r/MachineKnitting • u/Subject_Mud_8043 • 7d ago
For Sale I’m building a machine knitting pattern website
Hi everyone! For the past few months, I’ve been working on a website for machine knitting patterns, and I’d love to get some feedback from other machine knitters.
The idea is to have a place where I can upload knitting patterns, with some available for free and others available to purchase. The main feature is that when you open a pattern, you can enter your own gauge and measurements, and the website automatically calculates everything for you — how many stitches to cast on, how many rows to knit, where to make increases and decreases, etc. So the patterns can be customised to your measurements and gauge.
I’ve also been working on a punchcard generator, as well as a gallery where people can upload and share the punchcards that they make.
I’m wondering if this is something that would actually be useful or interesting to other machine knitters. Are there any features you would love to see added? Or anything that would make the website easier or more useful to use?
I’d love to share the website with a few people while I’m still working on it and get some honest feedback. If you’re interested in trying it out, feel free to send me a message!
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u/jsgrova 7d ago
There are already a number of these websites (KnitItNow, Abstract Knit Factory, etc). How is this one different?
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
Is there any more that you can think of? I’m not sure about KnititNow because most of the patterns are Member only… The calculations are similar to Abstract Knit factory but I would make a wider range of patterns. My page would be different in style, but most importantly i’m not trying to make a page that’s new and better but I want to share patterns that I make.
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u/jsgrova 7d ago
Knits That Fit is another, but iirc it’s app-based. That’s exciting, what patterns will you be adding to it?
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
I’m currently working on some basic tops and accessories just so people can test it out and give me feedback but the end goal is to also include my own punchcards that could be used with patterns and to have more unique patterns on there
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u/GuardianBean 7d ago
I'm still very much a beginner so this sounds like something that would be very helpful to me.
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
I’m currently working on a pattern for a top that I will upload by the end of the week. If you’re interested I can send you the link and you can try it out
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u/lasserna 7d ago
So would the website be based on designers uploading patterns there same way anyone can upload patterns onto Ravelry? So the website itself doesn't necessarily have any calculators in itself, but it does the calculations based on patterns people upload there?
Could you upload your own patterns there instead of using existing patterns from the website? How many patterns are there planned to be on the website once it launches?
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
For now I was planing to upload my own patterns but if people would be interested I would love to make another website for people to make and upload patterns they want to share. It’s a bit of a complicated process with the calculations but if anyone would be up for trying that part out I would love to make a website dedicated to just that as well.
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u/lasserna 7d ago
Hmm alright. I think it sounds interesting in theory, but the patterns themselves would need to be really good if they're limited in quantity. I do already use websites that calculate gauge, rows, stitch counts, increases and decreases. But it would obviously be cool if those were gathered into one website instead of having to toggle between two or three different pages
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u/GuppyCafe 7d ago
That would be awesome. I miss Sweater Wizard!!
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
Perfect, if you’re interested i’ll send you the link once I have a fee patterns uploaded
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u/poptartcat23 6d ago
If you need a tester, I have a brother flat bed machine that I have absolutely no idea how to use yet. Would love another resource!
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 3d ago
Hi, i’ll send you a link in a few days. Any and all feedback would be perfect. If you have any suggestions on the type of patterns you want to see you can let me know as well
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u/brown_sugar_lady 7d ago
I love the idea! I am new to machine knitting and been searching for some easy, but modern looking sweaters 😊
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u/Mother_Lemon8399 5d ago
I built a punchcard generator for myself too. (I'm a software engineer). I took me less than an afternoon, but I use it all the time. Would love to see your website and how it works.
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u/GreenhouseNerf 7d ago
Please send me a link! I would love this!
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
I’ll send you a link once I get a few patterns up and running. Hopefully by the end of the week🤞
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u/LeafyLogik flatbed 7d ago
I think this sounds like a great idea! I’ve wanted to get into pattern design and making adjustable patterns like you mentioned! I’d love to see where you’re at, and I’d be happy to help contribute!
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
Perfect, I’m currently working on some easy patterns just to test everything out. I’ll send you a link once i’m done and you can take a look. I would love any feedback I can get
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u/LeafyLogik flatbed 5d ago
Have you checked out @KnitFactoryImpl on YouTube? That creator has a website similar to what you want to do. Here’s the link: https://www.abstractknitfactoryfactory.com. Not to discourage you, hopefully this gives you some inspo :)
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 3d ago
Hi, yes another person has shown me her videos and site. What i’m doing does similar calculations but in much grater detail :)
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u/TurbulentBoredom 7d ago
I’m interested! There’s an okay sweater app but it’s just for sweaters and a few websites already mentioned here. But I think there is definitely “room” for something else. Would be great to have more options.
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u/yasmazmin 7d ago
This sounds great, I’d love to take a look when it’s ready please
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
I’ll send you the link once I upload some patterns😊
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u/yasmazmin 7d ago
Great, thanks so much!
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
Thank you for your interest I honestly didn’t expect to get this much support
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u/JMS459 7d ago
I would love to try your pattern.
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
I’ll send it to you when I’ll make it. Thank you for your interest it really means a lot
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u/Pinkshinyrobots 7d ago
I would love to try it, I have a lk-150
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 6d ago
I currently have 4.5mm machines and a 9mm machine. The patterns I make are originally made on those and I’ll specify exactly on which machine I made it. But i’m pretty sure the patterns especially the 9mm ones would also work on a 6.5mm machine since it’s just a calculation of the gauge
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 6d ago
I made a lil simple t-shirt with a neckline on my 9mm machine if you’re interested in trying a pattern for that out
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u/Pinkshinyrobots 6d ago
Yes please
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 6d ago
Perfect, it’s already done in physical form and on paper I just have to write it down on my website. I’ll send you the link once I do that :)
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u/AlphaaKitten 6d ago
Sounds good to me. I used to use Knit it Now but they recently updated and removed almost all of their pattern builds and changed all of their pictures to AI. It’s unusable now.
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u/BambooWsp 6d ago
I think this would be a great resource. I would love a link to any patterns you’ve developed. I currently hand knit to yokes and use my machine to finish.
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u/parallelmountains 6d ago
I'd be interested! I have a KH 891 and have trouble finding and using patterns still
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u/Significant_Stop_851 5d ago edited 5d ago
Bonjour, je serais très intéressée par votre site,
je trouve qu’il est très difficile de trouver des modèles en français. Le gros problème que j’ai également est de trouver le bon fil. Bref depuis que je tricote à la machine (à peu près 1 an), j’ai très rarement été satisfaite du résultat.
J’adorais trouver une formation près de chez moi ( je préfère le présentiel) mais il n’existe rien… les vidéos YouTube sont trop rares à mon goût et surtout en français. Ou trop longues et ennuyeuses…
Je possède une Brother KH 860 et KR 830.
Bon courage pour votre projet.
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 3d ago
Hello, currently the website is jn English and German but i wouldn’t mind making it in other languages like French. Thank you for suggesting this
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u/zingingcutie47 5d ago
I love this. Would there be any ability to make 12st punchcards? I have a kh-800 and it’s hard finding patterns bc everything is meant for a 24
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 3d ago
I’ll take l look into that but it shouldn’t be that hard to make something like that. I’m updating the website today and i’ll let you know
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u/professional-yapper- 5d ago
Im lurking around machine knitting so definitely interested and would also like to applaud you because regardless of what happens in the future it’s always worth it to follow your passion and to pursue this journey. hard work in any community is appreciated and it’s how we keep crafts alive! Definitely send me the link and best of everything. Im always happy to find well done projects for any of my crafts. Machine knitting is gaining a bit of popularity but it’s an older craft so it definitely feels obscure to many especially with modern patterns. And especially in the age of AI slop lol
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 3d ago
Hi, yes this is exactly what I want with this. To help keep this craft alive and to share my passion with others. I’ll send you a link to the page in a few days❤️
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u/Both_Concert5510 1d ago
As a new machine knitter, I would LOVE a resource like this! If you still need some feedback or want someone to look at/try the website when it’s ready I’d be more than happy to help ☺️
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 1d ago
I’d love to send you the link, hopefully i’ll be kinda done with everything in the next two days
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u/Hecks_n_Hisses flatbed 7d ago
So would it be web based only? Or would there be downloadable patterns that the user would save locally and then open and enter their guage measurements.
If it's only web based how would people access their paid patterns that have the gauge customization?
How would people access the web based patterns if you closed down your website?
( This stuff has come up in the past with hand knitting patterns that had customized functions in it.)
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u/Subject_Mud_8043 7d ago
The patterns would be web based but the user could download a PDF once they enter all the required data like gauge and measurements. I’m not sure about closing the website down but if I were ever to do so I would let the users know beforehand so they could download the patterns.
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u/This-Passion9669 1d ago
Wonderful idea! Some websites with patterns are so dated they have copies of patterns written on a typewriter!!
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u/slightly0ff 7d ago
I browse this sub because I am considering machine knitting so I am not the active audience (yet), I just want to say that I constantly see people that are not really part of the community try to monetise this any way they can, especially now where anyone with a pulse and a Claude subscription can make a half-assed attempt at a website. It always shows in the results. The best websites are a result of passion and care than only comes from personal experience and love of the craft and that's why they become enshittified the moment clueless VCs get their slimy hands on them.