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| Decision field | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove | Open accessKnittyGlobalRemove | Free + paidThreadloop Sewing Pattern DatabaseGlobalRemove | Open accessUK Textile Labelling GuidanceUnited Kingdom · Europe & MediterraneanRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Choose materials | Find patterns & fit | Find patterns & fit | Check standards |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Yarn | Yarn | Patterns & fit | Standards |
| Best for | Building a substitution shortlist for a discontinued or unavailable yarn before checking quantity, availability, and a representative swatch | Free editorial knitting patterns and techniques | Searching current and out-of-print sewing patterns | Starting a Great Britain textile-label compliance check |
| Know before using | 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. | Free access does not grant commercial reproduction or sale rights; uses beyond one personal copy must be resolved with the designer or author. Knitty says it tries to avoid errors but disclaims responsibility for pattern and technique inaccuracies. Check the live page for corrections, verify gauge and measurements, and confirm permission before any commercial use. | 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. | The guide expressly excludes Northern Ireland and says only courts can authoritatively interpret the law. It is not the controlling legislation, an approved label, a product classification, or legal advice. Confirm current legislation and amendments, the exact product and exemptions, substantiated composition, responsible manufacturer or importer, online and physical presentation, and any other safety, chemicals, origin, care, or consumer-law duties. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Makers | Makers | Makers | Apparel brands |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | United Kingdom · Europe & Mediterranean |
| Access | Open access | Open access | Free + paid | Open access |
| Format | Reference | Reference | Community | Reference |
| Source type | First-party platform | First-party platform | Community database | Government guidance |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Before an account | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Free-account boundary | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Payment boundary | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Cancellation or exit | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Saved work and data | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Source and review | ||||
| What the source establishes | 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. | Knitty currently publishes web-only editorial issues containing original knitting and crochet patterns and articles. Its legal page states that patterns are free for one person's personal use, identifies each designer or author as the copyright holder, and explains that verified pattern corrections are posted in bright pink on the pattern page. | 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. | Business Companion's July 2026 guide covers England, Scotland, and Wales. It explains fibre-content labels under the Textile Products Regulations and assimilated Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, including permitted fibre names, products containing at least 80% textile fibres, components with different compositions, English-language and placement rules, non-textile animal-origin wording, and fibre information in catalogue and online sales. |
| 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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