Who this guide is for
You have made a project you are proud of. Maybe it came out of your own experimentation, or you modified an existing pattern so heavily that the original is barely recognizable anymore. Either way, you want to write it up so you can share it, give it to other makers, or sell it as a PDF. This guide is for that moment.
Writing a crochet pattern is a different skill from crocheting itself. The crochet is in your hands. The pattern is on the page for someone else's hands. What feels obvious to you while your hook is moving may not be obvious at all when someone reads the words without the context of watching the fabric grow. Getting that translation right takes structure, clear language, and at least one other person trying to follow your instructions before you publish.
Section 1: Title and difficulty level
The title is the first thing a buyer or reader sees. Make it specific enough to tell someone exactly what the pattern makes. "Crochet Hat Pattern" is vague. "Textured Ribbed Beanie Crochet Pattern" tells someone the item, the main design feature, and the technique in one line.
The difficulty level is a promise you are making to your reader. Use standard categories: beginner (simple stitches, few shaping steps), easy (beginner stitches with minor shaping), intermediate (a mix of techniques, reading charts, or significant shaping), or advanced (complex stitch combinations, intricate colorwork, or detailed garment construction). Under-labeling is the most common mistake -- if you are unsure, go one level higher rather than lower.
A brief description of the finished piece belongs here too. One or two sentences covering the item, the main technique, the recommended yarn weight, and the finished size gives a reader enough to decide whether this is the right pattern for them before they scroll further.
Section 2: Materials list
The materials list needs to be specific enough that someone can buy everything without asking you a single question.
Yarn. List the exact yarn name, brand, colorway, weight category, and total yards needed. If the pattern works well in a substitute yarn, say so and give the key specs to match: weight, gauge, fiber content if it matters for blocking. Include how many yards of each color if the pattern uses more than one.
Hook. Give the metric size (such as 5.0 mm) and the common US letter (J). Always give both because hook sizing systems vary between countries and manufacturers.
Notions. List every additional item the crocheter needs: stitch markers, a yarn needle for weaving ends, scissors, buttons or zippers if they are part of the finished piece, stitch holders, blocking mats and pins. Assume the reader is a beginner and list everything, even things that seem obvious.
Section 3: Gauge
Gauge is the number of stitches and rows that fit into a 4-inch square with your specified yarn, hook, and stitch. It is the information that allows every other measurement in the pattern to be trusted.
Write your gauge this way: "14 sc x 18 rows = 4 inches / 10 cm in single crochet with 5.0 mm hook, after blocking." State the stitch used in the gauge swatch, the hook size, and whether the gauge is measured before or after blocking. For projects where fit matters, such as garments or fitted accessories, also say what changes if gauge does not match.
Tell your reader whether a gauge mismatch will affect the finished size or just the drape. For a blanket, being slightly off gauge means the finished size changes a little but the pattern still works. For a garment, even a small gauge difference can make a piece unwearable.
Section 4: Abbreviations
List every abbreviation used in your pattern, even the common ones. Some makers are beginners. Others speak English as a second language and are cross-referencing with a glossary. A complete abbreviations list costs you one page and saves every reader time.
Write each abbreviation followed by the full stitch name, and add a brief description if the stitch is less common:
- sc -- single crochet
- dc -- double crochet
- ch -- chain
- sl st -- slip stitch
- sk -- skip
- sp -- space
- rep -- repeat
- RS -- right side
- WS -- wrong side
If you use US terminology (which is standard for English-language patterns), say so explicitly at the top of this section. Many patterns note "all terms are US standard" to prevent confusion with UK terminology, where stitch names differ.
The crochet abbreviations guide on this site is a resource you can link to as a supplement.
Section 5: Special stitches
If your pattern includes any stitch that is not in a standard abbreviation list -- a shell variation, a custom cluster, a textured stitch unique to this design -- write it out in full before the instructions begin.
Give each special stitch a name, the abbreviation you will use for it in the pattern, and step-by-step instructions. Work through the stitch as though explaining it to someone who has never done it before.
Example: "Shell stitch (sh): work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in the same stitch or space."
Section 6: Instructions
This is the body of the pattern. Clear instructions prevent confusion, reduce customer questions, and get your work better reviews.
Use standard abbreviations. Use only the abbreviations you defined in section 4. Do not improvise new abbreviations mid-pattern.
State the row or round number clearly. Begin every row with "Row 1:" or "Rnd 1:" in bold or on its own line. Readers scan for the number they are on, and burying it in a block of text creates errors.
Write in the order the crocheter works. State each action in the sequence it happens. Do not group similar actions if doing so means jumping around the row.
End each row with a stitch count in parentheses. This is one of the most useful things you can do for your readers. At the end of every row, write the expected stitch count in parentheses: (24 sc). If a crocheter makes a mistake, the count tells them exactly where something went wrong.
Mark repeats with asterisks. The standard format for a repeat is: *work stitches*, repeat from * to * X more times (or across, or to last 3 sts, etc.). This is universally understood by English-language pattern readers.
Be consistent with your commas. List stitches with commas between them: "sc in next 3 sts, ch 2, dc in next st." Consistent punctuation makes instructions easier to parse, especially in long rows.
Writing multi-size patterns
If your pattern includes multiple sizes -- S, M, L, XL for a garment, or baby / child / adult for a hat -- use parentheses to list the numbers for each size in order throughout the pattern.
State the size order at the top of the pattern: "Sizes: S (M, L, XL)." Then throughout the instructions, every time the number changes between sizes, write all four values in parentheses: "ch 80 (90, 100, 110)."
Highlight or circle the numbers for your own size before you start if you are the test crocheter. It is easy to accidentally follow the wrong size's numbers when they are all listed together.
Testing before you publish
A pattern that only one person has made is not finished. Your familiarity with your own design means you cannot see what is unclear. Things you assumed were obvious when you wrote them will confuse a reader who does not have your context.
Find at least one test crocheter -- ideally two -- at the skill level your pattern targets. Give them the pattern and ask them to work through it from start to finish, noting every place where they were confused, had to re-read something, or had to make a guess about what you meant. Their questions are your revision list.
Pay your testers. A free copy of the final pattern is the minimum; a small payment for their time is appropriate if they do a thorough job.
Where to publish
Ravelry is the largest community platform for crochet and knitting patterns. Listing a pattern is free and you keep the full sale price (Ravelry takes no cut for free patterns and charges a small processing fee for paid ones). The community is large and engaged, and many makers search specifically on Ravelry when looking for patterns.
Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee per pattern and takes a percentage of each sale. In return, you get access to Etsy's large general-audience marketplace. Etsy buyers are often less specialized than Ravelry users, so keywords and photos matter more for discoverability.
LoveCrafts is a growing platform focused on craft patterns with a clean, modern publishing interface. It is smaller than Ravelry but growing, and tends to attract makers who are newer to the craft.
Your own website gives you full control over pricing and customer relationships, but requires you to handle discoverability yourself through SEO and social media.
Pricing your pattern
Look at five comparable patterns on Ravelry -- similar stitch complexity, similar item type, similar number of sizes -- and note their prices. That is your benchmark.
Simple beginner patterns with one size typically sell for $4 to $8. Patterns with multiple sizes, detailed charts, or complex stitch techniques sell for $8 to $15. Patterns that include video tutorials or significant extras can go higher.
Price your work fairly, not cheaply. Crochet designers undercharge more often than they overcharge. A well-tested, clearly written pattern with good photos is worth a fair price, and underpricing can undermine the perceived quality of the work.
The crochet patterns library shows a range of pattern styles and formats that can help you understand what buyers look for. The crochet abbreviations guide is a useful reference for building your abbreviations section.