This crochet along has ended. All the patterns are linked near the bottom of this post
Hi friends! I’m excited to start this year’s Crochet Along for a Cause! Previous years’ have been such a success and so much fun. Last time we made over 9,000 hats for donation! The Crochet Along for a Cause starts on Friday, August 4, 2023 and will last 12 weeks. Thank you so much for your interest in joining this year, I can’t wait to get started. Make sure to tag #CALforacause on Instagram!
What is a Crochet Along?
A crochet along is when we work on a project all together at the same time. It’s a great way to have fun with fellow crocheters all over the world!
There is no official place to “sign up”. This is a free event. Just simply follow along (I’ll share links to the patterns each week on all social media pages and through email) and post your progress in the Facebook group, Instagram, or here on my blog.
There will be 1 new hat pattern every Friday for 12 weeks until Friday, October 20, 2023. There will be a new pattern posted here, on my blog, each Friday at 6AM MST. Each hat pattern will be intended for donation to your local cancer center/organization, hospital, homeless shelter, or school. (I will not be collecting hats. You can distribute them to a hospital/school/shelter near you.)
You can make as many or as little hats as you’d like. Last year, some made 5 hats and some made 100. It’s all up to you. There are no requirements to take part in this event! And if there’s a pattern you don’t particularly like… skip it! Make a second of one you like better, or a completely different hat!
The ad-free, printable PDF for each hat will be available to download for free for the duration of the crochet along. After the CAL is finished, the PDF’s will be moved to my Etsy and Ravelry Shop. So even if you aren’t participating in each week, make sure to grab the free PDF before it’s gone!
If you’re a beginner crocheter, or are new to making hats, check out this video tutorial: How to Crochet a Basic Beanie for Beginners (get the written pattern HERE)
If you’re new to changing colors in the round, check out this video tutorial: How to Change Colors when Crocheting in the Round
Be sure to join my Facebook group HERE for the lastest details, to ask questions, share your work, and talk with fellow crocheters!
Materials
The patterns will use worsted weight yarn with hook sizes 4.5 – 6.0. If you are donating to a hospital, the yarn does need to be a soft cotton or acrylic. Please don’t use wool because it can irritate the scalp. Some good choices are Caron Simply Soft, I Love this Yarn, Red Heart Soft, or Brava Worsted, but any soft acrylic or cotton should work.
Level
The patterns will all be level easy to intermediate. You will need to be familiar with basic crochet stitches and techniques.
Hat Sizes
The hats will range from newborn sizes to adult. There will be patterns geared towards women and some geared towards men. For some of the patterns I will have different sizes available so you can choose what size you want to make.
HERE is the list of patterns from CAL for a Cause 2022!
HERE is the list of patterns from CAL for a Cause 2020!
HERE is the list of patterns from CAL for a Cause 2019!
HERE is the list of patterns from CAL for a Cause 2018!
I’m looking forward to your weekly patterns and I will be crocheting along with you or posting what I make if you want us too.
Has the news boy and other recipes been deleted? I would love to make some, Regards Ness
Hi! None of my beanie patterns have been deleted. You can use the search bar to find what you are looking for 🙂
I am so glad to see this come around once again. I have been making hats from this CAL for the past five years and have made hundreds to give away in that time. Since spring, I’ve been going back through the patterns of my favorites and making more for this year. I’m excited to see the patterns that are coming up for 2023!
This will be my first time signing up, but I am looking forward to it.
Love this idea of donating hats
I can’t wait to start this CAL. with you. I have a dear friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I have a large binder filled with your patterns from previous years that im currently using. It’s only been a month and I’m up to 20 so far for her. We made a deal that she’d donate, to her treatment center, whichever ones she wasn’t crazy about.
I have made over 300 hats for donating. I was making one every night. Now I’m making animals in between.
Wow! Ammazing!
I made;over 100 hats for a neighborhood pre school
Wow! That’s awesome!
Thanks so much for the inspiration and motivation!
I always enjoy this event. Can’t wait to get started. Just went through a bilateral mastectomy. My second go round with cancer. So far no chemo this time. I hope everyone enjoys this cal and thanks for hosting again.
I can’t believe this! I’m in remission from Non-Hodgkens-Lymphoma and have made and am making hats for the Markey Cancer Center in Lexington Ky. I make two to a set. one in Caron yarn with single crochet in the round to be used as a nightcap and the other one in Red Heart with a rib stitch that is heavier. I used these two when I loss my hair. The lighter one of Caron works great as a knight cap or as a liner inside the heavier one on colder days in the winter. I look forward to being able to do some different styles. I donated 12 sets to the Markey Cancer center on my last Chemo treatment. I even told the nurses that they could have a set since they were all so kind while being so completely professional. I look forward to seeing more patterns!
Looking forward to this again.
Hi, I have made your beret beanie in Ravelry a few times and absolutely love it!! I make a matching cowl and have sold this set a few times now. Everyone navigates to it. I love this pattern. Thank you so much!