7 Years of Crochet Growth: Lessons Learned and What’s Next for SASS Crochet
I’ve been holding a crochet hook since I was about seven, but in 2019 I finally took a leap — just me, my yarn, and a dream bigger than my little hook could hold. What started as a quiet personal escape slowly grew into SASS Crochet, a cozy corner filled with farmhouse charm, simple stitches, and a whole lot of heart.
In 2020, I released my very first pattern — the SASSy Sweetheart Earrings, a tiny design with a whole lot of meaning. Not long after came my Jumbo Easter Egg pattern, and with those two simple, joyful makes, SASS Crochet officially took its first real steps into the pattern designing world. Looking back, those designs were small, but they taught me big lessons—lessons that shaped the cozy, accessible patterns I create today.
Seven years later, I’m still amazed at how each pattern has become a chapter in my story — designed in busy seasons, slow mornings, road trips, and those messy in-between moments where crochet felt like the only thing that made sense. What began as comfort became a calling. And along the way, this journey has taught me more than I ever expected about creativity, confidence, and the beauty of keeping things simple.
Here are the lessons seven years of cozy have taught me — starting with the one that changed everything.
Lesson #1: Progress Over Perfection (The Heart of Cozy Design)
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is this: cozy doesn’t come from perfection. Cozy comes from intention — from slowing down, enjoying the stitches, and giving yourself grace when things aren’t “Pinterest-perfect.”
When I first started designing, I fussed over every little detail… every stitch count, every photo angle, every wobble in tension. But over time, I realized something freeing: people don’t fall in love with perfect patterns — they fall in love with patterns that feel warm, doable, and full of personality.
Whether it’s a farmhouse-inspired coaster or a soft, simple beanie, the goal isn’t flawless stitches. The goal is joy. Comfort. That satisfying “I made this” moment.
And the day I embraced that truth, my designs — and my confidence — opened up.
Lesson #2: Simplicity Isn’t Boring — It’s Beautiful
One of the most freeing lessons I’ve learned is that your creative style isn’t something you choose once — it’s something you grow into. And it grows with you.
When I first started designing, I didn’t have a clear “style.” I was experimenting, learning new stitches, new textures, new ideas… figuring out what felt like me. And here’s the truth: that’s normal. Every designer, no matter how long they’ve been creating, goes through seasons of change.
Over time, I began to notice the threads that consistently felt like home: cozy textures, warm neutrals, farmhouse charm, patterns that were simple, stylish, and inviting. That blend slowly became my signature — not because I forced it, but because it was who I was all along.
Your style shows up when you stop trying to impress and start trying to express.
And as SASS Crochet grew, so did my confidence in leaning into that cozy identity.
And here’s the most important part:
Your style can evolve, and that doesn’t mean you’re inconsistent. It means you’re alive. Learning. Growing. Becoming.
If you let yourself evolve, your audience will evolve with you.
Because authenticity is the true signature everyone recognizes.
Lesson #3: Start Before You Feel Ready — Clarity Comes From Doing
If there’s one lesson I wish I could whisper to my younger designer self, it’s this:
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.
When I released my first patterns, I didn’t have perfect branding. I didn’t have fancy photos or a big audience waiting for what I created—just a hook, some yarn, an idea… and a whole lot of nerves.
But every pattern, every post, every attempt — even the awkward ones — brought clarity.
Learning doesn’t happen by thinking about designing—
it happens when you start designing.
Confidence doesn’t come from planning the journey—
it comes from walking the path.
Some of my best patterns came from simple experiments — little tests that turned into something beautiful. Some of my biggest breakthroughs happened when I released a pattern before I felt ready and trusted that it would find the hands it was meant for.
“Ready” is a moving target.
If you wait for perfection, you’ll miss years of growth and joy.
Your early work doesn’t need to be flawless — it just needs to be yours.
The rest unfolds stitch by stitch.
Lesson #4: Community Matters — Your People Will Find You
When I first started SASS Crochet, I thought I had to do everything alone. Design alone. Post alone. Learn alone. Figure out the “business” part alone. But seven years into this journey, one truth stands out brighter than the rest:
Crochet is community. And community is everything.
It’s my pattern testers, who have become part of my creative circle and help bring each design to life.
And it’s the friends and family who believed in me before I believed in myself, gently nudging me toward this little business with so much love and support.
And it’s my students — becoming a certified teacher opened a completely new kind of joy I didn’t even know I was missing.
These connections remind me that crochet is so much bigger than yarn and patterns.
It’s about people.
It’s built on heart.
And it grows through community.
And the beautiful thing is: you don’t have to chase community.
You show up authentically — and community gathers around you.
Lesson #5: Your Creativity Is Worth Protecting — Rest Fuels the Maker
One of the most surprising lessons I’ve learned is that creativity doesn’t thrive under pressure. It thrives under care.
In the early days, I thought I had to stay “on” all the time… designing nonstop, chasing ideas, keeping up with trends. But I learned quickly:
Rest isn’t the opposite of productivity —
rest is what makes creativity possible.
Some of my best ideas arrived during quiet walks, slow mornings, or evenings spent stitching for myself instead of for a pattern. Inspiration flows when we give ourselves permission to pause.
Your creativity is precious.
So is your energy.
And your peace matters more than you realize.
Protecting them isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Looking Back… and Looking Ahead
As I reflect on these seven years of cozy stitches, simple designs, and the beautiful community that has grown around SASS Crochet, one thing feels truer than ever:
This journey has never just been about patterns.
It’s been about heart. About growth. About trusting myself as a designer, teacher, and maker.
And now… it’s time for the next chapter.
In the coming months and years, SASS Crochet will continue to lean into what matters most:
✨ Simple stitches
✨ Stylish results
✨ Cozy, meaningful design
✨ Community
✨ Creativity that grows with you
Thank you for being here — for stitching along, cheering me on, and letting SASS Crochet be part of your story.
Here’s to the next chapter…
one cozy stitch at a time. 🧶✨
If this journey resonated with you, I’d love to have you join me for the next chapter. Click HERE and head to the blog.
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