White woman in a woody field wearing a 2 colour garter stitch and lace shawl.

A close up of the Lanelands Shawl, showing the block colour lace panels and the 2 colour garter stitch centre.

🧶 Call for Testers 🧶 I am so pleased to announce that my Lanelands Shawl is finally ready to test!

I am hoping to test both the PDF version & the interactive version. @openpatternformat.bsky.social

Flexible deadline 4th May. Full info here: forms.gle/RcpzsQV6c4WL...

Thank you! #knitting

Myself in a moorland field with some trees in the background. I am wearing my new knitted shawl

Went out to take proper photos of the shawl 🧶 today (this isn't one of them)!! Hopefully I have something to work with now! 🎉😁 Test call coming real soon!

#knittersofbluesky #knitting #shawl #knitwear

If you could only choose one craft for the rest of your file, what would you choose? 🧶
#craft #crafter #knitting #crochet #sewing #handmade #allthecrafts

This will likely be the next pattern to be released as an interactive OPAF pattern. It will showcase how great both progress tracking and charting is with OPAF patterns. 🧶

openpatternformat.com/pattern-mana...

#knitting #knittersofbluesky #freeapp

What an interesting bunch of answers for both! From my experience of knit design and putting my patterns through testing, I have found that knitters generally lean towards preferring written instructions (I always include both)! But here seems to be a more even split!

I very much agree with you! I'm a very novice crocheter so haven't yet ventured into charts but I definitely find knitting charts easier to read than long lines of written instructions!

Opinion post! 🧶

Knitters and crocheters, which do you prefer: working from charts, written instructions, or both?

#knitting #crochet #thisorthat

Wow, impressive work!

In order for interactive and accessible patterns to become more mainstream, more designers need to start offering their patterns in the format.

Fancy seeing what your pattern may look like as an OPAF pattern? Get in touch, now! 🧶

openpatternformat.com/designers-we...

#knitdesign #crochetdesign

I know we are asking people to think a little differently! OPAF is basically a replacement for PDF. Our main goal is to show it's worth and to reach more designers to get more patterns available!! We are working really hard to try and make this happen!

You can't add your own PDF's, no. If there were more designers making the OPAF files, you can hold and organise OPAF patterns bought from them in the app. But not PDF patterns
openpatternformat.com/about/

The Quinzhee Cowl and Garter Squish Beanie patterns are the free ones. They will open in the app by clicking on 'open in app'

Click on the book icon at the top of the app and it will open the index of patterns currently available!

Unfortunately you can't add PDF patterns, you can only use OPAF patterns, which is the major downside, however there are so many features that make it so much better than a PDF overlay. You can browse the pattern index where there are a couple of free patterns and try the app/format out using those

So if you had a choice between following a chart or written instructions only, do you have a preference?

Lovely pattern!

Great to see you here! Welcome!

Hearing now people use their patterns gives me hope that there may be space for the likes of what we are trying to achieve with Open Pattern Format... Our major barrier will be enticing designers to give the format a go so the patterns are there for knitters to use!

Ah that's really interesting! I don't tend to make many notes at all but will almost always try and log needle size, size I'm making etc in #ravelry

Strong look! Impressive!

I'm interested in the sort of notes you may take, alterations to patterns, row counting etc? That sort of thing?

I usually just use my phone to open a PDF then have to pinch, zoom and pan to see info. It's annoying but I'm not a printer nor do I like having a larger screen in front of me whilst knitting!

Not heard of My Row Counter before, does that act as an overlay to a PDF pattern? Interesting...!

I used to love this feature but found the app generally not that great to use so gave up on it in the end. I expect it's improved by now as I haven't used it for years now!

I expected this would be the most popular opinion! I personally tend to lose bits of the pattern if I do this!

Ah I've not heard of good notes before, that sounds like a good way to do it!

knit companion definitely seems like the most popular app that's about right now! I gave up on it a while ago as I find it pretty complicated to use! Though that was a few years ago it's probably better now.

People who #knit or #crochet... Do you view/read you PDF patterns on your phone or print them out and follow along? 🧤🧶🧦

I predict people may have strong views either way!

#debate #knittersofbluesky #crochetlovers #fibertech

Congrats! 🎉

A photo of Scott and Cat at the beach, the faces behind Open Pattern Format

The faces behind OPAF! 🧶 #hi

Scott is the programming genius and I (Cat) provide the knitting/craft knowledge.. oh and everything website/Comms/social media.

OPAF is NOT a business or service hiding behind a pay wall. We are 2 people working on this in our spare time hoping to make a difference.