Crochet

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DIGITAL VS PRINT – WHICH IS BETTER?

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In this Digital Age, there are still many of us who prefer to hold printed matter in our hands rather than reading it online.  Which is better?  For me, the crochet book or magazine is MUCH better than anything I’ve seen online.

https://digital.crochet-world.com/order_form.php

Most crochet magazines offer digital subscriptions which are advertised as having more pages than the print version.  Those extra pages are not available to print subscribers.  While I know that it costs more to print out and mail the magazine to subscribers than it does to post the patterns and articles online, I feel that long time print subscribers are unfairly penalized for their years of loyalty to these periodicals.

Several of my friends and I were talking about this very thing recently.  Soon children will never experience print books.  And, you can’t miss that which you haven’t experienced, right?  I think that will be a sad day.  And, no, Nook and similar devices are not adequate substitutes for print and paper.  While the immediacy of downloads and the portability of devices such as the Nook add a level of facility that we have not previously experienced, especially in the Arts and Crafts, I believe that we’ll be losing far more in the long run if we don’t have printed books and magazines.

Even for my children who were raised with a genuine love of books and daily reading of the newspaper, these things are less important to them than to my husband and me.  None of my children subscribes to a daily newspaper.  My husband and I look forward to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in our hands every morning.  Maybe we are ‘dinosaurs’ but we pay the freight while the kids get their news for free – if you don’t count the cost of the computer/Nook/TV/highspeed internet connection.

Nook and Kindle

Now, here’s the paradox.  You’re reading this blog on the internet on your computer!  I LOVE surfing the ‘net and reading lots of blogs!  I love scouting out new crochet patterns online and gaining inspiration from the online writings of others.  I love having crochet information just a few clicks away.

But when it comes to sheer enjoyment of crochet patterns, it’s a book or magazine for me.  I want the color pattern on the sofa next to me as I crochet.  I want to flip to the page of stitch definitions.  I want to pick up one of my many crochet books and magazines and browse through the pages til I find a pattern that will work with the yarn I have on hand.  Nothing beats that!

Comments

  1. Wow! You hit the nail on the head! I love my Kindle, but there are certain books I want in my hand, and crochet books are definitely one of those.

  2. I love crochet books, though I wish more of them had a spiral binding so they’d STAY OPEN while I’m working a row!
    I suppose I’m in that half-generation in between, where I’m still a bibliophile and love my stack of crochet books, but I’d love to get a Nook so I have access to my Ravelry patterns.
    The other pro of a digital copy of the pattern is that, if there is a problem with it, people will have commented with how to fix it. Online patterns are more about community in my mind.

  3. I’m definitely that younger generation that loves technology and has whole heartedly embraced my nook. I live in a very rural part of the country and have very little access to book stores (craft stores are even rarer) and stay connected to the outside world through technology like the internet and my nook. I love having crochet patterns on my nook since I can have it sitting next to me on the couch and don’t have to worry about it flipping closed. I also love not having to worry about losing my pattern (something that’s happened to me with paper patterns) and not having to store a pattern book when I’m finished with my project.

  4. I also love the printed books. But having said that, I get crochet and knitting magazines through the internet. Why? Because I live in Australia and often cannot get them here at all. Or if we can get them, they are so expensive that I cannot afford to buy them because I am on a Pension. Would love to have oodles of money to buy all those gorgeous pattern books, because I do enjoy looking through the ones that I do have on hand.

  5. I love all craft books. Yes they can be costly, take up space and do tend to get misplaced or worse yet lost..But they are tangible and beautiful to just have waiting for you on your nightstand to gaze at just before you plop your head on your pillow and off to dreamland..With all the vivid pictures of colorful fabric, yarn, buttons and patterns filling every space in your crafty brain it is no wonder you can’t get a wink of sleep..In other words inspiration springs from the pages of many publications and for some of us the computer just doesn’t do it..We need to see, touch and gaze upon printed matter without a screen glossy over our view..and when I leave this world I hope my hundreds of magazines, books and huge collections of craft patterns go to someone who like me appreciates “tangible” “inspirational” magazines and books..

  6. Hi, I get Crochet World on-line and I love it! I don’t have a kindle, but I do take my laptop with me many places, and the next best thing to that is my digital camera. I pull up the instructions line by line and save, then download onto my card. I have each pattern line at a glance and can keep track of where I am easily, hugs, Mary

  7. I love feeling the book in hand. I love being able to go back 10 years and pull out the pattern and revising it for now. (not losing it after 2years!) JD I will be in your part of wood between 8/15-19. A short visit. Maybe get together one evening? Not the 19th-daughter has taken entire day off. Fix it with Ronnie, OK?

  8. I’m with you. Give me paper for patterns. (Not that I haven’t downloaded more than a few . . . but I print them when I’m actually going to work on them.) I’m sure it’s partly an age thing. I’m very comfortable with technology, but for a pattern, or, for that matter, a novel to curl up in bed with, it’s paper all the way.

  9. I love looking at “real” hobby books, crocheting, quilting, and crafts.

    Reading a storybook is so easy on the ereader as I go from appointment to appointment and download from the library for free as I am on SS.

    As I am aging and also disabled, I have really had to downsize. So I made an agreement with myself two years ago, no more hard copies as I do not have the room or the ability to keep up with the cleaning.

    I allow myself one mag sub per year online. I save my pattern choices from each addition to the hard drive and a medica stick for back up. When I am ready to work the pattern, I do print out the pages so I can write on them, or highlight.

    So I am definately on the fence with this one.

  10. It is sad that are grandchildren will not know what books are, but they also won’t be able to write their own names in cursive! Many schools are wanting to drop the art of handwriting in lieu of keyboarding (which most elementary children already know).
    They need the extra time for teaching more important things. Maybe that will move the US up to 16th instead of 17th in the worlds education standings! Sorry if that sounds mean, apparently the heat is frying my brain, but really, isn’t that sad!

  11. I love books!!!! I have shelves and boxes and cupboards full of books. I have a 5 foot long 3 shelf high full of pattern books, knitting, crocheting, plastic canvas needlepoint and other needle crafts. I have been given patterns that are dated in the 40’s. I love them!
    But….I also love digital. I can download so many more patterns and I don’t have to worry about storage.
    When I am working on a project, I now download the pattern to my phone. I always have the pattern with me. But sometimes, I still have to carry the paper pattern or book with me because I don’t have a digital copy.
    So I guess I like both!!!
    Yvonne
    in Las Vegas

  12. I love both, sometimes it depends on the book. It doesn’t have to be either or! Same thing with color vs b/w photography, digital vs film photography, etc. Each one has different qualities that can be appreciated on its own for different reasons by different people.

  13. I love both. My Kindle DX goes on all my trips but when I am reading at night at home, I usually pick up a “real” book. Print will never go away, at least not for a long, long time. Not all publishers are putting their books on E format so some of my favorites are only in paper. Harry Potter, Mary Stewart and several others are book only.

  14. Wait a minute. When I want a printed copy of a magazine, I print it on my printer. However, more often than not, I print one specific pattern from the digital magazine.

    Remember, paper grows on trees, and everyone wants to save the trees.

  15. While I do enjoy looking at all the pretty pictures on Ravelry and a host of yarn brand websites, I have a real preference for a REAL book or magazine.

    I NEED to touch the paper. *chuckle*

    And it really is better for our eyes I guess.

  16. Given full choice? Physical paper in my hands, m eyes are more at ease with that.

    Howeeeeever, I usually wind up with both. I NEED the physical book or magazine. However I also tend to be in and out of hospitals or doctors offices and i cant well carry mmy entire library. So i just make PDF files using my camera which takes very good, HD pics which after transferring to my computer I use acrobat to compile a PDF. and that in turn can be converted to a mobi or azw file if i want it on my kindle. Or since online subscriptions DO offer extras, I just use nice paper, print the whole magazine (the parts with the relevant info not ads) and sort of make my own booklet.

Have you read?

Make To Donate: Crochet Chemo Cap Patterns

There are some crochet projects that are lovely to make, and then there are the ones that feel like they have a little more purpose stitched into them. Chemo caps definitely fall into that second category.

A handmade crochet chemo cap can provide warmth, privacy and comfort to someone experiencing treatment-related hair loss, but this is one charity crochet project where the yarn and pattern really do matter. A beautiful hat made with scratchy yarn or an open lace stitch may look lovely sitting on your craft table but be completely wrong for a sensitive scalp.

If you are new to making handmade donations, our broader Make To Donate crochet pattern collection is a useful place to start. 20 Crochet Patterns Perfect for Donating to Charities You can also read our guide to crocheting for a cause before choosing an organisation to support. Crochet for a Cause: Using Your Skills to Make a Difference

Before you start crocheting, contact your chosen cancer centre or organisation and check its current requirements.

Crochet for Cancer asks that donated caps are new, clean and free from perfume, smoke and pet hair. They recommend soft cotton, acrylic, silk, fleece or blends and specifically advise against wool and alpaca because they may irritate sensitive scalps. They also recommend close stitches without large gaps. Knots of Love similarly asks makers to avoid lacy or see-through designs and maintains its own approved yarn list.

In other words, this is not the project for that mystery skein of scratchy wool you bought on clearance twelve years ago and have been trying to justify ever since.

Crochet Chemo Cap Patterns to Make and Donate

1. Simple Crochet Chemo Cap

Get the Simple Crochet Chemo Cap free pattern

This is a very practical place to start. The pattern was specifically designed as a chemo cap and comes in sizes from children through adult extra large.

It uses a cotton and rayon blend and combines half double crochet with subtle ridged sections, giving the hat some texture without creating big open spaces. I particularly like having several sizes in one pattern because cancer treatment affects people of every age.

2. Canadia Chemo Cap

Get the Canadia Hat free crochet pattern

The Canadia Hat from Banana Moon Studio was designed specifically with chemo care in mind. It uses a light worsted yarn and linked stitches that help create a fairly solid fabric without making the hat stiff.

The pattern includes a range of sizes and the free version is available directly on the designer’s website.

3. Lily of the Valley Chemo Cap

Get the Lily of the Valley Chemo Cap pattern

If you would like something a little prettier without wandering into overly open lace territory, this floral-textured chemo cap is a lovely option.

It was created for the Crochet Cancer Challenge and is designed using soft lightweight yarn for comfortable wear. It has enough detail to feel special while still being intended specifically for cancer patients and donation programs.

4. Velvet Ridge Chemo Cap in Four Sizes

Get the free Velvet Ridge Chemo Cap pattern

This newer chemo cap pattern includes four sizes from approximately age five through adult XL.

It uses plush chenille-style yarn and has a simple ridged band for a little visual detail. The designer also suggests checking with your local cancer centre before making donation caps, which is advice I wish every charity pattern included.

5. Soft Heart Chemo Hat

Get the Soft Heart Chemo Hat free crochet pattern

The Soft Heart Beanie was created for the 2025 Crochet Cancer Challenge and comes in six sizes, from preemie through adult.

The design is seamless, soft and designed to work up relatively quickly, making it a particularly useful pattern if your crochet group is planning to make multiple hats.

6. Diane Beanie Chemo Cap

Get the Diane Beanie free crochet pattern

The Diane Beanie is a simple top-down design made primarily with single crochet and finished with a back-loop ribbed brim.

The result is a fairly dense fabric, which is exactly what we want for a chemo cap. The pattern includes teen/small adult and large adult sizing.

7. Textured Stripes Chemo Cap

Get the Textured Stripes Chemo Cap free pattern

I like this one for anyone who gets bored making completely plain hats.

The texture gives the cap a little personality, but the designer has kept the inside comfortable and smooth. It was created specifically for cancer-hat donation projects, so it fits our Make To Donate theme beautifully.

8. Elixir Chemo Cap

Get the Elixir Chemo Cap free crochet pattern

The Elixir is another pattern created specifically for charity donation and cancer awareness.

It includes three sizes and was designed to be lightweight, breathable and gentle. You can also choose a yarn colour associated with a particular cancer awareness cause if you are making hats for a specific fundraising or support event.

9. Cancer Ribbon Crochet Beanie

Get the free Cancer Ribbon Beanie pattern

This one makes the symbolism quite literal, with an awareness ribbon worked into the hat design.

The pattern comes in toddler, child and adult sizes and uses front-post colourwork to create the ribbon motif.

For actual chemo use, I would pay particular attention to the yarn choice and inside texture. For awareness events, fundraising or support gifts, though, the ribbon detail is especially meaningful.

10. Hopeful Butterfly Chemo Hat

Get the Hopeful Butterfly Hat free pattern

This hat was originally created as a chemo cap and incorporates awareness-inspired detailing along with butterfly symbolism.

It is a lovely choice when you want something that looks less like a basic medical head covering and more like a thoughtfully designed handmade accessory.

11. Summer Chemo Cap With Sun Hat Brim

Get the Summer Chemo Cap free crochet pattern

Most chemo-cap collections lean heavily towards cold-weather beanies, so I was pleased to find this summer option.

It combines a lightweight cap with a small sun-hat-style brim and was designed specifically for people undergoing treatment or experiencing sensitive scalps.

It is also a good reminder that people undergoing cancer treatment may need comfortable head coverings all year round, not just when the temperature drops.

12. Consuelo Beanie

Get the Consuelo Beanie free crochet pattern

The Consuelo Beanie was created for the Crochet Cancer Challenge and the complete crochet pattern remains available free on the designer’s blog.

It is beginner-friendly and was designed specifically as a hat suitable for donating to someone living with cancer.

13. Linda’s Easy Chemo Cap

Get Linda’s Easy Chemo Cap pattern

This is an older pattern, but still a useful one to keep bookmarked.

The adult-small version remains available as a free download, and the design was created specifically for makers pledging to donate a hat to a cancer patient or treatment centre.

14. Just Chenille Chemo Cap

Get the Just Chenille Chemo Cap free pattern

If the receiving organisation accepts chenille yarn, this plush option is worth considering.

The free pattern includes three adult sizes from XS through XL and uses soft chenille yarn to produce a warm, velvety cap. As always, check the charity’s yarn list first because individual cancer centres may have different requirements.

15. Kim’s Chemo Hat Crochet Pattern

See Kim’s Chemo Hat crochet pattern on Etsy

For our paid Etsy option, Kim’s Beanie from ThroughTheLoopYC was originally designed for the Crochet Cancer Challenge.

The PDF includes child, adult small and adult large sizing plus a photo stitch tutorial. It is labelled as an easy to advanced-beginner pattern and was designed specifically as a soft, comfortable chemo cap.

Choosing Yarn for Crochet Chemo Caps

This is one area where I would choose yarn for the recipient rather than because I happen to love the colour.

A yarn that feels perfectly comfortable against your hand may feel completely different against a scalp made sensitive by chemotherapy.

Look for soft, smooth and washable fibres and avoid heavily textured, scratchy or hairy yarn unless the receiving organisation has specifically approved it.

Knots of Love actually maintains a required yarn list for its own donations, which is a good reminder that there isn’t one universal “best chemo-cap yarn.”

If you’re buying yarn specifically for charity projects rather than raiding the stash, I would choose practical washable colours and yarn you can reliably buy again. Nobody needs to discover halfway through a 20-hat charity project that the beautiful bargain yarn was discontinued in 2009.

What Makes a Good Crochet Chemo Cap?

For most donation programs, think:

soft rather than scratchy

close stitches rather than open lace

comfortable seams

good scalp coverage

washable yarn

no heavy embellishments unless the charity specifically allows them

a useful range of sizes

And always make the hat to the requirements of the organisation receiving it.

For more general hat donations, you can also browse our 10 crochet beanie patterns to make and donate. See the charity crochet beanie roundup

CraftBits also has a free vintage child’s crochet beanie pattern that can be useful for general children’s winter charity projects. Free Vintage Crochet Child’s Beanie Pattern on CraftBits For cancer-care donations, however, I would only use it after checking the yarn, fit and stitch coverage against the receiving organisation’s chemo-cap requirements.

There is something quietly powerful about making a chemo cap for someone you may never meet. It is not going to change their diagnosis or make treatment easier, but it can make one cold waiting room, one difficult morning or one vulnerable moment a little more comfortable.

Sometimes a ball of yarn really can become something much bigger than we expected.