"Say it, spell it, say it" is the rule in a spelling bee. I've been thinking a lot about that lately in the context of patterns. My pattern-writing philosophy is to let people know where they are, where they are going, sketch out the route a bit, then give them the row-by-row directions.
The more complex the instructions are, the more essential this guidance is. Otherwise it's as if you were simply dropped in a car and someone yelled, "DRIVE!" Lots of possibilities for wrong turns or even an accident. What if the next command was, "Turn left!" but there were two lefts--a hard one and a gentle one. How would you know which way to go? If you aimed toward one but then reconsidered, you could end up on the embankment.
Sometimes when instructions are lacking, I think it's because the designer makes faulty assumptions. These can include: that you are as experienced as she (I say "she" but it could be "he" as well) is in the technique at hand; that she doesn't need to point something out because "it's obvious;" that she doesn't need to tell you what she's NOT explaining, because that's obvious also; that the technical editor (if there is one) will make sure all is well; that she doesn't need to have someone else test the pattern.
Another problem is that the designer may truly not realize that what she's doing is a step, because she does it so automatically! Consider the very basic instruction, "Turn." All of us know that at the end of the row, you turn the work. However, a rank beginner or someone who has been away from the craft for a while would find the instruction helpful. If the designer doesn't want to waste valuable page space, she doesn't have to repeat this over and over--she could simply say, "Turn at the end of every row." Even though the instruction is generally understood, I think it is a mistake to leave it out. Sure, "turn" is simple, but what if it is something slightly more complex like counting one type of stitch but not another--why not avoid confusion by saying exactly that (what to count and what to skip)?
There's also the temptation to cut corners when an editor is waiting for your work. Believe me, I understand. Unfortunately, some designers give in to this, convincing themselves that everything is fine and it's not worth holding up the publishing process to check or revise instructions (especially if it will alter the page count--editors go ballistic over that). This is a mistake.
Photographs can be of great help. One reason I became a designer was because I was frustrated with the poorly written patterns that were out there. "Why doesn't she just show me a picture?" I wished many times. In my books and patterns, I try to anticipate where someone would get stuck or have a question. I think about how I would guide them if I were in the room, and that's what I explain in words and in pictures. "Put the hook here, not there." "The ch 3 counts as a dc here." "Insert a stitch marker so you know where the beginning of the round is when you come back around."
You can probably tell that I've just had a frustrating experience with someone else's pattern. At several key points I was stymied by the lack of a helpful note or a photo, while at the same time the written instructions made my eyes glaze over. It's okay to use a period, folks, the instructions for one row don't have to set the record for a run-on sentence! There were a few mistakes in the pattern, too, but mostly I think its flaws are due to the assumptions I mentioned earlier. I do wonder if the pattern was tested by someone other than the designer. I finished the project and it came out okay--I gave up on the instructions that were provided and figured it out on my own. Unfortunately I have lost my enthusiasm for this garment and I don't know if I'll ever wear it. It's too bad, because I was very excited about it when I got started.
My projects are not the most intricate, amazing ones you will find in the crochet world. There are designers who come up with such beautiful creations that I am in awe--and I know I could never do what they do. But you can count on me to be as helpful as possible with the instructions for my designs. and to respond promptly and thoroughly if you have a question--or find a mistake.
I got a nice surprise today: my new book, Crochet Pillows with Tunisian & Traditional Crochet, is listed for pre-publication sale on Amazon. The book is scheduled for January 1, 2011 publication, but the publisher told me that it will probably be out sooner.
