For fiber artists, a list of signs that a set of instructions is probably llm-slop. The article is by a crochet designer, but the signs are relevant beyond crochet.
#knitting #crochet #FiberArts no advice please
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/how-to-spot-ai-fake-pattern/
@gannet
Thanks, will pass this on to The Beloved's crafty cronies.
@gannet @FanCityKnits the only problem is that most of these tips require one to have already achieved expert status. For example, I've been crocheting for years, but I would be hard-pressed to estimate how much yarn of whatever weight a given project would require!
@akamran @FanCityKnits that’s a point. Foo
Jul 29, 2026, 8:22 PM@akamran @gannet @FanCityKnits
After reading it, as a knitter with very little experience, I feel like I can assess some of those, but only the more tangential ones. My takeaway is that if the images are overly perfect and the creator has very little online presence, I'm gonna take the listing to friends at the local fiber arts circle, and hope someone there has enough expertise to check some of the more concrete "this cannot work as described" problems.
I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have friends who are more experienced than me, though. It's reinforcing the importance of having direct connections to people.
@jsw @akamran @gannet @FanCityKnits couple more tips, check the copyright date on the pattern (if it’s visible). Old (pre-2020s) generally means human made. Also, search the pattern name online and see if other people have posted WIPs/FOs.
I feel really terrible for new crafters these days having to separate the slop from the real.
@akamran @gannet @FanCityKnits Toni made a video about that stolen pattern, with visual examples that are more obvious than just a description.
(And I made the original pattern! I learned that I hate linen stich but the result is stunning)
Jul 29, 2026, 6:21 PM@gannet Thank you for the link. It's so upsetting to see how hard actual creators have to fight to combat all the AI garbage out there. On top of designing, marketing, troubleshooting and dealing with customers, they now have to research and educate their potential customers on how to avoid getting scammed 😞
@gannet I've only bought patterns in stores and haven't looked at etsy at all ... Too much analysis paralysis with options. Is etsy doing anything to combat this scourge?
I have no idea what they do in regard to slop, but my opinion of Etsy is pretty terrible at this point.
I did just go look to see if I could find a current policy. My 2026 noai.DuckDuckGo results have a bunch of complaints by slop sellers complaining that their listings have been removed without warning or providing explanations of how to keep selling while adhering to Etsy policy.
So I guess they’re doing something, though it sounds like a whack-a-mole problem.
If you’ve been buying paper patterns from stores, it’s worth looking to see if the designers you like have their own websites. A lot of them sell patterns directly or will link to where they can be bought.
@gannet thanks. I definitely found some places where I like a lot of their patterns the way you suggested but haven't purchased any yet. As for etsy, I'll probably just continue to steer clear.
Good luck out there and thanks again for the PSA
@fullywoolly Etsy takes everything for making profits, I closed my shop because of their behaviour. LLMs are only one part ... it starts with Chinese sweat shops "working by hand". You have to know/trust the owner of a shop there.
@NatureMC what did you sell on there before closing up shop?
@fullywoolly Paper art. Artists had a group there to protest against "fake artists" (in reality Asian companies behind) selling bad quality for dumping prices, buying search results. There were different actions like cooperated shutdown of shops for several days with a protest banner. But Etsy had closed ears. At that time, many real artists left. Then they got more junk. The protests were in some media, perhaps you still find infos.
@NatureMC thanks I go searching. I have a commission of my dog's portrait that was made with pieces of cut paper some of it hand dyed from what the artist told me when I took delivery. Probably not your kind of paper art but I still find it amazing.
@fullywoolly a very fine work!
@gannet Useful, thanks!