I had an odd experience on Ravelry the other day, and I'm not sure what to do about it.

I always save free patterns to my library and put the ones that cost money in my favs. So the other day I opened a pattern I've had in the library for a while, looked at it, and then decided to go to the project page to find out some additional information. When I opened the project page, I found that the pattern was no longer free but was now being sold. However, I was never prompted to purchase it before the download. Since I've never bought a pattern off Ravelry before, I'm not sure if that's normal or not. Anyone?

Anyway, I immediately closed the pattern and deleted it from my library, but now I'm wondering if I need to pay for this pattern I'm never going to use.

(Note to self: Before downloading any patterns on Rav, check the original project page to make sure a formerly free pattern is still FREE!)

Yes this can happen; a pattern that was originally free, or you got it as a special limited time free deal and is later charged for, can still be in your library. You can still open it and won't be charged for it. So you shouldn't have deleted it if you wanted to make it at some point, now you'd have to buy it.

Happened to me, too...specifically the Booga Bag. I got the pattern when she was offering it free...but I guess later on she changed her mind and wanted to make a little money on it. Can't say I blame her...but I was glad I got the pattern in the freebie days.

It wasn't a pdf pattern cuz it's in my documents as a Word doc. I cut/pasted the pattern directions and photos from her website, which was linked from Rav.

I don't need to PAY FOR the pattern. :wink: But it isn't in my Rav library. But I can send the Word doc to my Google Drive (cloud). From there I can access the pattern from any device I own. Yay.

I have 296 patterns in my (free) Google Drive. I love the Cloud! All my patterns, accessible from any smartphone, any tablet, any laptop I own! Immediate. Mostly my patterns are pdf, but I also have a dozen or so patterns on Word. Easy-peasy.

Thanks for the clarification, Sue and ArtLady.

My main concerns were a) not taking advantage of these people and b) not having to pay for a pattern that I don't want all that much.

If this happens again, though, I'll know not to delete it from my library (that is, if I really want to make it someday--in this case, deleting it wasn't a big deal).

A copy of Owls sweater is still in my Library from when it was free. I don't recall saving it there, but am glad I did. I also have a copy in a text file saved on my computer. Some patterns I did as a KAL, where you got the final version updated for free, and now are for sale, which I also save to the computer.

If I really want something or think I might I always save the pattern to my computer or tablet.