Hi Nicole once again. Let me start by putting one card on the table here. I am a Doctor of Psychology and retired a little while ago from a varied career ending up as Clinical Psychologist for families with children with life-limiting and life-challenging conditions. I have knitted since I was 6 or 7 and knitting is my 'chill pill' during what I am sure you can imagine was an emotionally challenging career.

I have several thousand patterns printed off and organised in binders. Almost all.....almost....free patterns. There have been a few I have been unable to work out and copy so I have purchased the pattern but only a very few. I can take an existing basic pattern and superimpose the design from a photo or two. Maybe it's just my weirdly autistic brain but I find this easy so one binder is a library of basic patterns. Top down yoke; top down raglan; bottom up yoke; bottom up raglan; bottom up drop shoulder.... you get the idea. For me, part of the pleasure of seeing a design then looking through my patterns is thinking "Aha....that design needs a top down yoke pattern and I can do this....."

That's just the single printed patterns and doesn't include the thousand or so books, almost all bought second hand rather than new although I make an exception for a designer like Norah Gaughan. Even then, I scan off the pattern I'm planning on doing for convenience so they're in the binders too. Books are also excellent value with a range of designs for around the cost of 2 on Ravelry.

My friend who shall remain nameless...you know who you are Nikki.....has over 600 pairs of shoes, neatly organised in her custom-made shoe storage wardrobe. Yet she wears four or five pairs at the most. Not at the same time....DUH...but ever. She LIKES 'treating herself'. She likes looking at them. She likes feeling that they are special because she chose them and cares for them. She likes the dopamine hit of choosing, buying, organising. I think that's a fundamental psychological driver that is active in many of us. My husband buys books. He cannot pass a second hand book shop and will ALWAYS buy some. Even when I suggest that he already has that book.... There's always a reason to have this different edition or that one with the dust jacket...

And that's us, isn't it? Why do we have twenty virtually identical sweater patterns or 10 cardigans or 30 shawls? Because we like it. Because it is a voyage of discovery. Because it is a learning journey. (When I started knitting, all sweaters were in 4 pieces, back, front, sleeves, to be sewn together at the end then the neck edge picked up for the collar. The first pattern I saw and knitted for a top down yoke sweater was a revelation right up there with St. John the Divine!) Because it's a sense of accomplishment. Because it makes us happy. And that's the point of all hobbies and pastimes, isn't it? They make us happy.

I stopped buying patterns a few years ago, instead favoriting them until I'm ready to cast on.  It helps my budget a lot, haha.

If I love love love a pattern, I will buy it. Sometimes patterns are discontinued and there’s no worse feeling than wanting to make something so bad and finally coming back to it to find the seller is now inactive.

I think I would be overwhelmed by such a large library! I generally keep patterns in my favorites until I am ready to actually start knitting (or start reading to learn something) so I don’t ended up with unused patterns.

I have almost 4,000 patterns in my Ravelry library. I enjoy researching them. And collecting them. When it comes time to cast on, I like to give myself options. And I also have a few designers who are my ride or die designers who I purchase from no matter what. People say buying yarn and using yarn are two different hobbies. But buying patterns is also a third and separate hobby and sometimes, if we’re lucky, those three hobbies intersect 😂

Let me also add, the parade of patterns that you are sharing are inspirational and marvelous.

I love Bob and Brad. ❤

Thank heavens I’m not the only person who has this problem…

“tiny dopamine snack”!!! I love it! And all the other reasons you gave...supporting favorite designers (valuable!), learning new techniques (also valuable)…there are so many worse ways to spend time & money.

😂 Nicole, I love your sense of humor! I also have way too many patterns!

Love that this video reflected on shopping habits.  We have become accustomed to buying buying buying and never reflecting why you bought the item or how that would fit your lifestyle.  Love that you reflect in this topic and made me reflect on my own buying habits.  Thank you for the inspiration and reflection.

Saying one has too many patterns is like saying one has too many books, impossible!!! I can relate to this; I have A LOT of patterns! I have more patterns than I do yarn, albeit most of the patterns were free. Periodically, I go through them and discard what no longer appeals to me. My son bought me a skein of merino/silk/cashmere that I was admiring, it was very expensive. I just have one skein, and it will sit there until I know what it is going to go to and what I am going to pair it up with.

It is beneficial to see many written patterns because then one sees the pattern BEHIND the pattern and can learn how they can modify or change it and what the results of doing so would be before actually doing it. Yes, that CAN be justifying having SO MANY patterns. 🤣

I hope you still have time to read your comments. I want you to feel appreciated. I just found you on a long car ride. I love your videos. You are very real, interesting, funny, and a great teacher. I love your fur babies as well. Really have been enjoying your content. Thank you.

I have too many knitting patterns to go with all my stash yarn!😊

OMG ... My lightbulb just lit.... Oscar and Felix.... The Odd Couple!!!!!!..

This is massive my favorite video of yours so far. I kept thinking, "How does she know me so well?" I need to think of fantasy Elizabeth as a real, because I have evidence in many patterns

After watching your video, I realized how much my yarn and pattern buying habits match what you described. It made me think we might all share the same little knitting-related “addiction.” It’s funny how strange it feels when someone speaks out loud the secret motives I usually whisper only to myself.🤣🤣

THANK YOU yet again! I just love the way you think things through, making order in my chaos. AND, as a retired psychotherapist, I simply loved how you turned yourself into one of us by just putting your hair behind your ears and putting your face into serious empathic listening mode. You're the top!

And.....as I sit here watching, I am finding so many patterns I need! Thanks!

Your real problem is not buying too many patterns, it is keeping track of them so you are aware how many patterns you own. I have printed patterns, pattern books, Ravelry patterns, and more. But, I’m so disorganized, I am only aware that there is messy confusion. — To answer your question, my current motivation is to learn a new stitch; the garment is not as important as the fabric.