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| Decision field | Free + paidThreadloop Sewing Pattern DatabaseGlobalRemove | Open accessFreeSewingGlobalRemove | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove | Open accessCraft Yarn Council StandardsUnited States · North AmericaRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Find patterns & fit | Find patterns & fit | Choose materials | Check standards |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Patterns & fit | Patterns & fit | Yarn | Standards |
| Best for | Searching current and out-of-print sewing patterns | Custom-fit home sewing patterns | Building a substitution shortlist for a discontinued or unavailable yarn before checking quantity, availability, and a representative swatch | Resolving yarn and pattern terminology |
| Know before using | 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. | A generated pattern is not independent fit evidence or a production-ready graded block. The result still depends on accurate measurements, the selected design and options, ease assumptions, fabric behavior, construction, and representative test garments. An account stores saved patterns and measurement sets, so review the platform's privacy terms before retaining personal measurements. | 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. | These are voluntary industry guidelines, not law, a licensed test method, or proof that a yarn, hook, needle, pattern, size, or care instruction suits a project. Publishers, manufacturers, and regions may use different names, aliases, chart symbols, size tables, and weight systems. Confirm the actual pattern key, measured tool diameter, yarn label and specifications, body or garment measurements, gauge, care evidence, and destination-market requirements. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Makers | Makers | Makers | Both |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | United States · North America |
| Access | Free + paid | Open access | Open access | Open access |
| Format | Community | Software | Reference | Reference |
| Source type | Community database | Open-source project | First-party platform | Industry organization |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | Sewer searching pattern records or organizing patterns, projects, fabric, notions, and private files. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Maker comparing a replacement for a named yarn before buying. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Before an account | Browse the pattern database, guide, designers, publications, and public community areas without creating 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. |
| Free-account boundary | A free account needs no card and supports a stash, wishlist, projects, reviews, and personal organization. | 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. |
| Payment boundary | Plus adds PDF pattern storage, collections, saved searches, bulk editing, and other workflow features on monthly or annual billing. | 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. |
| Cancellation or exit | Cancel through an in-account link. Paid features remain through the current billing cycle, then the account returns to free features. | 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. |
| Saved work and data | 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. | 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. |
| Source and review | ||||
| What the source establishes | 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. | FreeSewing's official documentation says the browser editor drafts a selected design in real time from a measurement set rather than scaling or grading a standard-size pattern. Users can adjust design options and export the generated result, including as PDF; saving the pattern to an account is optional and is used to revisit it later. | 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. | The Craft Yarn Council's current gateway publishes its yarn-weight system, crochet and knitting chart symbols and abbreviations, project levels, body-size tables, hook and needle aliases, care symbols, designer guidance, downloadable symbols, and a guideline PDF. The Council says yarn companies, tool manufacturers, publishers, and consultants developed the guidance to improve consistency in labels and patterns and asks industry participants to adopt it. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Next review due | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| Inspect | ||||
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