‘It’s Special To Me’: California Teen Took ‘4 Months’ To Crochet Her Own Quinceañera Dress

While many of us dreamt of buying a pastel-colored, sparkly, embroidered gown for our own quinceañeras, one California teen decided to go against the grain and do something different. 15-year-old Noemi Mendez from Cherry Valley crocheted her very own quinceañera dress, and let’s just say the results were spectacular.

As Mendez often posts on her crochet-focused Instagram account @croemi_co, she loves to DIY her own crochet projects — and she’s really good at it! Exhibit A: she crocheted Mr. Krabs from “SpongeBob SquarePants” with a scary level of accuracy and did the same with Tuxedo Sam. 

Other jaw-dropping projects? A crochet duck and a very detailed jellyfish we need in our lives ASAP.

As reported by ABC, the teenager started practicing her skills by crocheting her favorite cartoon characters, and even gifting the dolls to her loved ones. But once she realized her 15th birthday was approaching, she knew she wanted to expand on her talents and decided to crochet her quinceañera gown herself.

“If I were to add it all together, I probably would say I took around four months to crochet this dress,” Mendez described the impressive and lengthy process with the outlet.

Her mother, Daisy Hernandez, told ABC she was “really excited” Mendez wanted a quinceañera in the first place, since “it is a beautiful tradition in our culture.”

Her mother, Daisy Hernandez, told ABC she was “really excited” Mendez wanted a quinceañera in the first place, since “it is a beautiful tradition in our culture.”

Regarding the dress, Hernandez encouraged her daughter to go for it from the beginning. “If you think you can, I believe you can, and if for some reason it doesn’t work out, we’ll just buy one,” she remembers telling her daughter.

The teenager finally had her quinceañera celebration this past Saturday, sharing her work of art with her friends and family.

As one can imagine, her mother is beyond proud of her daughter for “accomplishing” such a feat, and it’s easy to see why. The finished product is a gorgeous dark blue off-the-shoulder dress with a tiered skirt and bright pink accents.

A video the teen posted on her account shows the entirety of the crochet process, going from rolls of yarn to first creating the top, and even using a white petticoat to make the full skirt. Clips show just how extreme the project was, showcasing Mendez knitting underneath a light and even making those super-cute flower embellishments.

But by the end of the video, her smile says it all!

It seems like Mendez’s Instagram is finally getting the recognition it deserves, with several users commenting and even asking to buy products from her.

One user commented: “Hi I followed you for a quote on a custom doll,” while another asked for a special DIY project: “Can you make Sally and Jack??😍” referencing “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as an example. Others ask if her already-made dolls are available for purchase, while one user requested a Hello Kitty.

With such a solid work ethic and a major creative streak, Mendez’s future is looking very, very bright.