Trouble with LB patterns - is it just me???

[warmfuzzies]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm having more and more trouble figuring out LB patterns. I (re)started crocheting four years ago (after a 33 year hiatus!), and initially ONLY used Lion Brand patterns from the website as I was getting started. Fast forward to the present - now, after completing over 500 projects (both my own creations and projects from CPC, books, crochet mags, etc.) I've returned to the LB website and........guess what? I've tried NO LESS than four different patterns and, I CAN'T FIGURE THEM OUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME!?!?!?

 

Is it just me, or do any you out there have the same problem??

 

Just curious,

 

Thanks,

 

Juli from Texas

[PBLKNP]

This is completely, 100%, NOT YOU.

 

I, too, find that a lot of the patterns don't work right. A while ago, I went on and on in a post about my ugly experience with the "Flattering Jacket." For the Lion Brand patterns, I usually:

 

a) look for any pattern corrections first, before even attempting one of their patterns,

 

b) read through the entire pattern, to see if it makes sense, and

 

c) prepare to "ad lib" where it doesn't make sense.

[countrykids]

I was making one of their sweaters for my kids and the arm thing just does not work out at all, its off by alot, so I frogged the whole project, I was very dissapointed.

[fc1123]

Nope it's not you at all I was working on a Valentine Envelope needless to say it didn't look much like an envelope to me but in my defense I tried

[tcandlgmom]

No, it is not just you. I tried making the spiral scarf with homespun on the LB site. I frogged it once, because it wasn't wide enough, even after checking my gauge. Started again, still not right. It is just laying there waiting to be frogged

[fthrem]

Me too. I tried the ballerina set, leg-warmers and a sweater. I can usually wing it when a pattern is a bit confusing, but I couldn't even begin to figure that one out!

[Craw]

I've had trouble with a few of their patterns as well. When I write to them with a question they send back a whole bunch of blah blah blah that has nothing to do with the trouble I was having. They usually go on to say there are no errors in the pattern and it does work. No help there. I do what Pam does and make sure the pattern makes sense before I attempt it. If I still have problems, I ditch it. LB used to be pretty good with helping with their patterns but not anymore. I can't complain too much I guess, they are, after all, free, so you get what you get.

[PBLKNP]

I've noticed that they seem to be out of their minds on gauge. For instance, I knitted the One-Stitch Cardigan and had to really fudge the stitch counts, as the Lion Brand Wool-Ease was way too thin to work with the pattern as written. It probably would have worked better had I tried it with Vanna's Choice yarn, as that's thicker.

 

I notice they have a Vanna's Choice version out there now, but I haven't investigated yet to see if it's the same pattern or if they've gone off the deep end with gauge yet again!

[darski]

All of this may be true but they are very generous to share those patterns for free. I try to stay grateful where I can and they warrant my gratitude fer shure.

[cindylou4516]

I have the same problem. I emailed them and asked if anyone ever tests these patterns before they are put on their site. Of course I never got a response. Its like they leave things out. I tried making a hat from there and it turned out thimble size. I followed it to the tee and I know there was a whole lot left out. But if they leave whole chunks out of the pattern how can you be thankfull for the free pattern. I just stopped going on their site. Its like my friend asked her Grandma to write down all her receipes. Well Grandma did but when my friend went to make one of them it just didnt taste the same. Well Grandma left out ingredients on all of the receipies so no one could make it as good as her. Thats what Lion Brand reminded me of. I also stopped buying their yarn, too much wasted I would be going along and it would get real skinny them start getting fatter and fatter or the whole center was nothing but scraps tied together. Well they want you to use their yarn so their patterns should be tested.

[YarnMover]

Published patterns that have mistakes in them is my pet peeve!

 

I haven't really noticed it with LB, as I usually make afghans and I usually change the pattern around some anyhow. But for making other things like sweaters, I have noticed that a lot of published patterns out there have a lot of mistakes in them. More so than I would have thought especially since they reached the point of being published.

 

I started to make a sweater I got from another site and I followed the pattern to the letter, not changing a thing. (and I consider myself to be very good at crocheting -- over 20 years experience) anyhow, 3/4 of the way through the pattern, it was pretty much like it was a pattern from a different item, it started going on about a shell stitch and then doing treble stitches on the back post of the last row of shell stitches.... on a sweater that was all single crochet -- no shell stitches in the last row! And the picture even showed that it was all single crochet no treble stitches or shells in any of the views. After getting no answer about the questions I had, I frogged it and made a different pattern, (got my money back after talking and then fighting with them over a series of 4-5 phone calls) even though I really liked the one I 'could' have made. When the catalog came out in the next month, the sweater pattern was no longer listed in it. Probably enough people complained about it being wrong.

 

I just feel that if a pattern is getting published, then the designer should make sure it is right. It's hard enough to come up with money to spend on patterns that are right, but to through away time and money on patterns that are useless, is down right wrong! Even if the pattern is free, the yarn and my time isn't!

[cindylou4516]

Published patterns that have mistakes in them is my pet peeve!

 

I haven't really noticed it with LB, as I usually make afghans and I usually change the pattern around some anyhow. But for making other things like sweaters, I have noticed that a lot of published patterns out there have a lot of mistakes in them. More so than I would have thought especially since they reached the point of being published.

 

I started to make a sweater I got from another site and I followed the pattern to the letter, not changing a thing. (and I consider myself to be very good at crocheting -- over 20 years experience) anyhow, 3/4 of the way through the pattern, it was pretty much like it was a pattern from a different item, it started going on about a shell stitch and then doing treble stitches on the back post of the last row of shell stitches.... on a sweater that was all single crochet -- no shell stitches in the last row! And the picture even showed that it was all single crochet no treble stitches or shells in any of the views. After getting no answer about the questions I had, I frogged it and made a different pattern, (got my money back after talking and then fighting with them over a series of 4-5 phone calls) even though I really liked the one I 'could' have made. When the catalog came out in the next month, the sweater pattern was no longer listed in it. Probably enough people complained about it being wrong.

 

I just feel that if a pattern is getting published, then the designer should make sure it is right. It's hard enough to come up with money to spend on patterns that are right, but to through away time and money on patterns that are useless, is down right wrong! Even if the pattern is free, the yarn and my time isn't!

 

I couldnt agree more. It is frustrating I see something I really fall in love with and as I am going it doesnt look anything like the picture. I spent money on the book/magazine and the yarn, then I waste my time and end up ripping it out and look for something else to make. Then later I see there are modifications to the pattern, so why wasnt it taken care of before being published, how about the people who dont see the corrections and just give up. I could rant on and on but I will stop now:eek:D

[warmfuzzies]

Wow..........I feel vindicated!!! I guess I opened up a "can of worms" with my question........not really. I was beginning to feel pretty stupid.......99% of the time I can read a pattern and "get" it........but not with LB. I've had the best luck with good old CPC........patterns primarily created by people like us! My faves are by Dot Matthews.....her patterns are THE BEST. Dot, where are you???

 

Thank you all for your feedback............I'm not alone on this one!

 

Love,

 

Juli from Texas

[_Stacy_]

Sorry to hear you are having problems with their patterns! I love LB patterns. My gauge was off on only one that I can think of, it was an ami that ended way too big. But I've done several afghans/hats/scarves from the site with great success.

[Yarnluver]

All of this may be true but they are very generous to share those patterns for free. I try to stay grateful where I can and they warrant my gratitude fer shure.

I'm sorry Darski but I must disagree. I think your attitude is excesively and unnecessarily kind, please remember that yarn companies use patterns as "bait" so we can have a reason to buy their products. And as a person who has shared a few of my own patterns for free (and as yet I do not sell anything...), I do not feel that "free" is equivalent to shoddy. So far I've taken good care to make my patterns as clear as possible and don't mind answering questions and/or correcting something that needs it. To me it's really an insult to the reader to give them something subpar just because it's free, it's akin to giving your stained and torn clothes to the poor just because they're poor!

 

And answering the OP, I recently gave up on a shawl because the instructions were bad, at one point I couldn't get the stitch count right at all and got tired of frogging so as far as I'm concerned LB hasn't earned my respect in that regard.

[boksie]

I had a funny experience with one of their shawl patterns. I (dumb me) didn't check my gauge figuring it wasn't too important for a shawl. Well, I could probably wrap the entire family in it! I was so embarassed, I never posted a picture of it even though it is beautiful but extremely large!