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For knitters on a budget, there's no better pattern resource than the internet. But finding free patterns takes a little more work than just using a search engine. Knowing where to look for the kind of patterns you want will save you many hours of sorting through unhelpful sites.

One great place to start is at the websites of yarn companies. Brands like Berroco, Lion Brand, and KnitPicks keep online databases of free patterns. These patterns call for the yarns the company sells, but in most cases you can easily substitute a similar yarn.

Knitting magazines, whether print or electronic, also keep free patterns at their websites. The free e-zine Knitty (knitty.com) keeps archives of all its patterns. Print magazines like Vogue Knitting and Interweave Knits feature selected patterns online for free. If you see a pattern in a magazine that you like, it might be worth checking to see if it's available online before you pay for the magazine.

Thinking less commercially, keep in mind that wherever knitters gather, patterns will be shared. This applies to your local knitting circle, but it is just as true online. Look for websites that host knitting forums, such as KnittingHelp.com, or or sites where knitters share what they've made, like Ravelry.com. Another free resource is the KnitList (www.knitlist.com), originally a mailing list and now a Yahoo! Group, a massive community of online knitters.

When searching community sites for knitting patterns, keep in mind that this takes a little more detective work than searching through pattern archives. The community might keep a directory of patterns, but just as often the patterns are not organized. Don't let this discourage you, because the rewards of perseverance are great. The patterns you will find after a little digging are knitting gold. If you make a habit of browsing through posts often, you will soon form a collection of patterns you're itching to try.

Some of the best places to find patterns are direct from the designers on their blogs. This is true for more famous knitters, like Eunny Jang (www.eunnyjang.com, though no longer updated), Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (www.yarnharlot.com), Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner (www.masondixonknitting.com), Grumperina (www.grumperina.com) and others, but it's also true for knitters who've never published a book or started their own line of yarn. These out-of-the-way knit blogs showcase the creativity and ingenuity of the everyday knitter, and they are a marvelous resource.

Because most knit blogs are not famous, they take a little work to scout out. The best place to start browsing isn't in a search engine but from another knit blog. Most knit bloggers link to other knitters' blogs in their sidebar. If you follow these links, you're sure to find a knitter whose designs you admire. Keep a folder in your browser's bookmarks just for knitting patterns, so that when you stumble over one, you can get back to it later.

Finally, directory sites can bring you lists of hundreds of free patterns online. Such sites, like KnittingPatternCentral.com or the knitting section of About.com, are repositories for hundreds of pattern links, sorted by the type of pattern. It may take some patience to browse directory sites, but chances are good you'll find a free pattern that piques your interest. And, of course, you can check the articles right here at Helium for free patterns and knitting tips.

Learn more about this author, Rebecca Miller.
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