Le Crochet

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Pattern 2d 01
Pattern 3d 01
Pattern 2d 02
Pattern 3d 02
Pattern converter
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Future expansion
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Inspiration

Crochet has been traditionally documented with static diagrams and lengthy written instructions that are difficult to visualise, especially for beginners. We were inspired by tools like Overleaf for LaTeX and 3D CAD software to envision a better way to create, preview, and share crochet patterns through a modern, code-first approach that combines clarity, interactivity, and creativity.

What it does

Le Crochet is a modern crochet pattern creation platform that revolutionises how patterns are designed and shared. Users can write patterns in CrocheTeX, our custom programming language explicitly designed for crochet, and visualise them in real-time through both 2D symbol charts, familiar to experienced crafters, and 3D interactive models that show yarn flow and stitch geometry. The platform enables users to easily edit, validate, and export their patterns, transforming crochet design into an interactive coding experience that bridges the gap between craft and technology.

Additionally, if users want to see a traditional pattern visualized through our software, our AI translation tool converts the instructions into CrocheTeX, allowing the user to understand the pattern visually and customize the pattern to their liking.

How we built it

We combined several cutting-edge technologies to create a comprehensive platform. The frontend was built using Next.js 15 with App Router and React 19, styled with Tailwind CSS, and features Monaco Editor for the code editor, Three.js and React Three Fibre for 3D rendering, and Framer Motion for smooth animations. Our CrocheTeX Compiler is a custom TypeScript module that parses and validates CrocheTeX commands, outputting structured data representing stitches, rows, and pattern structure. The 2D visualisation utilises SVG rendering of traditional crochet symbols, featuring pan and zoom capabilities, while the 3D visualisation generates mesh geometry of stitches and employs Bezier curves to simulate realistic yarn flow. Authentication is handled through NextAuth with Google OAuth integration.

Challenges we ran into

Designing the CrocheTeX language presented unique challenges in making it expressive yet easy to learn for crafters who may not have programming experience. The 3D visualisation of crochet stitches proved surprisingly complex, requiring us to accurately represent how stitches interlock and connect, which took substantial iteration to perfect. Performance optimisation became critical as real-time compilation and rendering needed careful tuning, especially for large and complex patterns. Additionally, creating a smooth editor UX required integrating Monaco Editor while maintaining seamless state updates between code, error messages, and visualisation components.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully developed a domain-specific language that makes creating crochet patterns accessible to both beginners and experts. Our 3D visualisation system accurately represents the complex geometry of interlocking stitches and yarn flow, providing an unprecedented level of visual clarity for pattern understanding. The real-time compilation and rendering system performs smoothly, even with complex patterns, and our editor offers an intuitive user experience that seamlessly bridges creative craftsmanship with modern development tools.

What we learned

This project taught us valuable lessons about designing domain-specific languages and building compiler pipelines from scratch. We gained deep expertise in techniques for generating 3D models procedurally using Three.js and learned best practices for performance optimisation in interactive React applications. Most importantly, we discovered the critical importance of careful UX design when creating tools that bridge creative disciplines with technical implementations, ensuring that the technology enhances rather than hinders the creative process.

What's next for Le Crochet

Our roadmap includes exciting features that will expand the platform's capabilities and community. We plan to develop a Pattern Marketplace where creators can share and sell their patterns, implement collaborative editing features for real-time multiplayer pattern design, and add pattern version control to track changes over time. Advanced export options will generate printable PDFs with 2D charts and instructions, while mobile app development will enable Le Crochet to be accessed on tablets and smartphones. We also aim to add international symbol support for non-English symbols and conventions, and implement an OpenAI-powered pattern converter that can transform any existing traditional crochet pattern into CrocheTeX syntax, making it easy for users to modernise their existing pattern libraries.