CustomFit Update – Redo your pattern super-easily.

This fall will mark 5 years since I started CustomFit. I can’t really speak coherently about what making this crazy side project into my life has meant to me. It’s too wonderful and fundamental for me to be rational about it.

To have seen something I thought should exist in the world, and then make it; to blend these two incredible passions of mine into a single thing; to realize how many others share my passions, and to get to connect with them every day. There are so many times when it seems like a fairy tale. Thank you all for helping me make it a reality.

…but there are, of course, other times. Times with… let’s just say different emotions. Hah!

Usually, these last few years, they’ve revolved around needing to fix bits and pieces of CustomFit that have nothing to do with the patterns themselves. Because while I knew a LOT about bodies and patterns when we started this journey, running a website that makes custom PDFs for people involved a ton of learning, and I’ve had to re-do a bunch of stuff over the last few years, as I’ve grown.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I’m finally tackling the biggest remaining “FIX IT” on my to-do list, and CustomFit will look a little different the next time you visit.

What’s Changed

It used to be that you had to know everything before you purchased a CustomFit pattern, and once you’d purchased the pattern there were no options to re-do it in case of mistake. (Ugh.)

Now, you can buy the pattern whenever, and then take your time – customize at your own pace. Once you’ve created your custom pattern, you’ve also got a chance (within 3 months) to fix any mistakes and re-do the pattern for free (once).


(This change in the structure of the site also sets up a bunch of exciting stuff that we’ll roll out later this spring, but I’ll tell you about all of that later!)

The New Way

Here’s how it looks – when you first visit a design customization page, CustomFit checks to make sure you’ve got the ability to make the pattern – either because you’re a subscriber, or someone has given you a sweater pattern credit, or because you’ve purchased on in the past. If you do, great! Onward you go.

If you don’t, there’s a link to buy a credit to customize that pattern:

And once you’ve done so, on you go.

Then, at your own pace, you’re free to explore all of the customization options. Save as many swatches as you want, go back and forth adjusting this or that, make sure the pattern is exactly how you want it. At the end, check everything out – and let CustomFit know you’re ready to finalize your custom pattern:

You’ll then go to the pattern detail page for that pattern – where you can download a PDF, add some pictures, start a ravelry project, and so forth.

You can also see which sweaters you have the ability to customize on your account management page:

If you’ve got a “general purpose” credit, it can be used to customize any pattern in the site. Whatever their type, credits never expire. So don’t feel pressured to be speedy if you’re not sure about things!

Re-Doing a Pattern

Up to 3 months later, if you’ve found you’ve made a mistake, you can go back to the pattern page and hit ‘re-do’:

This will take you to a special screen where you can fix anything that went wrong:

  • Not playing as serious a game of yarn chicken as you thought? Lengthen the sleeves!
  • Gauge changing from your swatch? Save a new gauge, and update your pattern.
  • Think the measurements are off and you need a few inches more length? Save a new measurement set, and update your pattern.
  • Decided you wanted to make the neckline a little shallower? Go ahead!

And so forth. Once you’re satisfied again, click through and your original (incorrect) pattern gets automatically replaced with the new (fixed) one. No muss, no fuss.

Questions? Comments?

I always want to hear from you – so if you’ve got any questions about this, or any other aspect of CustomFit, please don’t hesitate to reach out. (That’s: [email protected].) And as always, thank you so much for letting me be part of your knitting life.

1 thought on “CustomFit Update – Redo your pattern super-easily.

  1. Thank you. What a wonderful feature.
    Gretchen

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