Craftsnark Rules

Is this insane, or am I just totally out of the loop?? I started following this account for the pretty self-striping sock yarn, and this is the first post I got in my feed from them. We're barely a month into the year, and they're already selling advents. Idk about y'all, but thus just seems so shady and icky to me. I get that there is often high demand for advents, but is it really necessary to start selling them like 7 months before they'll ship??

I've seen the odd recommendation for this and that tutorial on Craftsy, and want to master my knitting machine with proper tutorials (having suffered too long at the hands of amateur ones on YT).
I've gone on to their website but cannot find their monthly pricing for love nor money, just lots of links to "Sign up for the free trial!!" and eventually some fine print (having clicked through to the free trial) on being automatically signed up to a $123 annual subscription, no mention of their per month tier.
I can't find an actual price page (including within their FAQs), just lots and lots of sales talk on membership benefits, free trials etc etc.

I'm now massively put off signing up, simple because of this lack of transparency. What are they trying to hide? Why not be upfront about the cost?

Welcome to the bitesized BEC thread!

You have the freedom to indulge in BEC-style (b*tch eating crackers) vent comments in this thread. Naming examples is not required (gasp!) but majority of r/craftsnark rules still apply. Basically, don't be shitty and ruin the thread for others.

Forgive me if my writing is disjointed, I didn't think about this post before I sat down and starting writing.

With the tariffs that the US is imposing on Canadian imports effective Feb1, there has been an unofficial boycott of buying US products. How are you planning to continue your hobby (sewing, knitting, crochet, cross stitch etc) without buying from the US?

For example. I am a sewist. I will continue to buy patterns from indie makers, but I will buy from either Canadian or other countries that are also having tariffs inflicted upon them. But I will not be buying from Simplicity or US indie pattern makers. I apologize to US pattern makers, but we are going to be hurting very badly from these tariffs over the next four years. We need to do what we can to fight back. Fortunately we have great Canadian designers, Helens Closet, Jalie, Closet Core, Thread Theory and many more.

I will not be buying any crafting supplies from Michaels. No exceptions. Same with Walmart.

Fortunately I use Gutermann thread and last time I checked it is made in Europe or Mexico.

As I understand it, YKK zippers are made in Japan or the US. Riri zippers are made in Switzerland, Italy, France and Portugal. So I will buy Riri. Or I won't use zippers, I will wear elastic waists or drawstrings.

Fortunately for me I have an obscenely large fabric stash that will take me years to sew down, so I just won't be buying fabric for the next four years, unless I order it from Europe or Mexico.

There are several European makers of elastic. Matsa Textiles, Global Elastic are two of them. It doesn't seem like they sell direct. Have to find out who they sell to in Europe so we can buy from them.

Cross stitchers rejoice, DMC floss is made in France and most of the worlds Aida cloth is made in Germany by the Zweigart company. I looked this up because I do cross stitch as well.

Knitting is a mystery to me, so I have nothing to share. Sorry.

So fellow Canadians, how are you going to manage boycotting US made products?

Handsome Chris = simple Cable it = a copy of handsome Chris Cable it = no! Actually unique and complex! You flies don't understand art!!

I cannot believe the irony. Truly Shakespearean

They seem to have taken a big step back in the knitting community over the past few years, but I still found this odd…anyone know what’s going on?

Just over a week ago I made a post wondering whether an image in Just Cross Stitch was AI generated. Somebody suggested I email the magazine, which I decided to do. I figured I'd make an update, but there isn't much more to say than that.

I’ve been knitting for many many years and consider myself experienced. It’s rare for a pattern to trip me up, and when it does, I have always been able to eventually figure it out independently. I admire Rebecca Clow’s (Creabea) work, especially her dedication to size inclusivity and “Mega” patterns which help minimize cost in an otherwise costly hobby. I also enjoy following her design process on YouTube and look forward to her releases.

However, I’ve now purchased 5 of her patterns, and each time, have been left frustrated and unable to complete them. Most recently, I took a half finished sweater of hers to my LYS for help, but even they couldn’t decipher the instructions. Although Rebecca is responsive when I reach out, I don’t find answers have been very helpful. It’s disheartening and upsetting to feel stuck after investing in multiple patterns.

Her patterns are widely praised, extensively tested, and loved by many, which makes me question whether I’m misunderstanding them. Am I the only one struggling with her designs? Should I keep trying, even though it’s no longer enjoyable (because I want them in my wardrobe SO BADLY), or are they genuinely as confusing as they seem?

Hello everyone,

I’m not sure if this is the right sub to post this in, but I’m kinda of confused and frustrated at the moment.

I’ve had this sweater (what she is wearing in the video below) as a project on the back burner for a while. I decided I wanted to try it out today. I wasn’t sure what stitch was used to make the sweater, as it almost looked like knit to me.

In the comments of this video, the creator has replied to people asking about the sweater. She said it was made with her pattern, and linked the pattern in the description.

I bought the pattern, and after trying it out I’ve come to the conclusion that it does NOT look like the sweater she is wearing in her video. It is made with a dc ch2 mesh stitch, which doesn’t end up looking anything like that sweater.

I might be kind of dumb for not realizing this at first, but looking even closer at the sweater in the video, it really appears to be knit. I might be wrong but I would appreciate other people’s opinions on whether or not that sweater is crochet or knit.

Video in question

Please share all personal chatter here--questions, planning, works in progress, successes, failures, discoveries, and anything else pertaining to your personal crafting.

Here's the thread where you can share any new patterns or products that you don't think deserve their own post. Any craft goes, whether you're sharing sewing patterns, weird yarn colourways, woodburning templates, soapmaking supplies, or any thing else that you'd like to discuss. If you think it deserves it's own thread, feel free to make one!

Okay this is prob silly, its partially my fault for my dumb brain going on autopilot the second I use a pattern, but partially just poor pattern-making/advertising on the creators part. In the Mayflower jumper from ThePetiteKnitter the pattern says k1p1 for the neck construction. I just noticed that in ALL the photos it is 2x2 rib. This is carried over in all pattern translations too. If she liked the look of 2x2 so much that she solely advertised the pattern with it, why not just make the pattern also reflect it??

This is admittedly petty, like I could've just done 2x2 on my own, but like at the root of it I have to wonder what other modifications she makes to her worn pattern that aren't mirrored in the sold pattern? Like if I buy a pattern bc I like the shaping or construction from the photos and I knit it exactly as written to get the desired effect, the final result should match the photo in a perfect world, right? RIGHT???

its still a very cute sweater, but it's top-down so 1x1 is my life now, I cannot go back.

https://preview.redd.it/1looy9y74efe1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=3dd84be008a0c073ad364aca1112bd76310d4f35

https://preview.redd.it/tafkemy24efe1.png?width=896&format=png&auto=webp&s=e045472aefc2df71da8ea2db4cad186871c93609

She designed fantasy-inspired patterns in knit fabrics--a bit niche, but it happened to be a niche that I liked! I've made her Beltaine and Lammas dress patterns a lot for myself and her Sir Gawain knight costume once for my kid.

She's having a closing sale on her website with the code CLOSING50: https://mothergrimmpatterns.co.uk/sewing-patterns/ (Warning: it's not the prettiest or most user friendly website. I preferred her Etsy shop, but it's already closed).

Anyway, this seems to be part of a larger trend of indie pattern companies shutting down or merging with other companies. I'm saddened by this trend, as I enjoy having lots of companies with their own unique aesthetics or body types that they design for. I don't want a few big companies just churning out linen sacks or sweatpants because those patterns have the most mass appeal.

I love supporting indie dyers but holy Batman I hate when I have to click on the yarn faq to figure out their different bases. Why must all of them come up with crazy names? Why can’t it simply be the content and size? For example, suri silk fingering bases, they’ll be called “cloud suri, “loft suri silk”, “swimming suri”.

Why can’t they just use “suri silk fingering” instead of all these ridiculous names? It gets worse when you get all the different DK weights and they have to have a special name for every one of their bases instead of just labeling what it is.

I hate this, I wish indie dyers didn’t do this. It really confuses me when I try to put an order together and I’m like “wait, which DK do I want to order? What’s the difference between the bases?”

Also, it’s not like it’s their specially made yarn or base either. They’re just buying it from some other mill and dying it. So extra and unnecessary in my personal opinion.

Here is their respond after tons of emails finally I decide to text them on instagram All I subscribed for was one single course for one month which was around $0.99 and a month later I got charged for $200

At this point I have made dispute transaction claim I hope it works kindly tell me if you went through the same experience and how did you get your money back

Welcome to the bitesized BEC thread!

You have the freedom to indulge in BEC-style (b*tch eating crackers) vent comments in this thread. Naming examples is not required (gasp!) but majority of r/craftsnark rules still apply. Basically, don't be shitty and ruin the thread for others.

No snark directed to the pattern maker or people that share their well made fishy sweaters in r/knitting (I have the cowl pattern myself and like the colorwork design). I'm just trying to figure out why when it's posted so frequently, each post always has hundreds of upvotes compared to other projects?

Is it an inside joke like when people held their socks like they caught a fish from awhile ago?

Is it just a really well written sweater pattern that everyone loves? Did it go on sale recently?

What was the most frequent project post before being usurped by the fish? Nightshift shawl?

Am I overthinking this? (most likely answer) 😂

Hello there. I, a man, recently discovered that if you hold two needles and some wool, you can magically create manly articles of clothing like beanies and what not. I believe that I am the first to do this, and no other man in the world has ever done this before. In fact, an old lady had a heart attack and blamed me for it because she saw me holding my needles and yarn. Given that I am the only man to ever do this, should I expect more of these kinds of reactions? Also, I expect all of you to upvote and compliment me, a man, for doing this traditionally female hobby. Making clothes is girly and obviously I am an evolved specimen and therefore worthy of your attention and praise.

/uj I think it’s always great when someone discovers knitting and enjoys it. But when I saw this post in another sub, I immediately thought it was a jerk post. No dude, you’re not special because you started knitting and fellas, it’s not gay when make clothes.

ETA since some people think the poor menfolk are barred from entering his hobby, here’s a two second google for your trouble:

According to available data, approximately 29% of people who knit or crochet are men, meaning that roughly one-third of knitters and crocheters identify as male.

I translated the photo from the post below so that everyone can read it.

https://www.doanity.com/p/cm67cq2gl0001k5fj271dc3ne

https://preview.redd.it/gegk81yhjuee1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=ee8f1e8580989ec62da3e068a449b3912957c2a3

Since I posted the thread about Just Patterns, I received two 2024 year-in-review posts that, while not showing data numbers, touched on making money...or not!

Ploen Patterns has an interesting passage in their blog post : https://ploenpatterns.com/blogs/news/2024-year-in-review "I’ve spent sooo many hours, so much energy and effort on this business over the years and I’ve never made a profit. At the end of 2023 I was at a point where Ploen Patterns was breaking even, I didn’t need to take money from my day job to cover business expenses anymore. A really exciting point to reach but it didn’t feel that way. Because I thought this point was going to come so much earlier. I decided to give Ploen Patterns a chance to make some profit in 2024 and if I didn’t manage it I would quit. "

And then, just today, got an email from EDIT Sew Love Patterns that says: "Running the business on my own has been exhausting at times and I haven’t made enough sales to be able to afford to hire extra help."

The designer then goes on to say that they have been training for a new career and are considering shutting down the brand.

And is offering a 30% off coupon(!?!)

This makes me think of all the subscription and classes being offered everywhere v. strictky sewing patterns.

(And also of Burda's recent Years of Boring. They seem to have perked up a bit in 2025, however.)

Is the Indie sewing pattern bubble about to pop?

EDITED to correct the brand name. My apologies!

Hi everyone!

I've gotten a ton of submissions and I'm working my way through them. I will be able to go through them fully the first week of February. I have an entire draft of my dissertation due on Jan 31 and a big job interview on Jan 30, so I am kinda slammed this week.

I believe it was in their second episode where they said they got yarn from the "festival that shall not be named" and I am racking my brain over which one they are talking about. They mentioned it a second time too. Does anyone have an idea? And why?

EDIT: Thank you guys! I feel so dumb that I didn't figure it out 🤣 makes total sense that would be the one.

I've been seeing a lot of discourse on IG and Threads over the last few days about designers and makers being so against testing patterns. Some find it exploitative and feel they should be paid in cash for their work, some think it's too much to ask for people to test so they do it themselves (AKA not testing at all), some think it's just plain unnecessary.

Personally, I think anything that involves math, needs to be a certain finished size, or needs to fit a living being's body must 100% be tested by at least one person not involved in the design process. Testing a pattern is voluntary and is something makers do for one another because we are supposed to be a community! Communities help each other! No designer is holding a gun to anyone's head and saying they need to test this pattern for free or else.

Most testers sign up (or apply, depending on designer) for a test because they want to do it, and understand they get compensation in the form of the pattern, experience, and connections. I feel like the only people who are against testing are people who don't like the idea of voluntary work and lazy designers who can't be bothered to call for testers and wait a few more weeks to release the pattern.

Edit: I am mostly talking about knit and crochet patterns, since I am not a garment sewist. Thank you all for point out to me that tech editors have to format and do the math and the testers essentially test the experiences. I knew that, but I didn't make myself clear in the original post. I also want to be clear that certain testing practices ARE predatory, like social media requirements, tight timelines, not taking feedback, HAVING TO SEND THE FO TO THE DESIGNER (what the actual fuck??). The last one especially is egregious because that's not a test, that's a sample and needs to be paid for.