Pattern Testing
It has been an interesting week in the life of Crochet Cloudberry (aka me, Cat)! Not only the unseasonably warm weather but I haven’t been doing my usual mix of own designs and crochet projects. But no fear, I haven’t had to hang up my hook, I’ve been pattern testing. Both testing other people’s patterns and having my own pattern tested. So I’ve been on both sides of the coin.
It all started last Saturday when flicking through Instagram, I came across a post asking for pattern testers and the cutest photo of an amigurumi lamb. It was so sweet, I just had to volunteer. And Naly of NalyDesign agreed for me to be a tester. Naly lives in Germany and it is her first pattern in English so I feel very privileged to be crocheting her Lamb Luna. As you can see I’m nearly finished and I took Luna out into the garden this afternoon to enjoy the sun. There is a little more work to do on her but those bits are under wraps until the pattern is released.
I found my second crochet pattern test through a Ravelry group. Claire from WoolBarrow needed someone to test her Toadally Cool Toadstool and what can I say but my crochet gnomes need somewhere to hold their meetings and where better than under a crochet toadstool. I was allowed to pick the yarn and colours myself and went for a pastel blue cap to give it a little more gnome appeal.
I’ve really enjoyed testing both the crochet patterns, but it has definitely been a different way of crocheting. There was definitely no frogging and I kept a pen and notebook beside me at all times to note down anything I struggled with. At the end I have to deliver a report with anything I found that was not quite right. It feels strange pointing out mistakes to other people but in the end that is the pattern tester’s job. I hope that Claire and Naly agree too.
I also decided it was time to get my Hygge Heart cushion cover tested. It is the first larger project that I have designed and too big to ask friends or family to do a quick sanity test on. I placed this ad on instagram and got an overwhelming response, quite literally from all over the world. It is amazing how the crochet community is truly international. So far some of my testers have shown me the start of their work. They have free reign over the yarn and colours they used and I am really looking forward to seeing the end results. One is working the design up using cotton, a material I had never considered for a crochet cushion cover and another is using glitter yarn, something I am rather excited about. I’m also slightly apprehensive about it, what if they find a major error or the chart is unclear? But ultimately, I think whatever feedback I get will make me a better crochet designer.
Well, the week wasn’t all crochet testing. My partner and I also had a lovely photo shoot with the hygge heart cushion cover to ensure that the images on my pattern are tip top. So I will just sign off with a cozy photo before I go and sit down right in that chair and sip that coffee.
