Why I Design Crochet Patterns Based on Cartoon Characters

If you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ve probably noticed a theme: I love cartoons. Not just in a casual “Saturday morning nostalgia” kind of way, though that’s part of it, but in a deep, layered, emotional sense. They’re stitched into the fabric of my childhood, and designing crochet patterns that reflect that love is my way of giving something back to those memories, and to the people who share them.

But let’s talk about the elephant in the studio: copyright.

This is a topic I’ve wrestled with, researched, and sat with for years. Creating patterns inspired by cartoon characters, especially ones that are clearly based on recognizable, trademarked designs, means walking a fine line. I’m not out here claiming ownership of any characters. I’m not trying to fool anyone into thinking I invented Count Chocula or Boo Berry or Grimace. What I am doing is taking inspiration and turning it into something handmade, interpretive, and transformative.

The legal landscape around this kind of work is murky, especially when you’re not mass-producing physical items but selling patterns, creative blueprints that others use to make their own version of a shared cultural icon.

So why do it at all?

Because fan art matters.

And crochet is fan art. 

Tattoo artists ink cartoon characters every single day. No one’s suing them. At comic cons, tables are full of handmade stickers, paintings, enamel pins, dolls, and T-shirts featuring everything from Disney villains to anime icons. No one’s accusing those artists of theft - they’re celebrated for their creativity and skill.

We live in a culture that reveres tribute. Elvis impersonators, drag queens channeling pop stars, YouTubers doing pixel-perfect makeup looks inspired by cartoons, it’s all part of the same energy: joy, admiration, connection.

So why should crochet be excluded?

Now, that doesn’t mean I take this lightly. I don’t call these patterns “official.” I don’t use logos or trademarks in my listings. I tag my work respectfully. And I never pass it off as something it isn’t. But I also refuse to pretend we live in a world where pop culture doesn’t influence art. It always has.

At the end of the day, I’m designing for the people like me.

People who remember the taste of cereal milk while watching cartoons on the floor. People who find joy in recognizable, iconic weirdos with big eyes and even bigger personalities. People who want to stitch a bit of that joy into their lives (and maybe their living rooms).

I know I’m not alone in this space. And I’m not afraid to talk openly about how I got here and why I do what I do.

Crochet isn’t just crafts and cozy vibes... it’s storytelling. It’s culture. It’s connection. And sometimes, it’s a bubble-butt version of a beloved mascot reminding us not to take life so seriously.

Thanks for being here, for stitching along, and for celebrating the weird and wonderful with me.

- Trish
Fat Lady Crochet