Learn to Read Crochet Patterns

Let's learn to read crochet patterns. Using examples from Yarnspirations, we will go through a comprehensive look at how to read the patterns step by step. I will share the hang-ups of learning to read patterns with you below.

It's very detailed, and hopefully, by the end of the presentation, you will have a better perspective and may have learned a few things. Please leave me a comment on the blog below with your thoughts.

Learn to Read Crochet Patterns

Mikey follows the technical standards of Yarnspirations to make it seamless to compare his patterns with Yarnspirations. They match in the way they are written.

Get Rid of the Fluff

Pattern writing is about getting rid of the fluff—extra words—and jumping right to the point. Jumping to the point has to be direct without leaving questions about what has been done. Patterns over two pages with really long-worded instructions have a significant chance of people opting not to do the pattern or just giving up on it mid-process.

Let's see an example:

Row 1: Crochet starts the single crochet second chain from the hook, then begins to single crochet in the rest of the chain all the way to the end. When you get to the end, turn your work.

Let's simplify the instruction:

1st row: 1 sc 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch across. Turn.

Both say the same thing, but the simplified version is easier to read and quicker to read the instructions.

A few words can say a lot if the designer is consistent. What bothers me the most is when designers capitalize instructions when they don't need to. Instructions are to be written in a proper sentence structure.

Example: 1st row: 1 SC 2nd CH from hook. 1 SC in each CH across. Turn.

Designers who do this are either consistent or selective. Drives me crazy, but that's a first-world problem.

I hope the free workshop helps you. Take your time, it's not a race.