Tips for spotting AI creating knit and crochet patterns

We all know that AI is everywhere, whether we like it or not, but there is a business trend that some knitters and crocheters (probably other hand crafts too) might be unaware of.

It is Digital Marketers, not knit or crochet designers, using AI to create patterns to sell.

How are they doing that?

• Finding best selling patterns on Etsy. I’ll use a knit teddy bear pattern for an example.

• Use AI to create a photo realistic image of a knit teddy bear.

• Go on Fivver and hire some one to create a pattern based on the image.

• List pattern teddy bear pattern on Etsy copying the listing style of popular pattern seller. Repeat.

Digital Marketers are offering this up as an easy money making side hustle and telling people they don’t need any knitting or crocheting experience. While I’d like to hope they are at least hiring experienced pattern designers from Fivver, I’m going to guess they probably aren’t, since one Digital Marketer suggested paying only $15 for pattern creation. Some skipping paying anyone on Fivver and are also using AI to write the pattern.

This whole process feels yucky.

If there is a mistake in the pattern, the seller wouldn’t know.

If a customer needs help with the pattern, the seller won’t be able to help them.

Piggy backing off of an actual crafter’s hard work. The muck of AI. The low pay to folks on Fivver. The complete cluelessness & disregard for fiber work and what goes into crafting something.

AI is getting so good at producing photo realistic images it can be hard to tell if an image is AI or not.

While I don’t know about other kinds of handmade /DIY patterns/directions, I’m sure there is someone recommending or using AI to create digital products for those too.

I know how hard it is to earn money as a knitting or crochet pattern designer. I find this Digital Creator / Marketer trend super shitty on so many levels.

Support actual designers and makers. (The people on Fivver being hired to create these patterns deserve better pay too.)

Buy patterns from people you know and trust.

Read reviews and check out social media for pattern sellers you don’t know.

Look closely at those listing photos and videos. Do the stitches look like actual knit or crochet stitches? If there are people in the photos, do they look like real people? I know it’s getting harder to tell.

Ask the seller questions you have about the pattern before you buy it.

A pattern having typos or mistakes doesn’t mean it’s AI. Most patterns have real people who have put a lot of work into their designs and creations. It’s important that we support those humans.

This digital trend is another layer to the disrespect that our society has for fiber work and handmade items. It doesn’t understand that fiber work isn’t a get rich quick income stream. Fiber work, along with all hand crafts, are transformative magic with deep roots that AI will never connect into.