When a Critic Tells You What You Need to Know

I asked my sister, an artist, what she thought of the cover-page photo of my new pattern. 

"It's OK," she said, clearly underwhelmed.

"What's wrong with it?"

"That hat has a giant splotch in the center.  It's really distracting."

Compared with the retake, I prefer the splotch photo.  It shows the stitches more clearly, and the lighting's better.

But sometimes you have to listen to your sister, who knows a thing or two about what's visually pleasing.  And what isn't.