Why I Don't Pay For Patterns

I want to talk about paying for patterns. I wanna start by saying I understand the point and as someone who makes an income online I get it but at the same time I hate it. I personally don’t believe in paying for patterns nor will I ever sell a pattern unless let’s say it’s in a book. A book is different than just buying an individual pattern, a book is a physical copy that you’re paying for with multiple patterns, tips, and information. Well, online people pay out words of six to ten dollars for no physical item but a downloadable word document. Again I get the point, I have made my own patterns and spent hours upon hours of time and testing to get it just right, and yes I would like the credit, but I also believe at some point someone has either come up with it already or will in the future. Crocheting is almost like math it’s just sets of numbers that you put into a pattern that creates something. And even if I think of a brand new thing to make there is probably some version of it on the Internet. 

That goes along with my own personal belief that nothing is created on its own by us. I believe that everything has happened at some point in some version. Which probably contributes to my feelings towards paid patterns. But for example not to call out anyone specifically, but I wanted to try to make it pleated skirt at one point, and there was only one pattern that I could find that was remotely what I was thinking of, and it was like seven dollars. I want to know that this person did not create pleated skirts nor did they create the pleat design. I did find two additional sources of how to make pleats, but at first they were hard to understand, but I eventually got it. I did end up making that skirt and it looks great but the fact that neither of those things was created by this person the main thing that they were selling was the number of stitches that they used. So if you think about it they were just selling their ratio and not a natural pattern for seven dollars. And personally, I am not a fan of that. I know that there are patterns out there that are completely unique in their own way, but the fact that I normally can find a pattern or now that I understand crocheting mathematics better, I can make it myself by just looking at a picture. I have been crocheting for 8+ years and I just now recently in the last maybe six months truly learned how crocheting works mathematically. 

Now I can look at a picture and somewhat figure out how it was done or figure out a version of how it was done to where I can make it myself and that is an awesome technique that I’m really proud of, but a lot of people can’t do that and I don’t want people to be discouraged from crocheting just because they can’t find a pattern because they all cost. Not everyone has the money to spend seven dollars for something that is just online or even a physical item for that matter. And the fact that the Internet is so amazing to be able to reach a lot of people I think it should be that patterns can be more accessible. I’ll say for the third time I understand the point of paid patterns. But I still believe that pattern should be accessible to anyone. Another reason why I hate pain patterns is not the accessibility or lack thereof. It’s the fact that personally, I am very picky on patterns, a lot of the time I make my own patterns because I cannot find a pattern that suits what I prefer. I have talked in the past about how I hate certain techniques and I have made ways around them. And normally when I find a pattern that I like,  I normally altar in some way towards my preference. So I know that if I did pay for a pattern there is a high chance that I will not like it and maybe just take a piece from the pattern, and put it into a new design. I think patterns are tools, I don’t fully believe in them as creations, I believe the things that you crochet our creations and where you get that pattern doesn’t matter in my opinion. 

I understand people sell crocheted items, I do even, but every time they wanna make that pattern they will go back to your site or, they’ll save your site or, they’ll recommend your site. Or even then your pattern has brought joy to this person and all the people that might buy their product. I know technically in that mindset you are losing money. But money isn’t everything, crocheting has become more than a hobby, for me, it is completely part of my life, and if every pattern on the Internet I had to pay for, I would not be crochet. I learned everything I know from YouTube tutorials and blog posts. The Internet taught me one of my greatest passions and I have everyone does never posted a crochet pattern online to thank. You can do the same to another young child that wants to actually create. One thing I really love about crocheting is that you create with your hands, you create something you can hold, I love video games and I play them all the time, but finishing a video game has no compared to what feels like to finish a crochet project. If you were a regular crocheter, know that everything you see on my Instagram is available on this blog for free to learn, and this blog is full of awesome different and unique patterns that are all free for you to use. If you do use a pattern I would love to see it on Instagram tag me in it and I will absolutely like it.