About Buying

You don't have to be a member of Patternfish to browse and search for as long as you like. You can just stroll in off Internet Street. Here are some things you should know about browsing the site.

Essentially we have only two main types of pages.

The SHOP page is where you can scroll or page through our collection.

On the right of the SHOP page is a control panel where you enter any basic search criteria you may have. Immediately at the top left of the control panel is a “per page” button, where you can set the number of patterns you'd like to see on one screen. On the top of the panel is an “Advanced Search” button where you can search by many different things-- designer, yarn manufacturer, type of yarn, type of garment, whatever. Once you've entered what you want to look for, hit the Search button (top right). The resulting collection should answer your needs.

On the left of the SHOP page are the various patterns, displayed in groups of 12 or 20 or 40 or whatever you've selected. You can click on any picture to get more detail about the project.

The Detail page (we just call it that; it doesn't appear as such anywhere in the menus) gives you a good close-up look at the design all by itself. In addition to the data about the kind of yarn used, gauge over st st (stocking or stockinette stitch) or pattern, needle sizes, price, and so on, there will be a brief description. The description gives you extra information that may be helpful in making your selection. If, for example, the pattern calls for regularly knitting 6 stitches together through the back loops, we think you should know that before you buy. Don't laugh! It happens here.

On the Detail page we offer a Lightbox show. This is important! Read the following carefully.

When you're on the Detail page, clicking on the little flashing thumbnail (to the right of the screen) will cause the background of the screen to dim and all available pattern information pictures to appear, one at a time, in as large a format as is practical. If you move your cursor over the right side of that image, the word “NEXT” may appear in the top right corner; if you move your cursor over the left side, the word “PREV” may appear. Scrolling down to the bottom of that image and checking in the bottom left corner, you will see something like “Image 2 of 3”, while on the right there's a CLOSE X. Clicking on the 'X' will make the lightbox show disappear and the original page return.

Depending on where you've caught the show-- beginning, middle, or end-- you can press the NEXT or PREV buttons to see all the images associated with that pattern. Typically these will be one or more photographs of the project, and one or more pages of technical information about the design-- yarn requirements, needle sizes required, and so on. These technical pages are referred to as “detail” or “data” pages in the description text.

NOTE: we decided that entering two or more different needle sizes for every garment would be confusing, and complicate searches. Therefore the only needle size you see displayed is that used to make the main BODY of the project. If there's ribbing or some kind of edge treatment, you should assume that there's probably a smaller needle size involved for those areas. Check the pattern's detail pages (contained in the thumbnail box to the right of the page) to confirm.

If you want to buy one or more patterns you have to become a member.

Membership means this: you choose a login name and password, and a name by which you will sign any comments on patterns. We also need an email for support.

We then keep your personalized patterns in a stash for you. You'll see these accumulate in the “Pattern Stash” section of Your Account. Also, when you're a member, you can post comments for patterns you've bought, and comment on the blog.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind when you buy our patterns.

First, the patterns are sold almost exactly as they appeared in print. If the last page of the pattern is an advertisement for the person or company who has produced it, that's included too.

Second, we don't always display the whole front page of a pattern. Our aim has been to maximize the size of the main photograph, to give you the best possible look at the finished item in as much detail as possible. Often the pattern itself has a border around the picture which we leave out in our display. Don't worry if the front page of the PDF download isn't formatted exactly like what you saw on the screen; the pattern remains the same.

Third, occasionally you may download a pattern that might have a handy ruler down the side of a page (or pages). DO NOT RELY ON THIS. Our watermarking (or your printer's A4-to-letter-size conversion) might have telescoped it a tiny bit, and it is no longer accurate, if it ever was in the first place. Use a real ruler or a measuring tape instead on your work.

Fourth, different countries and companies print leaflets in different sizes. North America is virtually the only place left in the world that still uses 8.5” x 11” letter-size paper. Just about everywhere else they use A4, which is a little longer and narrower (8.25” x 11.75” to be exact). If paper patterns were submitted to us in A4 size, that's how we scanned them. Your printer should have no problem printing out A4 size documents onto a letter-sized sheet, making the necessary adjustments automatically.

Fifth, most of our patterns have colour pictures. Your PDF, including as it does the original features of the pattern, will include colour pictures too. Your computer will display the PDF in its original state, but if you don't have a colour printer, the pattern will print in black and white. When you get a colour printer, you can print the pattern in colour.

Sixth, always check for errata. It may be attached as an extra last page. Just make sure you incorporate any before you start your work; read the pattern through before beginning the project.

Now: congratulate yourself. By buying from Patternfish, you're doing several good things.

You're helping to save energy and fuel. Instead of supporting the shipment of (very heavy) patterns across oceans and continents, you are conserving energy and minimizing waste and pollution.

You're benefiting yourself, because you know that if errata is ever produced, you'll receive it shortly after it's submitted to us. Depending on the extent of the changes, it may cause you to get a new PDF to replace the old one. You will be updated in perpetuity, for every pattern in your stash, as need and opportunity arise.

You're eligible for delicious digital treats every so often.

You'll be automatically racking up loyalty points (you think we won't notice if you buy a lot?). While we never have sales, we pay attention when people appreciate us. More on this in the blog in a couple of months.

If you buy indie, you're helping to support the creative needlearts community, and rewarding design talent. You may be making it possible for a talented designer to leave an unloved job and devote herself or himself to their chosen field full-time. The more good design, the better off the maker and more prestigious the art.

Good for you.