Crochet

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BEADS AND CROCHET – A CHARMING COMBINATION

by

This might be the primo site combining beading and crochet:

bead-wrangler.jpg

http://www.beadcrochet.com/

This site has kits and beads for sale, how-to’s, and other interesting things to check out.

About.com is always a good site to check out when you want to learn something new. This article teaches a variety of ways to incorporate beading into your crochet:

http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa030197.htm

Of course, a lot of us with little girls or granddaughters would like to make things like this:

beaded-socks.jpg
http://members.aol.com/SAG55/drbsock.html

And, here’s a charming little beaded tree that could be used as a brooch or an ornament:

bead-tree.GIF

http://members.tripod.com/~Shefog/CrochetWorkroom/9.html

But, beads can be used for all kinds of things – and all sizes of beads:

beaded-basket.jpg

http://crochetme.com/patterns/beaded-jute-basket

Crochet Pattern Central has a lot of freebies for bead crochet. You can check it out at this link:

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/bead_crochet.php

If you want to go more upscale, try some things at this site:

victorian-crochet.jpg
http://www.victoriancrochet.com/

Annie’s has some free patterns for beaded amulet bags. These are really pretty little things:

beaded-bags.jpg

http://www.knitting-and.com/crochet/beaded-amulet-bags.htm

And, I LOVE this pretty bracelet:

beaded-bracelet.jpg

http://www.futuregirl.com/craft_blog/2007/07/crochet-beaded-bracelet_30.html

Beads are available at most craft stores (Michael’s, Joann’s, Hobby Lobby in my area), but my favorite source for beads is Shipwreck Beads in Olympia, WA. Unlike most mail order businesses, I actually had the chance to browse in their ‘real’ store. It’s just a wonderful place with excellent prices. Might I suggest that you stick to glass or crystal beads for most of your crochet. Plastic is fine for kids’ socks and a few other applications, but glass, crystal, and ceramic beads and even most metal beads will got through the washer and dryer with little additional care needed. So, open your mind to a new way to crochet if you haven’t already tried combining beads with your crochet.

Comments

  1. Dear JD,
    Thank you for sharing this article.I also love work with beaded in crochet. Bead and crochet is a great patner I think :). This article inspire me again like charger to me.

    I have tried make some projects with it. If you want to look at them, click the link below :
    Purse
    http://dinamiccrochet.blogspot.com/2006/11/flower-beaded-punch-purse.html
    Doily
    http://dinamiccrochet.blogspot.com/2006/10/wood-beaded-doily.html
    Scrunchy
    http://dinamiccrochet.blogspot.com/2006/09/beaded-scrunchie-many-design-i-made-for.html

    Happy crocheting always,
    thata

  2. Thank you for the lovely eye-candy article. It was loaded with things that give a crocheter inspiration and the urge to try something new.
    Your efforts at finding new and interesting things in the crochet area is greatly appreciated.

Have you read?

Red Melt The Ice Slouch Beanie Crochet Pattern Review

Some crochet projects are made simply because we need a warm hat. Some are made because we need a quick gift, a stash-busting project, or something easy to work on while watching television. And then there are crochet projects that carry a message.

This Red Slouch Beanie Crochet Pattern PDF sits firmly in that last category.

Inspired by the Melt the ICE craftivism movement, this red crochet beanie is more than just a wearable winter accessory. It is a handmade political statement — soft, practical, visible, and rooted in the long tradition of protest through craft.

You can find the Red Slouch Beanie Crochet Pattern PDF here.

Crochet as Protest

Crafters have always had a way of saying things with their hands. Quilts have carried coded messages, embroidery has documented women’s lives, banners have marched through the streets, and yarn crafts have wrapped public spaces in colour and defiance.

This beanie belongs to that same creative lineage.

The phrase Melt the ICE gives this pattern its political edge. It connects the humble red crochet hat to conversations around immigration enforcement, detention, family separation, human rights, community care, and the role ordinary people can play in public protest.

And that is what makes this pattern interesting. It is not loud in the way a placard is loud, but it is visible. A red handmade hat catches the eye. It invites questions. It gives the maker a way to wear their values without needing to shout over anyone.

Sometimes craftivism works because it is disarming. People expect political protest to be hard-edged, but handmade work brings something different to the conversation. It says, “I cared enough to make this stitch by stitch.”

About the Pattern

The pattern itself is beginner-friendly and refreshingly straightforward. The hat is worked flat in rows, then seamed and gathered to create a relaxed slouch beanie shape. That makes it especially approachable for crocheters who are still building confidence with wearable projects.

Instead of needing to work in the round or fuss with crown shaping from the start, you are essentially making a rectangle and turning it into a hat. I love that kind of construction because it gives beginners a real sense of achievement. You are not just practising stitches — you end up with something wearable and meaningful.

The design uses a textured crochet fabric, giving the finished beanie a cozy, slightly chunky look. The slouchy shape keeps it casual and modern, while the bold red colour gives it that unmistakable activist feel.

Why Red Matters

The red yarn is not just a colour choice here. It is part of the visual language of the project.

Red is urgent. Red is warm. Red is visible in a crowd. It can suggest anger, love, warning, solidarity, courage, and care all at once. For a political crochet project, that matters.

A red slouch beanie can be worn to rallies, community events, mutual aid gatherings, craftivism meet-ups, or simply out in everyday life as a quiet statement of support. It is one of those pieces that can be as bold or as subtle as the wearer wants it to be.

Of course, you could make the pattern in any colour, but for the Melt the ICE inspiration, red feels intentional. It gives the hat its message before a single word is spoken.