Translation of User Crochet Patterns to CrochetPARADE syntax using Large Language Models

Crochet, with its rich history and popularity, provides a creative and therapeutic outlet for millions across the globe, from many walks of life. However, crochet pattern creation and modification can be challenging for novice users, due to the spatial reasoning and structural understanding of stitches required. CrochetPARADE is a tool created to ease this process through pattern visualisation, but it uses a syntax that differs from standard notation and may not be intuitive to the average crocheter. This study explores the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) to translate user-generated crochet patterns into the CrochetPARADE syntax. The first structured, open-source collection of crochet patterns designed for machine learning applications was created, comprising user-generated patterns and their corresponding CrochetPARADE translations. Various approaches, including baseline, few-shot, and fine-tuning techniques, were evaluated with LLMs. The best results were achieved with fine-tuning DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Llama8b, reaching 74\% accuracy, which has the potential to significantly improve the accessibility and ease of crochet pattern creation for users with varying levels of expertise.