Hello everyone!
I thought I would take a break from pattern reviews and list some of the places I look for patterns. I have a ton of patterns saved to work on and previous projects that I have found through searching and I figured why not share my process!
Let's get into it!
Google is the most self explanatory of the places I look for patterns. If I’m looking for a type of pattern but don’t have any idea where to start, I head to Google. This is good and bad for a couple reasons. Obviously with Google there are thousands of choices to peruse but that’s also the downside. Sometimes there’s just too many to choose from but this method does lead to great new blogs and Instagram accounts to follow. Searching this way leads to free and purchasable patterns.
Etsy
I use Etsy like I use Google. I search the type of pattern I’m looking for and sift through the results. All of the patterns from Etsy are for purchase and not free. There are a couple Etsy shops I follow because I follow the person on Instagram, like Sewrella and For The Frills. The patterns are instant downloads and you do own them ad free which is nice. They can be on the pricier side depending on the creator but these are all small businesses so they can choose how much to charge. I’ve seen a range of prices from $3-$8. It depends on the shop. I think the PDFs are worth it but that’s my personal preference.
This method is a bit of a crap shoot. When finding new patterns (not from accounts I follow) I usually just search the discover page. The algorithm knows I buy yarn, crochet and read because it exclusively recommends those kids of posts. I’ve found some pretty cute stuff this way but half of the time there’s items but no patterns. I also use the discover page to find new accounts to follow. This leads to new project or hand dyed yarn. Either way I think Instagram is a good tool.
Lovecrafts/Yarnspirations
I put these two together because they’re basically the same. LoveCrafts and Yarnspirations sell different types of yarn, tools and accessories for fiber-based crafts. There’s some overlap but each website has certain brands that they only sell: LoveCrafts - paintbox yarn & Yarnspirations - Caron brand yarns. Both sites offer free patterns, utilizing the yarn brands they sell. LoveCrafts also sells purchasable patterns from small designers, I purchased the Grandpa Sweater pattern by Golden Nook.
There are other pattern websites, like ravelry, that I don't use but are super popular among other crafters. It really just boils down to preference.
Until the next post!