Pattern Testing

Patterns I've tested for designers.

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    The Coziest Sweater Ever: Pattern Testing The October Sweater

    When I saw the testing call from Lindsay of Standard Knits for this sweater I was immediately tempted. So I thought about it. I looked at yarns, priced them out, looked to see what was in stock at Michael’s. I determined I could get enough yarn fairly affordably, so I applied. Once I had the pattern I picked up some of the yarn from one of the Michael’s on my radar so I could collect enough yarn for the sweater. And as any good tester must do, I did my gauge swatch. The yarn I had picked out was Loops & Threads Camden Wool. It turned out I couldn’t quite…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the Road Trip Socks

    When I saw that Rachael of Maven Crafted was looking for pattern testers, and then saw the sock, it was the fastest I have applied for a test knit all year! One of the things I love about testing socks, is that I pretty much always have the yarn available. They are the best project when you have one skein or less of yarn. And for these ones, I had the perfect sock set from an Autumn & Indigo sock club just waiting for the pattern that would show off the yarn best! And with all the pictures you’re about to see, I think you’ll agree this was a great…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Peek-A-Boo Maxi Skirt – Pattern Testing Your Next Wardrobe Staple

    This post contains some affiliate links, which, if you purchase from the vendor, provides me with a very small commission, at no additional cost to you! I try to choose test knits these days for things I will love and get a lot of use out of. And I think the Peek A Boo Maxi Skirt from Knitatude may be the pattern test I will end up getting the most use out of ever! Let’s be honest, I hate wearing pants. They’re so often uncomfortable, and I always wear through them so fast it’s hard to justify buying nice ones. So when I can, especially in fall and winter I…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the Pinch Me Crop Top

    When Chantal came up with the idea of a ribbed tank top with a sweetheart neckline at Knit Night, I was ready to sign up to test it without seeing it. When the Pinch Me Crop Top was done and I saw it on Chantal I was still on board! Normally the idea of knitting ribbing for an ENTIRE top would be a huge turnoff. And especially doing so with acrylic yarn. Since I don’t have a lot of other commitments at the moment, between summer break and quarantine, I thought I could give it a go. I originally intended to knit this test in white Lion Brand Feels Like…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the Mustang Mitts

    When I saw Rachael’s call for testers for the Mustang Mitts pattern, I had to apply because I loved the detail on the back of the hand so much, and I really wanted to know how she did the flap on what I call “Scrooge gloves”. For the cuff Rachael recommends learning to cable without a cable needle. I watched one video, tried it a couple times and decided I wasn’t into constantly picking up dropped stitches while I attempted to learn it, so went for the traditional cable needle approach. The cabled cuff makes for a really nice variation on the ribbed cuff. I have to admit, I did…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the SilverBell Sweater

    Many of you know I have been on a yarn fast for a number of months. As a result that kind of limits the amount of testing I can sign up for. But I was very, very lucky to be given this Winter Nights yarn so I could sign up to test Chantal’s SilverBell Sweater. Because if I was going to make this sweater, I wanted mine to be sparkly too! It was so nice to have the yarn ready to go when the pattern arrived, it feels like that hasn’t happened for quite awhile! Working on this sweater became really addicting. In less than a week I was pretty…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the Orchard Spice Socks

    It is a huge honour to be asked to test someone’s pattern. It’s actually how I started my pattern testing career. Most of the time since then though, I’ve applied to test a pattern. It was a thrill though to get a message from Manda of Little Bitty Delights asking if I’d test one of her upcoming sock patterns! For no real reason aside from the tentative release date, I chose the Orchard Spice Socks. Since I had started my “yarn fast” this meant I needed to find something I already had…which despite the size of my stash, wasn’t quite that easy. So I crossed my fingers that the last…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the November Mornings Socks

    Over a year ago I saw a testing call by Orange Knits for a new pair of socks. I had recently made the first of my Aine socks, which also happen to be one of my favourite pairs of a friends’ socks, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to try another of Mara’s designs, the November Mornings socks. Now I have had a few brilliant yarn choices to go with patterns. My English Garden Reading Socks and Vanilla Spice Socks being a couple examples. I didn’t want to buy new yarn for this test, so I was picking from a limited selection of DK yarns in my stash. I…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the Side Split Pullover

    As you now know, Chantal of Knitatude, and a large number of pattern testers have been keeping a secret for MONTHS. And it. has. been. hard! It was made slightly easier due to the fact that the camera on my phone really disliked taking pictures of the richly saturated colour I picked to test the Side Split Pullover (affiliate link). I chose this sweater to apply to test knit because it is a style that I could totally see myself wearing ALL the time. Anything that encourages wear with leggings has me sold. And as my sister and I traipsed around Nose Hill to take pictures it was so incredibly…

  • Blog,  Pattern Testing

    Pattern Testing the Portico Socks

    I had 2 decisions to make when it came to these socks: Do I have time in my schedule to test these socks? – which ended up being followed by: What yarn should I make these in? It was the pretty pointed details around the cuff that made me apply to test the Portico socks, though the detail on either side of the top of the foot is also gorgeous! The ankle reminds me of gothic architecture, which I kinda love. I really like the colourway that Nicole (Henry and Jane Handmade) used for her original sample of these socks, it seemed like a really good amount of speckle. As…