On Size Inclusive Pattern Testing
by Denise of @TheCajunCrafter
I am very thrilled to introduce Denise of @TheCajunCrafter for this special post about size inclusivity in pattern testing. I am so glad that Denise has taken to her Instagram to become a voice on this important issue, and am so thrilled that she wanted to guest author for the blog! Please enjoy this post and then go show @TheCajunCrafter some support.
♡♡♡
Denise is pictured above wearing the Blythe Dress by @namaste_and_crochet; below wearing the Super Soft Coat by @oneofakate; the Dove Dress by @madebyhaileybailey; the Lattice Lace Dress by @by.stephanie.erin; and the Wildwood Pullover by @baahumble.
Before I begin: I want to be perfectly clear that the instagram space @thecajuncrafter is all about size inclusion. I’m not discriminating any size in any way shape or form. I believe and will always believe that every body is beautiful.
What got me started on this journey of size inclusive awareness:
As a plus size person, there is nothing that insults me more than finding a pattern, only to find out that the sizing ends at “extra large”. I know damn good and well that I’m only 2 inches larger than that “extra-large” yet the designer doesn’t want to extend the pattern to fit me!!!
Are they trying to tell me that what looks good on a small body frame won’t look good on me?
Or that those who are a larger (plus) size are not important enough to want to design garments for?
I am a 2XL plus size pattern tester. I specialize in making garments. I’m always looking for patterns to test. I noticed recently that many designers would repost testing calls for a second time saying that they are in need of size 3XL to 6XL testers. That led me to ask the question: Why aren’t plus size people becoming testers?
The answer basically came down to time and money. A third issue not mentioned (but I know is a very valid reason) is that testing requires a post with the design on a real person…that’s when body conscious issues come into play.
So, let’s look deeper into those issues.
Time
From the viewpoint of the tester: Plus size makers don’t want to test because the timelines are not long enough. Four weeks is just not a reasonable timeline for a plus size tester to get the yarn needed and complete the garment. Most plus size testers will go to shopping for yarn, yet I can guarantee that the stores won’t have enough skeins of any yarn of the same color to complete their garment test. Therefore, we have to depend on ordering our yarn online and hope that it will get to us in a week to 10 days. Then, once we get the yarn, it takes basically 2 times longer to complete than a regular size tester. All you have to do is look at how many stitches a smaller tester needs to make on a row and compare that to the number of stitches a plus size garment tester needs for that same row. For example, in the pattern I am working on now: On round 1—the size 1 needs to make 78 stitches, where the size 9 needs to make 166 stitches.
Designers agree. Most of the designers I know already try to make their pattern test timelines around 6 weeks. Others realized that maybe their timelines are sometimes stressful for some size inclusive testers and have agreed to re-think their testing timelines from now on. I did have a designer who reached out and mentioned that she works on commission and she has deadlines imposed on her by bosses, and because of that she can’t always accommodate for longer testing timelines. Just yesterday I had another designer who reached out to me asking: what if you make your deadlines too long, then some testers lose interest in the project and don’t complete it, leaving the designer without a sample. Clearly there are lots of things that designers have to take into consideration when setting test timelines, but I feel like I have put food for thought into the issue of time.
The same is true on the flip side. Testers need to look at timelines and decide for themselves whether or not a garment they want to test has a reasonable timeline that would work while also thinking about what goes on in their regular life. There just needs to be a balance between the two.
Yarn:
What about the extra yarn expense that occurs with those on the higher spectrum of the size inclusive line?
I did a little digging and I asked my followers to tell me where they get inexpensive yarn. Here’s what I found out:
The more common places to find yarn is at craft stores (JoAnn’s, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, etc). Seems like one or more of them is always having a sale. If they don’t have enough yarn in the color you want, you can go online to purchase. When ordering online, you will get the yarn delivered to your home and will be guaranteed that the dye lot numbers are all the same. If you don’t want to pay shipping charges, you can always have the yarn shipped to the store and you can pick up your order there.
LionBrand has sales and often has a discount wheel, where whatever % discount you land on applies to your entire order for that day. I suggest you sign up to be on their email list so that you always know what is on sale.
Other online big name stores mentioned are Hobbii, Hobium, Lovecrafts, Knit Picks, and We Crochet. Again, all have sales running at any given time. Love Crafts also offers large quantity packs, which is also worth looking into.
Hand dyed yarn, size inclusive supporters. Here is a list of independent (indie yarn dyers) who are showing their support by selling “sweater size” amounts of yarn at discount prices so that those who need larger quantities of yarn can get “some good stuff” at a cheaper price. These dyers include:
@TheLittleWolfKnits---offers a 10% discount for sweater quantities of 3 or more skeins, plus a 15% discount for orders of 7 skeins or more.
@TheFrostedStitch offers a 10% discount for those who test her patterns, but is also open to providing discounts to testers and makers who need larger quantities of yarn….right now she said to DM her and she would be glad to work with you. When she has finalized things and set up on her site she will let me know.
@TwentyFourThreads and @ThreeSistersFibers are also stepping up in support of size inclusion and looking into discounts at their sites as well.
Kudos to WeCrochet & Knit Picks. Size inclusion is near and dear to their hearts. They are always willing to do whatever it takes to support the size inclusive community. Right now they are working with me on an epic size inclusive giveaway that will be coming in April 2021! Follow @TheCajunCrafter to find out the details about what is included and when it will begin.
The third issue I want to touch base on you with are those body conscious insecurities. I’ve said it before and I will say it til I die….EVERY BODY is beautiful. Many people don’t want to post pictures of their makes because they don’t like the way they look in pictures. Who doesn’t? I don’t care what size you are, you will always find fault with something on your body. We need to stop beating ourselves up and start looking at how wonderful we are.
The reason designers want you to post pictures of yourself wearing what you make is because they know that customers want to see what the design will look like on someone their size. If you are really that insecure, just take pics and crop them from the neck up. That way you can show others what the design looks like on without them seeing your face. But you will find that at some point those insecurities fade and pretty soon you’ll be showcasing all of the beauty that is you.
If you want information on how to take effective pictures with just your phone camera, you are already at the right place. Go to the top of this article and you will see in the heading Tester Tips. There you will find the article “Testing Photography-the Basics”
If you are interested or thinking about becoming a size inclusive pattern tester, you have the perfect resources right here at this website: theskeiniac.com. Everything you need, all the questions you have, thoughts from other pattern testers can be found by just looking at the menu in the heading. There’s tester tips, interviews with pattern testers, and advice from so many resources.
#sizeinclusivestitches
I want to mention the hashtag #sizeinclusivestitches. It’s a place for size inclusive supporters can go to find crochet, knit and Tunisian designers, testers, and makers that support and showcase size inclusive makes. When you include #sizeinclusivestitches in your post, you are adding your make to the database of other people who support size inclusive designs. When you search #sizeinclusivestitches, you will find a wealth of support for the size inclusive community. Plus size people can find modeled pics of patterns in you size, plus size people you will want to follow and designers who can guarantee that their pattern are written and tested you people in you size.
My story highlights will include,
a button for testing calls,
a button with the list of yarn suppliers and supporters mentioned in this article
a button with some articles worth reading,
a button for resources for measuring your body to get the right size garment for you to make.
Lastly, when you click on my Instagram @TheCajunCrafter bio you will find: the link to this website (TheSkeiniac.com) so that you will always remember where all of these resources are located. However I do recommend that you sign up to be on her email list so that you never miss any of the great resources that Kasey is continuously adding every week.
Special Note: I have to mention the @fattestknits. You need to check them out! Testers, they post pattern tester calls for knitting, crochet and Tunisian patterns. Designers, you may want to place some of your tester call there to find those size inclusive testers that are hard to find.
♡♡♡
Thank you for reading this blog post by @TheCajunCrafter! Please be sure to check out her Instagram and all of the work she is doing to support size inclusive pattern testing.
