Learning With Crochet Buddy
Aural instructions with real time feedback
In the Spring of 2020, around the start of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic , I took up the art of crochet to fill the days in isolation. Due to my inability to count stitches correctly, the first blanket I made came out as more of a trapezoid than a rectangle. Failure to count stitches correctly is one of the most common mistakes of a novice crochetier. Similarly, a self taught crotchetier might struggle to fully understand written instructions, instructional videos, and patterns; especially since these documents do not have any form of real time feedback to correct any mistakes the user might make in the learning process. Crochet Buddy is an Internet of Things (IoT) device that was designed to assist the novice crochetier in learning the art of beautiful yarn-craft.
At this point, Crochet Buddy has already gone through a few iterations, culminating into this final iteration focused on how Crochet Buddy can be used as an educational tool. This journey began with an analog prototype and A 3D digital model of Crochet Buddy, which tested Crochet Buddy’s ergonomic handle design and the placement of the stitch counting camera. I then analyzed the considerations needed for creating a stitch tracking system. These iterations led to the final iterations of the Voice User Interface (VUI) that interacted with the stitch tracking camera to teach the user how to crochet with real time feedback.
CONCEPT
Although Crochet Buddy has functionality for a crotchetier of any skill levels, this iteration focuses on Crochet Buddy as a resource for total beginners to learn crochet with real time feedback. Never again will a novice crochetier be left wondering if they missed a step, misunderstood the directions, or did something wrong. The design for the educational aspect of crochet buddy has two main aspects:
- An updated analog prototype which includes the ability to attach an actual web camera to Crochet Buddy.
- The VUI which prompts users step by step how to crochet, by explaining the steps to make a variety of stitches.
GOALS
From the start of my exploration into the development of Crochet buddy, I had the idea in my head that novice a crochetier would be able to use it as a platform to learn crochet, and to follow along with patterns from the internet. The goal of this iteration is to gauge both the usability and feasibility of learning using only a VUI alone, albeit one paired with stitch tracking capabilities.
IMPLEMENTATION
There are three main aspects of the Crochet Buddy prototype: the analog prototype, the VUI, the demo video.
Analog Prototype
The analog model of Crochet Buddy followed a fairly similar form to the original Crochet Buddy hook. The biggest factor taken into account in this model was the idea that I wanted the camera to have a full view of all of the hook that was open to yarn. But, the focal length of my web camera was super short, which meant that I had to cover a very large amount of the hook in order for the camera to have this full perspective of the yarn on the hook.
Although the appearance of the new hook and handle is a lot bulkier, due to my constraints, it definitely shows a very clean video feed.
In future iterations (with a higher budget), I would look into smaller, wireless cameras with a wider lens to be integrated into a the hook in a cleaner fashion.
VUI
In order to test the basic interactions of the VUI that would accompany Crochet Buddy, I created four scripts: three individual scripts for the chain stitch, the double crochet, and the triple crochet as well as a combination script, which goes through a longer tutorial interaction, which teaches all three stitches one by one.
I started by creating step by step photos of the three stitches. Then, once I had these pictures, I used them as a baseline for creating the step by step directions which are incorporated into the VUI system. Because the VUI interacts with the stitch tracking camera, once the yarn is on the hook of crochet buddy, the user portions of these scripts is mostly descriptions of the state of yarn on the hook. These descriptions will be in parenthesis. With the intention of improving readability, I also simplified the responses in the repeated stitch instruction included after the use says “one more time.” It should be noted that these will have the almost identical error handling as the first round of instructions, except the insert into the stitch will be for the stitch next to the last stitch the user made.
There are two types of interactions in this VUI:
- An interactive tutorial which teaches users the chain stitch, the double crochet, and the triple crochet. The user accesses this by asking for a tutorial.
- Step by step tutorials of each type of stitch: Chain Stitch, Double Crochet, and Triple Crochet. These can be accessed by asking for any stitch by name.
View the individual stitch scripts here
Read Through the Tutorial:
USER: Crochet Buddy, I want a crochet tutorial.
CB: Okay. Let’s start with the chain stitch. You will need a ball of yarn and crochet buddy. When you are ready, say start.
USER: Start
CB: To begin, let’s make a slip knot. Loop the yarn around your index finger, then grab some yarn from between the loop you made and the ball or skein of yarn and pull it through the loop. When you are ready, say next or say repeat to hear this step again
- (1) USER: Repeat
- CB: Make a slip knot. Loop the yarn around your index finger, then grab some yarn from between the loop you made and the ball or skein of yarn and pull it through the loop. When you are ready, say next or say repeat to hear this step again
USER: Next
CB: Put your hook through the slip knot
USER: (one loop on hook, from slip knot)
CB: Now, tightly loop the yarn around your crochet hook
- (1) USER: (has more than two loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be two loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has only one loop on the hook)
- CB: Don’t forget to loop the yarn around the crochet hook. There should two loops on the hook
USER: (has two loops on the hook)
CB: Finally, pull your hook through the first slip knot, bringing the second loop you made with it.
- (1) USER: (doesn’t pull the loop second loop through the first loop)
- CB: Looks like that stitch didn’t catch. When pulling through the slip knot, make sure that you the second loop gets caught in the hook and will be the next single loop on your hook
CB: You have now created your first chain stitch. Repeat this step 11 more times to make a base chain of 12. To hear the stitch instructions again say “one more time.”
- (1) USER: one more time
- CB: tightly loop the yarn around your crochet hook
- USER: (has two loops on the hook)
- CB: Pull your hook through the first slip knot, bringing the second loop you made with it.
USER: (11 more stitches made, as tracked by crochet hooks camera)
CB: Awesome! Now you are ready to learn the double crochet. Start by tightly looping the yarn around your crochet hook.
- (1) USER: (has more than two loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be two loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has only one loop on the hook)
- CB: Don’t forget to loop the yarn around the crochet hook. There should be two loops on the hook
- USER: (has two loops on the hook)
USER: (has two loops on the hook)
CB: Now, for the first stitch only, take your hook and put it through the third chain away from the hook. On the rest of your stitches, it will be the chain next to your last stitch
- (1) User: (wraps string around, instead of putting it through the chain)
- CB: Looks like you wrapped the yarn instead of going through a chain.
- (2) User: (puts the hook in the wrong chain)
- CB: Looks like you hit the wrong chain. There should be two chains between the first and third loop on your hook.
USER: (has three loops on the hook)
CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- (1) USER: (has more than four loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be four loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has less than four loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you don’t have enough loops on your hook. There should be four loops on the hook
USER: (has four loops on the hook)
CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the two loops between the first and last loop on the hook.
- (1) USER: (pulls through too many loops, less than 2 loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you pulled through too many loops. There should be 2 loops on the hook now. Pull out this stitch and say “restart stitch” (which just goes back to the top of 4.2)
- (2) USER: (only pulls through one loop, three loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you didn’t pull through enough. Pull through the loop second closest to the hook. There should be three loops on the hook now.
USER: (has two loops on the hook)
CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- (1) USER: (has more than three loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be three loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has less than three loop on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you don’t have enough loops on your hook. There should be three loops on the hook
USER: (has three loops on the hook)
CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the other two loops on the hook.
- (1) USER: (pulls through too many loops, less than 1 loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you pulled through too many loops. There should be 2 loops on the hook now. Pull out this stitch and say “restart stitch” (which just goes back to the top of 4.2)
- (2) USER: (only pulls through one loop, two loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you didn’t pull through enough. Pull through the loop second closest to the hook. There should be one loop on the hook now.
USER: (has one loop on hook)
CB: Congratulations. You’ve completed your first double crochet. To get familiar with this stitch, repeat it 9 more times until the end of your row. Remember, the next chain that you put your hook through should be the one right next to your last stitch. To hear the stitch instructions again say “one more time.”
- (1) USER: One more time
- CB: Tightly loop the yarn around your crochet hook.
- USER: (has two loops on the hook)
- CB: Now, take your hook and put it through the chain closest to the last stitch you made.
- USER: (has three loops on the hook)
- CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- USER: (has four loops on the hook)
- CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the two loops between the first and last loop on the hook.
- USER: (has two loops on the hook)
- CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- USER: (has three loops on the hook)
- CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the other two loops on the hook.
- USER: (has one loop on hook)
- CB: Congratulations. You’ve completed your Xth double crochet. To get familiar with this stitch. To hear the stitch instructions again say “one more time.”
USER: (reaches 9 more double crochets)
CB: Awesome! Now you are ready to learn the triple crochet. Start by making three chain stitches to act as the edge of your piece.
USER: (chains three)
CB: Now, tightly loop the yarn around your crochet hook twice.
- (1) USER: (has more than three loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be three loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has less than three loop on the hook)
- CB: Don’t forget to loop the yarn around the crochet hook two times. There should only be three loops on the hook
USER: (has three loops on the hook)
CB: Now, for this edge stitch only, take your hook and put it through the fourth chain away from the hook. On the rest of your stitches, it will be the chain closest to your last stitch.
- (1) User: (wraps string around, instead of putting it through the chain)
- CB: Looks like you wrapped the yarn instead of going through a chain. Make sure you are inserting into a your previous work
- (2) User: (puts the hook in the wrong chain)
- CB: Looks like you hit the wrong chain. There should be three chains between the first and third loop on your hook.
USER: (has four loops on the hook)
CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- (1) USER: (has more than five loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be three loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has less than five loop on the hook)
- CB: Don’t forget to loop the yarn around the crochet hook There should be five loops on the hook
USER: (has five loops on the hook)
CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the two loops closest to it
- (1) USER: (pulls through too many loops, less than 1 loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you pulled through too many loops. There should be 3 loops on the hook now. Pull out this stitch and say “restart stitch” (which just goes back to the top of 4.3)
- (2) USER: (only pulls through one loop, two loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you didn’t pull through enough. Pull through the loop second closest to the hook. There should be 3 loops on the hook now.
USER: (has three loops on the hook)
CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- (1) USER: (has more than four loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be four loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has less than four loop on the hook)
- CB: Don’t forget to loop the yarn around the crochet hook There should be four loops on the hook
USER: (has four loops on the hook)
CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the next two loops closest to the last loop.
(1) USER: (pulls through too many loops, less than 1 loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you pulled through too many loops. There should be 3 loops on the hook now. Pull out this stitch and say “restart stitch” (which just goes back to the top of 4.3)
- (2) USER: (only pulls through one loop, two loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you didn’t pull through enough. Pull through the loop second closest to the hook. There should be one loop on the hook now.
USER: (has two loops on the hook)
CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- (1) USER: (has more than three loops on the hook)
- CB: Looks like you have too many loops on your hook. There should only be three loops on the hook
- (2) USER: (has less than three loop on the hook)
- CB: Don’t forget to loop the yarn around the crochet hook There should be three loops on the hook
USER: (has three loops on the hook)
CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the other two loops on the hook.
- (1) USER: (pulls through too many loops, less than 1 loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you pulled through too many loops. There should be 3 loops on the hook now. Pull out this stitch and say “restart stitch” (which just goes back to the top of 4.3)
- (2) USER: (only pulls through one loop, two loops on hook)
- CB: Looks like you didn’t pull through enough. Pull through the loop second closest to the hook. There should be 3 loops on the hook now.
USER: (Has one loop on the hook)
CB: Congratulations. You’ve completed your first triple crochet. To get familiar with this stitch, repeat it 9 more times until the end of your row. Remember, the next chain that you put your hook through should be the one right next to your last stitch. To hear the stitch instructions again say “one more time.”
- (1) USER: One more time
- CB: tightly loop the yarn around your crochet hook twice.
- USER: (has three loops on the hook)
- CB: Take your hook and put it through the fourth chain away from the hook. On the rest of your stitches, it will be the chain closest to the hook.
- USER: (has four loops on the hook)
- CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- USER: (has five loops on the hook)
- CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the two loops between the first and last loop on the hook.
- USER: (has three loops on the hook)
- CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- USER: (has four loops on the hook)
- CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the other two loops on the hook.
- USER: (has two loops on the hook)
- CB: Once again, tightly loop the yarn around the crochet hook
- USER: (has three loops on the hook)
- CB: Now pull the loop closest to the hook mouth through the last two loops on the hook.
- USER: (Has one loop on the hook)
USER: (has 10 triple crochets)
CB: Congratulations! You have finished the basic tutorial! Remember you can always come back to the steps for a stitch, just ask me how. Happy crafting!
Demo Video
The final aspect of Crochet Buddy was the demo video, which showcases the VUI and stitch tracking camera working together to deliver an easy and seamless way to learn crochet!
EVAULATION
When I was initially thinking about Learning with Crochet Buddy, I wanted to include a Graphical User Interface (GUI) with the VUI so that the user would be able to see what they are supposed to be doing, in addition to hearing it from the VUI, while they are doing it. But, I also wanted to see how feasible it would be to learn Crochet by voice alone. To test the VUI’s effectiveness on it’s own, I ran a VUI usability test with my mom over Zoom. Because the Crochet Hook that my mom was using was poorly made and almost impossible to use, we decided to skip over the triple crochet section of the tutorial script.
The main findings from this evaluation was that knowing the number of stitches that need to be on the hook is important information for the user, when they are learning any crochet stitch, even if Crochet Buddy is tracking it for them. It seems to be critical to the learning process for the user to either have a view of what the state of the yarn should look like as a picture, or to know the number of loops that should be on the hook at any given time.
It also became incredibly apparent that in any future iterations of Crochet Buddy it is important to only use the Susan Bates Hooks, which are the most well loved hooks in the world of crochet. The other generic crochet hooks just did not work very effectively, and made it incredibly difficult for my mother to even attempt the steps Crochet Buddy was giving her.
ANALYSIS
Although the analog prototype shows how effective the vantage point of having a camera embedded in the hook of Crochet Buddy’s handle is, the web camera that I used for this analog prototype proved to be bulky and had a very narrow view point. The bulky clip on the camera made it very difficult to hold the analog prototype, while the narrow camera angle made it so that there could only be a very small portion of the hook open for yarn in order for the camera to view all the loops on the hook.
The next steps in furthering the Crochet Buddy analog design would be the use of a smaller camera with a wider lens that does not interfere with the quality and comfort of the handle grip of Crochet Buddy. I am thinking it would probably along the lines of this small square camera, but it would be mounted in such a way where it would be angled to see a bigger portion of the crochet hook.
The VUI combined with stitch tracking also hold promise. From the demo video, it is clear that having live feedback from Crochet Buddy, with limited vocal interactions, could be an easy and fun way to learn crochet. The biggest change to the VUI would be to add an additional sentence to each of the lines that the VUI gives, stating the number of loops that should be on the hook at any given time. Although I thought having Crochet Buddy’s stitch tracking would be enough to help the user, my testing it proved that the user would like to know the number of loops that should be on the hook. Having the VUI state the number of loops there should be proves effective then it would be able to be distributed without connection to an app. Future iterations of Crochet Buddy would also instructions for more stitches than the three stitches used for this prototype. I would also change the script to possibly include more crochet specific terms. When I was writing my scripts this time around I was trying to use words that maybe were more descriptive, but given my user testing and evaluation I believe having the more specific terms would be more effective, especially if there is a way for users to interact with Crochet Buddy to find out the definitions of the more niche crochet terms if they aren’t obvious enough.
The next step for Crochet Buddy’s learning and educational systems would be the creating of a mobile application which would integrate a GUI into the pre-existing VUI and stitch tracking capabilities of Crochet Buddy. This would enable users to have both audio and visual instructions in their real time feedback. This application interface would also make it possible t get rid of the audio feedback entirely and focus on written or picture instructions which use on screen prompts and stitch tracking to provide live feedback even when the user doesn’t want audio.
