Testing, testing... 1, 2, 3...

Test knits are the best win-win that I know.

During the course of this test knit sweater project, I've been approached on more than one occasion about what it is to be a test knitter.  These fellow crafty folk have asked all sorts of questions but always in the same vein - is it hard, a lot of responsibility or time consuming.  So I said to myself, "Self, we should do a post about this so everyone would know what it is like to be a test knitter" and I agreed.

I'll start by simply saying this ~ being a test knitter isn't hard at all.  It's actually a lot of fun.  There are designers out there who need a hand in making sure that all of their sizing work is correct - that is where test knitters come in handy.  We also check for errors in the patterns, ease of understanding, etc.  It's basically a sneak preview of some wonderful items and helping to put the final touches on them before the rest of the world gets a shot at them.

The only real responsibility that a test knitter has is that you are honest with your time.  The designers put in a time frame for when they need it done and they list how many testers for each size.  They outline roughly how many hours they think a person will need in order to finish their project so you can see if the time required meshes with your time available.  For example, the sweater that I am working on has a time allocation of 30 - 40 hours and a deadline of 8/30.  I have spoken to the designer and let her know that I am not the fastest knitter but I really wanted to participate.  She said she isn't the fastest either and had no issue with me testing the size that I requested.  So basically, if you can't dedicate the time then don't make the offer because it isn't fair to the designers and it will earn you a bad reputation around the testing pool area.

I became a test knitter through the groups on Ravelry.  I participate in two groups and usually only offer my services for one project at a time.  I have a friend who can knit like the wind and handles multiple projects - there are limits set forth by the groups but they are generous.  The end reward for the tester is a pretty new item and free pattern - for the designers, it is help with the final details and validation that their pattern is perfect and ready for the world.

So there is a brief overview of my life as a test knitter.  It is fun and I highly recommend it to anyone who knits.  As a tester and designer, the value of test knitting is priceless.