Today’s post is prompted by my recent purchase of two patterns. One I mentioned in my last post and at the moment I will not name the second one as it is by a well-loved designer and from much reading on Ravelry, hell-fire on anyone who critiques one of those designers; although anyone else is fair game. Typical on-line world in other words.
In addition to materials required, yarn, needles etc., from a knitting pattern I expect a good photo showing the item to be knitted in its entirety, a glossary of knitting abbreviations used, and a clearly written pattern. A pattern does not have to be long to provide all this. I also expect it to be error free especially if I have paid for the pattern.
Buying a pattern is very much a matter of trust. The knitter, the consumer, has to trust that they will be sent instructions that will enable them to make the item pictured on Ravelry or the designer’s website. (I am talking about knitting but this applies to crochet patterns. Also sewing and quilting patterns can be purchased electronically.) I was trying to think of another concept to compare it to and came up with going to a new restaurant. You know what is in the meal you’ve ordered but you have to trust that what is put in front of you is an edible combination of those items. A knitting pattern you buy electronically, you know what you want to end up with and hope that you have been given the correct information to get there.
So let’s look at the two patterns I purchased. Firstly the shawl pattern I mentioned last time. The Quadratische Decke shawl.. A pattern that I would say is for an advanced knitter. The designer states that it is an adaptation of a Herbert Niebling pattern, a German designer of fancy, complicated lace pieces. And looking at pictures of the original pattern, it is a major adaptation. I was about to write, I took a leap of faith and purchased the pattern. But I would have to write that every time I purchased a pattern so sounds rather redundant. Plus I have already written above about having to buy on trust. Although if you have already knitted a pattern from that designer you have an idea of their pattern writing style. When I paid for my pattern I received a PDF of 31 pages. The designer included information on all the test knitters with photos of all the test knits; a sample graph to work a test swatch, charts of all 8 patterns, some of which are enlarged at the end of the pattern. It is a very comprehensive pattern and any questions that have arisen are a matter of the novice knitter. I felt I got really good value for money. I am about half way through and have no issues with the pattern.
The other pattern is for a hat and the pattern includes two different styles. The beginning of each hat is different but the body is the same and the pattern is written to reflect this. The pattern starts with version A the instructions ending with continue with the body of the hat; and then version B ending with continue with the body of the hat; and then you get the instructions for the body of the hat. The hat has a pattern and the designer states from where she got the pattern so it is not something she designed herself but she did have to work out how to fit it into the body of the hat.
I have not got very far with this pattern. It is for a Christmas present but I started it as there is a KAL in a group on Ravelry so that was incentive to cast on. Although I have not got very far, I have found one mistake and one area that could have been written differently. The mistake concerns the needles stated in the requirements and the needles stated in the instructions. In the pattern instructions you are told to change needles but to a size that is not included in the requirements. Although the pattern was published three years ago, this discrepancy was pointed out only 5 months ago. The designer said she would update the pattern but she still has not done this. The designer is selling something she knows has a mistake but there’s no complaints because as I said at the beginning you can’t say anything considered negative about this designer.
The area that could have been written clearer concerns the cast on and following pattern. The pattern is a four row repeat with a definite right side and wrong side. The instructions state to cast on with the contrast colour and then you change to the main colour and the four row repeat. Except you are not told which type of cast on to use – I don’t have a problem with that – except some cast ons have a wrong and right side so if you start the repeat on row 1 you know have the wrong side of your cast on facing. Which is fine if that’s what you want. So with these two issues so early on it makes me wonder what else will come up in the pattern that I will have to amend because there is a mistake or less than clear instructions.
I am pointing out what you get with each pattern because I had to pay for both of them and I the difference in quality was obvious but the difference in price was only $1.00. At least the shawl pattern was the more expensive one but considering what you got the price differential does not seem enough. Is the hat pattern too expensive or the shawl pattern too low? My opinion is both. The hat pattern should have been a slightly lower cost and the shawl pattern should have been higher.
Please note these are my opinions based on the quality of the two patterns I received. Neither of which I got a chance to look at before purchase.
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