Test vs Beta vs Preview

Before the beta knit for Cuboidal, I’d only run one other beta knit, and that was for the Imperceptions collection. Neither of these were or are test knits, they’re early access to patterns that are fully tested and working, just not in their final layout.

For years I had test knitters, and they were amazing. We worked within a private group where we talked through a number of issues, and they were also paid. Not a lot, granted, as my budget would never stretch to paying anyone a decent rate to knit a Hat, but it wasn’t free labour either. Test knitting had to come to an end when I moved my business to Estonia to Brexit-proof it 5 years ago as I couldn’t pay anyone without an invoice or service agreement, meaning the admin for testers became too much.

Alongside those testers I always used tech editors. In fact there’s only a handful of my patterns that have only been reviewed by one tech editor; using two tech editors is my norm and on occasion have used three. My paid testers were never a replacement for tech editors, more that I worked with them together to help inform the pattern and improve my process.

That’s not to say that my process isn’t as good now that I’m no longer using testers, more that my process has changed. I had 12 years of pattern writing and working with testers under my belt when things had to change; instead of talking through various details with my testers I now do that with my editors. My editors may not knit the whole design but they will swatch and test sections of it, and they’re highly skilled in being able to read a pattern and see how it all fits together - which is a skill I lack, as I need to knit it to understand it!

Test knitting, what’s expected of it and how it fits into a designer’s process, is different for different people. I’ve never been keen on asking folks to work for nothing and similarly, wouldn’t expect them to work for nothing and be responsible for making sure the pattern is clear. But not everyone’s in a position to pay and I get why designers go that route.

With all that in mind, I’ve been careful to not call these beta knits test knits. I’ve reiterated that the feedback form is there for anything folks feel needs feedback, but it’s not there because they need to look for things. I’m not asking anyone to make sense of the process or dissect it, rather I’m asking folks to trust the process and knit it, then let me know how it went. And I’m reminding folks that these patterns have been through a very thorough editing process, that they work, they’re just not in layout yet.

All that said, I’m realising that this isn’t clear, and that some folks are still seeing a beta knit as a test knit. It’s not the case for everyone, which only confirms to me that the whole concept of test knitting is pretty muddy. But I think folks are looking for things to comment on, because they believe they should, and in turn not only is that causing folks to not trust the process but it’s also burning through my already limited bandwidth.

front view of ‘Nettare’, a stranded colourwork design, one of two new designs due for publication in the coming season

rear view of ‘Nettare’, a stranded colourwork design, one of two new designs due for publication in the coming season

side view of ‘Riverbero’, a sideways slipped stitch colourwork design, one of two new designs due for publication in the coming season

rear view of ‘Riverbero’, a sideways slipped stitch colourwork design, one of two new designs due for publication in the coming season

Going forward I think I’m not going to do beta knits anymore, and instead I’ll have previewers. The one key difference is that the pattern will more likely be in final layout, which is something that’s been a big issue with this latest beta knit. It’ll make it trickier working on new collections as eBook layout takes a fair amount of time and planning, and getting that done ahead of previews will be quite the juggling act!

Yet I think this will work better. It’ll help make the point that I’m not asking you to work for nothing; that what you’re getting is a finished pattern, looking polished, and that you’ll get early access. If you can leave a review, even better. But, with the exception of errors, the pattern is done and ready to be published.

Patreon supporters will get first dibs on previewer slots - it is their support after all that allows me to do this and it’s only fair they get early access. The remaining slots will go out via the newsletter for The Woolly Hat Society and I’ll be suggesting that folks who are in a position to buy the pattern may want to let someone who isn’t take the slot. The number of available slots isn’t decided yet, I think that’ll take a little while to get right, but each route will get a limited number of slots to always ensure subscribers get a chance.

The two new designs shown above - ‘Nettare’, a vertically knit stranded colourwork Hat, and ‘Riverbero’, a sideways knit slipped stitch colourwork Hat - are both tech edited, in layout and ready to go. I’ve not yet decided which will be the first available for preview, or when, I still need to get through releasing Cuboidal! But I thought I’d offer a taste of what’s to come, and if you’re interested in being a previewer, especially if your knitting budget can’t always stretch to buying patterns, then you might want to sign up if you haven’t already.

I’m not always going to be able to give such advance notice of new designs, btw! But I like the idea of offering previews to patrons and subscribers - it’ll add an extra dimension to The Woolly Hat Society, another perk to joining and maintaining membership. In the meantime, I’ll start drafting an article covering the preview guidelines so that folks know what is and isn’t expected of them.