Should I Buy This Pattern?(Or: Why We’re All Describing Elephants and Seeing Giraffes)
As both a crochet maker and a crochet designer, I live in a constant state of internal contradiction.
On the one hand:
I am a consumer who has absolutely rage-closed patterns that didn’t include diagrams.
On the other hand:
I am a designer who understands exactly why so many patterns don’t include them.
So when someone asks, “Should I buy this pattern?” my real answer is:
It depends on what kind of chaos you personally tolerate.
Let’s talk about it.
My Bias, Up Front
I hate patterns without diagrams.
Not dislike.
Not mildly annoyed by.
Hate. But I get it - keep reading…
Why Designers Skip Diagrams (Totally Understandable)
From the designer side: diagrams can be A LOT of extra work and expense.
Real work. Not “just slap some symbols on it” work.
You have to:
Spend money on vector design software (e.g., Illustrator, Affinity), Or - if free like Inkscape….
Know HOW to use vector design software - which for paid or free Software is NOT straightforward,
Translate 3D fabric into 2D symbols - which in crochet is NOT easy. Yarn math is not MATH MATH. Try to double crochet your standard yarn in rounds and see how long it takes to ripple…
Choose standard notation that won’t confuse half your audience - this is where software variables / legalese definitions come into play…,
Redesign 5 times because it looks good in Illustrator and is mess in the swatch…,
Test the diagram separately from the written pattern…no matter how many times you fact check yourself - the diagram is right and the words are WRONG,
Fix it again when someone goes, “Hey, this symbol is technically wrong for row 37” - and you’re like - nope the words are wrong, because symbols are easy…
It adds hours. Sometimes days.
And not every designer has:
Illustrator skills / Diagram software
The money to hire someone
The energy to do one more unpaid labor step
So yes—designers leave diagrams out not because they’re lazy, but because the cost-to-reward ratio is brutal.
I get it.
I just still don’t like it.
The “Plain English” Lie
Written crochet instructions are not actually “plain English.” I have a degree in English, and I GUARANTEE you if you try to write down every move you make from waking up in bed to getting into your car - someone reading it will walk face first into a wall or set the house on fire because they didn’t “turn off the burner” after making food…Every. Single. Move. Needs. Its. Own. Instruction.
And crochet patterns are no different. Its crafter code - which has ZERO standards. Not everyone uses the SAME crafter code “language” just like not all software engineers program in Python language or C++ language. (For those unfamiliar with software - there is no single software language because computers are forced to do wildly different kinds of jobs and need different types of languages to instruct them.)
What you think is a “normal” Crochet Instruction might look like:
Ch 3, sk next st, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next st, sl st in next st.
To others crocheters…especially new ones? This is a ransom note.
ALL compressed, shorthand language IS full of assumptions, invisible steps, and implied geometry.
And if you’ve ever worked in tech, you already know how this goes:
The customer says they want an elephant,
The designer hears they want a zebra,
The project manager draws plans for a monkey,
And the engineer builds a giraffe.
Everyone is confused.
Everyone is angry.
That’s not a skill issue. That’s a communication FORMAT issue.
So people think they want “plain English,” but what they actually want is spatial clarity—and diagrams give that instantly.
Why Diagrams Are a Cheat Code
A good diagram answers questions you didn’t even know how to ask:
Where does this stitch actually land?
Is this cluster centered or offset?
Why is my edge leaning like it’s emotionally unstable?
Is this round symmetrical or am I losing my mind?
Written patterns make you interpret.
Diagrams make you see.
And sorry but seeing beats interpreting every time.
So… Should You Buy That Pattern?
Here’s my feral but honest decision guide:
Buy it if:
You already know the stitch pattern well
You’re okay frogging and problem-solving
You enjoy figuring things out like a crochet escape room
The designer has good reviews mentioning clarity
You’re not on a deadline or a rage threshold
Be cautious if:
You’re a visual learner
You hate ambiguity
You’re tired, stressed, or already emotionally taxed
The project involves shaping, lace, cables, or geometry
The listing photos look nothing like what your brain can reverse-engineer
Strongly reconsider if:
It’s complex and has no charts
The description says “simple” but the stitches say “absolutely not”
Reviews mention confusion, missing steps, or “I had to message the designer a lot”
You’re paying premium prices for mystery instructions
The Uncomfortable Truth
Designers aren’t wrong for skipping diagrams.
Makers aren’t wrong for hating that they’re missing.
This is an artist expression problem.
But I will say this:
If you’re design has complex stitches with skips and back-tracking (e.g., cables) and calling it “beginner”…
Big Yikes
That is a crime. Straight to yarn jail.
ALSO if you ARE including diagrams…You better be teaching them what that diagram MEANS (e.g., don’t drop Egyptian hieroglyphs with no Rosetta Stone)
Where I’ve Landed as a Designer
I include diagrams because:
Making them is fun to lunatics like me (I GET IT),
I’ve worked in Software long enough to know - words mean nothing. Pictures are everything.
I hope it is easier to digest for my makers…because…
My goal isn’t just to sell a pattern….Its to ensure you can make my pattern in your happy place peacefully…and be done so well you don’t need to message me.
Final Verdict
So… should you buy that pattern?
Up to you love. But regardless:
May your stitch markers not be dirty dirty liars,
May your tension be consistent,
And may your giraffe at least be cute.