Gosh, this is complicated.
Whilst I dither about the garden of the big crochet house project, I’m writing up the pattern for the crochet house bag, because I want to offer it (free) to those of you who are crazy enough to want to make one yourselves. And hey folks, guess what? Insanely complicated fiddly piece of crochet translates into insanely complicated fiddly pattern. Who’d’ve guessed?! One of the things I love about knitting/crochet is that a relatively short list of instructions on a page is often all you need to create a complex and beautiful finished three-dimensional object. Not so in this case. Imagine so very many lines of detailed instructions that if you try to download them, your laptop will sink deep into the sofa under the weight of it all, and if you attempt to print it out, your printer will go bang and set the smoke alarm off, thus irritating absolutely anyone and everyone who lives with you, especially the cat.
For the front of the house, it’s really not a pattern where you can just write, “Repeat rows 1-2 30 times,” or, “Continue in pattern until your work measures…” because every single row is a brand new minefield of insanity that needs some hefty explanation.
What also doesn’t help is my detail-monkey tendencies, that mean that I’m leaving nothing to chance, which will no doubt annoy the more experienced hookers who would attempt this pattern, because they don’t need to be told Every Single Thing Yet Again For Every Single Row. Silly I know, because this is definitely not a first-ever-crochet-project sort of pattern. Do you think I should remove the instructions about when to refill your wine-glass/tea-cup, and what colour socks to wear for this endeavour?
More seriously, I do realize that there’s a delicate balance to be had between spoon-feeding your pattern-readers so much that they’re pretty much told when to breathe, or conversely leaving so much to their experience and wisdom that your pattern merely says, “Pick up your hook. Make this thing.” And however you write your pattern, somebody is going to be annoyed. Do you see the dilemma?
So I’m erring on the side of detailed, and if anyone wants to sue me for damage to their desk/sofa by the weight of the instructions that they’ve had to download/print, then so be it. (If you win your case, may I please pay you in home-baked cookies rather than in actual hard cash?)
Personally, I’m very much a spatial thinker (for goodness sake give me a map, not a list of directions… and a diagram rather than a description), so I’ve drawn a rough chart of this pattern, but it’s going to take a wee bit of effort and an extension of my paltry technological skills to translate this into a smart online version with the proper symbols. I’m doing my best, though, and now that the Tyrannical Twinnage have started school, I stand some chance of succeeding.
Right, I’d better get back to the pattern grindstone. See how effectively I’m avoiding the task by writing a blog post about it?
Oh gosh! This is a lot of work. And it is very pretty too. Also, visit my blog and win 5 balls of Mighty Stitch Yarn. http://www.guenbt.com/2015/09/05/a-finished-object-a-mighty-stitch-giveaway. 🙂
Thank you.
Keep it up, pattern writing is never easy;-)…I’ve only tried it once. And some people are just annoyed…I think you’re right to err on the side of detailed, because I wouldn’t crochet this for my first ever project, but definitely a second, perhaps a third;-)…and even experienced stringers of yarn benefit from reminders. But what I really wanted to say here is: There has to be a wine glass icon you can insert periodically at the end, er, perhaps the beginning of a section as a gentle hint one may wish to refill their wine glass(or maybe make it a tea-cup/wine glass), for those who don’t admit to having a glass while knitting/crocheting;-)
Good idea. Maybe there should be two versions available. The crochet would be identical, but there’d be a wine version and a tea version.
As it is free, don’t worry about offending so much. Just as long as the finished object looks the same as yours, you’ll have done fine. And since I’m nice, I won’t sue you, but I will want those cookies…! hahaha!
Thank you. I will do my best, and publish any corrections if there are any. Oh, and you’re welcome to some cookies. 🙂
Oh, been there, done that, got the hand knitted t-shirt.. lol. Like you, I always err on the side of the minutia, I try to deal with it by putting all the ‘beginners stuff’ in paragraphs, separated from the pattern rows, so the knitter can highlight and print only the parts they need. Best of luck with it, you are very generous to give it away for free, many none designers don’t realise how hard and time consuming, writing up a detailed pattern can be! 🙂
I am afraid from that pattern. Not enough to bypass the insanity that is my desire to hook it as soon as you post it, but afraid enough to know that I am going to need a paper bag near me at all moments whilst hooking it should I need to hyperventilate mid frog.
This is just so beautiful. Having read your post, I’m pretty sure it’s essential you include instructions for drinking wine. You might also want to include something about untangling the cat/kids!
Good luck.
Adele x
Definitely like the wine instruction, cookies will be fine as compensation. My lap top is already weighted down with hooks, needles and yarn of all types plus instructions and patterns for most things. From a miniature crochet dog, to biggest afghans to wrap a continent in. So one more will make very little difference. (what’s that at the back “the straw that broke the camels back”) So whatever you decide to put in your instructions will be fine by me. Good luck!
Sue x
Wow, your bag is amazing. All I can say is I am so very grateful that you are attempting writing the pattern. I have a few half written patterns that I must try and finish so I do appreciate the complexities. My vote would be for more detail as it is easier to skip over the bits you don’t need than it is to try and figure out parts that you don’t. I am stocking my wine stash in preparation for ALL your instruction. PS Twinnage started school, you must have mixed feelings about that. I remember being glad of the time but missing them so much.
Since you’re not going to charge for the pattern, I’d be happy to do a one-pass tech edit on it for free. I’m sure it’d loads of fun!
Wow! That is extraordinarily generous. Thank you. What could I do for you in return? Yes, it would be free permanently. I’m getting through the writing quite well now, but the charts are going to take a LOT of time.
Alla Korval blogged some helpful tips for charting with Illustrator at http://mylittlecitygirl.com/2012/02/trade-secrets-la-koval-crochet-symbol-charts-with-adobe-illustrator-cs5/ , much of which could be applied to InDesign or Inkscape. Good luck!
Thank you! I will go and take a look.
Pattern writing is a lot of work! Fun and rewarding though.
I like to share but dislike pattern writing! but it’s a nice feeling when it’s all done 🙂 I have been ooing and ahhing at this little house for ages and I’d love to give it a go ! So detailed though I’m not sure I’d like to be writing the pattern though! Good luck 🙂