ZERO-CARB PASTA CREATIONS

Talk about a good yarn. California-based crafter Normalynn Ablao has found a niche crocheting various types of pasta — from penne to spaghetti to lasagna with meat and bechamel sauce fillings. Ablao uses pastel yellow yarn to produce the textured morsels and posts her creations on Instagram under the handle @copaceticcrocheter. On Etsy, she sells the patterns as downloadable PDFS. The most popular is Pasta Party Crochet Pattern ($8.65), which includes farfalle (bow-tie), fettuccine, penne (smooth), penne rigate (furrowed), ravioli and tortellini. Ablao's Etsy shop also includes patterns for foods such as three-layer cake, ice cream and mini cheeseburgers. Her website, copaceticcrocheter.com, offers crochet patterns for free. She describes herself as a non-profit intermediary who helps raise funds for non-profit organizations.