Top 10 Tips for Selling Digital Crochet Patterns on Etsy
Written by: Kristen M
Published on 5/26/25
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission when you make a purchase through the links in this post at no additional cost to you.
Selling digital crochet patterns on Etsy is a fun, flexible way to turn your passion into income — no inventory, no shipping, just beautiful patterns delivered instantly to happy customers. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to improve your shop, here are 10 helpful tips based on experience and real success.
1. Niche Down Your Style
Before anything else, get clear on your style and niche. Do you create adorable animals? Realistic flowers? Seasonal decor? Beautiful wearables?
Staying consistent builds a recognizable brand and helps the right people find (and remember) your shop. Making this change for my shop, personally, helped sales grow in the thousands. I’m not kidding! As soon as I found my niche - designing crochet patterns with a floral touch - customers started to see and believe in my expertise in this area. Over time, you begin to build trust with these customers, and they begin to share your work with other people who are also interested in floral crochet designs (or whatever niche stands out for you)!
Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean you need to automatically go in and take out every listing that doesn’t fall into your niche. You can if you want, or if you feel like they aren’t selling well. But, I’ve kept most of my previous listings for crochet patterns that don’t fall into my flowery niche, and they do still sell from time to time (hello, Perceval Puffin!).
Friendly Tip: Look through your patterns — is there a visual or thematic thread that runs through them? Lean into that.
2. Create a Standout Cover Photo & Include a Video of your Product
Your listing photo is your first — and often only — chance to grab attention. Etsy is a visual marketplace, and your photos need to stop the scroll.
Make every listing cover the same to create visual consistency
Use natural lighting and uncluttered backgrounds
Show the finished item clearly
Add a clean title graphic with YOUR specific branding, especially for bundle listings
Add a clear and quick video showcasing your finished item
Fill ALL 10 photos for your listing showcasing different angles and uses for the product
Think of it like packaging — neat, polished images tell the buyer your pattern will be polished, too.
3. Use SEO to Get Found
Etsy’s search engine is your best friend once you learn to work with it. If you do anything to maximize your listings from the tips in this post, do this one first. Use keywords your customers would type when looking for a pattern like yours.
Where to optimize:
Titles: Be specific and fill up your 140 character count as much as possible (e.g. “Crochet Tulip Flower Pattern, Digital Crochet Flower Pattern, Easy Crochet Pattern, No-Sew Crochet Pattern, Crochet Tulips, Crochet Flowers”)
Use the same words you used in your title for your tags
Tags: Use ALL 13 tags with variations and related terms
Descriptions: Use keywords naturally in the first few sentences
Friendly Tip: grab a pen and notebook, put yourself in your ideal customer’s shoes, and write down every key word you can think of to describe the digital pattern you’re selling.
For example, here are several tag ideas if you were selling a crochet tulip pattern (don’t forget to use the same words/descriptions from your title!):
Crochet pattern, Crochet flower, Crochet bouquet, Crochet florals, Crochet tulip, Tulip pattern, Tulip flower, Pink tulips, Red tulips, DIY tulips, Spring flowers, Spring decor, Spring tulip, DIY Flowers, Flower pattern, No-sew pattern, Gift for mom, Gift for her, Floral pattern, Easy crochet, Easy spring PDF
4. Write Clear, Helpful Descriptions
Your listing description is like your salesperson. Tell shoppers everything they need to know:
• What skill level the pattern is for
• What yarn, hook, and supplies are needed
• What the finished size is
• What format the file comes in
• Whether you use US or UK crochet terms
Be sure to clearly state that this is a digital PDF pattern, not a physical item. Many crocheter’s have experienced customers purchasing their crochet patterns and then messaging several days later to as why it hasn’t been shipped yet, or why they haven’t received their package. To help with this, many sellers include a personalization box in their listing where the buyer has to type “YES” to agree they are purchasing a digital download and not a finished product. It’s never a bad idea to add an extra layer of clarification so your customers know EXACTLY what they are receiving.
5. Make Your Pattern Easy to Follow
Happy customers leave great reviews — and they come back for more! Not only do they leave great reviews, but if they have no problems following your crochet pattern, that means they are less likely to send you a message for pattern assistance. If you create a bomb crochet pattern to begin with, you won’t have to deal with as many problems and assistance needs after it’s released. I know how exciting it is to release that pattern you’ve designed, but let me tell you, it is SO worth it to put the hard and precise work in on the front end so you have less or no problems after release day!
Your PDF pattern should be:
Clearly written with easy to follow step-by-step instructions
Include the difficult level and ensure it is accurate to the pattern
Include stitch counts at the end of rows or rounds
Have photos, videos, or diagrams for any tricky parts
Neatly formatted and easy to print or view on a device
Put your patterns through a trusted group of testers to make sure errors are caught, and the item can be make accurately
Friendly Tip: if you’re new to designing patterns, it can be helpful to start by purchasing a template to ensure you’re off to a great start in the formatting of your pattern. I created an easy to follow template with tons of great tips on making your pattern amazing! You can find this template in my shop on Etsy here!
6. Offer Great Customer Service
Even with an incredible pattern, buyers may still reach out with questions — sometimes just to double-check they’re reading the pattern right. Respond with kindness and patience every. single. time. This is especially true if your pattern is beginner-friendly. A little help goes a long way in building trust (and 5-star reviews).
This may be unpopular advice, but I’ve also had a few buyers reach out to me saying they never received their downloads. When this happens, I try to put myself in my customers shoes and think about their frustrations.
The first thing I do when this happens is make sure I can see they actually purchased the pattern. It should show at the top of the message thread. Next, I respond by reminding them that they cannot access their downloads on the Etsy app - it will only be able to be downloaded from the link in their email or on a web browser.
Sometimes, this fixes the issue and they’re able to find their download. Other times, there’s a glitch and they’re still unable to download their pattern. In this case, I like to ask for their email and personally email the pattern they purchased to them. Etsy, and other sellers, often discourage emailing customers like this. But for the few times it’s happened to me, the buyers have been so appreciative of my help and often leave wonderful reviews. For me personally, this has helped create a trusted customer relationship, but it’s also completely up to you on how you want to run your shop and handle customer service issues.
Friendly Tip: if possible, try to respond to Etsy messages quickly. This helps keep your shop in good standing so Etsy will continue to push your listings out for views. If you’re unable to respond quickly, you can set up auto-replies that way your customer knows when you’re out of office and that way you can keep your shop in good standing.
7. Encourage Reviews and Sharing
At the end of your pattern, include a simple message like:
“Thank you for purchasing this pattern! I’d love to see what you make — please tag me on Instagram @YourShopName and consider leaving a review if you enjoyed this project!”
This small reminder makes a big difference in engagement and visibility.
8. Bundle Smartly
This is a BIG one, friends, so I hope you’ve stayed with me! Selling crochet pattern bundles in my shop has been a complete GAME CHANGER for my business. This especially works when you’ve stayed in your niche, so many of your patterns have a similar vibe.
One the best things about selling digital products is that you can create value-packed bundles without additional work.
Try offering:
Pattern bundles (e.g. “3 Flower Patterns for $X”)
Seasonal sets (e.g. “Spring Garden Crochet Pack”)
Build-your-own deals (e.g. “Pick Any 5 for $XX” using Etsy variations or coupon codes)
Bundles boost your average order value and give buyers more reasons to say yes. Plus, everyone loves a great deal! Every one of the bundles I offer in my shop give the buyers a great discount. If they were going to purchase several patterns anyway, they’re more likely to grab the bundle so they can save $$ and get a great deal.
9. Keep Your Shop Active
Etsy’s algorithm favors active shops. You don’t need to add a new pattern every week — but aim for consistency.
Other ways to stay active:
Refresh listing photos or keywords
Update your shop banner
Share a blog post or shop update
Respond to reviews or messages
10. Promote Off-Etsy
While Etsy does amazing job marketing for its sellers, try not to rely solely on Etsy traffic if possible in order to maximize your sales.
Use platforms like:
Pinterest to pin your pattern listings (this is #1! If you’re not on Pinterest, you need to start NOW! It’s an incredible tool for free advertising! Who doesn’t want that?!)
Instagram to show behind-the-scenes, WIPs, and finished pieces
Facebook page or group to share updates!
Email newsletters to share new patterns and exclusive discounts
Friendly Tip: Offer a free pattern or printable checklist to encourage people to join your email list — which leads us to the bonus idea…
🎁 BONUS: Free Checklist Download
Want a quick version of these tips to keep by your side as you work on your shop?
📥 [Download Your Free “Etsy Crochet Pattern Seller Checklist” here!]
Final Thoughts
Digital sales really are the future, friends. Selling digital crochet patterns on Etsy is one of the most rewarding and scalable ways to turn your creativity into income. It’s not just about posting patterns — it’s about connection, creativity, clarity, and consistency. Once I discovered my unique niche and where I wanted to take my journey, my shop went from earning barely $2,000 the first year to $16,000 the following year. This year (2025), I’m on track to earning $20-$25,000 on Etsy digital pattern sales alone. If your goal is to see results, you’ve got to have the long game mindset (check out this blog post to know what I’m talking about!), and be patient with Etsy and yourself.
Keep in mind, crochet pattern designing isn’t for everyone. If your heart isn’t in this, please don’t try to force it just to make money. Believe me, people will be able to tell. If I’ve learned anything in my crochet designing journey it’s that you cannot force creativity - but you can foster it. If you have an interest in crochet pattern designing, but don’t know where to start, I have entire blog post series just for you!
Check out each of these posts below to help you get started on your journey:
Crochet Pattern Design - Designing with Originality
Crochet Pattern Design - Getting Started
Crochet Pattern Design - Helpful Tools and Resources
Crochet Pattern Design - Publishing and Navigating the Testing Process
Crochet Pattern Design - Tips for Writing a Great Crochet Pattern
You’ve got this, friend! 🧶✨
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission when you make a purchase through the links in this post at no additional cost to you.
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