Crochet Patterns

One of the largest indie designer crochet libraries in the world

Over 100,000 crochet patterns sit in this collection, and the great majority of them come from independent designers rather than a handful of big publishers. That is the point of it. A designer in Yorkshire or Yokohama writes a pattern, grades it across ten sizes, photographs it on a real body and puts it here, and you can have the PDF in your hands a minute later. Buying one sends the money more or less straight back to the person who drew the schematic.

It is worth knowing what that buys you over a free file. Paid patterns are usually the ones with full size ranges, charted and written instructions side by side, tension notes that have been test-knitted by someone other than the author, and a designer who answers questions when a row count looks wrong. If you are making a garment you intend to wear for ten years, that is the version you want. If you are making a dishcloth, our free crochet patterns will do nicely, and there is no shame in starting there.

New designs land every week, so the library is never quite the same twice. If you are browsing rather than hunting, sort by newest and see what the independents have been up to.

How to narrow it down

Four filters do most of the work. Filter by project type when you know the object you want. Filter by yarn weight when you are shopping your stash and refuse to buy more. Filter by difficulty when you are learning or when you want something you can crochet in front of the television. And filter by free when you want to try a designer's style before spending. Combining two of these, say DK plus beginner, usually turns an overwhelming list into a shortlist of a dozen designs.

Matching a pattern to your skill

• Absolute beginner: flat, one-piece makes with no shaping. Dishcloths, scarves, granny square blankets, simple baskets. You need chain, double crochet and treble and little else.
• Confident beginner: hats and cowls in the round, amigurumi with increases and decreases, cushion covers, a first shawl.
• Intermediate: garments with seams and set-in sleeves, colourwork such as tapestry crochet, cables using post stitches, and lace worked from a chart.
• Advanced: fitted top-down garments, Irish crochet motifs, fine thread work, and anything where you are asked to grade the fit yourself.

Newer crocheters will find the beginner crochet patterns collection already sifted for you, and the free crochet patterns section is a good way to build a library without spending.

Popular crochet projects

The most-visited corners of the library are worth naming. Christmas crochet patterns is the single busiest seasonal collection we have, covering decorations, stockings and gifts. For babies there are crochet patterns for babies, baby hats and bootees, and teddy bears if you want a first amigurumi with a clear shape.

On the garment side, look at crochet tops, dresses, waistcoats, boleros and capes and ponchos. Accessories move quickly too: crochet headbands, gloves and mittens and socks. For the home, cushions and granny square patterns are the classics, and if you want a blanket finished this weekend, start with super chunky crochet.

Yarn weight, hooks and tension

Every pattern states a yarn weight, a suggested hook and a tension. Treat the hook as a starting suggestion and the tension as the rule. As a rough map: 4 ply works on 2.5mm to 3.5mm, DK on 3.5mm to 4.5mm, aran on 5mm to 6mm, chunky on 6mm to 8mm, and super chunky anywhere from 9mm upwards. Crochet tension varies more between people than knitting tension does, so two crocheters using the same hook and yarn can end up a full size apart. Work a 15cm square, count the stitches and rows across the middle 10cm, and change hook size until the numbers match. For a scarf it barely matters. For a jumper it decides whether it fits.

Tools and notions worth owning

Beyond hooks, a small kit makes everything easier: stitch markers to mark the first stitch of a round, a blunt tapestry needle for sewing in ends, a tape measure, small sharp scissors, and a row counter or a notebook. Amigurumi needs toy stuffing and safety eyes or embroidery thread. Garments need rustproof pins and a towel or blocking mats. A yarn bowl is a luxury; a stitch marker is not.

Downloading and using your PDFs

Free and purchased patterns behave the same way. Once a design is in your account it stays there, so you can re-download it on a phone in a waiting room or print a fresh copy when the first gets covered in tea. Printing is worth it for anything with a chart, because you can tick off rows as you go. Before you cast on, read the whole pattern once, including the abbreviations list, and check whether it uses UK or US terms; a US single crochet is a UK double crochet, and mixing them up mid-project is the most common source of confusion in crochet.

Seasonal and gifting ideas

Crochet suits gifting because so much of it is small. Amigurumi animals, hats, mitts and baskets are all evening projects, and a set of coasters or a bunting garland uses leftovers. Blankets are the big-gesture gift and deserve to be started months early. For garments, the crochet jumper patterns collection is where to look when the weather turns.

Common questions

Are LoveCrafts crochet patterns free? Many are. Free designs download as PDFs, and paid patterns are delivered instantly after purchase.

Where do my downloads go? Into your account library, permanently, so you can re-download on any device without repurchasing.

Which hook should I use? Start with the one the pattern names, swatch, then move up or down a size until your tension square matches the stated tension.

Are patterns written in UK or US terms? Both appear, depending on the designer. Each PDF states which it uses, usually right under the abbreviations.

Crochet patterns by designer and yarn brand

Crocheters usually search by the yarn in their stash or the designer they trust, so the library is grouped that way. Pick a name below to jump straight to patterns written for that yarn.

• Red Heart crochet patterns — Super Saver blankets and US-weight classics.
• Bernat crochet patterns — Blanket yarn throws and chunky makes.
• Caron crochet patterns — Cakes gradients and Simply Soft staples.
• Lion Brand crochet patterns — amigurumi, homeware and wearables.
• Paintbox Yarns crochet patterns — colour-led designs in Simply DK and Aran.
• Stylecraft crochet patterns — Special DK blankets and CALs.
• King Cole crochet patterns — value leaflets across every weight.
• Patons crochet patterns — heritage designs and baby sets.
• Independent designer crochet patterns — work from makers publishing direct with us.
• Crochet patterns for the home — cushions, baskets, blankets and table pieces.

Paid patterns, and what you get for the money

A paid crochet pattern is written up properly: stitch counts per round, a chart where a chart helps, the hook and yarn actually used, and the yardage per size so a cardigan does not run out at the second sleeve. Many are sold as printed leaflets as well as instant PDF downloads, and the yarn is linked on the pattern page so you can add the right number of balls straight to your basket.

Just browsing? Our free crochet patterns library has thousands of designs at no cost, with the same instant PDF download.

Crochet patterns by project

Crochet homeware patterns — 28,605 patterns for blankets, cushions, baskets and throws.

Crochet clothing patterns — 17,939 patterns for jumpers, cardigans, tops and dresses.