If you like watching Knitty Gritty like I do, you’ve probably heard the Knitsters say, “Knit On!” How about “Test On!” instead? Are you interested in pattern testing? If so, you’ve come to the right place!
You may be aware that I had a few goals for 2011, including writing a new pattern every month, as well as giving out a free pattern for every tester, and for each pattern tested. I plan on continuing this for 2012 as well, and plan to have at least one pattern monthly.
Some of the patterns you will see for 2012 have already been accepted by publishers ~
A secret test for a cabled project knitted with bulky yarn (very different for me!)
A test for a shawl or scarf pattern (your choice) which combines cables and lace, very open and pretty for sport weight yarn
A secret test for a shawl pattern that uses beads and some interesting construction techniques, for sport weight yarn
And, there are quite a few others that are in the early design stages, including mosaic knitting, a tank top/vest, a circular shawl/table cloth, a Faroese shawl, a shrug, a very unusual doily, and a skirt.
If you’ve wondered what pattern testing entails, the answer is patience! Although I really hope that the patterns are error free before the test even starts, there are usually a few mistakes. For me, this is probably because I have seen the pattern so much that mistakes really don’t stand out. I tend to knit on autopilot, as I’ve been looking at the pattern from its earliest stages and know how it developed.
Knitters of all skill levels are needed for tests. It is often from the least experienced knitters that I can learn the most. They ask more questions, and this gets me thinking about how I can make the pattern more clear. The more experienced knitters have a lot to add too and seem to spot errors quickly. Really, the best tests have all sorts of knitters from all over the world!
One thing that I can’t stress enough is that testers should post a project on Ravelry. There are many reasons for this, but most of them basically involve the sharing of information. For example, you may have chosen the perfect yarn for a pattern, and others would love to know that! Or, it could be the opposite case, and you would be helping others avoid a bad, and costly, yarn choice. Needle size and type is also very helpful. Let’s not forget the yardage that you used to knit the item. What’s worse than knitting a large project, only to run out of yarn near the end? Not much, especially if the yarn’s been discontinued! Are you tall, or maybe very short? Plump or thin? It would be such a huge help for Ravelers to have fit information! So, if you do sign up for a test, and you wonder why I am asking testers to post projects, now you know why 
Does any of this interest you? If they do, or you have another suggestion, please let me know. I’d love to hear about what types of patterns you’d be interested in testing!