Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

LOVE IT – HATE IT – GOTTA HAVE IT……

by

Crochet. I love all the new books and magazines out there with great color pictures of wonderful crochet sweaters, doilies, totes, shrugs, etc. I even like it that there are patterns for Barbie and Ken, teddy bears, and skateboarders.

I hate that so many of those ‘new’ patterns we are buying are recycled reprobates rescued from the rubbish by virtue of new yarns and more modern color combinations.

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Elizabeth Hiddleson catalog
I mean, you can’t really find better doilies than Elizabeth Hiddleson,

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better sweaters than Sylvia Kosh, better afghans than Jessie Abularach.

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Lily Chen book

It’s great that Lily Chen,

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Melissa Leapman, and others are all over those new yarns. But, where is the originality??

I guess we have to call cellphone

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and ipod holders ‘new’ because the aforementioned ‘classic’ crochet designers never saw such things during their heyday. Just like most of us have little need for hot water bottle holders and elbow length gloves. But, what else is new out there in crochet-land?

I suppose there is truly a finite number of items that can be created with stitches that rely solely on chains and single crochets (doubles, trebles, etc. just being extensions of those). So, new yarn fibers, natural or synthetic, and trendy color combinations are what pass for new, exciting, and fresh in our crochet world.

I admit that I do find new yarns and fresh color combinations to be inspirational. They get my hooks moving. But, I find that I wind up making the same patterns again and again, seldom finding a ‘new’ pattern that is actually stimulating. But, I continue to buy the books and magazines – because I must be a sucker for the slick photography!

So, what’s new in your crochet world? Am I missing something??

Fine Print – to find who made what in the pictures above, go to google.com, click on images, and enter the name of the item in the dialog box – for instance, ‘crochet ipod holder’, and you’ll find all of them. Couldn’t find an image of Jessie Abularach for some reason.

PS – So, what book do I crave now??? Even ‘tho I KNOW that I have other books that will contain a lot of the stitches in this book. But, I gotta have it!

complete-book-of-crochet-stitch-designs.GIF
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF CROCHET STITCH DESIGNS
by Linda Schapper

Comments

  2. I have a similar, but old book called “The Encyclopedia of Kitting and Crochet Sttich Patterns by Linda Mariano” I will never in this lifetime have enough time to do all these stitches. The book contains over 600 patterns-319 knitting and 352 crochet stitch patterns….Oh what a delema!!!

  3. I am fairly new to crochet, but that has not stopped me from dreaming up useful items to crochet. There are items that I would like to crochet but I have not found patterns for. Perhaps these are original ideas? First of all, I want to crochet a warm, sexy nightgown. I am imagining a bikini top (lots of cleavage) attached to a full back, long sleeves and a full length lacy skirt; all lined with cotton flannel (acrylic yarn makes my skin itch.)It gets cold here and being sensitive to the cold my DH won’t see an inch of skin until late spring unless I get creative. I would also like to crochet some tights (maybe to go with the nightgown?) Finally, I would like to crochet a sideways pullover for my son. The pullovers that I have crochet so far have very little sideways stretch, which seems to be characteristic of crochet, making them very difficult to put on. I am sure there are many new items that can be crocheted if we look into our own lives and figure out what’s missing. However, we must not forget the classics…there is a reason for them being classics: we never get bored with them!

    NOT SHOUTING HERE – JUST WANT TO DIFFERENTIATE MY COMMENTS FROM PAMS::

    PAM, I THINK YOU CAN FIND SOME OF THE PATTERNS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ONLINE, AND FOR FREE, ESPECIALLY THE SIDE TO SIDE PULLOVER SWEATER.  GOOGLE THOSE TERMS AND SEE WHAT YOU COME UP WITH.  ANOTHER IDEA IS TO LOOK AT DEBBIE STOLLER’S THE HAPPY HOOKER, AVAILABLE IN BOOK STORES AND LIBRARIES.  IT’S A GREAT BOOK.  ANOTHER, OLDER BOOK THAT MIGHT HELP YOU IS THE ADVENTUROUS CROCHETER BY DELIA BROCK.  BROCK OFFERS INFORMATION ON CREATING GARMENTS WITH A MODULAR TECHNIQUE AS WELL AS OTHER USEFUL HINTS.

    jd

  4. I agree with what you are saying! This is why I have let all of my crochet magazine subscriptions expire. There just hasn’t been anything that I couldn’t look at and say “I could make that without a pattern!”. The exception is the Crochet! Magazine has some new and interesting items, although the new yarns are helping with the newness. But all of the clothes seem to be designed for 16-20 year old SKINNY women to wear, not for 30-40 NOT-SO-SKINNY me.
    BTW…I have that Sylvia Cosh sweater book…LOVE it!
    Do you think that all of the availabe free patterns are making it harder to get crochet patterns published? What do you think the periodicals are looking for?
    love, deBBie
    http://www.debbittybears.com

  5. Hi JD – I’ve got you down in my Pay It Forward challenge. Come back and steal the text, image, whatever you like so you can post it on your site, too! Please email me with your contact info when you get a chance.
    Shawnee
    Ravelry: CrochetCupcake

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.