Faq | Atomique

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these patterns free?

You’ll find free patterns available in the members section of the website. Occassionally free patterns are available under the 'Freebies' section on the shop page. All other patterns are available to buy.

Can I buy a hard copy of a pattern?

Purchasing knitwear patterns on this site gives you access to the PDF downloadable pattern which you are welcome to print for your own reference. If you don’t have access to a printer you can share the pattern as a download to your smartphone or iPhone for ease of access. To reduce carbon costs, printed patterns aren’t readily available. The stitches or construction methods I often use in my designs – some of which have fell out of fashion, are what helps create the vintage look so well. The copyright and permission for all Atomique knitting patterns remains with myself as the knitwear designer.

Are these original vintage patterns?

I do stock a range of original vintage ladies, gents, child, baby and sundries knitting patterns. The original vintage patterns available in my web shop are from a range of decades, and some of these patterns are still protected by copyright. I adhere to UK copyright around pattern copyright and protection of the creator/designer of patterns; and the older vintage patterns (pre 1950s) are usually sold as PDF's which you can download. The more modern patterns (post 1950s) are usually sold as hard copy originals and will be posted to you. In my shop it is made clear whether you are buying a PDF or hard copy of a pattern; but if you are unsure, please contact me for confirmation. Information on sewing patterns, knitting patterns and UK copyright law can be found here:

Most of the patterns are made with 4 ply why is this?

For an authentic-looking vintage style, lighter weight yarn is used in my knitting patterns as this was the weight of yarn available pre 1960s. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that a thicker yarn was widely available. My grandma used to talk about ‘quick-knit’ which is equivalent to the modern day double knit or worsted weight yarns. Prior to the 1950s, most yarn was spun to a weight of 4 ply at the heaviest, so to keep the vintage feel I often use 4ply or 3 ply in my own designs.

Do I have to use the correct tension?

I would always suggest you knit up a tension square for your work prior to beginning any pattern, whether my own design or a vintage pattern. A tension square gives you the opportunity to see how a yarn feels in your hands, helps you to learn the pattern and most importantly, adjust your needle size to ensure the correct tension, which will give the correct fit. If you are following a vintage pattern from a previous decade it's likely that you will have to use a yarn substitute as the original yarn used will have been discontinued. This can be a case of trial and error; so a tension square will help take some of the guess work out of your knitting.

What is negative ease?

Negative ease is reference to how closely the garment will fit once knitted up. For a true vintage style a close fit rather than baggy fit is always better, however, this shouldn’t be too tight; as this can cause misshaping of the garment over time. Your own body shape (or that of the wearer) should always be taken into account when knitting. Making a tension square will ensure the best and most flattering results each time. For instance, many vintage patterns will show the bust size, but depending on the style and fit of the garment will depend on this being the 'true' bust size; which may be larger or smaller.

What bust size is best for me?

Atomique knitting patterns I produce are sold with a clear indication of bust size and the 'actual' bust size; so you are aware of what size garment you will need to knit in order to get the right fit first time. My designs are reminiscent of the vintage look in a variety of ways but with a slightly looser fit, which is preferred nowadays. If you have any queries about one of my designs please don't hesitate to contact me.

I don’t understand the Atomique pattern instructions, what can I do?

You are welcome to contact me if you are unsure of the pattern instructions or how to proceed. Each pattern has been written, had a garment made and been made again by a knitwear editor and test knitter prior to being made available to buy. If errata updates are required these are readily available under the Pattern tab.

If you are a test knitter looking for the opportunity to try my designs before they are available to buy, please contact me directly to discuss upcoming designs.