#test knitting

[skeksis98]

working on my Diana Bralette test knit for the designer celine.knits, probably going to do a mod of the top version

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

I've been accepted as a test knitter for a brand new design! I'm so stoked!!!

[rannadylin]

Time for another summer knitting update, I think!

I finished the Froth Fingerless Mitts! These are now my go-to desk mitts (I like a fiber layer between my wrists and the edge of the desk, and to keep my hand on the mouse from getting sweaty in the summer, so there are always desk mitts). I learned the Tubular Bind-off for these and it came out nice and stable at the top, so that edge stays in place over my fingers really well (I hate fingerless mitts that are too short or roll back at the cast-off up there, leaving my poor knuckles undefended XD). It's also used at the bottom/dark purple edge - you start with a provisional cast-on for the brioche then knit the purple ribbing downward from there, I suppose to give a stretchier edge. I did that bind-off a little too tight on the right mitt though - fits fine once on but it's a little under-stretchy when putting it on. Still, I'm really happy with how these turned out.

Got some better pictures (thanks Mom!) of my Seashells Legwarmers, test-knitted for @yllene! Felt odd modeling them with a summer dress, but they will be very cute and comfy in the winter. :-D And then I played around with the pattern a little and made a matching hat!

I love how the crown turned out. :-D The hat came out a little slouchier than I wanted (I mean, I wanted a slouchy hat, but I think I could've done half a repeat less of the chart - and I almost did start the crown at that point, but thought it might end up too short and went on with half a repeat more just in case) so I attempted to block it in beret shape, with questionable success. XD Still pretty happy with it! It will make a nice set with the legwarmers.

I also finished test knitting @yllene's lovely Kerstin Socks!

The indoor picture is better at capturing the actual yarn colors but they sure look pretty in the sun, too. This was such a fun project to use up some of my (abundant) sock yarn scraps! The colors I picked worked out better together than I expected so I'm going to attribute that to the pattern's very helpful and detailed instructions for choosing colors that would work. I need to do some more stash diving and pick out another set of leftovers to make these again!

In further brioche knitting news, I made another Liguria:

I then discovered that the designer has published a PLETHORA of brioche hat patterns so that's a rabbit hole I will be diving deep into for a while to come... :-D Currently working on a Briochen!

And in "why do I even start a pattern that ends with seaming?" news, I finally finished [seaming] the Chorus of Cats hat (which I started in September and finished knitting back in the fall sometime; it's been sitting in my workbasket with just the first few rows seamed up ever since then because, unfortunately, I hate seaming XD)

Bonus picture of the seam that took me months to finish! And of the lovely concentric circles in the crown (at least I did manage to seam it to match up the lines :-D).

This was my first attempt at mosaic knitting, which I'd now rank a little above intarsia in my hierarchy of colorwork techniques. That hierarchy, in terms of "how much does it make me want to do JUST ONE MORE ROW i.e. how much knitting candy is this technique" down to "how much does seeing this technique in a pattern make me hesitate to try it" goes as follows:

Double knitting (my go-to when I need to design something in two colors! It's fun, it's stretchy, it's warm/durable, it's easy to chart, etc...)

Brioche (yep, still obsessed! but double knitting remains my fiber BFF)

Stranded/Fair Isle (don't take it's ranking in the middle to mean I'm indifferent to stranded knitting. I adore it and simply adore the previous two even more! I will race to knit anything in these categories. Even a three-colors-in-one-row design, I've done that a time or two!)

Mosaic (I'd do it again, but no racing here)

Duplicate Stitch (so tedious, and its effectiveness varies, but sometimes it's just the most efficient way to get a small section of color onto a single color background, or to add a third color to something like stranded knitting...)

Intarsia (Did it once or twice and now it's the one colorwork technique I do kind of avoid. I could knit intarsia if I had to, but I'd grumble.)

Hm, I guess I need to also rank the slip stitch technique from the Kerstin Socks colorwork...that's similar to mosaic knitting, maybe it actually counts as mosaic, but I liked the stitch pattern in the socks better than the mosaic knitting in the cats hat so we can add it between stranded and mosaic if it merits its own entry. Am I forgetting other colorwork techniques? ARE there knitting colorwork techniques out there I haven't learned yet? If so, please do tell, I love colorwork!

[sarahdawnsdesigns]

So, I've finally gone and gotten the Fire and Light Shawl test-knit posted, and I'm looking for two more testers! The test deadline is July 15, but that can be extended at need!

It's a half-circle shawl using 976 yards (892 meters) of yarn, with a mix of written and charted instruction.

All the details are up on yarnpond - if you're interested, please check it out!

[classicalsongbirdknits]

Test knitting can be a great experience, and it’s a lot easier to get started than it may seem. Many knitters enjoy test knitting because of the chance to knit with others, to get free access to a designer’s patterns in exchange for their time, and to get first access to a design they’re excited to knit! If you’re wondering about starting to test knit, read on for all the details of what to expect and how to begin.

For more details, check out the full post on my blog.

(Text for infographic below the cut).

How to Start Test Knitting

When pattern designers run a test knit, they’ll bring on volunteers to knit the pattern, usually in exchange for a copy of the finished pattern and another gift pattern. The knitters will knit the pattern and provide feedback on the on both the design and the knitting experience.

You can start applying for test knits at any time! You should have a basic grasp of the skills needed to knit the pattern (which the designer will usually disclose in the application), but other than that, all you need is the willingness to give feedback and the ability to finish in the given time frame!

You should enjoy a designer’s style before applying for them, since there’s no point in knitting something you won’t like. Keep an eye out for where they post their test knit calls - it may be on social media, to their email list,  on Ko-fi or Patreon, or on a service like Yarnpond. Then, read the application carefully and apply! There’s usually a bit of a blurb before the application that will include information about requirements, techniques, yardages, dates, and where the test knit will be taking place.

Once you’ve applied, keep an eye on your email (or whatever channel the designer will be using to contact you). If it is by email, make sure to check your spam in the next while after the test knit call closes. Once you’ve been accepted into the test knit and received the pattern, it’s  time to knit it and share your feedback!

[ub-sessed]

Naive question: What do test knitters get in return for testing a pattern? Are they paid? Do they get free yarn? They seem to be providing a valuable service that is demanding of time ($), yarn ($) and attention. Are they compensated in some way?

[buttercupyarnart]

If you ever do pattern tests, for the love of every maker who comes after you, PLEASE speak up if you find problems!

This message brought to you by the secret test I'm in where a potential issue was brought up by someone making a smaller size that turned out to be fine, but which has turned out to be a genuine problem in my size (and likely any size larger than mine as well) that the designer is now trying to figure out how to fix.

[mouseknitter]

Join the Mouseknitter's Test Knits Discord Server!

Check out the Mouseknitter's Test Knits community on Discord - hang out with 12 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

As I'm adding more patterns to this server I'm looking for more testers if anyone is interested. Testers have access to all the patterns even if they don't test knit for them.