Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Cupcake Pin Cushion

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I like creative people!  I try to be creative but find that I’m so inspired by the designs of others, wanting to recreate some designs, that I don’t have time or creative energy left over to make things up for myself.  While I see a pattern as a mere suggestion and go about changing all kinds of things with most of my projects, the design and intent are still not my own.  They belong to the crocheter who came up with the original design that peaked my interest.

Kate Campbell has created this really cute Cupcake Pin Cushion.  Do you need a pattern to create your own?  Well, many free patterns about online for crocheted pin cushions.  So, check out Kate’s pictorials and you’ll see how easy it is to make one for yourself!

While you’re visiting Kate’s blog to get all the details, take a look at her article and pictures for Thing A Day, February, 2012 (under the Creative Challenges heading).  First, I would NEVER be able to create a thing a day!  I’m neither creative enough nor am I organized enough.  I’d likely spend 3 or 4 hours each day trying to find all the components I know I already own!  But, Kate did it – and they’re adorable!  While most are crocheted, my favorite has to be the Zipper Heart.  I own probably 25 zippers (from my sewing days), so I need to work up one of these for myself.  ‘Work up’ is hardly the right phrase.  Probably takes 5 minutes to make this cute thing!  Okay, I’m up for ideas of how to make this Zipper Heart conform to my crochet them.  Anybody?

Looking for more pin cushion patterns? Check out these quilting patterns on Etsy. 

Looking for more Pincushion patterns? Check out this fun sewing book for making pincushions.

Sewing Pincushions are also called Emery Bag as they contain Emery powder and oxide iron that removes rust from pins and needles. Emery pinch cushions can be bought here. 

 

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing Kate’s awesome pincushion cupcake…I have been a follower of Kate for some time now and she always has something unique and wonderful to share.

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.