AllFreeCrochet

what it is and why you need to know about it

AllFreeCrochet is by far one of the largest crochet pattern directories out there. Not only do they have a website with tons of patterns and a fb page where you can find awesome trending patterns but they also send out 6 emails a week that feature top designs and patterns. AFC also releases free ebooks with different themes on a regular basis. You can also enter to win great weekly giveaways.

If you are a crocheter you’ll love what they have to offer in the way of crochet patterns.

If you are a fellow blogger you will definitely want to read this article. Getting your patterns featured in an All Free Crochet email can increase traffic to your blog by a tremendous amount. Just adding your patterns to their site will increase your traffic as well. AFC is by far my biggest referrer. I have been shared in numerous emails and ebooks and I was recently THE featured pattern in one of their emails… I can’t even begin to tell you how my views skyrocketed for the next three days.

AFC has a Editorial Calender which describes the patterns they post in what months and what the submission deadlines are. A must have resource for any crochet blogger. For the AFC Editorial Calender click here.

If you earn revenue with your blog you will see a huge increase on the days you are shared by AFC.

I recently sat down (virtually of course) with Jenny and Christine the two editors from AllFreeCrochet to ask them a few questions that would benefit both crochet enthusiasts and crochet bloggers.

Lets get to know a little about AllFreeCrochet

1- Tell us a little about AFC. What do you do, when were you formed, etc?

AllFreeCrochet is a wonderful website dedicated to the best free crochet patterns, tutorials, tips and articles on crochet. Since December of 2009, we’ve made it possible for you to never buy another crochet pattern again! You’ll find thousands of free patterns from both bloggers and yarn companies on our site. Plus, we run weekly giveaways and publish a free email newsletter that is delivered six times a week to more than 500,000 subscribers. Every issue of Hooked on Crochet features gorgeous crochet photos and a variety of different free crochet patterns to choose from including afghans, home décor, and holiday patterns. You can also set up a free account on our website that gives you access to user features such as commenting on patterns, adding private notes to patterns, rating patterns, and a personal Crochet Patterns Box that will keep your favorite patterns organized in one place.

2- Why is AFC the place to go when you are looking for a pattern?

Everything is free! We scour the web and bring you the very best free crochet patterns we can find, from easy to crochet afghan patterns to complex Tunisian crochet patterns. Variety is the spice of life and AllFreeCrochet has just the right thing for your next crochet project.

3- For all my fellow bloggers, what is the best way to get your patterns featured on AFC?

If you’d like to see your clever crochet tip, pattern or tutorial published with your name at AllFreeCrochet.com, it’s easy to do so! We link to the crochet pattern itself as opposed to listing the full pattern on the web site as we are a directory of crochet links. Simply contact us at [email protected] with your crochet link and a member of the editorial team will get back to you. We get tons of submissions everyday, so your patience is always appreciated when it comes to seeing your pattern live on the site.

4- I love your daily emails, what makes you choose certain patterns to be featured?

A lot of thought goes into creating our newsletters! We often look to see what’s trending online, and try to focus on what’s seasonal at the moment. Sometimes, we will also ask our readers what they’re interested in seeing in the newsletters. We’ll then do a little searching around to see what we can find. We also have a pretty good record of what has been popular with our readers in the past and try to feature similar patterns in future issues. This way, we can be sure that we’re providing readers with what we know they like!

5- What type of patterns are you looking for?

Everything! AllFreCrochet has a wide variety of patterns to choose from, and we’re always looking to add to it. Although, we have done some research and discovered that there are some patterns that are more popular on our site than others. We’ve found that some of the most popular patterns with our audience are scarves, shawls, afghans, and baby patterns (of any kind).

6- What is the most popular pattern AFC has ever featured?

The top three are the Popular Zen Jacket, Frame Church Windows Square and the Goddess Shawl.

We also asked a few personal questions of the AFC team… Lets get to know Christine:

1- How long have you been a part of AFC?AllFreeCrochet launched at the end of 2009. I’ve been growing it for four years so far; it’s like my first baby. At first I didn’t know much about crochet, but I picked it up quickly and I’ve become “hooked” ever since.

2- Do you crochet as well?

I started to crochet when I started working on the site. After a few classes, tutorials and YouTube videos I haven’t been able to put my hook down.

3- If so what are your favorite patterns to make?

Since having my daughter in August 2012 my favorite things to crochet are baby items. I’ve made the Giraffe Pillow, the 60 Minute Mary Jane Slippers, this cuddly owl, headbands galore, baby hats and a blanket. I’m currently working on a Blackhawks afghan for my husband (ssshhh it’s a birthday surprise). We’ll see how that turns out since there are a lot of little details. I’ve also made scarves, cowls, ear warmers and leg warmers. I like smaller items better because they get done quicker, which is very rewarding. Crochet addict? Possibly.

4- Do you create your own patterns?

I do not create my own patterns, but somehow they turn out a bit differently than they should, so I guess I create my own unintentionally.

And Jenny:

1- How long have you been a part of AFC?I joined the team at Prime Publishing in August of 2011, but did not begin working on AllFreeCrochet until June of 2012. Before that, I worked as the editor for AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns.

2– Do you crochet as well?

I am not nearly as good as my fellow editor Christine, but I am in the process of learning!

3- If so what are your favorite patterns to make?

After working on AllFreeCrochet for nearly a year, I’ve definitely seen a ton of cute projects that I would love to someday make. Some of my favorites include the Broomstick Lace Scarf, Brightly Colored Windchime Afghan, Acre of Land Pillow, One Skein Market Bag, and these Super Simple Crochet Bows.

4- Do you create your own patterns?

Maybe someday! I am still learning how to crochet, so who knows what the future will bring.

It was a pleasure to get to see inside AllFreeCrochet and to get to know a little more about the editors whom I contribute to. I am very excited to see what the future holds for AFC.

Thank you to Jenny and Christine from AllFreeCrochet for taking the time to do this guest post and a big thank you for what you do. I owe much of my success with the Cre8tion Crochet blog to you!