My Crochet Journey Episode 3

Well, this is the last instalment about my crochet journey. No, the crochet journey won't end now lol. I'm not sure I could quit crocheting.....what would I do with my spare time or all the creative ideas still in my head?

If you are here for the first time, you can read Episode 1 HERE & Episode 2 HERE.

I will be posting photos of some of my favorite patterns in between. Just click on the photo to go to the pattern.

Now where was I? Oh yes, designing isn't as much fun as it used to be.... too much pressure.

Once you get stuck in the design rut and feel that you need to produce 1 new pattern every week it's hard to get out of that rut. It's almost the same as being addicted to coffee.... yes addicted (I speak from experience). Every morning I need to have coffee. I can live without it if I have too, but it's not fun for me or my husband lol. Crochet designing is almost like that. Once you have it in your blood, and feel that you need to do it every day, how do you stop?

Buying yarn is almost the same. It's on sale! How can you pass up yarn at 50 - 70% off even if it's a discontinued yarn or color. It's just not possible. If I can crochet a blanket for $20 instead of $50 - $60 why wouldn't I buy the yarn?! Unfortunately the sales happen around Christmas time when I'm not home..... when I get home there are a lot of packages of yarn waiting for me. It's hard to keep track of purchases when you don't see the yarn arrive! Maybe I should make a spreadsheet for that......

There are so many projects I need to make!

For instance.... Each year for the last bunch I have crocheted at least 5 blankets to give to a friend, who gives them to Veterans at Christmas. There are a few different charities I like to donate hats, scarves and cowls too who pass them out every winter to the homeless or people who need them. Some smaller blankets get donated to Project Linus (blankets for sick children), and some of them go to a local "shelter" for women and families escaping from a bad situation and have nothing.

There is so much need in the world, how do I stop giving? I've been blessed with a relatively easy life. Always had a home, food, clothes and the necessary things to survive. Yes, times were lean when we first got married, but we survived and thrived.

So when I first started to crochet, this had been my goal. Crochet items that I can donate. Somewhere along the line I got sidetracked ...... lol There are days when I wish my brain would let me go back to those easy days.

Oh dear - went "off the rails" again. Back to designing. Did I mention I have a short attention span and get "off the rails" a lot? lol

Crochet designing is a drug. There, I said it. It is totally addicting, once you start you can't stop. At least that's how it worked for me the past 7 years. One pattern a week?!!! What was I thinking? Sure, I'm retired, have time to crochet, but I used to love to read. Haven't read a book in quite a while. I have 12 books along in the camper I was going to read.... I've read one of them and started another just a few days ago. We have been camping for the past 4 months.

When I first started designing, people where saying that you needed a lot of patterns to get a lot of sales. Maybe that's how I got into this rut. Well..... they lied. It's not how many patterns you have at all. Has nothing to do with it. I have over 500 patterns, and I would say that 80% of them have less than 20 sales. Why, because they are mediocre patterns. Yes, they use different stitches and colors, but they aren't anything "special".

About a week or so ago I happened to find a crochet podcast by a Dutch designer. Christina talks about "finding your unique design style". Hmmmm, do I have one? What does that even mean? Not sure, so going to take one of her courses to find out.

I was chatting with Christina through emails. She designs 2 patterns a year. What?! Only 2 ... a year? My mind can not even fathom that. She's a young mom and also has her crochet coaching business, so doesn't rely totally on pattern sales to create income. But she does say that "quality" is more important than "quantity". Oh my gosh! I think this is something I needed to hear.

There are so many of my old patterns that need updating. I went through all my patterns from January 2018 until about January 2021 and have decided that some beanie patterns need to be changed to "top down" beanies, some need more sizes, some blankets need to be crocheted with different yarn and maybe a different size as well (make some of the baby blankets adult size). Definitely need to do some of the patterns over and take much better photos! Maybe this can be one of my resolutions for 2026.

All I need to figure out now is how to slow down and enjoy my crochet journey.

Pretty sure I can't create only 2 patterns per year lol. But maybe I can slow down and create only 15 - 20 "quality" patterns a year, patterns that are unique, with lots of texture and fun stitches, patterns people will "need to have". Maybe patterns that I've never done before? Ruana, poncho, t-shirt? Will still need to do blankets. LOVE blankets. Still need shawls (they get donated to a hospice), but maybe they can be "special" as well, or updated old shawl patterns with new and fun yarns. Really need to think about this.

I have met so many amazing crocheters through this journey. So many new friends on FB. I wouldn't trade that for anything. My fb group is amazing. The tester group is the best on FB (in my opinion), they always find my mistakes lol. I have friends that are pattern designers that I can share ideas with, rant with, and sometimes just chat about the stresses of pattern designing. It's an amazing group of supportive crochet enthusiasts. Wouldn't want to be without them.

Coming Soon.

So my crochet journey isn't ending, it's just making a very big adjustment in how it will proceed in the future. At least that's the plan right now. I may have to put sticky notes on my yarn supply..... "slow down", "not right now", "go read a book", "go outside", "it will still be here tomorrow". I wonder if that would help? I love spreadsheets, maybe I will make one for 2026 with plans for the year. What I would like to design that is new and fun, & what patterns need a refresh. Something to work on while my brain is going a mile a minute with ideas for crochet patterns lol.

Thank you so much for reading my blog posts and joining my crochet journey! I hope to meet you online, chat about crochet & life, see your crochet projects (even if they aren't my patterns), and just have FUN with crochet! If you ever need someone to listen to your rants, crochet frustrations, life struggles or whatever you want to talk about, just message me on FB or Ravelry, or send me an email. I check all 3 places many times a day :)