When Good Patterns Go Bad

Posted by
Kelly Gilliam
Apr 7, 2006

I thought it'd be fun this week to share a few of my favourite knitting and crochet links with you. No, these are not how-to or pattern sites, these are the cattiness of the knit and crochet world. They're always good for a laugh in the least, and let's you see some truly horrible patterns out there that would make anybody run away screaming. Be sure to check them out, they'll make you laugh, recoil, and scratch your head all in the same post.

What Not To Crochet

From fun-fur trimmed cardigans, to huge loopy scarves, to the absolutely bizarre couch dress (a personal favourite), horrible patterns abound. I love the "good yarn gone bad" factor of this website - otherwise beautiful yarns used for evil purposes (but of course the ugliest of the ugly are here in all their glory as well). There's always great dry text to accompany the photo, and tons of comments to follow with the reader's own opinions on the posted pattern.

You Knit What?

In the same spirit as "What Not To Crochet", "You Knit What?" brings us the underbelly of the knitting world. With a subtitle like "seriously, what the hell were you thinking?" the aim of the site is clear - bad patterns and possibly even worse execution of said patterns. Nobody is spared, patterns come from a broad spectrum and you got to appreciate the non-discriminating way these patterns are picked. Some horrendous hats, scary sweaters and more, not to mention some really bizarre pictures that really makes you wonder why the photographer ever thought a racy photo would ever be the best choice to try to sell a knitting pattern.

Stay tuned for an extra-special article on Sunday: I'll be reviewing "Mason-Dixon Knitting" by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne.