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| Decision field | Open accessKnitting Stitch LibraryGlobalRemove | Free + paidHandweaving.net Draft ArchiveGlobalRemove | Free + paidPattern TestersGlobalRemove | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Learn techniques | Learn techniques | Find patterns & fit | Choose materials |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Techniques & repair | Techniques & repair | Patterns & fit | Yarn |
| Best for | Learning or comparing knit structures | Researching loom-ready weaving structures and drafts | Coordinating an independent sewing-pattern test | Building a substitution shortlist for a discontinued or unavailable yarn before checking quantity, availability, and a representative swatch |
| Know before using | A foundational library, not yet an exhaustive stitch encyclopedia. | A visible drawdown is not automatically a complete, corrected, rights-cleared, or loom-compatible project plan. Full draft data and advanced tools require a renewing subscription, and historical sources can contain errors or unclear provenance. Check shafts, treadles, tie-up, sett, yarn, floats, repeats, copyright status, and WIF compatibility before committing a warp. | The interface and plan description do not prove tester reach, completion, feedback quality, fit validity, export quality, uptime, support, or suitability for an established release process. Measurements and photos can be sensitive personal data. Run a non-critical pilot, review the current privacy and service terms, define consent and photo rights, test exports and deletion, and keep pattern approval and release responsibility with the designer. | A suggested match is a data-based shortlist, not proof that the yarn suits the pattern or maker. Records can be incomplete or wrong, price bands are approximate, availability varies by country and seller, and shade-level matching is unavailable. YarnSub says affiliate status does not change suggestions, but equally rated matches are ordered by brand popularity. Confirm required gauge, total length, fibre behavior, construction, care, colour, dye lot, accessibility, price, availability, and seller terms, then make and assess a representative swatch before committing. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Makers | Makers | Apparel brands | Makers |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Access | Open access | Free + paid | Free + paid | Open access |
| Format | Stitch Authority | Reference | Software | Reference |
| Source type | Stitch Authority | First-party platform | First-party platform | First-party platform |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Weaver deciding whether viewing a draft is enough or a working WIF file and editing tools are required. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Maker comparing a replacement for a named yarn before buying. |
| Before an account | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Browse the Ralph Griswold archive, download archive documents, and view draft drawdowns without a paid subscription. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Search a named yarn, inspect suggested substitutes, and filter by fibre and approximate price band without creating an account. |
| Free-account boundary | Not yet reviewed at this level. | A free basic account adds clipboards. Full drafts, working files, and browser drafting tools remain outside the free account. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | The checked core substitution route does not require an account, and the FAQ does not offer user-entered yarn records. |
| Payment boundary | Not yet reviewed at this level. | A monthly or annual recurring subscription unlocks full drafts, WIF downloads, and browser drafting and editing tools. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | No subscription is presented for the core route. Affiliate retailer links and optional donations help fund the site; equal-rated matches are ordered by brand popularity. |
| Cancellation or exit | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Cancel from the account page. Renewal stops at the next renewal date, paid access remains until then, and the provider states that refunds are not given. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | There is no account or recurring plan to cancel for the core route. The newsletter has a separate unsubscribe link. |
| Saved work and data | Not yet reviewed at this level. | The checked page does not explain bulk export or deletion for clipboards or contributed drafts. Retain local copies of WIF files and source material before exit. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | YarnSub does not expose an API and does not accept user-entered yarn details. Use the data-issue link on a yarn page for corrections. |
| Source and review | ||||
| What the source establishes | The linked tool or guide is maintained inside Stitch Authority and was checked against its current public interface. | Handweaving.net currently exposes the Ralph Griswold digital archive, document downloads, draft drawdown views, basic-account clipboards, and video tutorials without a paid subscription. Its subscription page reserves full drafts, WIF downloads, draft creation and editing, color tools, profile and block substitution, arrangement, repeats, and related browser tools for subscribers. The current page states that plans renew until canceled, cancellation takes effect at the next renewal, access remains until then, and refunds are not offered. | Pattern Testers currently offers application intake, tester selection, feedback, photos, approvals, issue tracking, revisions, a reusable tester directory, and release deadlines. The public pricing page shows a limited free plan and paid Pro and Business tiers. Its June 2026 privacy policy lists names, email addresses, measurements, photos, feedback, application history, and assignments among the data processed. | YarnSub's official FAQ says its matching software compares gauge, texture, yarn weight and density, fibre content, and fibre qualities such as drape and softness. Discontinued yarns remain searchable as starting points but are excluded from suggestions. Result filters can exclude animal, animal-derived, synthetic, or plant fibre groups and use a subjective $ to $$$$$ price indicator. The site does not accept user-entered yarn details, individual shade cards, or expose an API. Each yarn page provides a data-issue route. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 15, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Next review due | Jul 15, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 |
| Inspect | ||||
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