20/05/2026
I nearly ignored it this morning. I saw a blanket that looked suspiciously like my Big Paws design and told myself, “You can’t own the idea of paw prints on a blanket.” But something kept nagging at me, so I bought the pattern.
It was mine. My exact pattern. My wording, my construction, my work — just with my branding removed and a ton of (possibly AI generated?) photographs that made it look really great.
I don’t think people always realise how crushing that feels as an independent designer. Crochet patterns aren’t quick to create. They take weeks (sometimes months) of work, testing, photographing and editing before they ever reach a shop.
The copied listing has now been removed, thankfully, but I’m still feeling pretty heartsore about the whole thing.
So I decided I’d rather pour energy into the people who genuinely support handmade design and creativity. I’ve put my patterns on sale at 50% off for the week spanning the bank holiday as a thank you to the good people in this community. Grab a bargain (I hardly ever have sales) and help cheer me up!
If you share my work, buy my patterns, recommend me to others, or simply leave kind comments — thank you. Truly.
Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/sue-doran
Etsy: https://soozjewels.etsy.com
