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Compare textile resources.
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| Decision field | Open accessTextile Language TranslatorGlobalRemove | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove | Free accountSwatchOnGlobalRemove | Free + paidThreadloop Sewing Pattern DatabaseGlobalRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Learn techniques | Choose materials | Choose materials | Find patterns & fit |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Techniques & repair | Yarn | Materials | Patterns & fit |
| Best for | Turning an unfamiliar phrase or production acronym into a precise next question | Building a substitution shortlist for a discontinued or unavailable yarn before checking quantity, availability, and a representative swatch | Sourcing swatches and low-MOQ fabric options | Searching current and out-of-print sewing patterns |
| Know before using | It is a translation and orientation layer, not legal advice, certification approval, a purchased standard, or proof that a supplier, sample, or lot conforms. | 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. | SwatchOn's supplier status, counts, and trust language describe its own marketplace and can change. They do not independently establish fibre identity, performance, certification validity, mill ownership, production capacity, colour continuity, delivery, duty, or commercial fit. Review samples, test data, current certificates, the contracting entity, order terms, and landed logistics before purchase. | Community members add and quality-control the records, so confirm sizing, measurements, fabric suggestions, format, availability, errata, license, and purchase terms with the designer or publisher. Adding an entry to a stash does not provide the pattern files. Saved searches and private PDF storage are paid Plus features, and a listing or review does not establish pattern accuracy or fit. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Both | Makers | Apparel brands | Makers |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Access | Open access | Open access | Free account | Free + paid |
| Format | Stitch Authority | Reference | Marketplace | Community |
| Source type | Stitch Authority | First-party platform | Commercial marketplace | Community database |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Maker comparing a replacement for a named yarn before buying. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Sewer searching pattern records or organizing patterns, projects, fabric, notions, and private files. |
| Before an account | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Browse the pattern database, guide, designers, publications, and public community areas without creating an account. |
| Free-account boundary | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | A free account needs no card and supports a stash, wishlist, projects, reviews, and personal organization. |
| Payment boundary | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Plus adds PDF pattern storage, collections, saved searches, bulk editing, and other workflow features on monthly or annual billing. |
| Cancellation or exit | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Cancel through an in-account link. Paid features remain through the current billing cycle, then the account returns to free features. |
| Saved work and data | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | The terms say submitted materials remain yours, but the checked public pages do not explain a full export or how stored PDFs behave after downgrade. Keep originals outside the platform. |
| Source and review | ||||
| What the source establishes | Each entry includes plain-language aliases, a working definition, a decision boundary, a checked source, and an internal next step; a repository audit enforces completeness and review dates. | 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. | SwatchOn's current marketplace page exposes fabrics, trims, and prints, with swatch samples, in-stock catalogue colours, low-order-quantity options, and global logistics support. The page publishes operator-supplied marketplace and supplier counts and labels participating suppliers as verified partners. | Threadloop's official guide describes an independent, fully crowdsourced database covering available and out-of-print sewing patterns. Its search supports pattern type, fabric type, age group, body type, cup size, level, format, file features, language, measurements, availability, and other filters; members can also track a stash, wishlist, projects, reviews, and discussions. Current terms state that the free plan requires no card, paid upgrades start billing immediately, cancellation retains paid features through the current cycle, and the account then returns to free features. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 15, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Next review due | Jul 15, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 |
| Inspect | ||||
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