Many of you were excited when I began writing a regular column for CrochetNow magazine, and over the past few months I've had a lot of people ask why my articles suddenly stopped appearing. I thought it was finally time to explain.
This is simply my own experience and perspective, and I appreciate that others may have had different experiences working with the same companies.
Last year began with what felt like an exciting new chapter. I collaborated with Crochet Society on several design projects, including patterns for their Under the Sea amigurumi collection and the Tiger and Giraffe from their Menagerie collection. These were paid commissions. They weren't particularly lucrative, but I genuinely enjoyed working with the team and was proud to contribute to projects that brought joy to crocheters.
The deadlines could be demanding, and there were occasions when I found myself working over Christmas and holidays to meet them, but I accepted that as part of freelance life because I enjoyed the collaboration.
When I was later invited to write a regular column for CrochetNow magazine, I happily accepted. Payment wasn't discussed, and at the time I didn't ask. I saw it as an opportunity to share techniques, ideas and inspiration with the crochet community, and I thought it would be a fun addition to my work.
For several months everything went well.
Around Christmas 2025, however, things became considerably more challenging.
At the time I was helping to promote Crochet Society's Advent Calendar. In my opinion it was a wonderful product, but unfortunately there were also counterfeit versions appearing on various online marketplaces. Many customers unknowingly purchased these cheaper copies, believing they were authentic, and some understandably expressed disappointment when they received products of much lower quality.
Because I was publicly promoting the genuine Advent Calendar, some of those frustrations were directed at me. I received comments accusing me of promoting a fake product or misleading people. I spent a great deal of time explaining that the products some customers had received appeared to be counterfeit versions rather than the official Advent Calendar sold by Crochet Society.
It wasn't an enjoyable experience for anyone involved, but eventually Christmas passed and things settled down.
Looking back, I feel I went above and beyond during that period. Alongside promoting the calendar, I also created an entire month's worth of additional free projects designed to complement it. I did this because I believed in supporting the collaboration, despite the difficult atmosphere online.
Then, in January, everything changed.
The person I had worked closely with at Crochet Society left the company. Shortly afterwards I received an email explaining that any previous agreements relating to that contact had come to an end and that, if I wished, I could arrange a video call to discuss future collaborations. Naturally I wanted to understand what this meant, so I replied asking to arrange that conversation. I never received a response.
Despite that, I continued writing my magazine column.
By chance, I later discovered that my CrochetNow contact had also taken on the Crochet Society side of the business. I had reached out with some ideas for future collaborations coincidentally, but was encouraged to send more information. So, I put together a detailed proposal and replied. Again, I didn't receive a response.
Even so, I continued writing my monthly column.
Writing those articles involved much more than simply submitting text. Every month I tried to create something genuinely useful for readers, often including bonus patterns, techniques or practical tips. While designers whose patterns appeared in the magazine were paid, I was choosing to include additional patterns and tutorials in my column without payment because I wanted readers to receive something special. Over time, however, the workload became increasingly difficult to sustain.
At the same time, HappyBerry was facing significant financial challenges. We had closed our studio because of rising costs, we were dealing with increasing website hosting expenses, and finances had become tight enough that even buying yarn sometimes required careful budgeting. That has not changed either to this day. Eventually I wrote an honest email explaining that I was finding it difficult to continue producing regular content without payment.
I didn't receive a reply.
I found that particularly difficult because by that point I had been contributing to the magazine for well over a year. Whether there was a reason my email went unanswered, I don't know. All I can say is that I never received a response. That left me feeling disappointed and uncertain about whether my contribution was even valued.
I had one remaining deadline, and after a great deal of thought I decided not to submit another article. No one contacted me about the missing column. There was no follow-up email, no enquiry about whether everything was alright, and no discussion about whether I intended to continue writing. That was when I realised it was time for me to move on.
This isn't a story about villains or heroes. Businesses have commercial priorities, and freelance designers have to make decisions about where they invest their time and creativity. My experience simply taught me that goodwill alone isn't a sustainable business model.
For a long time I gave far more than I was being compensated for because I genuinely cared about creating valuable content for the crochet community. I don't regret the work I produced, and I'm proud of every article I wrote, but I have learned that creative work has value, and it's important to recognise that value before burnout sets in.
I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who bought the magazine because of my column, sent me kind messages, or told me they enjoyed the projects I shared. Your support meant far more than you probably realise.
So, if you've been wondering why I no longer write for CrochetNow magazine or collaborate with Crochet Society, that's my answer. It's simply time for me to focus my energy on creating content, tutorials and designs that I own completely, and on building HappyBerry and
PictishThreads in a way that's sustainable for the future.
To everyone who looked forward to my column each month, I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint you. I know many of you bought the magazine specifically to read my articles, and that support meant the world to me.
I hope you can also understand why I reached the decision to step away. Like many creative people, I want to feel that my time, skills and contribution are valued. For me, that doesn't always mean money alone. Sometimes it's as simple as open communication, mutual respect and knowing that the work you're pouring your heart into matters.
I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who read my column, tried my patterns and supported me along the way. Although this chapter has come to an end, I'm excited to pour that same passion into HappyBerry and PictishThreads, where I can continue creating and sharing with you for many years to come.
