The AI Art Buzz: How AI-Generated Crochet Patterns Measure Up

I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz on the internet about AI-generated art. It’s everywhere! From breathtaking landscapes to quirky abstract pieces, the AI art scene has been making quite the splash – and not necessarily in a good way. With all this talk about AI taking over creative jobs, it got me thinking – could AI handle something as intricate as designing crochet patterns?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve stumbled upon some AI-generated crochet and knitting patterns online, and to be honest, they weren’t great. My expectations were VERY LOW when I decided to dip my toes into this new world of AI-assisted crochet. But hey, sometimes, it’s those low expectations that lead to the most surprising adventures, right?

Side note – I made a video about this entire process, you can watch it below.

Sizing Up ChatGPT’s Capabilities

Now, let’s dive into the good stuff – the design process. You see when I embarked on this AI crochet journey, I decided to use ChatGPT as a trusty tool rather than handing over the reins completely. ChatGPT was here to guide me, not take my place entirely. I began this creative conversation with ChatGPT by laying out my vision. Here’s how it went down:

Me: I’m going to design a crochet graphgan with your help. I will ask you a series of questions about different design aspects. Do you understand?

ChatGPT: Yes, I understand. I will do my best to assist you in designing your crochet graphgan. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Me: What size should I make the blanket? Give measurements in inches. 

It was at his point, so early on in the experiment, that ChatGPT began to struggle with the task. Rather than choose a size for me, it provided some information about standard blanket sizes.

But I persisted and asked it to pick one of the five sizes it had suggested. And you know what? ChatGPT came through! It suggested a cozy 50″ x 60″ blanket, the perfect balance between ambition and manageability. 

AI-Powered Palette Picks

Next up, I needed a color palette to work with. I asked for a color palette with at least six colors complete with hex codes so I could match them exactly. This is what is suggested:

I was instantly excited by the teal, yellow, and coral suggestions. They’re bright, bold colors that would be fun to work with. The other three however left me unenthused. I decided not to worry about it too much and moved on to the most exciting part, choosing an animal to feature on the blanket. 

ChatGPT’s Wild Reveal

I’ve made a few animal-themed patterns in the past and didn’t want to repeat anything I’d done before so I laid out a few restrictions.

Me: Choose an animal that should feature on the blanket. Do not pick any of the following: dog, deer, bear, tiger, elephant, bee. 

I hit enter and waited…

And waited…

And waited…

Whilst all of its previous answers had been pretty much instantaneous, this one took a while. And it made me nervous. What if it picked a really obscure animal I’d never heard of? What if it picked a spotty or stripey animal and I’d have to do a million color changes? The wait was nerve-wracking but finally, I had my answer:

ChatGPT: How about a sea turtle? It can be a fun and unique addition to the blanket design.

What a relief! I know what a sea turtle is, it’s not spotty, it’s not stripey and I’ve been wanting to make a blanket with a turtle on it for a while.

Turning AI Ideas into a Colorwork Chart

Now for the challenging part – creating a design to these specifications. There are many ways to design a graphgan but my preferred method is using the Procreate app, so, I pulled out my iPad and started working up some ideas. But, like any creative journey, there were a few twists and turns. When I hit a design roadblock, I turned to ChatGPT and asked it to describe what the design should look like. The description it gave me was, in a word, busy! It included a main design, a border, a wave section, and even a striped section. It was all a bit much, to be honest. 

In the end, I knew I had to simplify it. After all, I wanted this project to be enjoyable, not a never-ending puzzle. So, I settled on adding a wavy striped section to the turtle’s shell and I ditched the two grey colors. It was the perfect compromise – intricate enough to be captivating, yet simple enough for me to keep my sanity intact.

The design was locked and loaded, and it was time to take it from my digital canvas in Procreate to a crochet chart in Stitch Fiddle. Converting digital art into a crochet chart may sound like a daunting task, but with a trusty tool like Stitch Fiddle, it’s a breeze. I started by importing my design into the platform and, voila, there it was, transformed into a colorwork chart. After a little bit of tidying up my chart was ready to roll and it was time to start crocheting.

Choosing the Perfect Palette Partner

Let’s talk yarn. For this graphgan, I chose Brava Worsted from We Crochet, and it turned out to be a brilliant choice. Not only did it match the colors I needed perfectly, but it also had that softness and durability that every crocheter craves in their yarn. The colorways I opted for were Tidepool, Canary, Coral, and Custard. 

Pushing Boundaries: An AI Amigurumi Adventure

In the midst of this graphgan adventure, I decided to push the boundaries a little further and explore AI’s capabilities in another crochet realm—amigurumi. The task at hand was to let AI generate a crochet pattern for an amigurumi turtle, and, honestly, I was both excited and skeptical about the prospect.

ChatGPT was up to the challenge, and it swiftly delivered a complete crochet pattern. On paper—or should I say, on the screen—it all seemed perfect. The pattern was clear, concise, and detailed, leaving no room for confusion.

However, when I brought this AI creation to life, the results were, well, not exactly turtle-like (You’ll have to watch the video to see it!). While the crochet pattern was well-written, the end result reminded me that AI, while incredibly powerful, isn’t quite ready to replace the human touch in every creative endeavor.

With that sidequest complete I eagerly picked up my crochet hook and returned to the graphgan. Days turned into weeks, and soon, the finished blanket lay before me, its last stitch securely fastened. It was everything I had envisioned – bold, vibrant, and cozy. But, one thing was missing – a name! 

AI Name to Remember

So, I turned to my trusty AI companion once more. I asked, “Can you help me name this blanket?”. Within seconds, it conjured up five suggestions:

Seaside Serenity Blanket
Turtle Tides Throw
Coral Coast Crochet
Sunset Waves Lapghan
Golden Turtle Retreat

Two of these names instantly stood out to me, Seaside Serenity Blanket and Turtle Tides Throw. I turned to my YouTube community to help me pick one and the overwhelming response was Turtle Tides Throw. 

AI’s Current Limitations and Future Potential

So, where does this leave us in the grand conversation about AI’s role in the crochet world? My journey through this experiment brought me to a comforting conclusion: AI has shown its potential as a creative companion, but it’s clear that the human touch still reigns supreme in the world of crochet.

In my design process, I often turn to various sources for inspiration, whether it’s the colors of a sunset, scenes in nature, or even a conversation with a fellow crocheter. AI is now another muse in our toolkits, offering fresh ideas, unique perspectives, and even gentle nudges when we find ourselves stuck in a design rut.

As we wrap up this crochet adventure, there’s one more delightful surprise awaiting you – the Turtle Tides Throw pattern free download: