Pattern Testing with @EmilyProcraftinates
Hi everyone! Another amazing Tester Tuesday feature — Emily of @emilyprocraftinates! I am so excited to introduce you to this incredible crochet and Tunisian crochet pattern tester and crafter extraordinaire. Not only is Emily talented as heck and an incredible joy to have in pattern testing groups, she also works as a researcher in Infectious Diseases! Talk about an interesting career path to be on during this past year+. Emily shares some really great advice and suggestions in this post, so please give it a read. Please enjoy getting to know Emily and then head to her Instagram page to show her some support!
Emily is pictured above wearing the Wildwood Pullover by @baahumble; below wearing the Flirty Foliage Monstera Leaf by @1dogwoof, the Kitzbuhel Pullover by @nomadstitches, the Black Widow Sweater by @by.stephanie.erin, and the Cloud Crop Top by @evolvecrochet.
Tell us about @emilyprocraftinates! How and when did you get into yarn crafts? When and why did you start your account? Does your handle have any special meaning?
My first introduction to yarn crafts was when I was eight years old and a friend's mom taught me to knit. I found it really difficult and never progressed beyond making mis-shapen scarves. Every once in a while I would try again, but it never stuck. It wasn't until years later when I was in graduate school that I saw a friend crocheting a blanket and it made so much more sense to me! I bought supplies pretty much immediately and learned from watching YouTube videos. I made a few small projects, but lost interest as life got busier and packed my hooks and yarn away. I picked it back up a couple years ago!
I started my account in 2018 for cross-stitch. While I can't take credit for coining "procraftinate," it felt like an apt word to describe how I not only procrastinated on household chores/errands in order to craft, but how I would put existing projects on hold in order to learn a completely new hobby. I have an abundance of long-standing WIPs and supplies for cross-stitch, embroidery, sewing, macrame, origami, jewelry-making... You get the idea. After I started pattern testing, there was definitely an abrupt shift in my Instagram posts. It's actually a pleasant surprise that crochet has held my attention for this long - a testament to the amazing designers, dyers, and fellow testers who keep me wanting to test again and again!
When did you start pattern testing and why? How do you select the patterns you want to test? Do you prefer to test garments or accessories, and why? And what brings you back to pattern testing?
I entirely blame/credit my friend Anne (@anne_napoli) for getting me sucked into pattern testing. We became friends years ago through a totally unrelated hobby, but she re-invigorated my interest in crochet when she started sharing photos of some blankets she was making. So I started making a blanket (which is still unfinished, oops!). Then she started making garments and I thought, "I want to do that too - it seems so much more fun than this blanket." Naturally, when she started pattern testing, it was inevitable that I would follow. Basically, I'm just a copycat!
Like many people, the first thing I consider is if I would actually wear the finished object. Do I have items in my closet that I can already imagine pairing with it? Will it fill a gap in my wardrobe? Is there a design element that will keep me interested while making it? (Unlike many, I'm not a fan of "mindless" crochet!) I mostly test garments since I know I'll wear them more frequently, but I do enjoy the quick gratification that comes with making accessories! Another important consideration is whether the pattern is size-inclusive. My bust hovers around 46.5-47" which usually puts me smack dab in the middle of XL and 2XL. Speaking from experience, it can be really disappointing to spend time choosing the perfect pattern only to realize that it wasn't written for your size. As a tester, I don't want to spend time making or promoting a pattern which excludes anyone.
I got very lucky, and my first pattern test was for Stephanie (@by.stephanie.erin) at the tail end of 2019. If Anne gets the credit for starting my love for testing, then Stephanie gets the credit for bringing me back over and over. Her creativity is out of this world, and her designs look good on everyone! I ended up testing 8 more projects for her in 2020. I've been making an effort to branch out a little more this year, but I'm beyond excited to be testing for her again on a design coming out in June.
I believe you work in the healthcare industry, specifically in infectious diseases, right? Tell us a little about that and how you balance your professional obligations with your pattern testing!
Yes, that's right! I'm a clinical research coordinator for Infectious Disease at a pediatric hospital. I manage research studies looking into viral and bacterial infections such as Zika, strep throat, malaria, and of course, COVID-19. The last year has been extremely busy, to say the least! I'm very fortunate to work with an amazing group of physicians that make work-life balance a priority, so it's rare for work tasks to bleed over into the nights and weekends. I've always been a night owl, so it's not unusual for me to get most of my crocheting done between 10pm-2am. Also, I take the train for part of my commute which means extra crochet time!
What is your favorite thing about the pattern testing experience? Least favorite thing?
Hands down, my favorite thing about pattern testing has been the community. The beginning of my testing journey coincided with the start of the pandemic, and I'm honestly not sure what the last year would have been like without the friendships I've made through testing. I also really appreciate that the community is not a "yarn only" space and that many makers have been speaking out on social justice issues.
FOMO is the absolute worst part of testing! It can be really hard to be honest with myself about what I can realistically complete by the deadline. I had some stressful, extra-extra-late night crochet sessions last year because I had signed up for too many tests with back-to-back deadlines. I think I've done a better job so far this year at choosing projects with spaced out timelines, but there have been a few close calls where I almost hit submit before a friend talked me out of it.
What is one valuable thing you’ve learned from pattern testing that you don’t think you would’ve learned from making on your own/not testing?
I think that without pattern testing it would've taken me much longer to absorb how truly important it is to obtain gauge for a project and how to modify patterns (for personal makes, not tests!) so the finished garment fits better. The ability to adjust my clothing so that it is perfectly tailored to my measurements is really powerful! I have a few finished pieces that I'm considering frogging and re-making because I know that I could apply the knowledge I gained through testing.
If you could give advice to someone who wants to start pattern testing, what advice would you give them? If you could give advice to the designers for whom you test, what advice would you give them?
For newbies, don't be scared to apply to test for designers who have a lot of repeat testers. I've heard people express that they won't bother applying since it's intimidating when it seems like there's a set group, but don't count yourself out before even trying! Seeing repeat testers is a good indicator that they have had positive experiences with that designer, so it's worthwhile to keep applying even if you don't get chosen at first.
For testers of all levels, this is more of a request than it is advice. If you feel comfortable doing so - no pressure at all - I would love to see more testers share the size they've made and their bust measurement and/or garment ease when they're promoting a pattern. While it's more common for people to share the former, the latter seems pretty rare (Is this the same for knit testers as it is for crochet? Someone let me know!). As I mentioned earlier, my bust size puts me between an XL and 2XL. It is extremely valuable to me as a consumer to see garments modeled by testers with bodies similar to mine. I often look at tester photos and want to recreate the same fit, so knowing the model's bust size/ease can be the deciding factor when I choose which size to make for myself. If you want to see some great examples, @themarvelousmrsmaker recently made a "look book" for her Tutti Frutti top, and it included testers' size made, upper chest, bust, and waist measurements. I'm not even a knitter, but if I was then I would already know exactly which size to make. Side note: Don't just post this information on Ravelry, as it has become inaccessible for many people! Make sure you post it on Instagram too, or any other platform you use to share your makes. This is something I haven't done in the past, so I've been working to update my older Instagram posts with this info.
For designers:
Consider using Google Docs or some other service that has real-time editing. I'm always thrilled when I test for someone and they use this method! Sometimes it can be difficult (for both testers and the designer) to keep track of everything that has been discussed in the tester chat. Not everyone starts working on the project at the same time, and if you have a talkative group it can become impossible to scroll back and find the information you need. If a change needs to be made, the document is updated immediately and you don't have to send out an updated pdf. Also, if there's an issue that you need more time to solve, you can ask the tester to leave a note on the document as a reminder; this has the added benefit that other testers will see that the question has been asked and is pending resolution. Using a live-document should also cut down on time spent for final edits since you'll be able to quickly accept or reject the suggested changes! When designers use this tool I've noticed that it also trims down the notes I submit since most errors have been caught and resolved already.
Go read Kasey's recent blog post on designer etiquette! All good rules of thumb to follow. She notes that one bad experience can lead a tester to not test for you again, but I think it goes further than that. You will lose testers that have never tested for you because testers talk to each other. If I've never tested for someone before and I'm considering applying for their new pattern, I check to see if I know anyone who has tested for them in the past and ask for their thoughts. Their response can affect whether I apply or not, and I know that I'm not unique in that mindset!
Is there anything you have coming up or that you’re excited about and want to share!?
While this isn't necessarily account-related, I just spent the past weekend moving into my new house! There's a beautiful little space that I will be transforming into my craft room and I'm super excited to get started. I'll be sharing photos of the process in my stories and there will probably be polls as well when I'm feeling indecisive, which is often. Any and all advice regarding yarn storage/organization will be welcome!
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Thank you so much for reading this interview with Emily! I absolutely love and agree with all of her advice and suggestions to testers and designers. I’ve taken a few notes myself and will be adjusting my captions with sizing information accordingly going forward. If you enjoyed this interview too, please go show Emily some support on Instagram!
