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I've had a couple of patterns recently that have been rejected due to being too similar to existing patterns. First of all, I'd just like to say, sorry for making you all spend time reviewing them only to reject them. I appreciate the time and energy you put into the site. I did not realize when I posted them that they were similar to existing patterns. Is there any guidelines as to how similar is too similar? From what I've read in the forums here, in the future, I should search patterns of the same # of strings and rows to check for similar patterns, but it seems that even then there might be more patterns of similar size that would be "too similar." Anyways, it's a little frustrating to spend so much time on a pattern and have it rejected. Though I completely understand why you would reject similar patterns, when the language used is "don't post similar patterns," I feel as though I'm in trouble when in reality I didn't even know it was similar. It might come off better if it was something like "this pattern is too similar." Anyways, sorry for the babble and the criticism, hopefully it can be constructive.

We have a list of reasons why a pattern can be rejected : https://www.friendship-bracelets.net/faq.php?id=43

Patterns are too similar to other patterns when there is only a small difference, like a few knots difference or a few rows added or removed. Or a border added or removed. You are in trouble when you submit several patterns that are the same or almost the same as existing patterns, not when you accidentally post a single pattern that is similar to existing patterns.
Also, any pattern with simple diamonds, diamond-and-cross, zigzag, plaid, etc is too similar to existing patterns and will therefore be rejected, but you will not be reported for that. You will probably get a message from us, asking to stop posting these patterns. You will only be in trouble if you do not listen to that :-)
I totally understand that it is possible to accidentally post a pattern that is similar to existing patterns, and I understand that new users do not always know our rules.
We only want to make sure that we have a nice collection of different patterns, instead of a whole bunch of very similar patterns. And we do not want to be a copycat-site, with patterns that can be found somewhere else. That is why we check all of our patterns.

Okay, thank you for your kind response!