Whether you are frugal or frivolous with your money, a free knitting pattern offers an opportunity to create something with the expense being only the yarn and your time. If it fails miserably, you unravel (or frog it, as the slang is) and start something else. It is also nice to feel like you have options as you are learning to knit. There will come a time when you feel you know enough to evaluate patterns better and that may be when buying patterns creeps in, but until then figure out what you like with the free and lovingly created patterns available from designers, magazines, and fellow knitters. I also have a blog post listing Free Knitting Patterns to Get to Know Designers.
Online Resources
Tin Can Knits‘s Simple Collection
ArtYarns by Iris Schreier (also shared on the ArtYarns Facebook page)
Jessica Tromp: Free Norwegian Fair Isle Knitting Charts
My Free Patterns
I have free knitting patterns. These were my earlier designs which were not professionally tech edited. They are proofread, tested, and in a beautiful easy-to-use layout though.
Friendly reminders
- Respect the pattern designer’s copyright as some only permit use of the pattern for personal or charity use.
- Link back to their website if you post your final knitted item on Ravelry or your blog.
- For knitting patterns (and most other things, including recipes), NEVER copy and repost it on your own site, a forum, or elsewhere without written permission from the source.
- Knitwear designers work hard to create patterns and often freebies are meant to draw people to their site in the hopes of sharing their passion for considerate patterns and perhaps sell another pattern or some yarn as well.
Offline
If you are not a web person or do not have access to a printer, you could go to your local library and photocopy a pattern you like from a knitting book. Keep in mind any photocopy made must be for your own personal use and is subject to each individual book’s copyright laws, but usually if you are just using it for yourself to knit one thing for personal use no one will be hunting you down with an arrest warrant and handcuffs.
Thanks so much for all this info and inspiration!
dear Evin,
This is Tayloe’s stepmom and while speaking with her a moment ago about my current knitting projects she told me about your blog and passion for knitting, yarn, among many other wonderful activities.
Just love what you are doing and so you have just gained another big fan!
So proud of you!
Robinette Ross
Thanks, Robin! I’m delighted.