In this study we examine catalyst preparation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) parameters related to synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by alcohol catalytic CVD. We show that modifying the catalyst recipe considerably changes the average SWNT diameter, and vertically aligned arrays with an average diameter of 1.5 nm were obtained. The height of vertically aligned SWNT arrays can be significantly enhanced by surface modification of the substrate prior to dip-coating, although this produces SWNTs with larger diameters at the root of the array. We demonstrate patterned growth by combining this method with suppression of SWNT synthesis by formation of a hydrophobic surface. We also consider the effects of ethanol flow rate and thermal decomposition on the chemical environment at the substrate. The growth process is considerably altered by the extent of ethanol decomposition, with sudden termination of the growth occurring in the extreme low-flow (complete decomposition) case.