How to Tell AI from Real Crochet

If you’re anything like me, you’ve had an absolute GUT FULL of the AI slop crochet images doing the rounds on social media.

Pinterest is basically useless – completely saturated with artificial AI images and ‘patterns’ (and I do use that term loosely). Etsy is no better; what used to be a cool and fun marketplace to buy vintage and handmade items has turned into a slop-fest filled with AI, mass-produced junk, and straight-up stolen pattern scammers.

AI image generators are getting better and better every day. Google’s Banana-rama-bama (that’s not the actual name, but I can’t be bothered to look it up) makes AI crochet images that are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing.

So, let’s all take a minute to improve our media literacy and ability to tell AI from real crochet:

We just have to accept that we can no longer believe anything we see online.

Check out this Old Gregg that I created using Google’s AI image generator. I used a ridiculously simple prompt like “Old Gregg crochet doll”.  Gone are the days of AI crochet looking like weird little blocks – you can actually see stitch definition in this image.

The only thing that might ping my AI radar is that the skirt is knitted (though that’s not entirely without precedent in real patterns). The face and hair are a bit weird, too, but considering the terrible AI I see people fall for every day, this is a concerningly good fake. This is where we’re at in 2026.

The first thing we can do to fight against generative AI is learn to recognise it.

1. The image looks too… perfect. There’s almost an uncanny valley effect to generative AI – an uneasiness in your gut when you see it. It looks too good to be true.
2. The stitches go in weird directions. A lot of the shitty AI is easy to spot because the stitches do things that crochet stitches just can’t do. Maybe they curve weirdly in the middle of a round or simply disappear. Zoom in to see what’s going on and whether the shapes can actually be created with a hook and yarn. 
3. The background is out of focus. Most AI images have a soft focus in the background. While this doesn’t mean the picture is definitely AI (you can easily create this look on a phone camera), it’s one sign to look out for.
4. The image just doesn’t make sense. Maybe a belt is in a weird place, or a cow has a pig nose. Does the picture look like something a human being would create… or something an algorithm would hallucinate?

If you suspect an image is AI-generated, then you can do a little bit of detective work. Don’t bother with AI image-detecting websites because they are wrong all the time. 

While I am not a fan of Google, you can do a quick reverse image search. Does the picture come up anywhere else on the internet? Where? Who posted it? Most slop will be a dead end or only on Pinterest or Etsy. 

If you’ve done a search and you’re still stuck, ask other crocheters. Honestly, this can get a bit annoying when Facebook groups and subreddits are filled with posts asking, “Is this AI?” Make sure that you’ve done your due diligence before expecting someone else to do it for you. 

I’m going to hold your hand as I say this:

If you can’t tell AI crochet images from the real thing, DO NOT buy patterns on Etsy. It’s only a matter of time before you get caught out by a scammer. It seems like Etsy doesn’t give 2 shits about the slop on their platform, so I’d suggest going elsewhere unless you know for a fact that the designer is legit (and that the pattern isn’t stolen).

Ravelry and Ribblr are two platforms that don’t allow generative AI, so they’re great alternatives. You can also check to see if the designer sells on their own website (we don’t because it’s simply too complicated with international taxes).

If you won’t heed my warning about Etsy, then at least do your research before buying: reverse image search the product photo, read the reviews (and look for people that have actually made the designs – too few or too many reviews can be a warning sign), check out the designer’s social media platforms. Abort the purchase if anything feels off!

While I fully encourage people to call out AI slop when you see it, don’t forget that there are some truly talented designers and makers out there!

Unless you are 100% sure that the person is posting slop, don’t try to call them out because you might end up looking like a total asshat. 

I can’t tell you the number of times this has happened to me on social media, and I don’t use generative AI in ANY CAPACITY. It’s insulting, and it becomes a witch hunt very quickly. At least click on a person’s profile to see if they’re a legit maker. 

The cute cats in the image are by Hainchan on Etsy. 

Well, folks – I hope that we’ve all learned something today.

Just because you saw a random image online doesn’t mean that it’s real – especially if it’s on Pinterest or Etsy. And just because someone is a talented crocheter doesn’t mean that their pictures are AI-generated. I’ve actively been trying to make my photos less perfect so it’s clear I’m a human and not a bot. 

Now is the perfect time to support designers and platforms that are actively anti-AI! Help us by using your money and online presence to advocate for keeping our craft safe from scammers.

And if you’re as tired as I am of seeing AI slop on your feed, you can join our FUCK AI Facebook Group. 

(Page edited: 1 July 2026)