Yarncrafts can be an expensive hobby, for a myriad of reasons.
As a fat knitter I always knew that I had to buy more yarn than straight size knitters to make a garment, but after grading my first garment pattern and seeing those numbers side by side, I had to take a minute to be quietly angry.
Just 520 metres for the smallest size, but 1205 for the largest, which – at a DK weight, 100g skein at £20 / skein – works out at £60 for the smallest and £120 for the largest. Twice the price. AHHHHH.
And that’s just one reason out of the pile.
I wanted to make sure that my patterns are accessible to everyone, so I started the Pay It Forward fund. I know I’m not the only person to have a scheme like this, so I wanted to bring all the resources I know about together in one place, so that those who need them can find them and use them.
If you’ve got a resource not listed here, please get in touch to let me know!
Section Links
Free Patterns
All the designers below have ways of getting patterns for free (without having to test knit). Some also offer discounts.
If you’re happy to test knit for free patterns, I recommend checking out Yarnpond, or looking on a designer’s website to see how you can test knit for them.
Victoria Marchant Knits
I have the Pay It Forward fund, which anyone can make an anonymous withdrawal from. Just fill in the form, let me know which pattern you want and which email to send it to, and I’ll make it happen.
I also give a 10% discount to all newsletter subscribers. It works on everything, forever.
Kristen TenDyke
Kristen makes some of her patterns available for free on her website, with an option to purchase a pdf to download.
You can also access a larger collection of her patterns via her Patreon, which starts at $5 / month.
Sarah Dawn’s Designs
Sarah offers multiple ways to get discounted and free patterns, from sharing FOs to participating on her Twitch stream.
Woolly Wormhead
Woolly has member discounts for newsletter subscribers, a community pattern fund, and facilitates gifting via Payhip.
Discounted Patterns
All the designers below offer variable pricing or a discount of some kind.
Many designers not listed here offer discounts to their newsletter subscribers, so it’s worth checking and subscribing to your favourites.
SunDaughter Designs
Sönna offers Pay What Works pricing, with discount codes set up to take 10%, 20%, or 30% off her pattern prices.
Jessie Maed Designs
Offers Choose What You Pay discount codes to newsletter subscribers.
Free / Discounted Yarn
Region Links
UK
Old Maiden Aunt
Lilith manages a Community Yarn Fund, which can be used for anything from a full skein to a discount on a larger quantity.
Meadow Yarn
A sweater discount of 15% is automatically applied to orders containing 6+ full size, hand dyed skeins, even if the bases and colourways are different.
The Knitting Goddess
Offers Skint Skeins on an ad-hoc basis. Best to follow on Instagram so you know when it’s next happening.
USA
Less Travelled Yarn
Discount codes are available for purchasing dyed-to-order sweater quantities of yarn, offering 10% for 5+ skeins and 15% for 8+.
Molly Girl Yarn
Discount codes are available for purchasing sweater quantities of yarn, offering 10% for 6+ skeins and 15% for 8+.
Canada
Subculture Yarn
Multiples of 4 or more (same colour & base) receive a 25% discount with code Sweater25.
New Zealand
Yeah Yeah Yarn
Discount codes are available for orders of 6+ skeins.
Little Acorn Yarn
Discount codes are available for large quantities of yarn, but you have to reach out to the dyer first. The amount varies by yarn weight but is listed out at the link below.
Glaux Yarns
Baskets containing 5+ or 10+ skeins are automatically discounted.
