You want to start writing and publishing your own crochet patterns, but how do you get started?
Download your step by step guide to writing patterns here
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If you are ready for the next step and want to use your crochet to build a business that will give you the lifestyle you crave, you can work with me in the following ways
Hello and welcome to the Crochet Business
Speaker:School podcast, where you can use your crochet
Speaker:to build a business that will give you the lifestyle
Speaker:you've been dreaming of.
Speaker:How do I start writing crochet patterns?
Speaker:Well, as long as once you have a design in mind
Speaker:and you know what the standard terms are, then
Speaker:you just start writing.
Speaker:There are no qualifications or certifications to
Speaker:start writing crochet patterns.
Speaker:It's just all about making sure that you write
Speaker:something that your customers can follow and
Speaker:they can recreate your design as they see it.
Speaker:There are certain information that you have to
Speaker:include in every crochet pattern.
Speaker:You have to remember things like your hook size,
Speaker:what type, weight and brand of yarn you're
Speaker:using, what the gauge is, which terms you're
Speaker:using and what the abbreviations that you're
Speaker:using are.
Speaker:If you're using UK or US terms and any of the
Speaker:materials that they need to make your pattern.
Speaker:You need to have good clear photos of the
Speaker:finished item, plus any special steps that might
Speaker:need a bit of extra instruction, but otherwise
Speaker:that's it.
Speaker:When you're reading a crochet pattern, you're
Speaker:following the instructions step by step.
Speaker:So writing a crochet pattern is just doing it
Speaker:backwards.
Speaker:You need to write down the instructions so that
Speaker:it can be followed step by step to recreate your
Speaker:design exactly as shown in the photos.
Speaker:Writing a crochet pattern is much like following a
Speaker:recipe.
Speaker:You just have to follow the steps and make sure
Speaker:you get everything in there.
Speaker:And as long as you do that, that's it.
Speaker:Nobody is going to tell you that you're a crochet
Speaker:pattern writer, you just have to do it.
Speaker:And yes, there are various things involved, but
Speaker:it's easy enough once you get into it.
Speaker:But like any new thing that you start, it takes
Speaker:time to learn, it takes time to get comfortable
Speaker:with it and perfect your process, but after a while
Speaker:it becomes second nature and then it's really
Speaker:about choosing the right designs that will suit
Speaker:your audience.
Speaker:Then it's about how to sell it so that everyone
Speaker:can be sure that they know what they're getting,
Speaker:that gaining that reputation so that your
Speaker:customers know that your patterns are good,
Speaker:well written and can be followed easily.
Speaker:It takes time to build that reputation, it takes
Speaker:time to build that following.
Speaker:Much like selling what you make, you have to
Speaker:gain a reputation and grow your brand.
Speaker:But writing and selling crochet patterns is much
Speaker:easier and far more profitable than selling what
Speaker:you make.
Speaker:Because the best thing about them is that you
Speaker:just sell them over and over again.
Speaker:You do the work once and you're just selling it
Speaker:the same thing.
Speaker:It's all automated, you don't even have to send
Speaker:anything out.
Speaker:Every time you make a sale, the platforms that
Speaker:you sell your patterns on make it so that it's all
Speaker:automatic.
Speaker:There's nothing else for you to do.
Speaker:Once you've loaded it into your selling site, all
Speaker:you got to do is market it.
Speaker:Once you sold it, job done.
Speaker:It's all about the marketing and gaining that
Speaker:reputation for having a well written pattern.
Speaker:So what resources are there out there to help
Speaker:you get started?
Speaker:Well, I have one for you.
Speaker:I've got a checklist of all the essential elements
Speaker:that you need to include in a crochet pattern.
Speaker:I'm going to put a link to that download below
Speaker:this episode.
Speaker:It's completely free.
Speaker:Just click download and it'll be straight into your
Speaker:inbox.
Speaker:Another great place to go is the Yarn Craft
Speaker:Council.
Speaker:On their website they have a huge number of
Speaker:resources such as standard abbreviations for
Speaker:terms.
Speaker:They've also got the standard sizes for all kinds
Speaker:of different things.
Speaker:And the measurements for clothing is a fantastic
Speaker:resource for any pattern writer and I would
Speaker:highly encourage you to go take a look.
Speaker:I'd also encourage you to go take a look at
Speaker:Ravelry.
Speaker:This is the number one pattern selling site and
Speaker:it's got a great community forum and you can go
Speaker:and explore there and make connections with
Speaker:other patent writers and you can ask them about
Speaker:their experiences as well.
Speaker:So it's a great place to find out how other people
Speaker:have experienced it and get tips to selling
Speaker:patterns.
Speaker:And that's really it.
Speaker:Getting started, it can feel like a massive leap,
Speaker:but it's also a fantastic business decision because
Speaker:the more you build your patent library, the more
Speaker:money you will make from it.
Speaker:And it is far easier than selling what you make.
Speaker:And you can make money on your days off.
Speaker:You can actually take a break knowing that there
Speaker:is still money coming in.
Speaker:So writing your own crochet pans is something I
Speaker:would definitely recommend if you're in this for
Speaker:the long term.
Speaker:Thank you for joining me today and listening to
Speaker:this episode.
Speaker:If you have any questions about this subject or
Speaker:would like to carry on the conversation, then why
Speaker:not come and join our Facebook group for
Speaker:crochet sellers?
Speaker:Whether you're selling what you make, writing
Speaker:patterns or making money from crochet another
Speaker:way, the support group is the place for you.
Speaker:You can also cheque out our newsletter.
Speaker:Just sign up using the link in the show notes and
Speaker:have tips and advice sent straight to your inbox
Speaker:every week.
Speaker:So thanks joining me and I shall see you next
Speaker:time for the next episode.