7 Free Tools to Simplify Knitting Pattern Design
The process of designing a knitting pattern from start to finish can be lengthy and, at times, quite complex. No wonder many would-be designers are intimidated by it! Thankfully, there are now lots of tools available for knitting pattern designers that simplify the process - and many of these tools are free.
In today’s blog post, I’m sharing 7 free tools you can use at every stage of the knitting pattern design process to help you move through it with more ease. Let’s jump in!
Image Description: Close up of someone’s shoulder. They are wearing an orange cabled pullover. On top of the image, it says, “7 Free Tools to Simplify Knitting Pattern Design”
Tool 1: Moodboards
Canva
Canva is a fantastic, web-based app that helps people who are not confident using graphics software to create beautiful graphics and imagery with their super-customisable templates.
I use Canva to create moodboards that inspire my knitting pattern designs, as I find it more efficient than working on paper. I just drag and drop my chosen imagery into one of their templates and I’m pretty much done!
They do offer a premium version of the app that gives you access to more stock photos, premium graphics and more, however, I don’t find that I need that.
Tool 2: Charts
Stitch Fiddle
Stitch Fiddle is a web-based app that allows you to create knitting charts online. Whilst it’s not my preferred chart maker (I use Stitchmastery which you can learn more about in my blog post all about knitting chart makers), it is my favourite free chart maker if you’re just getting started.
The free version is ideal when you are designing your own stitch patterns and want to keep a record of them.
I recommended upgrading to the premium version at £2 per month if you want to use the charts in your final pattern though since it allows you to download a high-resolution version of the chart without any Stitch Fiddle branding on it.
Image Description: Close-up of someone’s upper body wearing a beige roll-neck pullover. They are lifting their arm to show off the long ribbing at the cuff of the pullover.
Tool 3: Grading
Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a free, web-based spreadsheet maker, similar to Microsoft Excel, and it’s what I use to design and grade all of my knitting patterns. It is truly fantastic!
I love using Google Sheets for grading and calculating the numbers in my knitting patterns, as I can use a spreadsheet formula on one size and then apply it to the remaining sizes at the drag of a mouse.
I find that I am much less likely to make math errors in my spreadsheet than I would on paper, as my spreadsheet does all the math for me. And, if I do make any errors, it’s relatively easy to analyse the spreadsheet and identify where I went wrong so that I can correct it.
Tool 4: Pattern Writing, Tech Editing and Test Knitting
Google Docs
Google Docs is a free, web-based word processor, similar to Microsoft Word, that I use to create both my draft and final pattern - even for layout!
I love using Google Docs for pattern drafts as you can share the document with tech editors and they can add comments in the margins to highlight anything that needs fixing.
I also love sharing it with test knitters, as they can do the same, without being able to accidentally edit the pattern contents. All questions and comments about the pattern are made directly in the margins of the pattern document.
Test knitters will also be able to read the comments made by other test knitters, which is brilliant, as it often stops you from receiving messages about the same typo from each of your test knitters.
Best of all, your tech editor and test knitters will always have access to the most recent version of the pattern as the file updates on their end automatically, whenever you make changes.
I lay out all of my final knitting patterns in Google Docs. They aren’t as sophisticated as they could be if designed in something like Adobe InDesign, however, you can create a simple, attractive and easy-to-follow pattern layout which, in my experience, is exactly what knitters enjoy working from anyway!
Tool 5: Test Knitting
Slack
Slack is a web-based messaging app (also available on mobile) that allows you to instant-message with a group of people on a specific topic.
I use the free version of Slack for hosting test knits and find it very useful. I share the link to the pattern document on there so it is easily accessible to all test knitters, and then we use the slack space to chat about the pattern and share progress photos.
I really like that you can set up multiple slack spaces to run several test knits at the same time on there. Each test knit will remain private and is only visible to participants.
Image Description: Several hanks of mustard yarn and some needles are in a little cloth bag. Next to it is a pair of black scissors and a glimpse of a project in progress. In the background is a grey wool blanket and some fairy lights.
Tool 6: Test Knitting
Google Forms
Google Forms is a free form-making program that is perfect for conducting surveys.
I like to survey my test knitters towards the end of the test knitting process to gather their final feedback on the pattern, and this allows you to collect all of that feedback in one place. This is much easier than gathering feedback from multiple sources when you want to implement it.
You can even add a space where test knitters can upload photos to the form, which is fantastic when you’d like to collect images of your test knitters’ finished objects.
Tool 7: Schematics
Inkscape
Inkscape is a free graphics and illustration software that is similar to more expensive programmes such as Adobe Illustrator.
Hand-drawn schematics are not clear or accurate enough to use in a final knitting pattern, so I use Inkscape to draw my knitting pattern schematics. It allows you to be very precise with your technical drawings as well as add all of the finished measurements directly onto the schematic if you so wish.
For a more thorough review of Inkscape, I have shared a review of my experience using Inkscape as a knitting pattern designer.
Lo-Fi vs. Hi-Tech
Whilst you can still get great results if you go down the more lo-fi route of knitting pattern design, using pen, paper and a calculator, I find that these free tools make the knitting pattern design process much more efficient, as well as more accurate!
Do you use any free tools that simplify the knitting pattern design process? Share them in the comments section with your fellow designers! We would love to learn more about them.
FREE, ON-DEMAND VIDEO WORKSHOP
How to Confidently Design Multi-Size Sweater Patterns
Image Description: White chunky swatch with garter basket weave stitch and two types of ribbing, on a grey woollen background.
