Seven Years Later: My Very First Pattern Test

Back in May, whilst writing my last post, I realised that I’ve been testing patterns for Pam Knighton-Haener / A Yarn of Serendipity for six years now. Naturally, that made me think back to my very first pattern test. That was in 2019 – seven years ago by now. Oh my goodness, was I nervous…

How I came to do testing crochet patterns

If you’re familiar with my story, you’ll know that came back to crochet only about 13 years ago. Back then, I became aware of the colourful and richly textured designs by international designers. They fascinated me; they were so different from the German patterns I’d known from the past. I had to try my hand on those. Of course, these patterns were mostly written in English. So I first had to learn how to follow such patterns. I can tell you: that involved a lot of trial and error, and would certainly be a topic for a separate post!

However, I’ve succeeded!

I think that if you really dive into the world of crochet or needlework, you inevitably come across the topic of pattern testing. How fascinating! Until then, I’d never really thought about the fact that a good pattern should be tested by different people. And I was curious. The the idea of being involved before a pattern was published sounded exciting.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to read on this subject. However, I’d picked up somewhere that there’s a forum on Ravelry where designers can post their patterns for testing. Naturally, I had a look and observed it for a while. Most of the patterns there were knitting patterns – something that was completely out of the question for me. At the time, I’d never worked from an English knitting pattern and didn’t even know what the stitches were called.

At some point, though, I saw a crochet design there that I liked. So I just – nervously – applied to be a tester. And was selected.

My first pattern test

So there I was, facing my first pattern test:

The Origami Star Ornament by goolgool, Galit Grosz Cabot, an Israeli designer. I still love this pattern. It’s a three-dimensional star that’s perfect for decorating. (Pattern link at the end of this post)

Applying had felt brave. Being accepted suddenly felt terrifying.

Of course, I had a rough idea of what was expected of me. I was supposed to crochet the pattern and see whether the instructions were generally clear, or if there were any mistakes. So far, so good! But:

• Are my crochet skills really good enough for this yet?
• What if I don’t understand something?
• What if I miss any mistakes?
• What if I spot a mistake?
• What about phrasing that seems odd to me?
• What’s the best way to give the designer feedback?

In the end, I crocheted the pattern three times. Just to make sure not to miss anything.

Galit laughed at the time and said I was the first tester to crochet three copies straight away. She knew, however, that it was my first test and was completely understanding.

Looking back, I have to smile. Even today, I sometimes crochet a second version of small projects. These days, however, it’s not because I’m worried about missing something. More often, it’s because I’m not entirely happy with my original colour choice, or because I simply want to try another colour combination.

What I’ve learned from testing

Meanwhile I’ve tested lots of different patterns by various designers. And I’ve learnt a lot:

I’ve learnt about different crochet techniques, even techniques I probably would never have tried otherwise. I’ve also learnt that there are different ways of writing a crochet pattern and that even experienced crocheters can read exactly the same instruction in completely different ways.

And, best of all, I’ve met lots of lovely people from all over the world.

In a way, besides all the fun, it’s broadened my horizons and sharpened my eye for detail.

However, the question of how best to give feedback is something that still often concerns me today. My first thought is always, ‘Can I actually say that?’ Especially when it’s not about an obvious mistake but more about subtle nuances in the wording. That said, I approach it with much greater confidence these days. As a tester, your job is to point out things that catch your eye. This isn’t a criticism of the design or the pattern writing. It’s a way of helping to create the best possible instructions. Ultimately, it’s up to the designer to decide whether or not to take the suggestion on board.

If you’re interested in pattern testing yourself, in my next post I’ll tell you how to become a tester, what to bear in mind, and what you’re better avoiding.

Pattern Link

You’ll find the Origami Star Ornament pattern on Ravelry.

The pattern is very detailed, with lots of clear and helpful pictures.

I still have my original stars and remain very fond of this pattern. If you’re looking for a decorative crochet project, I can highly recommend it.