Knitting the popular patterns

I am knitting for about 35 years now and in the last year I found myself knitting my fair share of popular patters. I did it for a couple of reasons. First and most I live in a small country, far and away (Hungary) where speaking English is NOT the norm. Much less making sense of patterns written in English. So there is little chance coming up to someone, even in one of the so very few yarn stores and see let’s say a clapotis. Or someone walking up to me and asking "OMG is that a NORO scarf? Are you a knitter?"
I did some of those because I wanted to understand some construction. The knucks for gloves. I did a kid sized version of the FLS to see the top down raglan. (I have to tell you though I hated knitting it and while it suits the eight year old girl I made it for, I wouldn’t make one for myself.) I fell in love with the knucks, and knit them in different colors. I found they are pretty useful, as it has been said for the urban commuter.
I’ve knit the Dahlia because the romantic, empire style is my favourite. Ditto for the Hey teach or the Green Amelia which also had the advantage for me to try the upward seamless thing out.
Clapotis… I think them as a knitter’s badge. If you have one you are a knitter (or close enough to one). I liked wearing it, even if I wasn’t happy with the colors, so I gave it away. Ever since I am on the search for the perfect yarn for it.
I shared the “so what” opinion for the caliometry for the longest, until I found myself with about 30 grams of leftover hand dyed yarn. It would have been a shame to waste it, but it wouldn’t be enough for anything else. It had a rather special color to match it up with something in knitting, but it would go well with some items from my wardrobe. I do like the look of wide headbands and headscarves, so when I was between projects I thought why not. It took me about an hour to knit up one. I never could manage any headband/headscarf to stay put on my head -without tying them so tight they’d hurt my head or ears. My caliometry stayed where I’ve put it even hours later, and it was comfortable. I never got as many compliment on a hand kitted item, than when I was wearing this. And not forget the felted clogs. I want to try felting. Making footwear intrigued me. Put two and two together. Knit them, and finding who figured all that out must be a genius.
I don’t get fetching, but that might be because I prefer my gloves with fingers even if they have the ends chopped off. And I have to admit I don’t get dishcloths either, but then, there are some who don’t understand why would I think of starting the silver belle and spend maybe months with it, when I could do a few dishcloths in a night.
I think I wouldn’t give up on a pattern just because it is popular if otherwise it would suit my style, yarn, mood, need etc. But I wouldn’t make something just because everyone else makes it…
BTW The Yarn Harlot is knitting an FLS…