned with beads, sequins, crystals, and tassels are having a major moment this winter. The playful trend, renewed at the Copenhagen Fashion Week, builds on crochet's fashion history—from WWII soldiers' hats to Ali MacGraw's iconic Oscars look in 1971—and pairs perfectly with basics like sweaters and leather jackets for effortless style. (Read more, including tips on how to wear: Betches)

Have you ever scrolled past a stunning crochet pattern thinking, “I could never make that”? 

Maybe it’s a stitch that looks impossibly fancy, or a technique you’ve tried and failed before (hello, magic ring 👋). 

You watch all the reels. Repeatedly pause the tutorials. Squint at diagrams — and it still doesn’t make sense. 

And, comparing your uneven stitches to someone’s “perfect” Instagram post makes you want to throw your hook down forever.

It’s easy to get stuck.

Social media makes everything look effortless — the perfect stitches, the perfect lighting, even the spotless carpet (mine always has a rogue hairball). Even the comments can be downright brutal. 

It’s no wonder we hesitate to try new things when failure feels so public. But that hesitation keeps us from growing — from creating the projects we really want to make.

What if courage — not perfection — is the real secret to becoming a better crocheter? 

What if the next “impossible” stitch is just one small tweak away from clicking into place?

For me, it was the magic ring. I could never get it… until one day, a video showed me a simple wrist turn at the end that changed everything. Another tip about stabilizing the circle with my ring finger made it feel natural. Now I can’t imagine not being able to do it! 

Here’s your gentle nudge to find your crochet courage:

Your courage is the first loop in your next masterpiece.

👉 This week, challenge yourself: learn something new. I’m finally tackling corner-to-corner crochet with the “Criss Cross C2C” pattern in Bernat Baby Blanket yarn I got on sale.

Join me on Facebook to see my progress and share what you’re learning.

A curated selection of useful (mostly) crochet-related articles and tools I’ve come across recently for you to explore. All links have been vetted! 🧡

IN STITCHES

WEAVING IN THE ENDS

Thanks for reading! Let me know in the poll below if you’re going to try something new this week.

—Michelle 🧡

P.S. I’d love to hear what you loved in this newsletter and what you’d like to see more of (or less of). Reply to let me know!

P.P.S. Don’t miss the yarn calculator app and