Hi, it’s Michelle 👋

Ever been fooled by A.I.? I found out the hard way a picture and pattern were A.I. Scrolling Facebook I spotted the perfect bucket hat pattern and followed the link. I even bought special yarn to make it. (Who wouldn’t?!)

After finishing the crown, the pattern called for thirty rows of HDC. Any of us who've made a hat knows that's not how hats work – unless it for a Conehead! When I looked a little closer, none of the written instructions matched that gorgeous eyelet detail in the photo!

Yep, I'd been completely taken by A.I.! 😠

It got me thinking and, in this week’s deep dive I discovered something shocking and so easy it will blow your mind! 💣  

In this week’s e-mail:

• Roll for Dexterity

• Yarnbombing Black Sabbath

• When AI Learns to “Crochet”

LOOPED IN

Crochet News

🔸 Wield your hook to make magic! A picture is worth a thousand words and the cover of the upcoming book Dungeons & Dragons Crochet: A Book of Many Patterns proves it! The cover picture and official description was released along with the pre-order. We’ll definitely let you know when it’s released! (See more: Nerdist)

🔸 Back to where it all began. When Black Sabbath played what came to be Ozzy Osbourne’s last concert before he died, fans in Birmingham, UK created a viral tribute. They made postbox toppers inspired by Black Sabbath albums throughout the town. Like the band’s albums, each one was crazier than the next! (See pictures: ModernDailyKnitting)

🔸 Cuteness Sells. Proving the huge demand for amigurumi, Sarah Zimmerman celebrated 250 thousand copies sold of her book Cute Crochet Critters. “Reaching a quarter of a million sales is both humbling and energizing” she says of the milestone (See more: RepeatCrafterMe)

🔸 Philadelphia becomes a canvas for crochet. Looking to save her mental health, Nicole Nikolich turned to crochet. That led her to creating viral art pieces on the street of Philly including a giant egg and a life-size Travis Kelce. It’s rewritten her story. (See pictures: CBS)

🔸 Granny Square Trim at Michaels. A look at “crocheted” Granny Square trim now available from Michaels, but don’t look too close! (See more: TheCrochetCrowd)

STITCH BY STITCH

🧶 When AI Learns to "Crochet"

The digital yarn revolution is here, and it's surprisingly convincing. The key to spot fake stitches.

A Google Tool To Watch Out For

Google Gemini just dropped a bombshell in the crafting world.

It can now create very realistic crochet images based on simple text prompts. And the results are a little too good for comfort!

As crocheters, we value authenticity. We want to know that gorgeous granny square actually came from someone's hands and heart, not a computer algorithm.

But the images from AI are getting sneaky good and they’re deceiving us.

My AI Experiment: From Skylines to Presidents

Curiosity got the better of me, so I headed to Gemini.google.com for some experimentation.

First request: "Create a crochet image of the New York skyline."

The result? A fun, realistic-looking and detailed crocheted cityscape down to the crochet trees and busses.

Next up: The Grand Canyon in yarn form. Again, incredibly convincing. And a total brain-bender! As weird AI pictures do, this one made me look a little longer. The depth of the canyon on a flat surface makes no sense!

For my grand finale: Mount Rushmore. Because why not crochet some presidents?

This one was a little less convincing. What stitch did you use for the sandstone rock in the lower left, Gemini? 😂

Gemini's creations are impressive, but virtually impossible to recreate in real life.

Red Flags: How to Spot AI Crochet

Before you fall head-over-heels for that "perfect" pattern photo on social media or Etsy, look for these telltale signs:

Perfect stitches that are too perfect. Real crochet has character - slight variations in tension, tiny imperfections that make it human.

Stitches that make no sense. AI loves to create intricate details that look amazing but are physically impossible to recreate with actual yarn and hook.

Formatting that defies crochet physics. If you can't figure out how someone achieved a particular stitch pattern, there's a good chance they didn't.

The Etsy Problem

Fake patterns are flooding online marketplaces.

Sellers post AI-generated images with patterns that don't match. The photos look professional and enticing, but the instructions are garbage.

Always check reviews before purchasing. Look for completed project photos from actual buyers.

Warning: Some sellers offer refunds in exchange for not leaving negative reviews. This violates Etsy's policies. Report them instead of taking the bribe.

The School Mascot Test

Just for (more fun), I asked Gemini to create my daughter's school mascot in crochet form.

The result looked so realistic, so achievable, that any crocheter would be tempted to try recreating it.

But it's completely fake. A digital mirage designed to trick our yarn-loving hearts to get more likes and “Pattern please” comments on social media.

Protecting the Craft Community

As AI gets better at mimicking our beloved hobby, we need to stay vigilant.

Let’s normalize pointing out AI and ignoring posts without proper pattern links.

Question perfection. Trust your instincts. Support real makers.

The crochet community thrives on authenticity, shared knowledge, and genuine human creativity.

Don't let algorithms steal that magic.

👉 Have you spotted AI-generated crochet content in the wild? Share your experiences and help keep our community informed.

YARN OVER HOOK

My Weekly Favorite Finds

🎨 Color Palette Tool

Trouble picking a color palette? This tool helps you generate a color palette for your project - you can even upload a picture to create the look you want! (Coloors)

🧶 Crochet Along (CAL)

The 2025 Wonderful Hats Crochet Along featuring a different hat & scarf every week starts August 6. (RichTexturesCrochet)

🟨 How Many Do You Make?

17 Common Crochet Mistakes and how to fix them, complete with pictures and pro tips. (Zamiguz)

 🧡 Featured Crochet Charity

Knots of Love is a standout charity with over 10,000 dedicated makers who create handmade beanies and blankets for people undergoing chemotherapy and NICU babies. (KnotsOfLove)

IN STITCHES

WEAVING IN THE ENDS

Thanks for reading - Follow on Facebook to get breaking news and things that didn’t make it into this week’s issue.

Reply to let me know what you enjoyed most and share with your friends!

—Michelle 🧡

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