Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Ravelry, Pinterest, or ?

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Where do you go (other than here 😉 to get your crochet eye-candy fix?  I have several go-to sites for patterns when I know what I want to make, say a scarf or babyghan.  But, when I just need some motivation or inspiration, I find that I’ll spend hours surfing the web in search of that project, yarn, or idea that will jump start my next project.  Where do you go?

I love Ravelry.com.  It’s free, has lots of great photos of lovely projects, including pictures of many crocheters’ finished items of the same project to see how they will look interpreted in different yarns or even different gauges.  It is also very clear most of the time who the author of the pattern is and who has merely posted a photo of a finished piece.

Pinterest.com is a fantastic site for eye-candy and inspiration. (See the all crochet room?) It can also be a huge time-sucker!  If I’m not careful, I can spend more than an hour clicking from one picture to the next, like turning the pages in a huge crochet picture book.  While this is certainly enjoyable, I find it a bit more difficult than Ravelry to source a pattern.  That can be frustrating.  When I have fallen in love with a certain something, I really want to know where I can find the pattern.  Pinterest makes this a bit more daunting – sometimes even a lot more daunting.

What I often find myself doing is seeing the inspirational piece then heading over to www.crochetpatterncentral.com to see if the pattern is available anywhere on the net.  Old school?  Maybe.  But, it can get me there.

Craftcrave.net is another site, newer, that is similar to Pinterest that is growing.  If there are other similar sites out there, I have yet to find them.  Not sure I want to!  LOL.  I might never have time to actually pick up a crochet hook again.

So, what is your favorite site to go to for crochet inspiration?

Comments

  1. The Craftster.org crochet boards are a favorite place for me! There are lists of tutorials/patterns available, but also a ton of posts with inspiring photos (many with outside pattern links, too).

  2. Like you mentioned, Ravelry is a very fun site for inspiration! I also the yarn brand sites, such as Caron.com, Lionbrand.com, and even the Kreinig website!

  4. Ravelry for me at the moment but I find it frustrating too as many of the projects are made with yarn available in US only. Also, it’s not always clear if the pattern is in US or UK terminology. Still do spend lots of time there.
    I spend a lot of time on youtube learning new stitches and often learn off Teresa Richardson’s site as she explains things so clearly.

  5. Ravelry is mine so far. I sometimes find a pattern and like it but have a hard time getting past the example. So I’ll scurry over to ravelry to see what others have done and get inspiration that way.

  6. Definitely agree with Craftster! They have inspiration for all the fiber arts (crochet, knit, spin, weave, embroidery, etc) plus sooo much more!

    As far as crochet goes, i-crochet.blogspot.com is my go-to site> It combines the visual interest of Pinterest with the ability to credit the source like Ravelry because each photo is being added by the creator!

  7. I have finally succumbed to the Pinterest pull. And, I must say that I agree. It is so inspirational. Such a wonderful place to organize my links in one concise location. Scary when I start trying to organize all the links to flowers I want in my garden. ha! I think my most popular board is the one where I am trying to pool together Tunisian crochet patterns that are currently available. I try not to spend too much time there, but it *is* fun. 🙂

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.