I got an email from the Knitting Pattern-a-Day Calendar people. They were holding a contest for their 2009 calendar. You can submit your pattern for the contest. Sounds pretty good, huh? Not really…

$500 will be awarded as First place for both calendars; there are also 2nd and 3rd place prizes; and all contributors whose patterns are used will receive a 2009 calendar.

So, out of 365 patterns in their calendar, they give one first prize of $500, an unmentioned second and third prize. Everybody else just gets a copy of the calendar. Does that sound like a good chance to you? I know I’m feeling uninspired to send my patterns to them. Quite frankly, I’m pretty unimpressed with the Crochet Pattern-a-Day Calendar I bought this year. I get more good ideas from the Craft Magazine blog and Etsy.

I have felt a resurgence of love for crochet, but it has nothing to do with major publishers. All my good ideas have come from looking at what other people are doing all over the world on the web. People have created some interesting and edgy ideas. Instead of crochet being the thing that grandmas do, it’s something young people do. We create iPod cozies, watch bands and even crazy little crocheted stuffed robots. It’s all new and exciting right now, but if I head into a Barnes and Noble to see if there is a new book, it’s all about the ponchos, doilies and ghastly sweaters.

Sorry, Accord Publishing, I’m not submitting my patterns to you. I’ll just give them away for free on the Internet.