Free Patterns Can COST You Big: Here's Why!

Free patterns are getting worse since ChatGPT. Especially amigrumi patterns can be really horrible.

I have had a fully paid for pattern cost me my sanity. I did figure it out in the end, there was a "turn your work" which was never included in the instructions which led to some extremely incorrect rows and a very angry frogging session. I did however, manage to finish the project and was very glad to be done!

Another designer that has great patterns is Ambah O'Brien. Not many are free, but every August, she has a pattern a day for 50% off.

ChatGPT is essentially 'stealing' what is likely copyrighted data from published patterns across the web and compiling that into output. It does not 'think' by itself. This is why AI needs to much power to run, electric, fossil fuel and it's why data centers are being built on mass.

I thought this was gonna be about the free pattern sites asking for your email and then selling your data lol

Literally RIGHT NOW struggling to finish a free pattern. I've had to start over multiple times already. TTvTT Does anyone know if there's a video tutorial for the Hummingbird Bag??

I haven't been burned by a free pattern but the worst pattern I've made was a paid pattern. It was from Louisa Harding for their yarn line from this summer. Tank top looked great, but there were so many glaring errors that it was obviously not tech edited, and the different sizes were... wonky, with design elements changing between them. It was really disappointing and I don't think I will ever make any of her patterns again.

Hi Nicole. Note to you, the PurlSoho site will let you create a PDF to print or save to your computer. Lot easier than the method you described. The Print button is to the right of the pictures and is a faint grey icon. Like your suggestions

I never use DROPS patterns. Unnecessarily complicated. I still have expensive wool I haven't yet used for free DROPS pattern that I couldn't follow. I should've studied the pattern more before I bought the wool I know.

My favourite free patterns : Drops Design, Filcolana (danish yarn brand), This Handmade Life has a bunch of free socks patterns, the baby size Sunny cardigan by Tanis Fiber Arts, the Trescao jumper by Along avec Anna (both in French and English)

Something I’ve found that works for the free patterns that are posted on blogs with tons of links or ads is to save the webpage as a PDF from my phone and then save it to my files.

I agree, PurlSoho patterns may appear extensive on their website; however, choosing to print them (PDF or on paper) eliminates all ads. Additionally, you have the option to remove some or all photos, resulting in a more readable document. The necessary tools are provided, and the PurlSoho website is tailored for this purpose, thus there are no cons —it;s more a user's issue 🤗

For those huge Purl Soho web pages, I dump it all into a Word document and then delete the stuff I don't want. That way I don't have to print pages that I won't use.

I read through free patterns after I download them. If I cant figure it out after a couple of readthroughs and a swatch with some decent yarn then I deleate it and look for a clearer to me pattern. Tin can knits has some fantastic free patterns.

I have knit lots “free” patterns that were awesome! I have also paid for my own share of patterns that need (sometimes several of them) correction!

I paid $15 for an indecisable 'math inspired' pattern. A waste of money. The through it out. Free or not both are a gamble. Paid pattern designers DONT answer questions. Ive been there. This is just talk. Tech editors 😁

I have been seeing a lot of free patterns showing an AI generated image of the end result. Obviously you will end up with something different, but beginners may not be able to detect when a project is AI generated or not and could end up giving up knitting/crochet altogether

I’ve bought patterns that have been written wrongly!

One of the worst patterns I ever had was a paid pattern!!! Many free patterns are great.

I considered trying to get a pattern published in Knitty, but decided their requirements were too rigorous. Designing is never going to be my day job.

One of my favorite free pattern sources is Expression fiber arts if you sign up you can get a free pattern each Friday. The pattern is then sold for charge after a few days

I knit the Cloudburst mittens and the Trescao sweater from Along avec Anna….two knitting’s I really love ! I seldom buy patterns but I buy books ( Champêtre from MC Levesque , 52 weeks of socks and the book of Charlotte Stone….I knit a lot of socks from theses books!)

Oh my i've tried to use a free plush pattern and omg it was so hard to figure out how to asseble 😅

Rarely been burned by free patterns, actually, but I am drawn to ones by designers I know and trust. However, I HAVE been burned many times by paid patterns, and that hurts far more. To be fair, I'm self-taught in knit and crochet and will try just about anything that isn't a texture "ick" (keep bobbles far away please) and am brave/curious enough to adapt if a pattern doesn't fully deliver or has errors. Others may not be able or want to create that way, and I appreciate you made the point that often the cost isn't monetary - for the pattern at least.

I mostly crochet but found this an outstanding presentation. It's good advice no matter if you knit or crochet. Now, If I could only find a presentation that revealed reliable free pattern sites that are also reliable purchase pattern sites. I've endured horrible patterns from those who sell, as well as those who give their patterns away. Thank you for your advice.

I’ve paid for a couple of patterns and bought pattern books that were terrible. I don’t think money necessarily is the deciding factor. I do exactly what you say and see if people have made the pattern on ravelry and if the pattern is there but no one has made it then I avoid.

I have bought 2 knit kits that the pattern wasn't available any other way, and found there were errors in both and contacted customer service regarding the error for clarification and one never got back to me at all. The other told me there was no error since they did an office knit along and didn't find any issues. Luckily, I am an experienced enough knitter to figure out a fix for both. SMH... sometimes paid patterns aren't worth it either.

One of the biggest problems with a lot of the free patterns I have come across, for clothing, is they don't have gauge info, so you have no idea if it will fit, till it's too late. You can't just tell people to use size 4 yarn and an H hook, and expect whatever yarn they pick will come out the size they want. For example, there's a BIG difference between Caron One Pound and Caron Simply Soft, despite them both being labeled as size 4 yarn. They are not interchangeable.

A free pattern designer who does have some paid for patterns too (all are excellent by the way) is Marly Bird. She's designed for Yarnspirations which someone else did mention, but she also has videos which go along with the patterns to show you exactly what to do. She's just released a knit and crochet mosiac hat pattern which is easy for someone who has never done mosaic knitting or crocheting before. It's incredible how she can make things like that and then post a pattern for free. <3

AI can help. I had a free pattern that had some instructions that were confusing to me. I copied the pattern into ChatGPT, and asked questions, and got through it.

I look at free patterns mostly for ideas. I adjust the pattern and turn it into something totally different. I mostly use it for stitch count ie sizing based on the yarn I have available. I am a broke aged pensioner. I have a few books to help me as well, really old ones. Probably worth a fortune as in collectors items lol. Most free patterns don’t work for us in Australia as we have yarn based on ply eg 8 ply or 12 ply. I have no idea what worsted yarn is.

Jep, I knitted an easy bonnet for my daughter. A friend told me she would like to knit the same design. I said, I had written it down and could give it to her. Turns out I once started and never finished. It also is extremely complicated when I write it down, I get confused and I doubt somebody can copy it. I have lots of experience and do things you would not recommend or describe in a pattern. But my easy, beginner's bonnet is not easy after all...

There are bad ones and good ones, but you can get testers and editing for free.... its not really a big deal.
I've also payed for terrible patterns, that I had to just guess at or even give up on.
I've written many free patterns. I've tested for people for free. This seems a bit silly.

I sometimes ask ChatGPT to help me as I’m knitting since I convert the gauge for a lot of patterns - in most cases I’ve to ask it to double and triple check its basic arithmetic, e.g. I’ll ask it to tell me the sections for placing stitch markers when knitting a raglan but it’ll give me a higher number of stitches than what I have. Other times it’s ok, but I can’t rely on it.

The thing no one seems to get about chat gpt is that it can't actually answer your questions. It can only generate something that LOOKS like an answer to your question.

you can select what to put in the pdf file on the Purl Soho website before printing anything, so remove what you think is unnecessary, it's easy, everything is really very well thought for, just click on the print button on the website, no need for copy-cut-paste

Not a knitter, but a crocheter. The only pattern I really had problems with was from a CAL and the problem was, that someone didn't translate the instructions correctly to my mother tongue from English. It took me over 2 months until I found out why it didn't work out thanks to Reddit. The pattern was free and from a crocheting/knitting brand.

Thanks for helping to explain this! As a crochet designer I have often been questioned as to why I charge for my patterns (double eye roll). I also like to remind them of how some of those extreme spammy sites can actually be dangerous to click on. A few have actually stolen entire professionally published books of mine in the past. All on the internet is not as great as it may seem. Again, I so appreciate your helping to educate folks on this issue!

I was successful in having a free pattern removed from Hobbii. It was a top-down, side button child's sweater that they sourced from Go Handmade. By round 4 I was beyond frustrated. I went to Go Handmade's site and requested help. In their defense, they tried. 1) The pattern was originally written in Danish. The translator(s) had obviously based on what I was dealing with had a difficult time with the translation. Go Handmade's customer support is staffed with folks who were ESL and admitted that only had one rep who kind of sort of read/spoke English to attempt to help me. 2) The original pattern designer had died about 18 months after the pattern was published. In the end they could not help me make heads or tails of the pattern. Now...thankfully I had previously knit a different but similar top-down yoke on a pattern I sourced from Plymouth Yarn so I used that as a guide. I took notes the whole way through and have since knit the Go Handmade sweater twice. However, I also contacted Hobbii and explained my experience. They removed the pattern from their site.

I struggled with rhe free 'swirl hat:. Multiple posters and verbiage. There is no gage given and different cast on numbers. But I was determined. I love the look but is definitely too big. Yarn was stash yarn I was trying use up.

Thank you very much for your video! It has been informative! You tackled on so many important points and shared links I have never heard before! I totally agree on all the points about free patterns! Thank you once again for your work!

A lot of the free patterns I use are vintage/ historical. Free vintage knitting/ crochet both have patterns from the 40’s- 70’s and i also do some patterns from early 1900’s magazines saved on Archive

Would you say that any big yarn company probably offers good free patterns to sell their yarns? Im thinking of Lion Brand, Cascade or Knit Picks.

I asked ChatGPT for a turtle amigurumi pattern and it was hilarious 😂 it was essentially a mushroom with a tumour