Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Giveaway:BLOGTEST #2 – WEEK #1 USE UP THOSE NOVELTY YARNS

by

This month, you can win TWO BOOKS!

The one pictured above, Making Eyelash Crochet Leis 2 and the first book in the series, Making Eyelash Crochet Leis.

These books are by Coryn Tanaka and May Masaki and were published in 2004 – BUT they are brand, spanking new.  The authors are from Hawaii and offer some interesting and attractive necklaces.  Most of the patterns and techniques they describe can be adapted for other uses too.

QUESTION #1 FOR FEBRUARY:  What is the last thing you made using eyelash yarn?

Here are the rules:

Each item will be mailed to the winner by USPS – books by media mail.  For now, this contest will only be open to participants in the US.  Sorry, but international postal rates, customs forms, etc are just too much for me now.  That may change.

This is how it will work.  Each Monday, I’ll pose a question on my blog.  Everyone who answers the questions will be entered in the drawing on the last day of that month.  Some ‘answers’ may require you to post a link to a specific pattern or site.  The winner will be announced along with the next first Monday’s question.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with mailing information.  If the winner doesn’t contact me, the prize will be offered on another occasion.

RESPONSES MUST BE POSTED HERE AND NOT EMAILED TO ME PRIVATELY OR POSTED ELSEWHERE FOR ENTRY.

TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH AND THE WINNER MUST EMAIL ME ([email protected]) WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT.  So, for sanity’s sake, that deadline will really mean that I need to hear from you no later than 8 PM the following Monday (so you have plenty of time to email me and I’ll get the email for sure even if I don’t sign on to my email on a Sunday).

Competiton Closes – February 26th

Competition Conditions – Open to US residents only.

Comments

  3. I have never made anything using eyelash yarn. I have been afraid to try using it. It looks like it would be hard.

    NO – it’s not really hard to work with, especially if you carry along a strand of something else. I prefer to carry along a strand of
    #10 (bedspread weight) thread with it. Makes it MUCH easier to work with. jd

  4. Actually, this is too funny…the last thing I made with eyelash yarn was a lei. My friend’s parents were stationed in Hawaii for 3 years and his mother learned how to make leis, who taught him, who taught me how to make one using a straw. He said that his mom does these really involved ones!

  5. I did socks with the top in eyelash and the rest in a variegated yarn. Can’t use them though, ticklish 🙂

  6. To behonest I;ve only used the eye lash yarn on trimmings for doll clothes Idon;t have good sight to use eyelash yarn bobbijk

  8. I used eyelash yarn with complementary yarn to make hat and scarf sets to donate to homeless shelters-they work up warm and were fashionable at the time. I made 12 sets using different color combinations of yarns. I am still looking for patterns to finish using some of my stash of the very pretty eyelash.

  9. I made matching hats and scarves for 4 of my nieces for Hannuka- the hats used the eyelash as the trim and I used the eyelash alone for the scarves. They loved them.

  10. I made a purse for each of my 2 young teenage nieces for Christmas that used eyelash yarn around the top of the purse, pastel Homespun for the body–they were thrilled with them!!

  11. I last used eyelash yarn to trim a headscarf that I gave as an exchange gift at our Christmas party.

    I next plan on making a doll shawl for the girls…

  12. I last used it to make an elegant, wide, “fur” collar, tied with black ribbon. It goes with my gray “swing” coat. However, I have more- what to do?

  14. I’ve used the furry type yarns for scarfs and trims on purses and hats for kids. They loved the feel of them.

  16. I just fininshed a 6 1/2′ stole in Phentex Fashion Eight yarn, there’s a picture on my blog. I need more ideas to use up a lot of novelty yarns. Buying from thrift shops there always seems to be some novelty yarn mixed into each bag. At least that’s my excuse. I just can’t resist anything shiny, fuzzy, blue or all of the above. Please help me out here!

  17. For Christmas, I made my daughter a poncho with bright neon colored furry type yarn – she loved it!! Wow is it bright!!

  19. The last thing I used eyelash yarn for was a trimming on a doggie blankie for my chihauhau. When he pasted away last month hubby put it in the casket with him before buring him.

  23. I make little girl capelets with it. The most preferred colors are white, pink, purple, lavender. The last one I made was a deep purple. Love the fact that they wash so well and are not scratchy.

  26. I just finished making a muff that I designed for my granddaughter. The trim and strap are made in eyelash yarn. I will be posting the pattern on my blogspot soon.

  27. The last thing I made with eyelash yarn was a pair of wrist wasrmers. They were sagte Green for my granddaqughter.

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.