This fall, we’re inviting crocheters everywhere to join us for something truly magical – the #MoonlightMagicCAL, our Halloween-themed mystery crochet-along. 🧶 Let’s meet the designers behind the magic! 🪄
The project? A whimsical Halloween wreath filled with playful textures, magical shapes, and just the right amount of spooky charm. Perfect for your front door, wall, or entryway, it’s the kind of decoration that will leave your trick-or-treaters spellbound. ✨
Now, let’s meet the two designers who brought this magical idea to life: Ilaria (@airali_gray) and Irina (@irenestrange), the creative team behind Amigurumi Adventures. Since 2018, they’ve been dreaming up imaginative projects together, and this year’s Halloween wreath might just be their most enchanting yet. 👀
Inside the Cauldron: How the Project Came to Life
If you had to describe the wreath design in just 3 words, what would they be?
“How can we pick just 3? This project is magical, bewitching, whimsical, spooky, and quirky!”
Where did the inspiration for this wreath come from?
“The design of the door wreath was inspired by a magical and slightly spooky Halloween night. It features classic Halloween symbols along with a few playful surprises. The overall vibe is whimsical and enchanting – not too scary, and perfect for a wide range of tastes. The wreath will look perfect displayed on the front door, ready to greet trick-or-treaters on Halloween!”
Have you included any unexpected elements in the design?
“Amigurumi projects can be so much more than lots of single crochet stitches worked in the round! Together we will explore different ways to shape crochet fabric into 3D elements. We will curve, bend and twist the pieces, seeing what crochet can really do – we hope this will be interesting even for the experienced crocheters!”
How do you build mystery into the CAL while still giving participants a sense of what to expect?
“By the time you join the CAL, you’ve probably already seen the teaser photos, the yarn colors, and that witchy tote bag – all little clues that hint at the vibe of the project!
There are many nature-inspired elements in this wreath, and we wanted to choose colors that would complement the design best – vibrant yellows, sparkly blues and moody greys, soft pastel lilacs and shiny blacks – all the colors work together to create a whimsical design infused with Halloween magic. Top it all off with the right witchy accessory and we have a playful Halloween wreath!”
Can you share a fun or memorable moment from designing this wreath?
“Most of the time, we work together at our desks in different countries, and we share messages, photos, sketches… Our brainstorming sessions are always fun and a bit chaotic, so we usually sleep on it and often change our minds the next day. Then, out of the blue, we'll both pitch the same idea to each other! Jinx!”
New to CALs? Here’s What to Know
The pattern is marked as intermediate – would you encourage confident beginners to give it a try?
“While a confident beginner with some crochet experience could tackle this project and learn new techniques, it's definitely not recommended for someone who's just picked up a hook. You'll want to have a few basic projects under your belt first.”
What advice would you give to someone who’s feeling nervous about keeping up or making mistakes during the CAL?
“Don't feel pressured to rush through the parts; take your time with each stitch so you're truly happy with the finished piece. If something doesn't look right, it's totally fine to unravel it and try again – everyone makes a wonky stitch sometimes! If you're stuck on a tricky part, step away for a while, even overnight. You'll often find it clicks when you come back to it with fresh eyes. And remember, we're always here to help if you need it!”
What’s something participants can do to prep before the CAL starts?
“Once they receive their kits, participants can begin by creating a tension swatch. This will help them determine the correct crochet hook size and practice crocheting with yarns held together.”
Got your kit already? Check out the swatch guide here
Meet the Makers: The Amigurumi-Loving Duo Behind the Magic
How did you meet and start designing together?
“We both started our crochet design journeys around 2009, at the time Irina was in Italy and Irina in the UK. We probably stumbled upon each other's work just a few years later and even collaborated on projects like the Zoomigurumi book series.
For a while, our interaction was limited to admiring each other’s work through social media comments. Then, in 2018, when Ilaria was living in the UK, we discovered we were only a 30-minute train ride apart! Even as introverts, we knew we had to meet in person.
Just a few months later, we started designing crochet patterns together, launching our first Amigurumi Adventure in December 2018. This December marks the 8th edition of our Amigurumi Advent, and we've been hosting new MCAL events every year since!”
What defines your shared design universe – Amigurumi Adventures?
“We both love detailed designs with interesting shaping and lots of details. You won’t find any plain circles and squares here!
We called our shared project Amigurumi Adventures, and that second word really captures what we're all about! We love diving into new stitches and shapes, letting fun, wild ideas take over, playing with colors, and finding inspiration in nature – with a dash of magic thrown in!”
Tell us one quirky fact about each of you!
Irina: "I am a bit obsessed with mushrooms and often drag the family out in the autumn months to go toadstool-spotting. They are all just so mysterious and fun!"
Ilaria: "My patterns are always very precise, with very clear instructions. But following a recipe without tweaking half of the ingredients and improvising some of the steps is my mission impossible!"
Why Join the Fun?
Why should someone join the #MoonlightMagicCAL – what makes this mystery crochet-along so special?
“Mystery CAL’s are such a unique experience, bringing crocheters together virtually to work on the same project. In this #MoonlightMagicCAL, you get to share your progress, ask questions, and just enjoy seeing everyone else's creations. It's really fun! Everyone should remember that we all have different schedules and crocheting speeds, and everyone's welcome to join in.”
Ready to Join the Halloween Magic?
Whether you’re here for the stitches, the surprises, or the Halloween vibes, we’d love to have you along for the adventure! Here’s how to join:
Grab Your Kit
Grab your kit while it’s still in stock 🧶 The kit includes all the yarn you’ll need (plus a few spooky extras). Get the kit here.
Remember to Sign Up
Sign up to get all six parts of the pattern delivered straight to your inbox 💌🐈 Sign up for the #MoonlightMagicCAL here.
Got More Questions?
Want to know when it all kicks off, what to expect, and what’s in the kit? Head over to the #MoonlightMagicCAL FAQ blog post to get the full overview.
We can’t wait to crochet along with you!
