There are so many great knitting patterns out there. Even so, sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge to find just the one that you are looking for. And there are so many places to look, how can you know you’ve checked everything out? In this post I’ll point out some good places to get started when you are looking for knitting patterns.
Of course the places that you look for patterns might vary a lot based on what languages you speak and where you live. I am in the United States and will be pointing out popular places to look for patterns for knitters in the US.
A Note on Cost
Patterns can vary in price depending on the designer or distributor, and where you are getting the pattern from. There are many patterns available for free too.
Free knitting patterns are great. Especially when you are first starting out and don’t want to spend money on patterns you aren’t sure you are going to like, or if you even like fibre crafts at all. There are some excellent free patterns out there, but be warned that not all free patterns are created equally. Because they are free, sometimes they have not been tested as much and the instructions and sizing might not be as clear. It can help to see if other crafters have had a good experience with the pattern before using it, especially if you are a beginner.
People who design and sell knitwear patterns typically charge between $5 – $12 for a pattern. This pricing will vary based on the designer and how they run their business. There is no set price for knitting patterns, but designers price their patterns based on the amount of work that it takes to create them. It can take several months of work for someone to come up with a design, grade the sizes and write out all the instructions in an easy-to-understand way. Many designers also put their designs through a testing phase so that they can make adjustments based on the experiences that actual crafters have with their pattern. You can imagine that after all that effort, designers want to charge for their hard work.
Where to Find Knitting Patterns
Yarn Companies
Many companies that sell yarn also sell patterns. These patterns typically highlight and promote yarns that the company sells. Some will sell the patterns as well as their yarn, however others provide patterns for free. Here are just a few examples, but there are many more yarn shops that do this, so feel free to check with your favorite shop.
Drops yarn has a large number of freely available patterns in all categories: women, baby, accessories, and men. With so many to choose from there is a high chance that you’ll find something that you might like.
Purl Soho is an online yarn shop plus they are constantly putting out new designs. As well as selling many patterns and project kits, they also have an excellent collection of free knitting patterns.
This yarn company has many great, easy knitting patterns available for sale on their website. With a large number of stylish hats and accessories, you might be able to find a great starter project here.
With a good variety of yarns for sale, Knit Picks also has a number of patterns and pattern books. If you’re looking for an easy starter project, there are many simple knitting patterns for beginners, like dishcloths, available for free.
Ravelry
This pattern database and community forum website has been around for many years and has a huge catalog of fibre arts patterns. There are many filters to choose from when searching for patterns, allowing you to be specific about what you are looking for. Anyone can view and upload patterns, but you must create an account to interact with the site. This means you will find patterns from designers of all different skill levels. Some patterns are available for free to directly download. Paid patterns will direct you to an outside payment platform to pay for and download patterns.
Love Crafts
This is an online crafts shop that sells patterns, yarn, and tools. It has a wide variety of patterns that are curated by the platform. There are some free patterns as well as paid patterns. Because the website supports sales, you can purchase your yarn and patterns together from the same place.
Knit&Note
The Knit&Note app has implemented an innovative model for distributing patterns from designers to crafters. The patterns are highly curated, so you know that each pattern on the app is high quality and easy to follow. Users pay a premium subscription fee, giving them unlimited access to all the patterns available on the app. This is a great model for those that don’t knit the same pattern twice, or that knit many items each month.
Social media is great for finding new designers and inspiration for future projects. Many designers will promote their new designs on Instagram before releasing them for sale. Knitters who post about their projects tend to post the pattern and yarn that they used. This makes it easy to browse through “Knitstagram” and find patterns that you like. You can then usually find the designer’s website to purchase the pattern directly from them.
Etsy
This popular e-commerce website is also a great place to look for patterns. Some designers already use the purchasing side of Etsy to sell the patterns that they promote on other platforms. If Etsy is a website that you are already familiar with, then it can be easy to just browse for patterns here too.
Public Libraries
If you are looking for a way to browse free patterns, then you might want to check out your local public library. There are often books full of patterns available for you to check out for free with your library card. If it is vintage knitting patterns that you are looking for, then you might have some luck here. The variety might not be as much as searching online, but there is usually a fairly good selection, depending on your library.
Your Local Yarn Shop
Your local yarn shop will likely have pattern books for sale, or be able to recommend you a pattern if you are looking for ideas. The staff at local yarn shops are usually passionate about knitting and they can be great resources for support during any step of your knitting journey.
Conclusion
There are many places to look for knitting patterns, each with its own strengths. Whether you prefer curated apps, independent designers, or your local library, it’s worth exploring a few different options to see what works best for you. Now that you have some ideas of where to look, you have a good chance of finding something that suits your style, price point, and skill level. Hopefully, this guide gives you a good starting point as you look for your next project.
