Patterns are sometimes difficult

Since I have a hard time following some patterns, it’s not helpful for me that I can’t preview the patterns. I’ve bought quite a few now and can’t use them all—I guess I’m just not that skilled :-)

Dear Margit,

Of course, it’s frustrating when many of the patterns aren’t useful to you.
And I don’t think it’s because of your skills :-) Not everyone can get along with every pattern or every writing style—that’s perfectly normal. 

For the patterns you’ve already bought, one option might be to send a message to the respective author and explain what you didn’t understand. It’s part of an author’s service to help customers when they’re having trouble.

If you want to buy a pattern in the future, I’d advise you to:
-Check what difficulty level is listed in the description. Most of the time, it specifies what you’ll get (written instructions, crochet charts, lots of pictures, etc.)
- Generally, the description is a good indicator of the pattern. If the description is already very detailed and clearly written, there’s a better chance the pattern will be too.
-It’s also a good idea to look for free patterns in the author’s shop.
See if the author has a free pattern available. You can then look at it to see how the author structures their patterns and whether you can follow them. Most authors structure their patterns the same way, and if you can follow the free pattern, you’ll be able to understand the paid pattern you’ve chosen as well.

I hope these experiences haven’t discouraged you.
And I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your next purchases.

Best regards
Tina 

Hello Margit, 

I think I can speak on behalf of most designers here and assure you that we are very interested in our customers being satisfied and getting along well with the patterns. 

As Tina already wrote, it’s a good sign when the description is already well written and clearly structured. 
You can also use the reviews of the individual patterns as a guide. 

And last but not least, the designers are of course always happy to provide help. 
You can reach the designers either via the contact details listed in the pattern or via the message function on CrazyPatterns. 

In the unlikely event that a designer does not respond to a question, there is also customer support, who can then act as an intermediary. 

I hope these points can help you. 

Best regards 
Michaela 

Dear Margit, I’d also like to encourage you.

I used to feel that way quite often, too. I’d fall in love with a design and buy the pattern. After downloading it, I’d want to get started but would get stuck right at the beginning because I didn’t understand something. If I really wanted to make it, I’d write to the author and ask them to explain it to me again. If I still didn’t understand it, I’d set the pattern aside “for later” and look for and buy another one.

Today, I’d approach things differently. I think I often chose the wrong patterns back then. It seems to me that if you’re a beginner at knitting or crocheting, it’s especially important to find a pattern that matches your skill level. It’s not about buying lots of patterns that don’t suit you, but about starting with the right one, one that’s a good fit for you.

So how do you find that one right pattern that brings joy and rewards you with a beautiful result?

Tina has already given some very good tips. I’d like to add that I think it’s important at the beginning to choose a pattern that has already been bought many times. The advantage of that is that many people have already had the chance to make it, comment on it, and review it. Among the many buyers, there were certainly lots of beginners who wrote about how they got on with the pattern. If so many other beginners got on very well with the pattern, there’s a good chance that it’s the right one for you too. And if you like the design as well, even better. You can’t go too far wrong with a tried-and-tested pattern that has been reviewed positively several times. After all, 1,000 people can’t be wrong.

If you then master that one pattern well, you’ll be happy with your result and take a look at what else the author of that pattern has to offer. Maybe you’ll like something else from their shop. The advantage of that is that you already know their instruction style. That way, you build up one pattern after another. And with every pattern, you get better!

It’ll work out! Don’t buy lots of patterns recklessly and then doubt yourself; instead, choose specific ones that others have already tried out for you.

I wish you lots of success and continued joy in your handicrafts. It’s worth it.

Kind regards from Ina

Hi Ina,

thanks for your reply. It’s not that I don’t understand the patterns—I already have a whole box full of crocheted figures—but there are still some things I don’t get, despite all that. For example, I didn’t know what six half double crochets worked together were :-) But I know now, since I watched some YouTube videos to figure it out.

I’d also like to thank everyone else here right away, and I’ll take your advice to heart!

Best wishes to you all! Thank you!

Hey Margit,

YouTube is great—I like to watch videos there too when I’m not sure how to do something. Otherwise, I sometimes download the free patterns beforehand to check out the layout. Everyone has their own style and way of explaining things, after all.

I wish you many more wonderful moments of crocheting.

Best regards, Diana