There has been a huge buzz this week on the supposedly ‘free’ knitting patterns British retailer Fred Perry released as part of an advertising campaign. Turns out the patterns are so poorly written and edited that they are almost a spoof on knitting patterns. (Not sure if this is intentional and they are supposed to be funny? Let’s just say the knitting community has not been amused and they have gotten some pretty negative press from the manoeuvre!)
My response is this…don’t waste time banging your head against the wall trying to figure out the gauge, yarn weight, sheep breed (sheep breed!!), etc. Just pick another pattern from the hundreds of amazing patterns already out there that are WELL WRITTEN!
For example:
Fred Perry’s cardi could looks sneakily similar to Sirdar’s V Neck Cardigan, if better styled:
And for their cabled beanie…
…how about a free pattern from Máire O’Sullivan, Hipster Sister? Just start some of the cables higher up and make it a shorter hat without turned over brim and fab pom?
And I just happen to have some Aran weight in the shop at the moment that would work for both – BFL/Alpaca in a grey/lavender – with more skeins going up in the shop next week which work well together(right):
Just sayin’. 😉
*update Fred Perry have removed the patterns from their website. If you are looking for some entertaining reading check out the comments on Kate Davies’ blog…they are cracking me up!
From the Purl Side 
I had never even heard of Fred Perry until Kate’s amazing post yesterday. What a dirty trick! But I love your approach to it!
I think it is kind of funny. They must have thought they were doing something so clever, but it kind of backfired.
Then again, like you say, you’d never heard of them before and ‘no press is bad press’?? hmmm.
Extremely good info! And I hadn’t seen the Fred Perry pattern fiasco till you mentioned it!
Good fun for a boring, grey, day! ;-D
I just wonder what Rowan think of having their name used in such a disastrous stunt. They can’t have asked them or they’ve wouldn’t have made such a ridiculous faux pas with the sheep breed. Pretty hilarious nonetheless!
Absolutely cringe-worthy, right?
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