Knitting Socks

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask what you’re currently working on. Knitting or crocheting—whatever it is.
I’m working on socks right now. One is already finished, and the other is still at the “cuff.”
I’d love it if there were more free patterns available. It’s a shame that so many people are making money this way instead of sharing with each other.
What do you think?

@biggi12
Welcome to the forum.
Many of our authors are homemakers and mothers; for them, this is often the only way to earn money. That money is often urgently needed.
Our authors put a lot of time, effort, and work into this, so of course they should also be rewarded financially.
I don’t think you’d like to work for free or give your work away for nothing, because you also have to pay for food, living expenses, and so on.

We have a lot of free patterns, and the number is constantly growing. We also frequently have sales where you can get patterns at a discount.
I’d ask you to refrain from making statements like “It’s a shame that so many people are making money this way instead of sharing with each other,” because that won’t win you any friends here.
Moreover, exchanging or passing on patterns is prohibited here on crazypatterns.
I hope you have fun here anyway.

@Authors
Please don’t turn this thread into a drama; otherwise, I’ll have to lock it.
If you like, you can share how and why you started writing patterns or what your professional situation is like. Please use this thread constructively.

Ich freu mich natürlich auch über gratisanleitungen (wer tut das nicht)
Aber ich hab hier auch schon viele wirklich tolle Anleitungen gekauft, die ihr Geld absolut wert waren und wenn man mal nicht weiterkommt, kam unheimlich schnell eine Antwort auf die Fragen. Manchmal nach 5 Minuten, was ich echt irre fand.
Ich habe nie auf eine Antwort lange warten müssen. Und ich finde diesen Service muss man auch bezahlen!
Außerdem merkt man bei den Anleitungen echt wieviel Arbeit da drin steckt, wenn fast jeder Arbeitsschritt fotografiert ist. 

Hi Biggi,

I’m a pattern author and seller here at crazypatterns.

I actually started out with a free pattern that I first sent out by email. I was really happy that so many people wanted to make my pattern. However, by the second day, I had to realize that this wasn’t going to work.

  So I uploaded the file to a Facebook group. Now everyone could download it themselves, and I thought that would work.

But I still kept getting tons of questions, and at the same time, I received a message saying the pattern was great. I should add photos and offer it for sale here.

As you may have already noticed, there are also people who are happy to show their appreciation for a good pattern by paying a few euros.

  All right, then. So I took the plunge. I’d already registered my business by that point, so getting started went pretty quickly.

I’m currently working on a pattern that I’ve been busy with for the past two weeks. It’ll take at least three more days before I can sit down at the computer to write the pattern.

  Unfortunately, I’m still far from finished. After all, the final product still needs to be photographed so people can see as clearly as possible what it looks like when it’s done.

Done? No, not by a long shot!

Now the pattern still has to be put online somehow. That means more computer work: writing the description, sorting it into the right categories, and waiting for the upload to finish.

  There! Now you’re probably thinking everything’s done. Unfortunately, not yet.

Actually, this is where it really starts. Now someone contacts me because the download didn’t work. Well, that’s a problem that’s quickly fixed.
But then, for example, someone else contacts me because their crochet piece doesn’t look the way it should according to the pattern pictures. So I help them troubleshoot the issue.  What I’m describing right now isn’t fiction!
For three days, we go back and forth via messages—maybe even on the phone—until we finally figure out that the specified pattern repeat was accidentally worked incorrectly. Well, things like that can happen, and fortunately, I can say that, together with some wonderful women and through many great conversations, I’ve been able to find every mistake so far.

  But let’s be honest. If I didn’t view it as work… I don’t think I’d often feel like writing. And is it really desirable for pattern authors to put down their pens at some point in this creative process?

I think we’d miss out on a lot of great ideas and patterns if authors only ever did what they felt like doing.

  And that brings us to the topic of work. Because keeping at it even when you don’t feel like it anymore is exhausting, takes time away from other things, and that is work.

And honestly, the money you pay for a pattern is really NEVER in proportion to the work that went into it. (Please keep in mind that not all of the price goes to the author.)

  The next time you see a great pattern that costs money, please take a moment to think about how much time and work went into it.
Maybe then you’ll be willing to show the author your appreciation with a small contribution?

Best regards, Birgit 

I'm not a designer, but I would like to take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU!
You put so much work, passion, and precious time into creating your patterns, many of them even free, and that deserves recognition. 
Please keep it up!

@Biggi12
there are so many beautiful free patterns here on CP; if there isn't anything there for you, it's perfectly fine to pay a few euros for a pattern. When you think about how many euros you sometimes spend in the store on various knitting or crochet magazines (at least that's how it is for me), and maybe actually make just one pattern from them, your money is pretty well spent here! The designers are also all super nice and helpful (at least the ones I've had contact with so far). That means you're not just paying for the pattern, but also for the help.
With that in mind,
wishing everyone a craft-filled evening ;)