How will I receive my PDF pattern(s)?

PDF patterns can be downloaded immediately upon purchase. Additionally, you will receive an email link to download the pattern, which will remain active for 30 days after purchase. If you do not receive the email and/or cannot download the pattern after purchase, please contact us for assistance.

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My country is not listed in your shipping options. Will you ship to my location?

Yes, we can ship to locations other than those listed. If your location is not listed in our shipping options, please contact us and let us know what you wish to order and the address you wish it shipped to, so we can provide a custom quote.

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A Knitting The Natural Way pattern I purchased has been lost and/or destroyed. How can I get a new copy?

You may redeem a free copy of any of our patterns you have previously purchased, by filling out the form here.
 

Is there a list of abbreviations used in Knitting The Natural Way patterns?

Yes, you can view and download the complete list of abbreviations used in our patterns here.

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How should I care for my natural knits?
Not all natural fibers can be washed and dried the same way. Please refer to the manufacturers washing instructions, located on the ball band of each yarn. Be sure to check for color fastness, before beginning projects with numerous colors, if you intend to wash them.

Can I machine wash natural yarns?
Most natural yarns cannot be machine washed. However there are cotton, linen, hemp and other similar yarns which can be. Please refer to individual manufacturers instructions on the ball bands of your yarns. Beware when looking for washable wool yarns, that most wool yarns marked “washable” have been chemically treated to make them washable.

How should I care for items knit with cotton yarns?
The majority of cotton yarns are machine washable. To be sure, check the ball bands of each individual yarn. We recommend knitting a swatch and testing it in the washer machine, before committing your finished product. Also beware that some yarns exude a lot of dyes when first washed, so we suggest testing your yarn, before washing it with other items.

Are plastic knitting needles bad?
Like polyester and acrylic yarns, which are derived from plastic, needles made from plastic can also have harmful effects on health. Please see this page for more information.

What is yarn made of?
Yarn can be made of a variety of different materials, including natural fibers, such as wool, cotton and alpaca or synthetic fibers, such as acrylic, polyester and nylon. Some yarns also contain additional materials, such as beads, sequins and metallic glitter.

What is acrylic yarn made of?
Acrylic is made of a polymer called Polyacrylonitrile, a thermoplastic, which was designed for its strength and warmth. Acrylic is commonly used in synthetic yarns and is machine washable, though more flammable than its natural counterparts. It does not felt and is not as soft as some natural fibers and many knitters complain that it is not enjoyable to knit with. To learn more about the manufacturing process behind acrylic yarns, click here.

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What is a natural fiber?
Natural fibers are those which are found in nature, gathered either from animals or plants. Natural fibers commonly used for yarns include alpaca, angora, bison, camel, cashmere, cotton, guanaco, hemp, linen, llama, merino wool, mink, mohair, possum, qiviut, silk, vicuña, wool and yak. Please see our Why Natural Yarns? and Synthetics vs. Naturals pages for more information.

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Is wool a natural or synthetic fiber?
Wool is a natural fiber. Though the term wool most commonly refers to sheep's wool, it may also refer to the fiber obtained from goats, camelids, musk oxen and other animals. In any case, the term wool does refer to a natural fiber. Though items labelled Faux Wool or Faux Sheep Wool are usually made of synthetic fibers.

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How much will a knitted piece shrink when felted?
It depends on the yarn fiber, weight and stitch. For example, a 100% wool piece, knit in stockinette stitch would shrink approximately 20%. So when designing felted projects using wool type fibers (sheep wool, alpaca, angora, cashmere, etc.), plan on making them approximately 20% larger then the desired finished size.

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What are plies?
The term 'ply' or 'plies', when used in reference to knitting yarn, may refer to one of two things. In the past and in the UK, Australia and other countries today, 'ply' often refers to the weight of a yarn. A yarn referred to as 'sport weight' in the US, will be called '4-ply' in the UK, etc. Please see this page for details. Ply may also refer to the number of individual strands (plies) twisted together to make each yarn. A single ply yarn is made of one strand of fiber. A multi-ply yarn is made using multiple strands, twisted or braided together, giving the yarn a more rope-like appearance.

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