One of my favorite things about crocheting is using it to get festive. In the summer, I crochet lace. Every Thanksgiving and New Year, I make doilies. As spring approaches, I’ve begun to scour the internet for new patterns, ideas, and crafts to crochet. Here are five of the crochet ideas that I believe encapsulate the heart of springtime and make for great dorm room decorations.
(A quick author’s note: All of these descriptions mention Ravelry, a free website for sharing and collecting different crochet patterns. Even though I use Ravelry and mention its search results in this article, you can use practically any website or pattern to crochet these decorations. I don’t want to promote specific patterns that might be inaccessible, so I worked to keep these descriptions fairly general.)
Flower wreaths
One of my favorite things to crochet is flowers, whether in bouquet-form or on their own. One idea that truly screams “springtime” is creating a wreath entirely out of crochet wildflowers. This is most commonly done by crocheting around a wreath ring and then affixing the flowers.
Besides flowers, your wreath can include crocheted leaves, berries, and even eggs (more on those eggs later). For this project, you will need a ring, an H (8 5 mm) hook, and medium-sized yarn in various colors. There are over 100 free flower wreath patterns to choose from on Ravelry; give one a try this spring season!
Coasters
Currently, I have two crocheted coasters on my desk, both of which are mini doilies I made. If you really want to get festive, why not make spring-themed coasters? These make for the perfect Easter basket stuffers, dorm decorations, and gifts for those who love when the weather gets warm.
Part of the charm of coasters is the versatility intrinsic to the project. You can make eggs, flowers, rabbits, or chicks, to name a few examples. Coasters can also be made with a bit of scrap yarn, making them a low-commitment project. Since this project can vary, I can’t speak to the specifics of the materials you’ll need, but it’s a guarantee that a hook and a small ball of yarn will be sufficient. With nearly 45 Easter coaster patterns to choose from on Ravelry, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.
Amigurumi
Amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting stuffed dolls, is an extremely popular craft amongst modern crocheters. Crocheted rabbits, chicks, and even Peeps are the perfect gift for small children and college kids alike. Similar to coasters, amigurumi is extremely versatile in that you can make almost anything.
To make amigurumi, you’ll need animal stuffing, beads for eyes, and thread needles alongside the regular hooks and yarn. There are over 800 patterns on Ravelry and thousands more across the internet. An amigurumi animal can be as small or as large as you’d like, making this project an extremely adaptable one for the busy college student.
Banners
Banners are some of the most underrated and underutilized decorations in college dorms. My door is adorned with an origami butterfly banner, something I’ll take from dorm to dorm throughout my four years of college. Although my banner is paper, the same effect is more than achievable with yarn.
The banner craft is similar to the wreath in that natural elements, such as leaves, flowers, and butterflies, are prime decoration choices. Banners can also change with the seasons; simply swap out your green leaves for those with warm-tones when September hits.
Banner decorations are relatively small, requiring only a small amount of yarn to complete each one. Alongside your yarn and a hook, you’ll need a rope or some additional string to tie each motif to. If you want something fancier, you can crochet your own cord or lace to use in place of the rope. With roughly 50 patterns on Ravelry, there’s plenty to choose from.
Easter eggs
Remember when I mentioned crocheting egg motifs? You’ve heard of dyeing Easter eggs, but what about crocheting them? Out of all the crochet crafts I’ve mentioned, this one has the most patterns on Ravelry, with over 1,000 results. It’s popularity is most certainly earned, since these eggs can be reused year after year without consequence. My childhood kitchen always smelled like vinegar a few days after dyeing eggs, and I have absolutely no way to boil them in my dorm. Crocheting eggs completely eradicates those problems all while providing an activity to pass the time.
Similar to amigurumi, you will need yarn, a hook, and stuffing in order to crochet stuffed eggs. Different colored yarns will produce the “dyed” patterns typical of real eggs. If you really want to commit to the craft, reuse an old egg carton to store your eggs!
Eggs, wreaths, or bunny banners—no matter what you choose, these are all quick projects that leave your dorm looking ready for spring. Get out your crochet hooks and let yourself spend a little extra on yarn, as spring is finally upon us.