Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

TOO HOT TO HANDLE – SUMMER CROCHET

by

http://www.crochetdoilies.com/crochet_halloween_web.html

When Summer heat arrives, I find it difficult to crochet things like full size afghans and sweaters.  I can’t stand the project covering my lap or legs even in the AC.  So, I usually switch to smaller projects, including baby sweaters, caps, and doilies.  Summer is doily time for me.

To that end, I’ve rounded up some newer (at least to me) doily patterns I’ve found on the net.  These make great gifts, even for those who might not ordinarily use doilies.  Doilies don’t need to just adorn your tables.  There are plenty of other uses for them.  Basket liners, use in gift bags instead of tissue paper, adorn the tops of packages, frame and hang (refer to an earlier post of mine http://crochet.craftgossip.com/framed-crochet-why-not-recycle-a-frame-for-free/2008/02/12/for help in inexpensive framing option.). And, if you DO use doilies in your decor but find you have too many of them, start laying them on the backs of chairs and sofas, use under standing picture frames, or layer them for added interest.  I have layered as many as three or four of them at times.  You can also layer them over fabric – not just over other doilies.  Some doilies and coasters will also be pretty appliques to a sweater or jacket.

Here are some freebie patterns for you:

http://www.craftown.com/doily/pat19.htm

http://glor-crochetgalore.blogspot.com/2010/01/heart-of-mary-doily-february-doily-of.html

http://www.nancyscrochet.com/SplashDoily.pdf (this is a large PDF which I don’t want to post.)

Oh, about that Halloween doily up top.  Omit the ghost and make it in any color(s).  It will be a beauty!


Comments

  1. When I work on large projects – like afghans – I lay the item on a small portable typing table so it’s not sitting in my lap! Makes it easier to get up for something as I don’t have to move the item, and then shoosh my cats off it when I’m back!

  3. I’m with you – I can’t work with yarn in summer very well. This is the time of year when I love to create my thread flower designs, inspired by all the blooming beauty out there.

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.