Test Knitting Adventures Part 1

As explained in my last couple posts, I've been doing a lot of tinkering around on Ravelry which has included test knitting for three different designers.  I'd like to say that my initial thought in test knitting was that I would gain experience in what makes a good tester/designer relationship (for when I get my current designs ready to test) and expand my networking contacts in the woolly-world.  But really, what went through my head each time I signed up was "Ooo!  Free pattern/I want that!"

The Testing Process
When a designer has completed a pattern for design, it's really important that the pattern be checked for errors and comprehension (the same way that you would have someone else proof read a research paper).  Apart from any obvious errors like spelling and grammar, or incorrect stitch counts, there is the bigger issue that knitting has it's own language.  Sure, there are some pretty basic instructions, like knit or purl, which can only be interpreted one way.  But you also have more vague instructions like "cast on" (did you mean "provisional", "long tail", "cable" or "wrap"; each one has a different look and feel), "increase" (knit into front and back of stitch or knit from bar below, or yarn over?) or "decrease" (knit two together, purl two together, slip stitch and knit next stitch and pass the slipped stitch over?).  It's enough to make any novice knitter want to cry!  Add to this the added confusion of abbreviations which are sometimes universal (K for knit) and sometimes specific to the designer or design source, and you can see why the process of pattern writing can be so complicated!

So, what should the aspiring designer do?  Be as specific as possible in your initial pattern, define all abbreviations (even if you think they are obvious) and provide good quality photos or illustrations.  Also, have your design test-knit by several knitters.

Test knitting is the phase where a group of knitters try out your pattern.  They are the ones who will try and reproduce your creation, while making constructive suggestions and catching errors.  As a test knitter, it is really important that you be in constant contact with the designer (so they know what/how you are doing; no news  is no news), be very clear with any suggestions or questions you might have, knit to the gauge recommended and make no alterations to the pattern without designer approval.

My favorite part of test knitting has been finding errors and then figuring out what to do to fix them (this may actually be more of a tech editor thing).  There's something really exciting about that "aha!" moment where you confirm that the issue is really with the pattern and not you, and that there's a way you can solve it!  It immensely satisfying to have figured out what is going on in the designer's brain, while they were designing.

Sophisticated Scribbles
The first pattern I test knitted, by Elizabeth Rislove Elter, available on Ravelry, is a simple knee-high sock with adjustable shaping for the calf and ankle and intarsia detailing.  Having never done intarsia, I figured that this would be a good pattern on which to learn.  So, I checked a couple YouTube videos on basic intarsia (you really only need basic intarsia, even though the sock will be worked in the round: this was the most helpful video that I found) and cast on!

The socks knit up pretty quickly (I ended up frogging a lot of the calf of the first sock when I miss-read the shaping instructions).  (As a side note, in each pattern that I've tested, I've had this mental freak-out moment when I either have no understanding of the pattern, or I read it wrong and knit the next 40 rows wrong, which is weird since I don't have this problem when knitting for myself).  My favorite section to knit was the foot, because of the interesting zig-zag cabling.  That, and after knitting what seems like an endless leg the foot feels like it finished super fast!

Probably the best feature of the pattern is the shaping.  Although I may be designer-friendly-sized (I wear Small for most Vogue knits, and have never knit a sock pattern that didn't fit my ankle, as is) I have several friends who have complained about the lack of sizing options in most sock patterns.  Liz, the designer, has accounted for this with 3 basic sock sizes based on ankle and foot circumference (I made the medium) which all call for customized calf shaping.  You measure your calf and then do some math (she explains it all in a non-scary way, I promise!) and voila!  A sock that fits and won't fall down!