Say hello to Fatima @SweetenedWithYarn - our new Ribblr of the Week and community member behind Sweetened with Yarn! 
Tell us a little about yourself:
Hi! Iām Fatima, the human behind Sweetened with Yarn. And I still canāt believe Iām Ribblr of the Week!!! In real life, Iām a wife and a mom to three incredible daughters who I absolutely adore. We also have three kitties ā one for each kiddo, although I claim them all! I have a soft spot for all things cute, whimsical, and a little unexpected. I especially love designing my own crochet patterns and turning little inspirations into fun, squishy plushies. A few random facts about me: My favorite animal is a bunny, and I absolutely love the color pink. I excessively use exclamation points and the blushing smiley face. (Itās a problem. I accept this.) Clean lines bring me an unreasonable amount of joy. Iām quite shy, but incredibly sarcastic in real life. Sometimes people need a minute to figure that out. :)
When did you start crafting and how?
Iāve always been a crafter in one way or another, whether it was coloring, drawing, sewing, weaving, and now crocheting. Thank you, Mom! :) But I have to say, crocheting has definitely become my favorite. My youngest daughter actually taught me how to crochet in 2019 when she was taking a crochet co-op class, and I felt like Iād finally found my calling! I got hooked pretty quickly (pun absolutely intended), and here we are!
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?:
Crochet, without a doubt! I love so many things about it. Iām a little obsessed with being able to take a sketched idea and turn it into a soft, squishy, adorable 3D plushie. I also love how versatile it is. You can make just about anything, from clothing and blankets to accessories, home decor, and even quick little gift!
What was the most memorable project you worked on?:
Funny enough, one of my most memorable projects was also one of the most ordinary. I once crocheted a hat for one of my daughters because she couldnāt find her ponytail hat for the next day. I had yarn, so naturally, I stayed up late and made her one. Mom to the rescue! Another memorable project was a giant panda I crocheted for my niece. I actually wrote the pattern down as I went, but the panda turned out SO huge that I havenāt quite found the motivation to make another one, take photos, and work through all the pattern adjustments. Maybe someday. :)
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now?:
This is an unfair question! I feel like Iām being asked to publicly confess something. The truth is, I currently have at least 15 WIPs started in Ribblr. And thatās just the ones I can realistically see becoming somethingā¦ eventually. There are more, but letās not get carried away. I get so many ideas and tend to get sidetracked pretty easily, so I have a bad habit of starting something, setting it aside, and then coming back to it whenever the mood strikes. Itās a system. Not necessarily a good one, but a system! Lately, Iāve been having a lot of fun designing cookies. I have a couple of new things nearly finished and getting ready for testing, so hopefully a few of those WIPs will finally make it across the finish line!
Which of your makes/designs are you most proud of? Share a picture!:
My strawberry bunnies, for sure! The first one is based on the sketch that started it all, and the second is an updated version thatās equally cute but has a completely different look. Iām also really proud of Gourdon Goose and Belle the Snowbear. Each of them has a special place in my little collection of creations!
What is your usual process of designing?:
Most of my designs start with either an old sketch or a brand-new idea that pops into my head. Iāll usually sketch it out first and then start crocheting. Iām a very visual person, so having a drawing helps me figure out how to approach the shapes and construction of each piece. Once I have a general idea of what I want, itās a matter of experimenting, figuring out how to put everything together, and making adjustments along the way. Sometimes it works out exactly as I imagined. Other timesā¦ well, thatās part of the fun!
What inspires you to create/design?:
Oh goodness. Just about anything, if Iām being honest! Like I mentioned earlier, my old sketches give me tons of inspiration. But sometimes Iāll be crocheting one thing, look at it from a different perspective, and suddenly have an idea for something completely unrelated. I also get a lot of inspiration from everyday objects. For example, there was an actual gourd and a duck sticker sitting on my kitchen island. I looked at them and thought, āHow cute would a gourd goose be, especially if it kind of looked like a duck?ā And thatās how Gourdon Goose came to be. A slightly confusing combination of two completely unrelated things, but somehow it worked!
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?:
Favoritesā¦ hmm. This is a tough one! Watership Down was my favorite book for over 20 years, until I read The Street Lawyer. That book really moved me, and itās one of those stories I havenāt stopped thinking about. My favorite song changes from day to day, but āThe Sound of Silenceā sung by Disturbed, āJar of Heartsā by Christina Perri, and just about anything by Olivia Rodrigo (thanks to my daughters!) will usually get me singing along. My favorite movie has always been Lean on Me, starring Morgan Freeman. No other movie has ever quite matched the feeling I had after watching it all those many, many years ago.
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?:
Ribbuild is probably my favorite feature. It makes writing patterns so much easier, especially for my easily distracted brain! I also love Progress Tracking. Being able to check off my rows as I go is such a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference. There are plenty of other features I love, too, which is why I recommend Ribblr to pretty much everyone I know ā even people who arenāt particularly crafty. I promise Iām not on the payroll. ;)
What socials can folks find you on? (Feel free to link!):
Social media is definitely a learning curve for me. I do my best to keep things updated, but letās just say weāre still getting to know each other. Maybe one day itāll all click! :) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetenedwithyarn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetenedwithyarn/
Take over our feed! Which 3 - 5 designers/patterns on Ribblr are your favorite? (We will share them :
@wooliamigurumis ā Her designs are incredibly recognizable and equally adorable. I love how much personality she manages to put into her creations! @tulipyarncrafts ā The sizes and shapes of her designs are fantastic, and her photography is beautiful! Everything comes together so nicely. @hooknhaven ā Iām obsessed with her adorable creations. Her ability to shape with yarn is seriously admirable! @LexaLovelyCrafts ā Her design talent and crochet ability is mind-blowing. I love seeing what she comes up with!
Thanks for being here this week Fatima, it was a pleasure to read about you!
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Thanks so much for the feature and all the love! 
