25 Weird Art GRRRRRL Crochet Patterns
Recently I stumbled on this aesthetic that is being called Retro Weird Grrrl or it’s also called “Weird Girl Aesthetic.” This aesthetic really embodies alternative fashion and borrows elements from Japenese Jarajuku fashion, indie-sleaze, Y2K nostalgia, and “witch core” elements. It is defined by international color-clashing, chunky accessories, mixed patterns and dressing entirely for self-expression rather than mainstream appeal which we love around here.
John Waters camp films like Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble which highlights textures like leopard print, dramatic eyeliner and pencil thin mustaches, punk girl bands like Bratmobile, Bikini Kill, and Riot grrrr but I also I have been getting into the B52s lately and I feel like they embody this aesthetic too, as well as films like Ghost World, Psychobilly which embrace all things bright colors & retro inspired things.
Fashion icons who really embody this are Shirley Manson of Garbage, PJ Harvey, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, Courtney Love of Hole who went in the more kinderwhore/grungy direction with this aesthetic which embraces vintage babydoll dresses, Peter Pan collars, torn fishnets, smeared red lipstick and heavily bleached tangled hair.
And some of my personal favorite icons who embodied this look were Drew Barrymore’s vibe in the 1990s, as well as one of my favorite 1990s weird alt girl fashion icons Bjork, although her aesthetics leaned more in the y2k direction with this, and my favorite Parker Posey in Party Girl, her looks in that film are my ultimate inspiration.
Hi I’m Sterling, the artist here behind Cactus Lady Creation and each week I share a round up of crochet patterns here with you all and have really been loving diving into different niche aesthetics. As a lover of fashion myself, I love exploring different aesthetics, learning the history behind them, the cultural context, and how fashion responds to the world we all live in and will be sharing more of that in weeks to come so subscribe if you’re interested in any of that.
I love aesthetics that are all about being countercultural and breaking all of the rules. And this one is not just an aesthetic, it’s a way of life. It’s a bit feral, it’s a bit kitschy, and it’s just fun. This aesthetic is a perfect one for crochet. So in this video I have 25 Retro Weird Grrrrl patterns for you all and have separated them into clothing, appliqué, and accessories patterns. As always you can see exact links to each pattern I mention over on my blog, which is linked in the description box below.
Clothing:
The first pattern is the Checkerboard Sweater Vest pattern by Hayhay crochet. This one is a free pattern on their website, and has three different sizes from Small to 3XL. It’s beginner friendly to make as the only special stitches are the half double crochet 2 together and single crochet back loop only. To create it you work the front panel, then the left strap and right strap, then the back panel straps and ribbing. I love how they made theirs with mohair yarn so it’s a bit fluffy which is an options and it would be especially perfect if made in black and white for an extra bold, Ghost world Enid coded vibe.
This Ivy Mesh Top by The Yarnling. This one is free on their YouTube channel and blog, and the special stitches are the double treble crochet. It’s definitely beginner friendly and to make it you start with the panels, then work the sleeves to finish it off. This one is perfect to layer with and wear over bralettes, a striped tee or fishnets even. And I just love the mesh texture in this design, and love the open work, it gives it a really delicate sort of vibe.
Alright so next is the colorful rose cardigan by TL Yarn Crafts. It’s a free pattern on her website as well. To create the granny squares she used the continuous join as you go method by Hooked by Robin. She explains how to figure out to adjust the sizing of the sweater by adjusting the dimensions so there his a bit of math involved in order to make it fit you perfectly, but it’s definitely worth it, and you can even use up scrap yarns for this pattern, and I love the buttons that she added here as well.
Stripes Oversized Sweater by Meg Made with Love, see the pattern here.
I also like this retro stripes oversized sweater by Meg Made with Love. It’s free on their blog, and there are sizes small to 2XL here. To create it you start with the body of the sweater, then the rest of the body, and then finish it off with the sleeves and ribbing and with a bit of light sewing. I love the subtle sparkles with the yarn on this design and the thick bold stripes are perfect for this aesthetic. You can layer very nicely, and it’s worked up quite quickly and is made with mainly half double crochets, so it’s quite beginner friendly.
Halter Top by I Will Crochet, see the pattern here.
This crochet halter top by I Will Crochet is also perfect. It’s a paid pattern in their etsy and is more intermediate level to make. It uses the lemon peel stitch to make it a very retro inspired design. It is made to measures so you will need to take your measurements to make sure it fits properly, and this one seems like it would be a really good capsule wardrobe piece and can be styled in many ways.
Granny Square Skirt by C_Clean Croche, see the pattern here.
This granny square skirt by C Clean Croche. It’s free on their YouTube channel, and is very beginner friendly to make. To create it, they started with the waistband then worked a bunch of squares, and then connected them all together to finish it off. This one would be perfect to make as a scrap yarn buster to use left over yarn from other projects, and you will need to adjust this one to fit you,
Devereaux Vest by Meghan Makes Do, see the pattern here.
Or make the Devereaux Vest by Meghan Makes Do. This one is a free pattern on their YouTube channel and to create it you start with the back panel, then the front panel and then you seam the vest, crochet up and seam the pockets to the vest, which I love when pockets are added to garments like this. And this one would be perfect especially in a bold color like red or purple or even a neon color.
Patchwork Top by Brunaticality, see the pattern here.
Another pattern I really love for this round-up is the patchwork top by Brunaticality. It is a free pattern on their YouTube channel, and would be more suitable for someone who is a confident beginner. She breaks down how to do the measurements to create different shapes as well, so this one would be perfect you also have scrap yarns and want to play around a little bit with a non traditional, but still straight forward to make. It would be even more fitting with this aesthetic as well if you add girly iconography, so now I’ll share a few appliqué patterns.
Appliqué:
Heart Appliqué by The Loopy Stitch, see the pattern here.
First here is a heart appliqué by the loopy stitch. It’s only worked in a couple of rounds and can easily be worked up and added to your crochet wearables or even a vest or other accessories like hats. And this one is free on their blog.
Another appliqué pattern is this Star Appliqué by Creggy’s Crochet, it’s free on their website and easy to create. I has 5 different sizes and it’s a YouTube video tutorial on their channel. The special stitches are just the double treble crochet so it’s definitely beginner friendly.
Eye Appliqué by Morine's Shop, see the pattern here.
Or you could make the crochet Eye Appliqué by Morine’s Shop. It’s free on their website, and it’s a nice size when made with worsted weight yarn measuring 8.5 inches by 5.25 inches so you can whip it up and add it as a bigger appliqué piece on garments or accessories.
Accessories:
Luxe Leopard Cowl by Crafting for Weeks, see the pattern here.
First is the luxe leopard cowl by Crafting for Weeks. It’s a free pattern on their website and intermediate level to make because you do need to use color work and be comfortable with reading a chart. You also have to be familiar with the waistcoat stitch, it’s written to create a two-tone leopard print pattern but can also be made into tricolor leopard pattern by adding third color in the center squares. And when laid flat this one measure 10 inches by 15 inches and would be perfect to create for Fall.
Sweet Striped Arm Warmers by Moogly, see the pattern here.
I also like the Striped Crochet Arm Warmers by Moogly. This one is a free pattern, and to create it you start with the wrist/hand cuff, upper/arm cuff, and there is a little of sewing with the whipstitch to finish hit off. And with the weather getting colder and Halloween even around the corner this is a perfect make right now.
Peppermint Legwarmers by Stitches n Scraps, see the pattern here.
Another great pattern are the peppermint candy leg warmers by Stitches n Scraps. You can easily make them shorter for a smoother finish or longer for a more slouchy look. This one is free on their website and it’s more intermediate level to make. You do have to be familiar with working in the round and working in third loops only as well as front and back post stitches. The sizes are XS, S/M and L/XL, and it fits angle measurements of 7 inches to 12 inches. And I like that they have detailed instructions on how to make them in a straight, tapered or wide fit as you like.
Flaming Cowboy Hat by Knot Your Nana's Crochet, see the pattern here.
This flaming cowboy hat is also a fun pattern to make. It is by Knot your Nana’s Crochet, and it is free on their blog. This one is more intermediate because it does require the intarsia technique to make it and you need to be familiar with reading a chart. This one is more of a general guide rather than a detailed pattern so if you’re cool with that it is great because you can also make it specifically fit your head and there are video tutorials for this one as well which is helpful.
Fishnet Gloves by Whistle and Ivy, see the pattern here.
You could also make fishnet gloves by Whistle and Ivy. This one is free on their website and is great because you can make the band larger or shorter and it is more beginner friendly because you can use basic stitches to create it, and there’s a video tutorial for this one too which is helpful too and it’s perfect for executing the maximalist styling with this aesthetic.
Star Tote Bag by Elyse Crochets, see the pattern here.
Next is the crochet star bag by Elyse Crochets. This one is free and a video tutorial, beginner friendly and doesn’t use a magic ring which I know some people prefer an in the round pattern without the use of a magic ring. This one would be pretty quick to whip up as well and is perfect to make with contrasting colors like what they used.
Devil Horn Beanie by Artsy Gremlin, see the pattern here.