Background

As a designer, I spend a lot of time glued to my computer, so in the fall of 2020, I went looking for an analog hobby. After raiding Joann Fabrics (RIP 🙏🏻), I came home armed with supplies to try embroidery, punch needle, cross-stitch, crochet, and knitting. I’ll let you guess which one stuck.

After two years of crocheting and reading dozens of patterns, I started designing my own and opened an Etsy shop in 2022.


Problem

Crochet is already complicated enough. Add in a poorly written or formatted pattern, and the whole experience can unravel—fast.


Pain points

Verbose —

Too much text makes patterns hard to follow.

Formatting —

If the layout is chaotic, users can’t find their place.

Lack of images —

Images are like the box cover on a puzzle—they guide you through the process. Without them, users are left guessing.


Approach

With these pain points in mind, I set out to design crochet patterns that offer the best possible user experience.

Since my patterns cater to beginner and intermediate crocheters, I prioritize:

- Clear, concise language.
- A logical, user-friendly flow.
- Descriptive imagery throughout.


Results

Cue humble brag: My Etsy shop has a 4.9-star rating with 243 glowing reviews.

Here are a few highlights:

“Very detailed instructions.”

“Such a cute and easy-to-follow pattern.”

“Perfect, just like every pattern from this shop.”

“Excellent—highly recommend. Great instructions and photos. Bought a few charts already and about to buy more.”

These reviews are proof that UX principles can elevate more than just digital products—you can take the designer out of UX, but you can’t take the UX out of the designer.