Test knit sign-ups
Become a test knitter!
Test knitting is a vital stage in creating great knitting patterns. Test knitters try out the pattern before it's published to make sure that all the instructions are clear, and provide feedback on sizing and yarn usage for the project.
It's really helpful to have a range of experience levels test patterns. What I need from testers:
- knit to the specified gauge
- work from a pattern in Google Docs that's still being tweaked and may be edited when you're part-way through knitting, and add comments for any queries you may have
- create a project on Ravelry including photos of your finished item
- work to the given deadline for the test knit.
You get early access to the pattern before it's published, and, in return, you receive a free download of the finished pattern and an additional pattern of your choice from my Ravelry Store.
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Current test knits
Lichen Stone Scarf
Deadline: 9 am GMT Thursday 12th December
Lichen Stone is a scarf of simple broken rib, with a slight twist added by slanted ends that come to a gentle point for a parallelogram shape. All sides are neatly finished: the ends are with a tubular cast-on and bind off, and the edges have slipped selvedges.
Instructions are written to make it easy to modify the length and width of your scarf: you could even make it really wide, and reduce the length of the central section for an unusual parallelogram-shaped shawl! This also makes it easy to make the scarf with different weights of yarn, if you are happy to compensate for the difference in gauge.
Sizes: One size
Measurements:
Width: 17 cm / 6.75”
Length: 166 cm / 65.75”
Yarn: Raw Wool Company, Rum & Raisin (DK weight, 220 m per 100 g skein, 70% Zwartbles / 30% Wensleydale)
400 metres / 2 skeins
Gauge: 19 sts and 25 rows = 10 cm / 4” in broken rib, worked flat, after blocking
Needles: 4 mm / US 6 (or size required to obtain correct gauge)
Notions: Darning needle for tubular bind-off and sewing in ends.
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Hedge and Wall Hat
Deadline: 9 am GMT Thursday 12th December
The Hedge and Wall hat is designed to be worn in chilly, wet weather. It’s worked in the round from the bottom up, with a tubular cast-on for a neat, stretchy edge to a dense, elegant herringbone brim, while the main part of the hat is in stockinette. The hat can be worn with the brim folded or unfolded.
What makes the hat wonderfully weatherproof is slightly felting and shrinking it after it’s knitted – details are given in the pattern for both felted and unfelted sizes so you can choose.
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)
For a guideline on sizing, the sizes given after wet finishing should fit 1: toddler/small child (2: child/tween, 3: adult small, 4: adult large, 5: extra room if you have a lot of hair/cerebral capacity!)
The hat is shown in size 3 after wet finishing, worn with 4 cm / 1.5” negative ease.
Measurements
Before wet finishing:
Finished circumference: 43 (49, 55.5, 61.5, 67.5) cm / 17.25 (19.75, 22.25, 24.5, 27)”
Height: 17.5 (19.5, 22.5, 25, 27) cm / 7 (7.75, 9, 9.75, 10.5)”
After wet finishing:
Finished circumference: 40 (45.5, 51.5, 57, 63) cm / 16 (18.25, 20.5, 22.75, 25.25)”
Height: 17 (19, 22, 24, 26) cm / 6.75 (7.5, 8.75, 9.5, 10.25)”
Yarn: Lower Hampen Farm DK (200 m per 100 g skein, 100% Devon Closewool, semi-worsted spun)
45 (60, 80, 95, 115) g or 90 (115, 155, 190, 230) m
For felting the hat, a non-superwash animal fibre yarn is essential. If you do not wish to felt your hat, you have the option of choosing a lighter weight yarn knit with smaller needles to achieve the correct gauge.
Gauge:
Before wet finishing:
23 sts and 30 rounds = 10 cm / 4” in stockinette in the round
26 sts = 10 cm / 4” in herringbone stitch in the round
After wet finishing:
26 sts and 31 rounds = 10 cm / 4” in stockinette in the round
28 sts = 10 cm / 4” in herringbone stitch in the round
If you’re planning on felting your hat, I highly recommend making a swatch and felting that, using your chosen method, measuring it before and after to check the shrinkage. You can also use a lighter-weight yarn on smaller needles to match the ‘after wet finishing’ gauge to get the intended finished sizes without having to do any felting.
Needles:
Cast-on needles: 3.25 mm / US 3 circular needle, 40 cm / 16” length (or needles 2–3 sizes smaller than main needle)
Stockinette needles: 3.75 mm / US 5 circular needle, 40 cm / 16” length (or needle size that gives correct stockinette gauge) plus preferred needles for smaller circumferences
Herringbone needles: 5 mm / US 8 circular needle, 40 cm / 16” length (or needle size that gives correct herringbone stitch gauge)
Notions: Scrap yarn, stitch markers, darning needle for sewing in ends.
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Flock Flight Mitts
Deadline: 9 am GMT Thursday 12th December
The Flock Flight mitts are worked in the round from the cuff to the fingers, with a double-folded cuff with corrugated ribbing on the outside and single-colour ribbing on the inside. The hand is worked in stranded colourwork, with different patterns for the back of the hand and the palm. Increases are worked for the thumb, and stitches are then put on hold. The hand is finished with ribbing that can be worn folded or flat, depending on whether you want warmer fingers or to be able to use your hands more easily. The thumb stitches are returned to the needle and finished in corrugated ribbing. Both hand and thumb are finished with a tubular bind-off for a neat, stretchy edge.
For the purposes of the test knit, you are welcome to just knit 1 mitten before the deadline
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)
For a guideline on sizing, the sizes given should fit 1: toddler (2: child, 3: adult small, 4: adult medium, 5: adult large) The mitts are shown in size 3, worn with 1 cm / 0.25” negative ease round hand.
Measurements:
Finished circumference (excluding thumb): 11.5 (14.5, 17.5, 21, 24) cm / 4.5 (5.75, 7, 8.25, 9.5)”
Length (with ribbing unfolded): 15 (18.5, 23.5, 27.5, 30) cm / 6 (7.25, 9.25, 10.75, 11.75)” – customisable
Yarn: The Woven Briar Jacob yarn (100% Jacob wool) used for MC, and The Woven Briar Portland yarn (100% Portland wool) used for CC. (DK weight, 100 m per 50 g skein)
MC: 35 (50, 75, 100, 125) g / 70 (100, 150, 200, 250) m
CC1: 15 (20, 30, 35, 45) g / 30 (40, 60, 70, 90) m
Gauge: 26 sts and 28 rounds = 10 cm / 4” in stranded colourwork in the round on larger needles, after blocking
Needles:
3.75 mm / US 5 (or size required to obtain correct gauge)
3 mm / US 2 (or needle 2–3 sizes smaller than main needle)
Needles should be suitable for working small circumferences in the round – double-pointed or circular as preferred.
Notions: Scrap yarn or stitch holder, stitch markers, darning needle for tubular bind-off and sewing in ends.
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