Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

WHAT NEW ONLINE?

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I’m always on the lookout for what’s new in the online world of crochet. A couple sites have really made some improvements/updates that are worth checking out.

First, on Craftbits.com itself, we now have free videos of crafts, including a couple of crochet ones. This is a new function of Craftbits.com and more will be coming. Shellie (one of the site owners) has the first crochet video. Check it out at:
http://www.diycraftvideos.com/search/?search_id=crochet&search_type=search_videos&x=0&y=0

Kim Guzman has some great new videos too – very helpful.  Start here:

http://kimguzman.wordpress.com/

And, when I got my hands on this:

I had to go check out the new website at crochetme.

http://crochetme.com/

I’m still working on my tunisian and the cover pattern on this issue of Interweave Crochet just shouts my name.

There are lots of new goodies on the crochetme site.  Forums, a great Glossary of crochet terms, and their nice collection of free patterns.  Go get some!!

Comments

  1. I picked up the magazine and told my husband that I am so making that item on the cover-and expect to pay for the specialty yarn!!! I am still working on my daughters afghan using the same technique-it is time consuming-but that is because it is in black and gray and I have moved in the middle of it & have made so many other things too!

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.