Catchy one-liners can really bring it home when it comes to getting a message across. They take a more involved (and sometimes lengthy) speech and boil it down into a super simple and memorable sentence. You’ll often hear keynote speakers drop these one-liners during their talks to make sure the audience remembers the key ideas. People really do connect with these one-liners because they feel super relatable. I haven’t heard many keynote speakers in my life, but I have heard my fair share of sermons. Church is the perfect place to hear relevant (and sometimes comical) one-liners. Here’s a few good ones…

“Forbidden fruits create many jams.”

“God grades on the cross, not the curve.”

“Don’t put a question mark on where God put a period.”

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I recently heard a saying that really fits with today’s newsletter: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” The person who shared it said that Leonardo da Vinci coined the phrase, but I couldn’t find any sources to confirm if it was true. 

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” 

If you want to write sophisticated and professional crochet patterns, my advice is to keep it simple! Wait, do you think that sophisticated means fancy or bougie? I did, too! But it actually means ‘the quality of having an understanding of the world and its ways.’ We want our crochet patterns to show that we have an understanding of the crochet world, its standards, and how all the technical things work. If you’ve never thought about approaching pattern writing this way, it may be time to change up your thinking. 




The crochet community doesn’t need another unedited, poorly written pattern. Trust me, there are a lot of those out there. Trust me when I say that sophisticated and professional patterns build trust and make sales! The key to writing a truly sophisticated pattern is to keep it simple. Focus on nailing the most important part of your crochet pattern first, and you can add the extra details later. The body text, which includes the main instructions, is the most crucial part of your pattern. How you format these instructions really affects how the whole pattern looks. In another blog post, I wrote about the importance of choosing the right font and pairing. The right font will automatically make your pattern easier to read, more accessible, and professional. Did you miss the last post? Don’t worry, I got you! Read all about fonts HERE!

If you thought the information I shared about fonts was informative, I’m about to nerd out on point size. Yes, point size. 

What is Point Size and Why Does It Matter?

Point size is basically how tall the letters in a document are, and it’s usually measured in points (pt). There are 72 points to an inch. One point is 1/72 of an inch, so a 12-point font is about 1/6 of an inch tall. While that might sound pretty small, it plays a big role in how easy the text is to read, especially when you’re dealing with instructions where every detail matters.

The point size you choose makes a huge difference in its readability. If you choose a font that is too small, then reading your instructions becomes too difficult. You’ll end up with very frustrated makers. I’ve run into this with a few patterns in the past where the font was so small that I couldn’t just glance over at the pattern and keep crocheting. I had to put my work down and pick up the pattern to take a closer look. 

It’s so important for us to think about the way our readers experience our patterns. Especially our readers who have diverse needs, like visual impairments or dyslexia. They can face specific challenges if our font and point size are wonky. If the pattern text is too small or cramped, we inadvertently exclude these groups of people from fully engaging with our pattern. It’s never a bad idea to include a separate download for the visually impaired. 

You’ll hear me say this time and time again that a professional pattern makes sales. It really is true. When you choose the right font and your text has the right point size, your pattern will read easily and look professional, and your readers will have a great experience with it. 

The Impact of Point Size on Written Patterns

Do you know that about 85-90% of crocheters print out the patterns they purchase? I know I do, and almost all of my crochet friends do, too. It’s not because we’re old, but paper travels well; it can be scribbled on, and it can be tucked away with the project. Even though we live in a digital age, there are “old school” practices that will never age. Printing documents is one of them.  

I see some designers stick to the default formatting of a 12-point text when writing their patterns, and if it works, then great…but you’re not obligated to stick to the default. Then there are other designers who will make their point really big because they have a hard time seeing it on the screen, and they think that’s how it will look when printed. A 12-point text on screen looks completely different on printed paper. 

As a matter of fact, the optimal point size for your body text is anywhere between 10-12 point. Almost every professionally printed document is set to a font size smaller than 12 point. Not only is the text still really easy to read, but it also saves money because it doesn’t require as much paper (or ink) to print. Another thing to consider when choosing the point size for your body text is the readability at different point sizes. Look at the photo below, I wrote the same instructions in different fonts set to 10 point. None of them look the same visually, and some are much easier to read than others. 

Just be mindful that you’re reading text that is meant for print, like in a PDF pattern, and not for the web, so it looks incredibly small. 

Using Point Size for Hierarchy 

In any text document you read, there is (and should be) a visual hierarchy. Hierarchy is how text is arranged to create a natural flow and also shows importance. For instance, in a novel, there is usually a chapter title that is larger, darker, and maybe even in a different font than the rest of the text. The chapter title gives the reader a clue as to what the text will be about in the subsequent pages….until we get to the next chapter. We know there is going to be a shift because the text is visually different than the body of text. 

In non-fiction work, we see quite a bit of textual or visual hierarchy. There are chapter titles (aka headings) that tell us what the entire chapter will cover. We’ll also come across subheadings, which are like mini-headings. They support the headline and can also serve as a way to break up the big picture text into smaller bite-sized pieces. Then there’s the body text, which is the meat of the writing.

Crochet patterns work a lot like non-fiction writing. We use headings, subheadings, and body text to keep things organized, so it’s easy for readers to follow along and finish their projects without any issues.

Do me and your readers a favor: don’t go overboard with creating hierarchy if it’s not necessary. I always suggest sticking to just two different point sizes in the main part of your pattern. One for headings (like for different parts or sections of your pattern) and another for the main body text or instructions. Remember, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” 

The only exception I would make to using more than two point sizes is in the informational section at the beginning of your pattern. And really, this is only an exception. Check out this example:

What Point Sizes Should I Use?

The point size you use will vary depending on the font you use. Look back at the example I shared earlier; even though all of those fonts were the same size, their readability differed. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Headings and Subheadings should only be a few points larger than the body text. If your body text is 12 points, subheadings can be 13 or 14 point, and headings can be 14 or 15 point.
• Readability should be your first priority. If in doubt, use the default font size for body text.
• No matter what, be consistent with the sizing of your font throughout your pattern and from one pattern to the next.

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