Crochet

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You’ve Been Waiting For It

by

Everyone is probably tired of hearing me complain about this afghan.  Here it is!

The pattern is a variation of my favorite, the Diagonal Crazy Stitch.  You can learn how to create this afghan here.  The ‘traditional’ crazy stitch (or box stitch) pattern works up to a square.  I wanted this to be a rectangle, so I followed the instructions for creating the variation.  It turned out nicely.  The color choices were not mine.  It’s for a young couple getting married in May.  His favorite color is orange and hers is yellow – so, voila!  they get a yellow and orange afghan.  I’ve never met the bride, so she might not be totally thrilled with this.  But, I made it for a dear friend to give them.  I have met the groom on many occasions and he’s a wonderful guy.  So, that made it easier for me to complete a project which quickly became a nemesis because of a couple of reason.

First, the colors are not my favorites.  Since I find it difficult to work with colors I don’t like, I do not take commission work.  This was an exception – but has confirmed to me that I don’t like the idea of doing commissions.  Secondly, the yarn was ordered sight unseen because of my friend’s very tight budget.  To get enough yarn in the proper colors at a price point she could afford, I took the catalog description of this ‘soft’ yarn at face value.  Mistake!  I won’t make that mistake again.  The yarn is not only NOT soft, it’s downright ‘hard’.  I’ll do some major fabric softening before I send it off to the lucky couple.  Finally, the skeins were full of snags, bad joins, and in one case the ‘guts’ of the skein were pulled out only to reveal that it was a totally separate ball of yarn.  These issues resulted in my having to cut the yarn THREE times after an hour’s worth of fruitless attempts to untangle the mess.  Guess how many extra ends this gave me to weave in?

What I have left to do is weave in the multitudinous number of ends, add a small border of some sort to further hide those ends, then, I’d like to add two small appliques – one of the St. Louis Arch and one to symbolize Utah.  A beehive was suggested to me and that would work well with the yellow yarn, so I’ll probably go with that.

This is one afghan I’ll be happy to send to its new home and hope to never see it again!

If you are looking for more of our DIY Wedding ideas then check out our dedicated DIY Wedding blog.

Looking for more crochet patterns for weddings? Check out these designs we found on Etsy.

Comments

  1. I see nothing wrong with this afghan. I really like the colors, nice and bright. I’m sure the bride is going to love it. It was made with love. How can you not?!! Great work. Gonna try this pattern. I have to make an afghan for a friend’s mother.

  2. Oops! Just checked the link for the pattern and realized I already know this pattern. It was under another name. I have made several afghans using this stitch. Great pattern, great design!

  3. Ok, I’m about finished. Kept getting interrupted. I feel you on having a project that you don’t want to do for some reason for another. Sorry you had so much trouble with the yarn. I usually try to work with my customers on purchasing the yarn. For afghans, I only work with Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn”. It is the softest yarn I have found and so many colors.

    I had a pattern that I picked up one day and crocheted it for a church mother. I threw the pattern away after I finished it. It had a lot of diamond pieces that had to be crocheted, then put together to get each design, then all the pieces had to be sewn together. It took me almost 4 months to finish. I will never, ever crochet that piece again! So, yes, I feel ya!

  6. For Utah, beehive is perfect! JD, the project looks great, love how you worked the middle section. Yes, it is hard on commission items. And the wife to be will appreciate that someone took the time to incorporate her favorite color with her husbands. It may not get used all the time, but it will get used for many years!

  7. JD,
    I know what it is like trying to finish a project for someone else that you just are not thrilled with! Glad it is finished for you. The colors will definitely brighten up a room. It is like sunshine! (same colors as my little dress from the 70’s I had written about.) What a great job!

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.