Testing Your Crochet Patterns

Read Inspiration – Sketching – Note taking & Writing the Pattern

I always make another sample using the first draft of my pattern. In doing so I might find a better way of making the pattern user friendly.

 

In the past I never used testers for my patterns.  Unless the design is detailed I don’t think it’s necessary. However, like Stacey Trock said, (see episode 3 of Crochet Chat) if you are a professional designer, meaning it is your job, then investing in quality and reliable testers is a must.

 

From Create Crochet Patterns: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners – Patrice Walker

 

Pattern Testing Is Critical to the Success of Your Published Patterns

 

Why is having someone else test your pattern instructions so important to the success of your published patterns?

 Download the Worksheets for this challenge – Pattern Testing Contract Sample

This link will take you to the Create Crochet Patterns website. Simply enter your email address and download the worksheets. The Pattern Testing Contract sample is inside.

Pattern testing:

 

• Ensures that someone besides yourself understands your instructions (i.e. the instructions are clear).
• Ensures the pattern is free of construction errors (i.e. following the instructions results in the intended item).
• Serves as an additional check of grammatical and punctuation errors you might have missed.
• Ensures symbols, abbreviations, and other pattern conventions (e.g. asterisks, parenthesis, and brackets) are used consistently and accurately.

 

Sara:

Have you joined the Facebook Group and liked the Facebook Fan Page? Now would be a good time to do so. The next step in creating your pattern is to test it. Talk with the other participants about exchanging patterns to test.

 

Patrice Walker:

Your reputation as a skilled crochet designer rests in part on the quality of the patterns you publish. Whether you are publishing free patterns or intend to sell them, it’s critical that you take the time and pay whatever expense you can afford to have them tested before they are published.

 

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Part 2 of this week’s lesson is Photography for Crochet