Tag: crochet

crochet, crochet patterns

Why Etsy Crochet Patterns Often Disappoint: A Cautionary Tale

KarenPopeWrites

I went to Etsy to find a dragon pattern to crochet. I looked over the photo; it was adorable. As a long-time crochet artist who has spent the last three years making and selling amigurumi figures, I felt confident that I could make this beauty. I normally fall into the ADVANCED CROCHETER category.

Don’t get me wrong. Etsy is my selling platform for my crocheted pieces and where I go to find things like yarn, crafting supplies, and even patterns. I don’t mind paying for new crochet patterns. I know the creator has worked hard to produce the pattern, and giving them a few dollars to own the pattern is okay by me. Most are available for digital download, making the transaction even easier.

So what is the problem? I purchased a pattern for a dragon to make for my daughter-in-law who loves everything about dragons. The picture for the dragon is here:

AI generated crocheted dragon photo.
Etsy’s picture of a Garden Dragon

The Awful Truth Revealed

So, hook in hand, I dove into the pattern and discovered, first of all, that the body of the pattern I was using was much smaller than the picture indicated. The head and muzzle were a totally different configuration. The legs in the pattern didn’t match. In other words, the pattern I paid for wasn’t anything like the pattern I thought I purchased.

So, I looked for a second pattern and a third. All had the same story.

I ended up doing every part of the body at least twice. The dragon I ended up with is, in my opinion, much cuter.

A work-In_progress of my dragon that is missing horns, a flower crown, and claws.
Work In Progress. A Dragon So Far

This image is not finished. There are the decorative elements to add… Horns, claws, back feet, and a crown of flowers. But this little guy is looking very cute so far.

Back to my rant. To find a pattern that matched the photo, I set out to explore Etsy and found that MOST digital patterns are created by AI. There are a couple of problems with this.

  • The photo does not match the pattern
  • The photos are AI-created, and the pattern is, too, making it nearly impossible to match the two.

AI does not crochet, so the patterns are sorely lacking to the extent that even a seasoned crochet artist cannot make heads or tails of what is going on. I looked at how long the seller had been on Etsy and found time after time that the seller had been on Etsy only a few days to a few weeks at best. Plus, they were selling hundreds of patterns, all AI-created and all useless.

Creating a pattern is a different art than making the items. I am a lousy pattern creator, but a great crocheter. In the case of my little dragon, I will probably create a pattern to match what I have created, so at least ONE person on Etsy is an honest seller.

I know there are lots of honest sellers on Etsy and I applaud every one. This rant is not aimed at them.

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Process and Product Crocheters: Which Are You?

KarenPopeWrites

By Lindsay Jarvis

Are you a process or a product crocheter? Maybe you’ve never stopped to think about it or perhaps you’ve never heard of these categories before. Read on to learn more and find out what drives your crochet process.

Product Crocheters

How do you pick your crochet projects? If your main focus is the end result of your finished project, you’re likely a product crocheter. Because your main goal is to create the desired piece, you may not even look through the pattern before you begin. For fearless crocheters, this is a wonderful way to gain experience in new techniques you may not have otherwise tried. You choose your pattern based off of a garment or accessory that you want to wear or complete for a gift. Generally, product crocheters will focus on one project at a time and finish what they’ve started.

Process Crocheters

For process crocheters, it’s all about the journey. You love the act of crocheting and simply want to play with different yarns and your favorite stitches. Process crocheters tend to pick larger projects that allow you to crochet away without much stopping for measuring, hand finishing or fiddling with any kind of stitch you don’t enjoy. You may also cherish the act of searching for the perfect pattern, pairing with the perfect yarn, and swatching until everything is just right.

Combination Crocheters

Most of us aren’t strictly process or product crocheters, but a combination of the two. I know there are certain stitches or finishing techniques that I just don’t enjoy, so I do tend to shy away from patterns that are heavy in those areas. For the most part, I have a rough idea of my finished product in mind when I’m searching for a pattern. I usually start with a yarn from my stash and the amount of yardage guides me to what is possible (one skein? A lacey scarf or hat. Several skeins? Sweater or shawl time!). From there, I look at what the end result would be and if I like it, I’ll take a closer look at the pattern to make sure I’ll enjoy creating the piece. Combination crocheters want to cherish both the act of their craft and the end result.

Something fun to note is that preferences can differ from craft to craft. I find my knitting process is very similar to my crochet process, however I’m definitely a product sewist. The act of sewing isn’t as therapeutic to me as crocheting, so I just want the project to be completed and off my sewing table. In contrast, sometimes I just want to crochet for the sake of crocheting. I’ll grab a skein or two of yarn, my hook and a simple pattern repeat to create a shawl or scarf that just goes and goes. I always want something in process on my hook or needles.

So, which type of crocheter are you? Whatever your process, cherish your crochet time!

Find the article here.

crochet

The WHITE GLOVE Treatment

KarenPopeWrites

So, the latest creation is this:

White Fingerless Mittens

Seems like I have perfected my pattern, so I will be offering it as an instant download on Etsy.

crochet

My Next Project

KarenPopeWrites

I am still very busy making new items to sell here, on Facebook and on my ETSY Page. Everyday, I crochet, update blogs and websites and think about what I will work on next.

I have perfected my fingerless mitten pattern. For now, this image is of my fingerless mittens Mirasol Sisa Yarn in Stardust which is 60% lambs wool and 40% alpaca in the first stage: The Basic Mitten.

Fingerless Mittens INCOMPLETE
crochet

Fingerless Gloves

KarenPopeWrites

My creation is completed. As with any new crochet project, there are issues that must be resolved before I can offer the pattern for sale: Tweaks in wording and verifying that I didn’t miss a step.

These gloves were made with scrap yarn, so I am working on the real thing now, with real yarn purchased for the specific purpose of creating a pair of PERFECT fingerless glove. Well, as near perfect as I can make them.

I am not a machine. There may always be variations in stitches, or tiny imperfections that add to the overall beauty of the project. Anyway, enjoy the next step in my crochet creation project.

I used Red Heart Soft Yarn in cherry red, Patons Beehive Baby Sport Weight Yarn in Angel White and Susan Bates Silvalume crochet hooks size G and H

Fingerless Gloves in RED AND WHITE
crochet

I Have Been Very Busy

KarenPopeWrites

I have been working feverishly to create items for my online store that can be found here and here.  I have sold several items on ebay recently and have even sold some items directly to interested individuals.

The key was finding what people wanted to buy and not concentrating on what I wanted to make.

Also, price control has become an issue for me.  If it is priced too high, no one wants it, even if the item is hand-made.  If it is priced too low, then the entire market for hand-made crafts is diluted.

Fingerless Gloves/Wrist Warmer Steampunk or Boho Style: Blue chenille, lace trimmed with vintage white/rhinestone buttons
Fingerless Gloves/Wrist Warmer Steampunk or Boho Style: Red with black ruffle trim and large vintage buttons

Pictured are Fingerless Gloves/Wrist Warmer Steampunk or Boho Style: Red with black ruffle trim and large vintage buttons, Fingerless Gloves/Wrist Warmer Steampunk or Boho Style: Blue chenille, lace trimmed with vintage white/rhinestone buttons, Ear Warmer in shades of teal and gray, and an Ear Warmer in shades of light gray with a large crocheted flower.

All of the items are hand-crocheted by me and listed for sale on the internet.