Want to be able to find free patterns on Pinterest? Then keep reading for the tips and tricks that will make surfing Pinterest easier.
What happened? A year or two ago when Pinterest was the greatest thing on the internet, it was easy to find free patterns on Pinterest. Now when you look for crochet or knit pattern on Pinterest it is as easy as winning the lottery. Between Directory sites, clickbait sites, and all the other pattern share sites, it is near impossible to find a pin that leads directly to the pattern.
Don’t fret, I have some great tips that will have you loving Pinterest again. I will show you how to recognize pins that lead directly to to the designer’s website. I will also help you pick out the pins that do not lead directly to the pattern.
After reading this post, if you have any questions leave them in the comments below. If you love free crochet patterns
How to Find Free Patterns on Pinterest?
Before we start talking about these tips, I want to make sure you understand what Pinterest is and who pins patterns to Pinterest. Also be aware that the tips below will work for free and paid patterns. For free patterns just keep an eye out for the word ‘free’ on the pin image and in the pin description.
What is Pinterest?
Did you every have a corkboard that would help you organize your ideas. You printed photos, wrote notes and pinned like items together. Pinterest is an online version of this.
People go to websites and find photos to save to a ‘board’ and it also saves the website address that is associated with that page. That way you can easily visit that website again. You can also keep similiar images grouped together on your boards.
Now, Pinterest has been around long enough that you do not even need to look for things on the internet, instead you can search directly with in Pinterest to find what you are looking for. BUT Pins in Pinterest will still lead you OTHER websites. Pinterest itself does not make content. They just share content found in other places on the internet
Share this tips with your friends! Pin this image to Pinterest.
Who Pins Patterns to Pinterest?
Pattern pins are pinned by several different types of people and companies. Let’s take at a few.
- Crocheters/Knitters – Everyday crafters find patterns on the internet and pin them to their boards. (This is great if they are pinning directly from the pattern source!)
- Crochet/Knit Designer – Many designer have a blog where they share patterns. They create pins that lead directly to the pattern and share it on Pinterest. They hope that other yarn crafters will see the pins and visit their website. Pinterest is currently a HUGE way from designers to get traffic to their website.
- Pattern Directories – Sites like Ravelry and Allfreecrochet. Designers submit patterns to these sites, giving them permission to use their photos and share information about their patterns. Some directories allow designers to sell PDFs of their patterns, others just list details and a link to the pattern.
- Pattern Share Sites – Sites that share information about a pattern, provide a photo and a link to the pattern website.
- Clickbait – Someone pins a enticing pin or someone elses original pin, but has the website lead to a unrelated site. There is not pattern or pattern link on these sites.
Please know that “Pattern Directories and Pattern Share Sites” are not technical terms, but simple how I will be addressing these sites.
From the list above the best way to find pins that lead directly to patterns, would be to find pins pinned by crocheters/knitters or designers.
Tip 1: How to find Designer Pins
When you go to Pinterest, the first page you see if called your ‘feed’. You will see several pins that Pinterest thinks you will be interested in. When you find a designer you like and follow them, their pins (which are direct links) will show up more in your feed.
Another great tip is to go to the designer’s site and sign up for their emails. This way you will get new pattern notifications directly to your inbox!
You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or join Facebook groups to find more patterns.
While you are here check out all the Free Crochet Patterns at Winding Road Crochet and follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, or join the Facebook Group, Our Crochet Journey.
It is easiest to find out if pins are direct links when you are browsing on a desktop computer.
Let’s take a look at a Designer Pin in the feed:
The photo on the left is what the pin will look like in your feed. I have circled the Winding Road Crochet logo. Most pins will either have a logo on them or their website.
The second photo, is of the same pin but with the mouse hovering above it. In the bottom left hand corner part of the web address will be shown. If the logo or the web address on the photo matches the web address when you hover over the image, then there is a very high chance that it will take you directly to the pattern.
Another way to know if the pin is a direct link is to click on the pin to see a more information.
Here is a pin from my friend Cheryl’s website, Crochet 365 Knit Too. When we click on the pin we get a lot more information.
- We see the original Pinner. (The top right circle)
- We see who repinned it. (Bottom right circle)
- We see the website address for the pattern. (Top left circle)
- When we hover our mouse over the pin image, we see the website address that has been linked to this pin. (Bottom left circle)
- We also see the option to follow the original Pinner. (Blue circle)
You can bet the pin will have a direct link to the pattern when the web address on the image matches the web address when you hover over the image.
It is also a very good sign when the original Pinner’s name matches the web address as well. The person who repinned the pin can vary and that is ok.
If you find a pin like this and you LOVE the pattern. Make sure to press the FOLLOW button so that this designers pattern pins will end up in your feed.
Pinterest wants to make you happy. So showing them whose content you like, will increase the likely hood of seeing their content.
Tip 2: How to Recognize Pins from Pattern Directory Sites
Directory sites will share two types of pins. Pins that look similiar to designer pins and pins that are just a photo.
The best way to determine if the pin leads to a directory site is to know the name of popular directories. The two most popular are Ravelry and Allfreecrochet.com .
If you see these website addresses on the pin image, or when you hover over the pin then the pin will not lead directly to the pattern.
If you can not seem to find a direct pin to the pattern, directory sites link provide a link to the pattern and it is normally easy to find on the web page.
Tip 3: How to Recognize Pins from Pattern Share Sites
Pattern share sites will create a page for a designer’s pattern and provide a link to the pattern. Designer’s do not submit patterns to these sites.
Every pattern share site is different, but several of them have a large number of ads on they web page and sometimes the link can be very hard to find.
They will often recommend other related patterns to you and you may click on the wrong link when looking for the pattern.
Let’s take a look at a couple typical Share site Pins: (I made these pins, they are not actual pins.)
Since we are looking to avoid pins that lead do not lead directly to the pattern. Here are some ways to tell if a pin is from a share site.
- The pin uses words like: Designed by, Verified By, Pattern and Photo By, Pattern Source, and Photo and Source. These are all terms that give credit someone else’s content and indicate that it is share site and not the original (direct) site. (Seen in circles 1 & 3)
- There may be two brand names on the image. This image include “unofficialdirectory.com” and Winding Road Crochet. (Circles 2 & 3).
- The person the photos credited to or the pattern is designed by is not the name of the website listed when you hover over the image. Nor is it the name of the Original Pinner when you look click on the pin to get more information. (Circles 2 & 3)
- Designer logos are cut off. When crochet/knit designers design a pin they make sure the logo is completely viewable. If the logo is cut in half, then the pin was not created by the designer. Also if a logo is visible and the logo does not match the web address provided when you hover over the image, then it will not directly lead to the pattern. (Circles 2 & 4)
Tip 4: How to Avoid Clickbait
To be honest clickbait can be very hard to avoid. People will steal a very popular pin image. They pin it to Pinterest with a different web address attached to it. Then when you click on the pin to visit the site, you find completely unrelated site and they make a little money because of the ads.
Pinterest tries really hard to find and get rid of clickbait. You can help them, by checking the links before repinning a pin. If you do not repin the pin, they see that as the site having poor content and they will not share it to other people.
The best way to avoid clickbait is to make sure the brand logo or website address on the image matches the web address that you see when you hover over the image or the brand name matches the original pinner.
Tips to Find Free Patterns on Pinterest
Let’s recap what we have learned.
- Follow Designers on Pinterest -This way more of their pins show up in your feed.
- Know how to spot Pins pinned by Designers – Brand logos, or website address on the pin image match the link that shows up when you hover over the image with your mouse or matches the original pinner.
- Know how to spot indirect links pinned by directory sites and share sites – Logos, brand names, website address on the pin image DO NOT match the link that shows up when you hover over the image with your mouse or matches the original pinner.
Let’s make Pinterest a better place.
Pinterest wants to be full of pins that lead to great content. Help them out by only pinning directly to the pattern’s source. If you do find a pattern through a ‘middle man’ source, visit the direct source and pin an image from there.
This is a good practice to do as well. If you can’t find a direct link to the source, a directory site and round ups are your next best chance. They often have the link to the pattern in an easy to see location. But still click through to the pattern and pin an image from there to your boards.
I really hope this tips help you have a fun relaxing time while you find free patterns on Pinterest.
Let’s Connect
Want to know what I am making next? Follow me on Instagram @windingroadcrochet to see sneak peeks of what I am up to and to be notified of when I release new free patterns. You can also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook. Join our facebook group Our Crochet Journey and be a part of our community. Share, photos, ask for help and be inspired all in one place!
Written pattern, tutorials, graphs and pdfs of the Find Free Patterns on Pinterest Post are copyright Windingroadcrochet.com. Please do not reprint or repost this content as your own, but please feel free to share this link with others. You can find more information on sharing my work with others in the Terms and Conditions Page.
