3 Simple Steps to Writing Your Own Pattern

 

Have you ever crocheted something and wished you knew how to write a pattern for it? Or do you have dreams of being an aspiring designer? Writing your own pattern doesn’t have to be scary. Here are 3 simple steps to help you get started.

 

3 Simple Steps to Writing Your Own Crochet Pattern

 

3 Simple Steps to
Writing Your Own Pattern

 

We all know there are well written patterns, and then there are patterns that have mistakes, aren’t clear, or are just poorly written. Some of those mistakes can be avoided with a little bit of knowledge and care when you write.

I’ve come up with a 3 step checklist to help you get started. Here they are, in all their simplicity. They seem so obvious, and yet somehow, sometimes, they’re overlooked.

Plan – Plan it out. Think about all the information you will need to provide to the crocheter. Yarn weight/brand, hook size(s), gauge, sizing, difficulty level, etc. Have you used any special stitches that will need instructions written out? Never assume anything. Better to include too much information, than to have some missing.

Do – Make the item and write the pattern. Make sure your written pattern will match your sample. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to purchase a pattern and have the stitch in the written pattern different from the stitch in the sample photos. (Yes, this has happened to me.) Also, you will want to write the pattern so that a beginner could read it. (They may not necessarily have the skill set to do it yet, but they will at least have the confidence to try if it is written well.)

Review – Have someone test your pattern. Sometimes, if it’s a more difficult pattern, I will even have more than one person test it. You may even want to consider having a tech editor look at the pattern for you. (If you’ve never heard of a technical editor, here is some info.) The reason you need others to review, test, and edit it for you is that no matter how well your pattern is written, you know what it is supposed to say, so you can’t be a good judge of how others will read it. An outsider will be able to pick up on things you may miss.

Mistakes do happen – after all we’re human – but there are some things that can be prevented with a little bit of time and care. Take your time to do it right because rushing only results in errors.

Have you ever written your own pattern? Do you plan to in the near future?

P.S. I have a free download sheet for taking notes on patterns you’re writing (or reading). All you need to do is sign up for my newsletter and the pdf will be delivered to your inbox.

Happy Crocheting!



2 thoughts on “3 Simple Steps to Writing Your Own Pattern”

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.