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| Decision field | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove | Free accountSwatchOnGlobalRemove | Open accessPattern Grading & Size-Run Validation RecordGlobalRemove | Free + paidPattern TestersGlobalRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Choose materials | Choose materials | Find patterns & fit | Find patterns & fit |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Yarn | Materials | Patterns & fit | Patterns & fit |
| Best for | 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 | Auditing inherited grade rules or controlling a new multi-size pattern release from approved targets through sample evidence | Coordinating an independent sewing-pattern test |
| 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. | 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. | The record does not create a production grade, supply universal increments or breakpoints, validate a CAD file or fit population, reproduce licensed standards, or replace qualified anthropometric, pattern, technical-design, fit, quality, accessibility, safety, statistical, and user-research review. | 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. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Makers | Apparel brands | Apparel brands | Apparel brands |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Access | Open access | Free account | Open access | Free + paid |
| Format | Reference | Marketplace | Stitch Authority | Software |
| Source type | First-party platform | Commercial marketplace | Stitch Authority | First-party platform |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | Maker comparing a replacement for a named yarn before buying. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | 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. | 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. | The guide cites current ISO body-table, size-designation, and garment-measurement boundaries plus two peer-reviewed studies that tested the relationship between conventional grade rules, anthropometric evidence, and garment fit; it requires product-specific target deltas and validation instead of publishing universal increments. | 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. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Next review due | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | Jul 27, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 |
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