Hey Flock & Friends. Welcome to Episode Six of the Write That Crochet Pattern Podcast! It’s been a minute since I recorded a podcast—the last one I posted was literally one year ago. Today’s episode isn’t meant to be a big life update or a long explanation about why I disappeared from my online platforms, but I know that coming back after being gone so long, some of you might be thinking, “I wonder what’s up with that girl.”

So before we jump in, I just want to give you a quick update. I’ve been dealing with some health issues behind the scenes and adjusting to a few things, and honestly, I just got a little overwhelmed navigating it all. I took a break from some of the less important things, like my blog and podcast. But I’m doing better now…well, except for these allergies that are kicking my butt. The pine tree pollen here in Georgia is fierce. So I might sound a bit nasally in this episode, but I’m really excited to be back recording.

Right now, I’m focusing on two things I really enjoy—writing blog articles and recording podcasts. I’ll focus on creating YouTube content in a later season.

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But for now, in today’s episode, I’m going to go over five words you should immediately delete from your crochet patterns, and one of these words has been a topic of controversy among my tech editing colleagues and grammar nerds! 

For those of you who don’t know me yet, my name is Cherie Mellick, and I’m the crochet tech editor behind Sweet Bird Crochet. As a crochet tech editor, I specialize in helping designers publish patterns that are not only accurate but also clear, polished, and easy to follow. My mission is to empower crochet designers through education and mentorship so they can design and write patterns with excellence.

Thank you for joining me for today’s episode. Go ahead and grab your latest project, your favorite drink, and listen in as you crochet!

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Episode 006 Transcript

Introduction

In episode 005, I took a deep dive into the technical aspects of pattern writing. I explained what technical writing is, how and why a crochet pattern falls under that category. I also mentioned that, as a crochet pattern writer, you are considered a technical writer. Yes, when you publish your crochet patterns, you are now considered a published author. I will leave the link to the Episode in the show notes on my website. 

But I want to briefly recap what I shared because it will be relevant to today’s episode. So, crochet pattern writing is a form of technical writing, which means its primary purpose is to communicate complex, specialized instructions with clarity, accuracy, and structure. Because patterns rely on precise stitch counts, standardized terminology, and logical sequencing, every word needs to serve a clear function to help your reader successfully replicate your design. Unlike conversational writing, such as a letter to a friend or a blog post, technical writing omits many unnecessary elements.

Some of these unnecessary elements include language, emotion, and filler words. These things are left out so the instructions can be direct and super easy to follow, even if it’s a more technically challenging design. Even the smallest of word choices can introduce confusion into your pattern. It can slow your pattern’s structure or flow and lead your reader to make mistakes, which is why patterns need to be written with intention and consistency. If you’ve ever worked with me to edit your pattern, you know for sure I’m going to call out those inconsistencies! But listen, when designers overlook this technical foundation, they risk writing patterns that feel unclear or just feel difficult to use.

This doesn’t reflect on their skill as a designer! Most designers create really strong, creative designs—the design itself is rarely the issue. The real challenge tends to show up in the actual writing of the pattern, where translating that awesome design into clear, easy-to-follow instructions requires a different skill set.

And one of the easiest ways to start improving your pattern writing is by paying attention to your word choice. So, there are a few common words I see in patterns all the time when I’m editing. These words don’t actually add anything helpful—and in a lot of cases, they just create confusion.

So let’s clean up your pattern right now—starting with these five words. Trust me, your pattern is not going to miss them.

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Topic One: We

The first word you’ll want to remove is “we” W. E. “we” I remember growing up, anytime I said to my dad “we”… like, “we need to go to the store” or “Mom said we need to clean the kitchen”… he would look at me and be like, “We? Do you have a mouse in your pocket?” I still roll my eyes at him when I think about that memory. R.I.P., Dad….you brat! But, honestly, he had a point. 

Because when you say “we,” it sounds like everyone is involved in the action—when really, it’s just one person doing the work. And it’s the same thing in your crochet patterns. When you write “we,” it turns the instruction into this shared activity… when in reality, your reader is the one doing the action. So instead of the pattern sounding very clear and direct, it ends up sounding a bit wordy and less precise than it should be. Crochet patterns are instructions to be followed and not a group activity to share.

Your role as the designer is to write instructions that are clear, concise, direct, and easy to follow. Your reader’s role is to read and follow your awesome instructions to make the thing.  But a lot of times, I see designers write things like “we will” or “we’re going to”…and it just shifts the entire tone into something more conversational instead of instructional.

Sure, it feels friendly—but it’s not actually helpful. What it does is add extra words and push the action they need to take further down in the sentence, which makes the instruction harder to follow and slower to read.

For example, you might see:

“We will now join the round with a slip stitch.”
“We are going to work three single crochets in the next stitch.”
“Next, we will fasten off.”

All of those have the same issue—the actual instruction is buried under extra wording that doesn’t add any value. And in pattern writing, that matters. Because your reader isn’t reading your pattern casually like a book. They are literally sitting there with their fingers tangled with yarn, holding their hook, and holding their project—and they’re trying to read while they’re crocheting.

So instead, we want to bring the action to the front and keep it simple:

“Join with a slip stitch.”
“Single crochet three in next stitch.”
“Fasten off.”

No extra wording. No narration. Just the technical instructions.

Topic Two: Just

Now, this next word is one I see all the time: “just” J.U.S.T. “just” “Just” is what we call a minimizing word. In everyday conversation, it softens what you’re about to say to someone, making it feel less pointed and direct. So if you had to share something a little uncomfortable with a coworker or a dear friend, you might say, “I just thought I’d let you know…”

It kind of takes the edge off, right? And in normal conversation, that’s super helpful—because tone (the emotional quality of what you’re saying) matters a lot. We’re dealing with people, and we should think about how the other person will feel. But in a crochet pattern…that’s not the goal.

There’s no social interaction happening. You don’t have to care how your reader will “feel” as they read your instructions. As a matter of fact, they’re not looking for softened information. No, they’re looking for clear instructions they can follow. And I have to add that if you use this minimizing word, “just,” it technically doesn’t change the instruction… but it absolutely weakens how clearly it comes across. That’s a big deal.

Oh my gosh, I bought this pattern a couple weeks ago for this adorable doll design and I’m in the process of crocheting it right now. It was very clear once I read through the pattern that it was not tech edited. Her instructions are not clear at all and before I can even work through one part of the pattern, I’m having to edit it so I can understand it. 

As I was preparing for this episode, I was curious to see how many times she used the word “just” in this pattern. I pulled up the digital pattern and clicked the little search icon and she had used it 6 different times! 

She wrote things like:

“Just BLO sc across.”
“Just repeat Row 2 (4) more times.”
“Just add more sc to move the beginning stitch.”

And this is the issue: using “just” adds no technical value to the pattern and only makes the instructions feel less important. 

Every step in your pattern should carry equal weight and be just as clear as the previous instruction and just as clear as the next.

So instead, we want to remove the modifier:

“BLO sc across.”
“Repeat Row 2 (4) more times.”
“Sc 5 to move the BoR.”

Same instruction—just much clearer, much cleaner, and way easier to follow.

Topic Three: Very

Another word I want you to pay attention to is “very” V.E.R.Y “very” “Very” is what would be called an intensifier. It’s a type of adverb that’s used to increase or emphasize the degree of something. We use all forms of intensifiers in everyday conversation, right? Extremely, absolutely, incredibly. We use these intensifiers to: 

• Express emotion → “I’m very excited you’re listening to this podcast.”
  • “I’m absolutely excited that you’re learning about crochet pattern writing.” 
• Add emphasis → “This episode is very important to listen to.”
  • “This is absolutely going to help you write better patterns.”
• Show degree → “This crochet pattern is very challenging to edit because there are so many errors.”
  • “The pattern editing process is extremely time consuming.” 

This is the problem with intensifiers: they don’t add any real, measurable meaning to what’s being said or written. I mean, they basically make something sound stronger or more noticeable without giving the person listening or reading anything specific or actionable.

So, if I say: “I’m very hungry.” You would probably wonder: Is she talking “She skipped her afternoon snack” kind of hungry… or “She hasn’t eaten all day and she’s getting hangry” kind of hungry and I better give her a little snack to hold her over so she doesn’t snap at me. I intensified my hunger with the word “very” but you can’t measure “very.” It doesn’t give you anything concrete—so you’re left guessing how hungry I am. And when you use “very” in your patterns, you leave a lot of guesswork for your readers. 

For example, when you write instructions like:

“Pull the yarn tail very tight.”

You’re not actually giving the reader new information… you’re just turning up the volume (or intensifying) your instruction. I mean, it sounds helpful…but, it doesn’t tell the reader anything measurable or actionable. You leave them guessing:

“What does very tight actually mean?” 

“Is she talking, very tight, like almost break my yarn tail from my project kind of tight?” 

I know, you’re probably thinking, “Well, that’s silly….why would they think that? Shouldn’t what I wrote be obvious given the context? Oh, my friend…you would be surprised! The more specific you can be when writing instructions, the better experience your reader will have with your pattern. So, what could you say instead of using an intensity word like very? Well, you’ll want to describe the result or the technique. You’ll want to give your reader something concrete to aim for.

Instead of:
“Pull the yarn tail very tight.”
You can say:
“Pull the yarn tail tight to close the hole.”

“Close the hole” is the measurable action or visual clue they can see to determine if they are pulling the yarn tail tight enough.  

Instead of:
“Stuff very firmly.”
You can say:
“Stuff firmly until the piece feels full and slightly firm to the touch.”

“Until the piece feels full and slightly firm to the touch” gives your reader a touch-based clue as to “how firm” the piece should be. 

At the end of the day, your goal isn’t to make your instructions sound more intense—it’s to make them more clear.

Topic Four: Really

Here’s another one that needs to go “really” R.E.A.L.L.Y “really” Now this one is similar to “very” because it’s also an intensifier… but it works a little differently.

“Very” usually intensifies how much of something—like the degree.
“Very tight.”
“Very firm.”

But the word “really” tends to intensify the importance or urgency of something. So instead of describing how to do something in your pattern, it starts to sound like you’re trying to convince your reader that something matters.

For example, some of the things I’ve seen used in patterns are:

“This part is really important.”
“Make sure this is really secure.”

And at first, that sounds helpful… like you’re guiding them in some way. But if we slow down and look at it, you’re not actually giving them anything they can do. You’re just telling them that something matters—without explaining why it matters or how to do it correctly. All you did was create a warning signal. 

I do this kind of thing to my husband all the time when he’s the one driving. We’ll be going down the road, and I might see something in the distance, whether it’s a deer or a person on a bike, and I’ll be like, “Hey, be really careful!” His first response is always to hit the brake and then he’s like, “What?” looking around. I gave him a warning without telling him what to be careful for. If I had explained why he needed to be cautious, he likely wouldn’t have slammed on the brakes, and I probably wouldn’t have been jolted forward.

And that’s basically what the word “really” does in your pattern. You’re telling your reader, “Hey, this matters!”… but you’re not telling them what they should actually be looking for or doing. So now they’re hitting the brakes—mentally—trying to figure out what you’re talking about.

So instead of saying something like:

“Make sure this is really secure.”

I would suggest saying: 

“Secure firmly before fastening off.”

That will give them very clear instructions without any mental warning signs. They’ll know exactly what to do before moving forward. 

Here’s another example.

Instead of saying: 

“This part is really important,” Which, yes….I have seen patterns!

I would suggest, instead of  saying that, to say: 

“Check stitch count before continuing.”

Now they know what to look for—and why it matters. If there’s a part of your pattern that you don’t want them to miss or want to show importance, you can do that through the structure of your instructions, the placement of your instructions, and, of course, writing clear instructions.

Topic Five: The

This next word might surprise you. It’s been a hot topic of debate among my colleagues—it’s the word “the” T.H.E “the” There are some tech editors who think that the word ‘the’ is grammatically correct and should be used in each line of instruction. Then there are the rest of us who think that within the actual lines of instructions, the word ‘the’ is just a filler word. 

Let me get grammar nerd out on you for a minute and then I’ll explain what my stance is on its use in crochet patterns. The word “the” is a definite article that points to something specific and always precedes a noun. 

The yarn.
The hook.
The tech editor. 

And did you know that it’s actually the only definite article in the English language? Here’s something interesting, too: The word ‘the’ actually signals a shared understanding, meaning you and the other person are on the same page about what’s being referenced. For instance, if you and your partner are arguing about whose turn it is to feed Fido, y’all would reference Fido as “the dog” at some point. 

“I fed the dog yesterday.” You both know which dog is being referenced. 

And that’s exactly where my stance comes in when it comes to crochet patterns. Because even though “the” is grammatically correct, crochet patterns aren’t written like normal sentences—they’re written as instructions. If I can read the instruction the same way without the word “the,” then it’s not adding clarity—it’s just taking up space. It just becomes filler at that point. 

Instead of saying:

“Insert hook into the next stitch.”

You can say:

“Insert hook into next stitch.”

Or

Instead of:

“sc in the second ch from the hook.”

You can say:

“sc in second ch from hook.”

I’m not asking you to remove words just to remove them—I’m asking you to remove anything that doesn’t actually help the reader follow the pattern.  And you know what? Our brains are so unique that they will fill in missing words, and you won’t even be aware of it. So, when you take out the word “the,” your reader will often read your instruction as if the word ‘the’ is present. 

I recently edited a pattern that had roughly 160 lines of actual instructions. If I added the word “the” just once to each line…

That would be 160 extra words added to her pattern.

And that’s being conservative—because a lot of lines would actually end up having more than one. That would be like writing one full page of the word ‘the’ in your pattern. But there are times when I do recommend using the word “the” and it’s in your finishing instructions—or those paragraph-style sections of your pattern.

Those sections are written more like normal sentences, not quick, line-by-line scannable instructions. In those sections, using full sentence structure actually helps the writing feel more natural and easier to read. That’s where “the” makes the most sense—because now it’s supporting the flow instead of interrupting it.

So again, it all comes down to being intentional with your word choice. Because the goal isn’t to follow grammar rules perfectly—it’s to make your pattern as clear and easy to follow as possible.

Topic Six: Bonus Words

Let’s finish up with a quick note about the words “You” Y.O.U. and “Should” S.H.O.U.L.D. Just like the word ‘the’, these words are not automatically wrong. The word “you” can be used sparingly in pattern notes or guidance sections where a slightly conversational tone helps the reader. “Should” is appropriate when you’re describing expected outcomes or checkpoints.

Here’s some examples that work: 

“You can adjust the placement slightly if needed before securing.”

“The fabric should measure 3 inches across.”

The key is intention. Use them where they add clarity — not filler.

Conclusion

Thank You and Closing

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode. As you go back and look at your patterns, I want you to really pay attention to your word choice. Because these small words might seem harmless…but they have a big impact on how clear your pattern is and how easy it is for your reader to follow.

Call to Action

If you found this episode helpful, I would love for you to leave a review, rate the podcast, or you know what? better yet—leave a comment. Share with me which of these five words do you catch yourself using the most in your patterns?

If you’re new here, take a minute to subscribe. I would love to hear from you. I enjoy sharing the knowledge I’ve gained over the years about designing and writing crochet patterns with you. Until next time, Write that Crochet Pattern!