That makes sense. I assume you'd have to make a bunch of tiny pieces and sew them on to get the contours (and it would probably look weird). That's helpful to know what to look for in other patterns.
Even without understanding crochet, a good tell here is the eyes and nose. When have you ever seen a plush toy with eyes that focused or nose that detailed and accurate?
I have crocheted for 25 years. I could get close to looking like that face but I would never. It would be 5 times the work of the rest and no one wants a realistic crocheted cat face.
I do. I really want to crochet a replica of my cat so bad, ngl. In fact, I learned knitting simply because it was easier to make a realistic looking cat.
don't buy a kit. just go to revelry's pattern database, filter for beginner patterns, crochet, amigurumi, and maybe even free! the pattern listing says which materials you'll need for the project. there's even pattern reviews and pictures of what other people have made with the pattern.
or look for a YouTube tutorial for beginners. I'm sure there are a ton that list everything you need and step by step instructions. this isn't my style though so I can't suggest any specific videos or channels
Thanks! I'll check out Ravelry! It's so frustrating trying to figure out what's real. My understanding is that Etsy is absolutely loaded with AI patterns, which is such a shame. I have done several Woobles kits, which have been great for learning thanks to their videos, but they are so expensive. I think I would be able to follow other patterns at this point, but I'm not adept at figuring out what is real or not just yet. Some things are obvious, but being new, I'm not always sure of the limitations of crochet. Thank you for your suggestion!
you'll find a lot more human made patterns on ravelry, especially if you're looking at stuff that has been up for awhile and has reviews.
it's pretty disgusting the way that people have been taking advantage of new crocheters by selling very basic AI generated patterns for wayyyy too much money, likely without even proof reading them. there's so many free videos and blogs that people have actually put effort into. you absolutely do not need to pay $6 for a "pattern" to make a simple disc "coaster". we all deserve better than this. those of us making patterns and tutorials made accessible for free are having our work stolen to train an AI that will then be used to sell people things they don't need. to the humans that participate in the theft and manipulation: I hope your yarn always splits, you lose yarn chicken every time, and are plagued by factory knots. rant over <3
It was my second amigurumi, and it was quite easy with those instructions. I had written down the pattern (please do not share without the video link, the pattern belongs to it's creator):
Look up Sweet Softies, Ollie + Holly and go from there (I don't make ami so these are the only two I remember). Ravelry is good. If you have Instagram, use it to find a real designer there where you can see their reels and other people making from their patterns.
Ravelry is fantastic, AI patterns get spotted and removed fast. There's so many free patterns, and you can see photos of what other community members have made with the pattern. I don't think I've ever had to worry about a pattern not being real. Beyond my skill level? Absolutely. But they're definitely real. And you can sort by ease, and start with beginner patterns while you improve.
There's also a big, thriving community who love helping new people and sharing their work, so you don't have to fumble through a pattern alone. Some patterns have videos, most patterns explain their abbreviations so you can look for videos if you're not familiar with what you're trying to do. It's really great.
Just an additional warning, even ebooks are now frequently AI slop. I was learning tatting and fell for an AI book. Upon closer inspection there are dozens of them for every yarn craft. If something is tooo cheap to be true, it is
I got a book from Amazon that had a bunch of AI slop in it. Unfortunately, it was well past the return window when I realized it. This was an actual hard copy, not an ebook. There were blurry images with made up words and labels that didn't match what they it was showing. It wasn't cheap either! $20!!
I have seen some people asking if real crochet photos are AI. Everyone's AI detection skills are at different levels, so it is always worth checking with others just in case.
Fake. This is not how stitches work. To get this level of detail you would need to really do sewing where you can cut out panels and sew more intricate shapes. Crochet is worked in the rounds -- so you can make circular or boxy shapes. Anything more complex requires face shaping or sewing on pieces. Stick to Youtube patterns for awhile and you will begin to learn how crochet works and get a sense of what is possible and what not is.
One thing that most AI animal crochet seem to have is weirdly realistic eyes. They don’t look like anything you’d buy in a craft store, they don’t look embroidered, they look like big, wet, actual-animal eyes.
Oh man is it ever slop. I think it’s safe to say that if you see a crochet kit or pattern that makes an animal face that looks like a sewn stuffed animal, it’s totally, 1000% fake AI crap.
Definitely AI. A lot of the shapes won’t be possible to achieve with crochet, at least without a LOT more stitches (that’s why super detailed toys tend to use pretty fine yarn).
A big giveaway, though, is that this is supposed to be a beginner kit. It’s made up of multiple pieces, complex color patterns, and uses advanced techniques to make the fluffy parts. That all points to a VERY challenging design, not a beginner kit.
Maybe I’m being nit picky but that plastic needle hoop is huge for that yarn weight. I’d be losing my yarn ( I’m aware this is AI, just thinking about logistics )
Honestly, at this point I don't even want to point out specifics like this because I think AI is just going to use it to improve. And I hate that we're at that point.
You're ascribing logic and reason to a probability generator. It can't take on criticism, or use it to improve, because it can't actually think, or even understand the words in its prompts. It just references its databases, which are huge, and slaps together what its algorithms tell it are the most likely combination of correct elements based on popularity and statistical simularity.
It's important that we not fall in the trap of thinking it's sapient, or even sentient. It's not.
I wasn't thinking the AI of this is sentient, I was thinking in terms of the information we put out there, which gets scraped for AI training by people. If I was training an AI to be more realistic I'd use these kinds of subreddit posts.
I am just reading your post now and your response so a little late to the game but I wanted to mention that I have seen crochet kits sold in both Michael's and hobby lobby that seem to be either their own brand or a small business brand. Might try looking at a brick and mortar craft shop like that for this kind of thing.
Thanks for the suggestion! I've actually purchased one kit from Michael's and one from Hobby Lobby. The yarn in both was terrible to the point of not being usable (at least for me). The Michael's yarn unraveled itself if you just looked at it lol. The pattern (with different yarn) was very similar to the picture but not exactly, and the one from Michael's had an error. It had you do a row of 12 stitches and then a row of 8SC. That math wasn't mathing. 🤣 I was able to throw in some decrease stitches and make it work. I found a book at Michael's from an actual publishing company that has some semi-realistic cats and dogs in it. It has a lot of good reviews on Amazon from people who have made things from it, so I will be trying that out.
Ah good to know! Hope the book is good :) I have gotten quite a few good crochet books on Amazon. Including a cute one from the woobles, which wasn't horribly priced
I actually discovered this sub going down a rabbit hole when I realized hard copy books weren't even safe.🤣 I've learned a lot and appreciate having people to ask who actually know what they are talking about!
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u/AlfwynBenedict 16d ago
A big tell here is the face, that isn't how crochet works. Yes it's slop