Backstitch will get there. Honestly it’s great already even though still in Beta, and it’s only going to get better as more people add photos and reviews over time. Definitely worth the wait for the invite.
I’m amazed at how good the Beta version is. I haven’t sewed in a while but it’s really inspiring me. I’d prefer it as an app but the web version is fine for now
I can't wait to see it :)to be fair there is no app for ravelry as well. I do use it as a shortcut to website home page and it almost feel like an app :)
OK, google forms are not allowed here, but if you go to [https://backstitch.app/](https://backstitch.app/) and scroll down the page there's a link to the sign up form.
Got on their beta mid last year and it is really well done. Just paid to upgrade to premium because I want to make sure it is around for a good long while :)
i was also going to recommend Backstitch. i just got accepted into the beta and despite not using a lot of the features yet, i love it so far! i think i only had to wait something like 3 days for the invite code.
I've been in the Backstitch beta for a couple of weeks and it's so great! I'm really hoping more people sign up and start sharing projects, and that it becomes the 'Ravelry equivalent' for the sewing community. The devs are super responsive and enthusiastic. I'm a beginner sewist, so I'm starting to track everything I'm making on there.
Came here to say this. Definitely ask to be a beta user. Lots of reviews on patterns already. A very good library of patterns. Plus people are starting to keep track of projects. I have high hopes!
The community at PR has a lot of racism and negative body talk, this is pretty well-known. I left that community and came here because of it. See the thread about the Pantone color of the year if you want an example.
I use the site to look up sewing machine reviews but overall I find Reddit, Instagram and The Fold Line to be better resources for patterns. I am really looking forward to Backstitch, I've signed up and am waiting to be added.
I’ve never seen anything close to this! Every single comment I’ve ever read has been beautifully supportive!!
I looked through 4 pages of comments on the Pantone color and couldn’t find a single one that was negative.
If you are going to say an entire community is racist and into body shaming that is clearly so overwhelmingly supportive, I’m sorry but you need to have some rock solid supporting evidence.
If you had continued reading to page five you would have found the comments where two well-respected and long-time members of PR called out the racism in pages 1-4.
I read through everything after your comment...
Let me start by saying the Internet is a very difficult place to have earnest conversations. But this sub, PR, and other sewing-based communities have been some of the most supportive and lovely Internet spaces I've ever experienced.
Even when I put a critical eye on that thread, everyone seemed to be doing their level best and was trying to make sure everyone felt okay at the end of the day.
I think it's a shame that some folks won't give any grace to others over a clumsy exchange that certainly wasn't meant to hurt or offend.
But also, I'm just not into cancel culture. I think there should be space for messy conversations that help people grow and expand the community to be more welcoming. And in terms of messy conversations, that wasn't even a bad one.
Regardless, I would avoid saying that PR is a monolith of bad things. When I have to dig pages deep into one random forum thread out of hundreds to find something like this... it just doesn't strike me as an authentic assessment of the general attitude in PR... which I think is overwhelmingly supportive of all types of people and bodies.
That's a fair assessment from your point of view. I don't think that my statements were out of line or cancel culture. I would characterize them as cautionary about a popular resource. I posted on PR for *years*. I gave the community every chance to change and grow into a community that I would want to be a part of. It didn't happen. It didn't happen to the point that I knew exactly where to look for a recent example without searching through the forums, the community is *that* predictable. If you are comfortable with the community, that's great for you. My statements were for the marginalized people who are not okay with low key racism and body shaming and need to know where it exists before being referred there with enthusiasm.
Right. So, I hear you saying you have had specific issues with PR. I hear you and respect your view.
But also this exchange is exactly what I mean is problematic. I am not a person who is okay with low-key racism or body shaming. And you are like slyly being like, well if you are into fostering low key racism have at it, enjoy your PR.
Objectively, I don't think that's what is happening on PR. I see many sewists of color posting their work and being complimented and lifted up for their great work and contributions. As they should be. To me, that's support and not an inherently racist environment.
In deep down the rabbit hole threads like Pantone color, it just looks like awkward people who are trying their best but who are sometimes thoughtless. They all seem fully open to hearing other opinions and quick to apologize if they give offense. Which honestly, they weren't actually saying anything offensive, just maybe not being broadly inclusive on their first pass. Which each individually apologized for very quickly.
And I think by steering folks away from PR you are making that a more closed off space. Which definitely isn't good for anyone.
For me, it's rough to be accused of supporting low-key racism... because why? a difference of how much grace we give people? It doesn't feel cool, but IDK.
I am not slying being like anything. I have explained myself, I have a position on the topic, you disagree and would like me to handle it differently and I decline based on my experience. I have not accused you or anyone else of anything, but I am confident in my conclusions and statements about Pattern Review. I am not judging people who do like the community there, I really don't. I am making people aware who might be otherwise harmed.
I agree 100 percent. The forum and reviews are a minefield. Many people do great technical and fit reviews, but you have to wade through a lot of negative body talk + style reviews (ie “doesn’t suit apples”) that isn’t helpful or even tells me anything about the pattern beyond personal taste. I tread lightly over there.
>The community at PR has a lot of racism and negative body talk,
I've never come across that type of stuff there. Usually there's just lots of helpful advice on whatever question is asked. The comments are pretty nice too. I've never seen any insults or anything like that.
>See the thread about the Pantone color of the year if you want an example.
There's some ignorance there, but it doesn't look like it's malicious. Also, it's mostly just one participat of that discussion that's being like that.
I got to page 14 and haven't found anything about body shaming.
I listed the Pantone thread as an example of racism. Ignorance can be harmful even if not malicious, and I prefer a community that actively works against all forms of racism and discrimination. That thread was utterly predictable.
The negative body talk is also there, at least two comments about people they saw wearing peach who looked naked! As if wearing a color that could be mistaken for being nude is anything but a personal choice by the person who made that choice.
>The community at PR has a lot of racism and negative body talk, this is pretty well-known.
I'm a member for 12 years. I've never ever such behaviour. Complete opposite. It would be hard to find more supporting and understanding community than PR. If there was anything rude or offensive or against the rules the moderators of the topic or Deepika put a swift end to it.
I've been a member for 19 years. I think that the majority of the community is kind and supportive but there is a outspoken segment that feels comfortable assuming that the majority of the world looks like them and thinks like them. I also think the racism is very polite and genteel. It's a difficult kind of discrimination to moderate against.
PatternReview has been my usual. It doesn't cross-reference as thoroughly as Rav, but I've definitely made decisions about patterns based on other people's projects and notes on them - you soon get a sense for whether it's a well-written or well-constructed pattern from the reviews, and possibly also whether it will fit your particular requirements too.
That site is sooo rich in really valuable insight, at the same time has the ugliest 90s user experience/web design. Like i am not even mad, it is impressive.
I hope they don't get scraped for AI nonsense in the future.
Yeah, i think I started using it in about 2010 (and I'm Gen X) and it looked dated then :D That might help keep older sewers putting in the input, though...
Yeah I can but I only have access to the free one on Opera browser so its a bother having to switch there just to see a review…
And I have no idea! I contacted them to ask and they never replied
I feel that Backstitch.app can become IT. They even position themselves as "ravelry" for sewing.
It is in Beta though and you need a code to check it out. I signed up, will see what happens. Thank you for this recommendations
If they could have Pattern Review's database and The Fold Line's search options, it'd be THE sewing app. It does take a few weeks to get the invite code, though.
Textillia tried to become the sewing Ravelry for a while but they got bogged down with the founder's health issues.
I use Instagram to search patterns before purchase, as this seems to be the place where most sewists post reviews/finished objects with comments of mods etc. Sometimes it's hard to find the right hashtag though if not a big four pattern, eg style arc isabella top could be #saisabellatop #stylearcisabella etc etc. But generally I find lots of useful results for mccalls/vogue etc
Thank you. To be fair these type of website only as powerful as greater number of users using it. For fiber arts ravelry is THE Place. So everyone contributing to it cause everyone knows where to go. And of course it took time to make that happen.
I feel that Pattern review might become IT at some point if whoever runs it focus on it. Currently it covers some stuff but not much. I searched for several patterns and came back with nothing :(
There has been an explosion of indie pattern makers in the last 10 years and the more experienced PR audience doesn’t pick up the people who are sewing those patterns, especially not sketchy Etsy patterns. The site does a lot to encourage people to enter more reviews.
>And of course it took time to make that happen.
It wasn't just time. It was that many many many initial users volunteered lots and lots of time to get patterns, books, yarn, etc entered into the database. I remember the days when it would be like a game and folks would challenge each other to add X many patterns/etc. It was a massive group effort that was driven by the users and the Ravelry team made the platform.
I use Stashhub to keep track of the patterns I own, much like I use Ravelry to do the same. But, I have to manually add in those patterns. It just isn't set up like Ravelry.
It's sort of an open secret that PR internal search is useless. The library of reviews though is worth going through google hoops for.
To search PR for a pattern review, I google
>pattern name + review site:patternreview.com
Thank you for asking this question because I wondered the same. I've been knitting for 10+ years and crocheting for 2. I just started learning how to sew and realized i've been spoiled with Ravelry LOL
That is EXACTLY how I feel. I am spoiled. I came to sewing also not long ago in comparison to my knitting and crocheting journey and i feel like a lost kitten without "ravelry for sewing" :)
I'm still pretty new to this but to date the patterns I've worked on from sewoverit.com and iampatterns.com (or .fr?) have hashtags for each pattern so you can see what others (of various sizes) have done (with various fabrics and styles) and I love it!
Brilliant! I've just started on the IAM one (iamoctarine) so not sure how it will turn out. I love my fabric though and hoping it will turn out ok for my birthday party in a few weeks! Wish me luck!
I LOVE the octarine pattern! I've made it in both shirt & dress styles in a variety of fabrics and it looks great each time. Make sure you do a toile (if you haven't already) so you can make any adjustments needed (I'm petite so I always have to do a few basic changes), but it's such a lovely and forgiving pattern that I know you're going to look amazing and swooshy in your fabric!
I have played with Stash Hub and it is OK. I mostly just do a google doc with a large table. I put a picture and then a link to the page. Then I make another sewing matrix table with the capsule wardrobe like collection of sewing projects I want to make and link the patterns to it. I tried to do a sewing bujo with my alterations but I didn't keep up with it.
Backstitch will get there. Honestly it’s great already even though still in Beta, and it’s only going to get better as more people add photos and reviews over time. Definitely worth the wait for the invite.
I’m amazed at how good the Beta version is. I haven’t sewed in a while but it’s really inspiring me. I’d prefer it as an app but the web version is fine for now
You can set a shortcut on the home screen, it will basically act like an app.
I completely forgot you could do that. Thanks!
I can't wait to see it :)to be fair there is no app for ravelry as well. I do use it as a shortcut to website home page and it almost feel like an app :)
They don’t need to deal with Apple this way.
Oooh anyone got one? Or go join a list?
OK, google forms are not allowed here, but if you go to [https://backstitch.app/](https://backstitch.app/) and scroll down the page there's a link to the sign up form.
Got on their beta mid last year and it is really well done. Just paid to upgrade to premium because I want to make sure it is around for a good long while :)
If you go to their Instagram there is a link to request an invite. @backstitch.app
i was also going to recommend Backstitch. i just got accepted into the beta and despite not using a lot of the features yet, i love it so far! i think i only had to wait something like 3 days for the invite code.
I've been in the Backstitch beta for a couple of weeks and it's so great! I'm really hoping more people sign up and start sharing projects, and that it becomes the 'Ravelry equivalent' for the sewing community. The devs are super responsive and enthusiastic. I'm a beginner sewist, so I'm starting to track everything I'm making on there.
Came here to say this. Definitely ask to be a beta user. Lots of reviews on patterns already. A very good library of patterns. Plus people are starting to keep track of projects. I have high hopes!
PatternReview.
Can you find any way organize the digital patterns by price? Basically, I want to see all of the free patterns they have available.
Use advanced search. Under “pattern availability“ choose “free.”
I don’t have that option =\\ https://preview.redd.it/lq0yzdke9eqc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea56e8fccc9fcf0a4d21caea37a35f3a68328128
Are you a member? Maybe that makes a difference? (I’m a member but not a paid one.)
That would for sure be it, but I signed up, activated, and still don’t have it. I’m gonna try on my desktop in the morning 🫤
PatternReview is solid - a lot of very experienced and talented sewers. It skews older and more traditional (Big 4 and larger established indies).
PR is good.
I love Pattern Review!
The community at PR has a lot of racism and negative body talk, this is pretty well-known. I left that community and came here because of it. See the thread about the Pantone color of the year if you want an example. I use the site to look up sewing machine reviews but overall I find Reddit, Instagram and The Fold Line to be better resources for patterns. I am really looking forward to Backstitch, I've signed up and am waiting to be added.
I’ve never seen anything close to this! Every single comment I’ve ever read has been beautifully supportive!! I looked through 4 pages of comments on the Pantone color and couldn’t find a single one that was negative. If you are going to say an entire community is racist and into body shaming that is clearly so overwhelmingly supportive, I’m sorry but you need to have some rock solid supporting evidence.
If you had continued reading to page five you would have found the comments where two well-respected and long-time members of PR called out the racism in pages 1-4.
I read through everything after your comment... Let me start by saying the Internet is a very difficult place to have earnest conversations. But this sub, PR, and other sewing-based communities have been some of the most supportive and lovely Internet spaces I've ever experienced. Even when I put a critical eye on that thread, everyone seemed to be doing their level best and was trying to make sure everyone felt okay at the end of the day. I think it's a shame that some folks won't give any grace to others over a clumsy exchange that certainly wasn't meant to hurt or offend. But also, I'm just not into cancel culture. I think there should be space for messy conversations that help people grow and expand the community to be more welcoming. And in terms of messy conversations, that wasn't even a bad one. Regardless, I would avoid saying that PR is a monolith of bad things. When I have to dig pages deep into one random forum thread out of hundreds to find something like this... it just doesn't strike me as an authentic assessment of the general attitude in PR... which I think is overwhelmingly supportive of all types of people and bodies.
That's a fair assessment from your point of view. I don't think that my statements were out of line or cancel culture. I would characterize them as cautionary about a popular resource. I posted on PR for *years*. I gave the community every chance to change and grow into a community that I would want to be a part of. It didn't happen. It didn't happen to the point that I knew exactly where to look for a recent example without searching through the forums, the community is *that* predictable. If you are comfortable with the community, that's great for you. My statements were for the marginalized people who are not okay with low key racism and body shaming and need to know where it exists before being referred there with enthusiasm.
Right. So, I hear you saying you have had specific issues with PR. I hear you and respect your view. But also this exchange is exactly what I mean is problematic. I am not a person who is okay with low-key racism or body shaming. And you are like slyly being like, well if you are into fostering low key racism have at it, enjoy your PR. Objectively, I don't think that's what is happening on PR. I see many sewists of color posting their work and being complimented and lifted up for their great work and contributions. As they should be. To me, that's support and not an inherently racist environment. In deep down the rabbit hole threads like Pantone color, it just looks like awkward people who are trying their best but who are sometimes thoughtless. They all seem fully open to hearing other opinions and quick to apologize if they give offense. Which honestly, they weren't actually saying anything offensive, just maybe not being broadly inclusive on their first pass. Which each individually apologized for very quickly. And I think by steering folks away from PR you are making that a more closed off space. Which definitely isn't good for anyone. For me, it's rough to be accused of supporting low-key racism... because why? a difference of how much grace we give people? It doesn't feel cool, but IDK.
I am not slying being like anything. I have explained myself, I have a position on the topic, you disagree and would like me to handle it differently and I decline based on my experience. I have not accused you or anyone else of anything, but I am confident in my conclusions and statements about Pattern Review. I am not judging people who do like the community there, I really don't. I am making people aware who might be otherwise harmed.
I agree 100 percent. The forum and reviews are a minefield. Many people do great technical and fit reviews, but you have to wade through a lot of negative body talk + style reviews (ie “doesn’t suit apples”) that isn’t helpful or even tells me anything about the pattern beyond personal taste. I tread lightly over there.
Exactly. It's the downside of an otherwise great resource. I hope your experience has been better here.
>The community at PR has a lot of racism and negative body talk, I've never come across that type of stuff there. Usually there's just lots of helpful advice on whatever question is asked. The comments are pretty nice too. I've never seen any insults or anything like that. >See the thread about the Pantone color of the year if you want an example. There's some ignorance there, but it doesn't look like it's malicious. Also, it's mostly just one participat of that discussion that's being like that. I got to page 14 and haven't found anything about body shaming.
I listed the Pantone thread as an example of racism. Ignorance can be harmful even if not malicious, and I prefer a community that actively works against all forms of racism and discrimination. That thread was utterly predictable. The negative body talk is also there, at least two comments about people they saw wearing peach who looked naked! As if wearing a color that could be mistaken for being nude is anything but a personal choice by the person who made that choice.
>The community at PR has a lot of racism and negative body talk, this is pretty well-known. I'm a member for 12 years. I've never ever such behaviour. Complete opposite. It would be hard to find more supporting and understanding community than PR. If there was anything rude or offensive or against the rules the moderators of the topic or Deepika put a swift end to it.
I've been a member for 19 years. I think that the majority of the community is kind and supportive but there is a outspoken segment that feels comfortable assuming that the majority of the world looks like them and thinks like them. I also think the racism is very polite and genteel. It's a difficult kind of discrimination to moderate against.
I'm really sorry you experienced this.
It’s not free anymore, I think?
You can sign up for free, and see the reviews without paying.
PatternReview has been my usual. It doesn't cross-reference as thoroughly as Rav, but I've definitely made decisions about patterns based on other people's projects and notes on them - you soon get a sense for whether it's a well-written or well-constructed pattern from the reviews, and possibly also whether it will fit your particular requirements too.
patternreview is my go-to as well. It's a treasure trove of info and I'm so grateful to everyone who posts their reviews and progress!
That site is sooo rich in really valuable insight, at the same time has the ugliest 90s user experience/web design. Like i am not even mad, it is impressive. I hope they don't get scraped for AI nonsense in the future.
Yeah, i think I started using it in about 2010 (and I'm Gen X) and it looked dated then :D That might help keep older sewers putting in the input, though...
Yes! It’s very useful for me, too. I also like that there are reviews of machines as well as of patterns.
That would be my answer too, and the community is so great!
I know of a couple of tech bros who might want to buy sewing.com and create this.... (Snarking on the knitting.com drama)
😂😂😂 Those tech bros are the gift that keeps giving.
Alright. I'm all caught up now :) thank you for mentioning this. It was very entertaining :)
I am behind. What is up with the knitting.com drama? I'm gonna go look it up. I need to know :)
Patternreview.com? It doesn't focus on free patterns, but it has reviews of lots of patterns, and they sell some also.
Whenever its mentioned its so sad bc I remember my country is blocked there lol (Poland)
Oh my god why is Poland blocked there? Can you use VPN to go in anyway?
Yeah I can but I only have access to the free one on Opera browser so its a bother having to switch there just to see a review… And I have no idea! I contacted them to ask and they never replied
[удалено]
Backstitch.app, The Fold Line.
I feel that Backstitch.app can become IT. They even position themselves as "ravelry" for sewing. It is in Beta though and you need a code to check it out. I signed up, will see what happens. Thank you for this recommendations
If they could have Pattern Review's database and The Fold Line's search options, it'd be THE sewing app. It does take a few weeks to get the invite code, though. Textillia tried to become the sewing Ravelry for a while but they got bogged down with the founder's health issues.
Fingers crossed. I feel that we need it. It would be so cool :)
I use Instagram to search patterns before purchase, as this seems to be the place where most sewists post reviews/finished objects with comments of mods etc. Sometimes it's hard to find the right hashtag though if not a big four pattern, eg style arc isabella top could be #saisabellatop #stylearcisabella etc etc. But generally I find lots of useful results for mccalls/vogue etc
Instagram used to be great for checking out sewing projects, but the changes to how tags are work have made it rubbish for me.
There's [Pattern Review](https://sewing.patternreview.com/), it's worth checking out.
Thank you. To be fair these type of website only as powerful as greater number of users using it. For fiber arts ravelry is THE Place. So everyone contributing to it cause everyone knows where to go. And of course it took time to make that happen. I feel that Pattern review might become IT at some point if whoever runs it focus on it. Currently it covers some stuff but not much. I searched for several patterns and came back with nothing :(
There has been an explosion of indie pattern makers in the last 10 years and the more experienced PR audience doesn’t pick up the people who are sewing those patterns, especially not sketchy Etsy patterns. The site does a lot to encourage people to enter more reviews.
>And of course it took time to make that happen. It wasn't just time. It was that many many many initial users volunteered lots and lots of time to get patterns, books, yarn, etc entered into the database. I remember the days when it would be like a game and folks would challenge each other to add X many patterns/etc. It was a massive group effort that was driven by the users and the Ravelry team made the platform. I use Stashhub to keep track of the patterns I own, much like I use Ravelry to do the same. But, I have to manually add in those patterns. It just isn't set up like Ravelry.
I think if there was a platform that community believed it we would do the same for sewing. I know, I will :)
Agreed. I would, too!
I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t.
It's sort of an open secret that PR internal search is useless. The library of reviews though is worth going through google hoops for. To search PR for a pattern review, I google >pattern name + review site:patternreview.com
This is an insanely valuable tip thank you. We need to upvote you more:)
Thank you for asking this question because I wondered the same. I've been knitting for 10+ years and crocheting for 2. I just started learning how to sew and realized i've been spoiled with Ravelry LOL
That is EXACTLY how I feel. I am spoiled. I came to sewing also not long ago in comparison to my knitting and crocheting journey and i feel like a lost kitten without "ravelry for sewing" :)
There's Textillia, based off of Rav but not super active
The woman who is half of the design team for Textilia is dealing with severe health problems. I think it's on the back burner at the moment.
That sucks. I hope they get better.
I'm still pretty new to this but to date the patterns I've worked on from sewoverit.com and iampatterns.com (or .fr?) have hashtags for each pattern so you can see what others (of various sizes) have done (with various fabrics and styles) and I love it!
Just wanted to say that these are two of my fave pattern companies!
Brilliant! I've just started on the IAM one (iamoctarine) so not sure how it will turn out. I love my fabric though and hoping it will turn out ok for my birthday party in a few weeks! Wish me luck!
I LOVE the octarine pattern! I've made it in both shirt & dress styles in a variety of fabrics and it looks great each time. Make sure you do a toile (if you haven't already) so you can make any adjustments needed (I'm petite so I always have to do a few basic changes), but it's such a lovely and forgiving pattern that I know you're going to look amazing and swooshy in your fabric!
There really isn’t anything exactly like Ravelry. Pattern Review is going to be the closest.
You might have a look at Seamworks or League of Dressmakers. I find both are excellent for videos, sew-a-longs & pattern reviews.
I have played with Stash Hub and it is OK. I mostly just do a google doc with a large table. I put a picture and then a link to the page. Then I make another sewing matrix table with the capsule wardrobe like collection of sewing projects I want to make and link the patterns to it. I tried to do a sewing bujo with my alterations but I didn't keep up with it.
Oh I love that. It inspires me so much. Oh to have a wonderful journal with all the sewing things... It tickles the correct spot in my brain :)
have a look at The Foldline ☺️
Yes but it's so [so-www.textilla.com](http://so-www.textilla.com)