This is an embarrassing thing to admit because I consider myself a responsible and reliable woman…
But you know that cliché husband who only briefly scans the instructions before assembling (incorrectly) the bookshelf???
That dude is me. I’m a total cliché husband, except I’m a woman and I’m not married.
There have been so many piles of crimped yarn from ripped out projects, all because I didn’t read carefully.
Or at least that’s what I always blamed my failures on.
As it turns out … it isn’t always my fault!
You probably know this already, but I didn’t: Not all patterns on the internet were truly ready to be published.
I’ve gotten hold of some designs that were difficult to follow and contained glaring mistakes — and instead of recognizing the mistakes, I blamed myself for being too dumb or too impatient to read correctly.
When I found out that others were having the same trouble, it finally occurred to me that patterns can and DO have mistakes.
Think about it:
- Anyone can “publish” a pattern on the internet … it’s the Wild West of the craft world!
- There is no universal standard for editing patterns.
- Pattern designers are under no obligation to support their designs.
- And in many cases, you can’t even find the designer (an injustice to both you and the original designer).
So, okay. Patterns have mistakes. Designers are people, too, right?
While it’s definitely true that designers are people and people make mistakes … it’s also true that editing and quality control can massively reduce — and in most cases eliminate — those mistakes.
And beyond the quality of the pattern, there’s also accountability. Ideally, shouldn’t we all expect a pattern publisher who provides both support for each pattern AND strong relationships between designer and artist???
I learned that when I joined Happily Hooked and opened up my first issue. (It was the Stashbusters issue — I fell in love with that Mermaid Backpack.)
The first thing I noticed was how clear the instructions were.
- Large print so I didn’t lose my place nearly as often as usual!
- No ad interruptions so you can read the whole pattern in one seamless experience!
- Detailed notes and links to stitch tutorials so I know up front what skills I need to master the project!
- Yarn substitution lists in the likely case that I can’t find the exact yarn at my local craft store!
I didn’t notice the second thing until later … but when I did, it rocked my little world!
About the third project I made, I was already taking for granted that my projects would turn out like the pictures.
In fact, I didn’t even notice how easy it was going. You notice things going wrong, but you hardly ever notice them going right.
One day I posted a picture of my Juniper Beach Bag from Issue 63 in the Happily Hooked Community …
… And while I was basking in the accolades of my fellow artists, it hit me:
I don’t get frustrated with myself or my projects anymore!
It’s like that song … I see it, I like it, I buy yarn, I make it … those are the lyrics, right???
Because of the clarity of instructions, the variety of designs, and the meticulous testing and editing process in Happily Hooked Magazine …
I have the confidence to …
… try new designs that challenge my skill level.
… gift my finished projects to friends and family knowing they’re as good or better than store-bought.
… show off my cool skills and be proud of what I’m accomplishing!
And one word of advice that you’ll never hear me offer in any other context:
Blindly follow the instructions!
Be a sheep. Be a lemming. Trust the process. Have faith.
In every other aspect of life … question everything.
But with Happily Hooked patterns — you can trust them to get you where you want to be: A beautiful finished project, a feeling of pride, and motivation to grow your skills!
Joining is simple. You just click here and sign up.
You’ll get the value of a Ph.D. in Yarn Art for the price of a yearly magazine subscription!
And you’ll start your digital library with instant access to 3 issues of Happily Hooked, 5 issues of Pattern Pack Pro, and a Stashbusters ebook. That’s over 90 designs TODAY!
Say goodbye to the Wild West of the craft world and hello to a utopia of gorgeous and reliable patterns!
Author Info
Abby Letner
I'm Abby — mom of three, lifelong crocheter, voracious reader, and aspiring novelist. At some point, I was supposed to grow up ... but so far I still spend most of my time playing with books, paper, and yarn. In my mind, I live a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. My crochet speed is 1 beanie per 2 episodes of The Mandalorian. I'm beyond grateful to work with the team at Happily Hooked, and I'm excited to see where this journey takes me!
