Calling all knitters and crocheters! Your pattern library has a story to tell. Uncover the funny, relatable truths about your crafting personality.
Confession time: I have a pattern addiction. It’s not the yarn I’m hooked on (well, maybe a little), but those tantalizing little booklets and PDFs full of possibility.
And if you’re into knitting or crocheting, you probably get it. Our pattern libraries aren’t just a collection of instructions, they’re a hilarious, endearing map of our crafting personalities.
Now that I design my own patterns my pattern library isn’t as large as it used to be, but I had binders and folders of the “someday” patterns that I wanted to make for years! Now I have sketches of patterns that I’d like to design.
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So, here is what your pattern library can tell you….
If You’re an Eternal Optimist
You know who you are. Your pattern stash is full of intricate sweaters, lace shawls, and fair isle masterpieces…even if the most complicated thing you’ve ever finished is a slightly wonky dishcloth. Hey, ambition is a perfectly good crafting supply!
This was totally me when I first learned to knit (I didn’t crochet until four years later). I had a ton of beautiful sweaters and intricate garment patterns and devoured issues of Vogue Knitting… and I eventually got there so don’t give up!
If You’ve Got the “Someday” Syndrome
Your shelves hold a treasure trove of vintage pattern booklets, promising gloriously retro sweaters and questionable tea cozies. Who knows, flared pants and macrame plant hangers might just make a comeback. You’ll be ready!
Okay so I’ll admit I haven’t done this one, as I tend to stick to classic pieces, but I have had my fair share of things I wanted to make – and hey, flared pants and macrame plant hangers ARE kind of in style now, right??
If You’re a Yarn Trendsetter (or Follower!)
Remember when everything had to be chunky knit? Or when gradient yarn took over the world? Yep, there’s a pattern in your collection to prove it. Because let’s be honest, sometimes the thrill is in the yarn more than the actual project.
Most of us fall victim to the latest fad or novelty yarn at one point or another, and who knows? You. might actually love what you make from those yarns and use them for years, but it stinks when the yarn you love gets discontinued…
If You’re Kind of a Yarn Snob
Your patterns call for pure cashmere, hand-dyed alpaca, and blends so luxurious they must have been spun by unicorns. Don’t worry, your yarn stash understands… even if your wallet weeps a little.
I’ll admit, I’m totally a yarn snob now. I will use acrylics and other yarns to design with, but I absolutely adore the more expensive yarns… I just don’t let myself indulge often…
If You Have a Project for Everyone
Baby booties? Check. Dog sweaters in multiple sizes? Obviously. An oddly specific throw pillow pattern? It had to be done. Your pattern library is ready for any crafting occasion life throws your way.
This is totally me!! If you look at the patterns I’ve designed here on Love.Life.Yarn you will see that I love variety and have tons of different styles and categories of patterns. Sometimes I fall victim to the “squirrel!” mentality, but I like to make whatever catches my fancy at the moment.
If You Never Fully Finish Anything
We all have those WIPs (Works In Progress) languishing in bags, the pattern circled ominously halfway down the page. But the good news is, you’re amazing at starting things! Enthusiasm is half the battle, right?
Oh, wow, this was totally me when I started!!!! I was a fashion design major and even my sewn garments for class projects fell victim to this… I would just turn in an unhemmed garment and have points taken off. My husband even said when he met me (we met in college) that he saw my half-finished projects lying everywhere and thought I would get tired of him. Haha! It’s been 23 years and I haven’t yet!
Thankfully I have since learned how great it feels to finish my projects, and while probably over half never get done, at least I’m 50% better. LOL
If You’re Secretly Sentimental
Amidst the complex patterns, there’s that first, slightly lumpy scarf pattern. Maybe the hat’s a little too big, but it marks the beginning. After all, you can’t spell “craftsmanship” without “craft.”
Yup, I still have the first thing I ever made… in class we had to knit a scarf long enough to wrap around our neck once. I got tired of garter stitch and my scarf was barely long enough. I learned that choosing a cute variegated yarn in a DK weight wasn’t the best choice for a beginner and put my needles down for a couple of years before I picked it up again.
If You’re On A Quest for the “Perfect” Pattern
Your sock pattern collection rivals a library. There’s the basic sock, the sock with the fancy heel, the sock with cables… because surely, the ultimate sock pattern is just one download away.
All of us can fall victim to this, but really it’s hard to find something you’d consider the “perfect” pattern. It’s one of the reasons I decided to use my fashion design degree to design sweaters that fit me!
If You’re a Bit Indecisive
You’ve got five near-identical sweater patterns and can’t for the life of you remember why. But don’t worry, we call this “maximizing your options,” which sounds way more strategic than “mildly panicked pattern buying.”
I fell victim to this one, too! I tend to like asymmetrical necklines, tunic-length sweaters and cardigans, and I had a lot of similar sweater patterns to prove it. None of them ever got made, though…
If You’re a Crafting Dreamer
We all have it – that breathtaking, jaw-droppingly complex pattern tucked away in the “special” folder. It’s intimidating, maybe even a little unrealistic, but that’s the beauty of it. Those aspirational patterns are what keep us reaching, learning, and fueling our love for the craft.
There is nothing wrong with this at all!! I went from a first scarf that was barely long enough to go around my neck to having a design in Vogue Knitting magazine!! Eventually you’ll get there, so keep dreaming!
Final Thoughts…
So, are our pattern collections a bit of a delightful mess? Absolutely. But more importantly, they’re bursting with creativity, joy, and the occasional bout of yarn-fueled delusion.
And at the end of the day, that’s what makes crafting so much fun! Let’s hear it for our pattern libraries and the quirky, wonderful crafters they represent!
Happy Knitting or Crocheting!
Amanda
