I’ve been a pattern creator for a whole year now and a pattern tester for a few more months and I wanted to express some thoughts on pattern testing.
When a creator has a pattern up for testing they need to get feedback on it. It’s not enough for testers to just finish the project on time. We need to know if there are any mistakes, if you found it easy to follow, if you have any ideas of how to write some part that you found difficult to understand in a way to make more sense. I have had testers not communicating at all in the chat, just posting a finished photo in the journal that’s not even set at 100%, so I don’t get notification about it, asking to be gifted the pattern weeks later because they want to have good score so other people will pick them for testing. I’m sorry but in my opinion they deserve the bad score.
Also, when you’re pattern testing, if you’ve made a mistake either because the instructions weren’t clear or because you misread something, you are expected to present a finished project that represents the project with any corrections that have happened. I’ve had testers posting journals with mistakes that they made because they didn’t read through the pattern and missed some instructions and just mentioned that “the instructions where clear I just didn’t want to redo it”.
I want people to realise that pattern testing is a very important job and that’s why testers get the pattern as a gift. We are trusting you with something very important. If you’re applying to test only to get a free pattern, don’t expect to be picked up again. At least not by pattern creator who does it professionally.
I understand that Ribblr is a place where a lot (if not most) of people are beginners and are now learning and/or it’s just their hobby so their priorities are their families, their jobs ect, but for some of us it’s our job. We set due dates and we ask for specific things in our pattern testings because we have a schedule to keep and we want to present quality work.
So, I beg you, next time before applying to a tester call think first if you really have the time and the ability / knowledge to test that specific pattern.
THANK YOU
I feel like ribblr needs a tester rating score, like stars or something, because the number of tests completed isn’t cutting it. sure, they completed the test, but did they do it good? did they actually give feedback?
I don’t crochet as a job, so i can’t relate exactly to the struggles you are facing with that, but it is annoying when testers leave a really bad looking make on a pattern, because then it reflects badly on my pattern to the people purchasing it
the pattern testing community has been washed out by people who just want free patterns, or people who don’t know the importance of testing. I feel like over half of the patterns I see in the testing zone are (not trying to hurt feeling here) not good/don’t deserve a pattern for (this is a whole different topic) and they are only testing it because they want pictures for the journal space to make it seem like a better pattern, and so testers are used to just testing like that, not testing for an actual professional who needs actual feedback
i’m sorry to say but I think ribblr has been washed out by beginners who just want free patterns or who don’t understand how crochet and crochet patterns really works so they can’t give accurate feedback on the structure of a pattern
anyways sorry for the rant lol but I think long story short is there is so many people who aren’t used to professional pattern testing and are just used to testing patterns from creators who just want pictures and don’t care about feedback and such
I couldn’t agree more. Not to call anyone out, but I feel like every time I put out a pattern for testing like 80% don’t even mention if they have any feedback, they send a picture and said they finished “testing” and I’m starting to feel like people aren’t even looking for problems with the pattern, just making it so they can get it for free. Thank you for making this post I feel like a lot of people need to see this ( truly no offense to anyone who has tested for me )
Thank you for this! I agree with everything you have said. I have always taken my pattern testing seriously and try to make sure the final pattern is the best it can be. As a side note as a tester, I would like to say that if there are mistakes in the pattern that have been pointed out in the group chat, I hope that these changes are made before the pattern release. I feel there have been some pattern tests that the designer just wanted to get a pattern in their shop regardless of quality and didn’t make the corrections needed. Majority have been great though. Also, if you are posting a pattern test, make sure you have the time to attend to the group chat and make any pattern changes that are needed along the way. There shouldn’t be any hurry to releasing a pattern. So if you don’t have the time, wait until you do.
All good points. Pattern designers should also make corrections and make sure someone is testing the corrections. I usually don’t finish if corrections are significant. I let the designer know that I will finish when corrections are done. But if minor corrections like stitch count or something then I finish and note it. Sometimes I wonder why people finish when pattern is not ready. I don’t guess what the designer might be doing. I make it as written.
yeah fr. I also think it might be cool if testers could like add a note on a step if the step should be fixed so the designer could look at it and see all the stuff that needs fixing in the pattern all at once instead of having to scroll through all the replies in the tester gc, idk just an idea I had. :]
also someone’s mentioned once that it would be nice to see all the tests you have applied to so that you don’t apply to too many and forget, and to be able to remove the application when looking at the tests you have applied to, sometimes the designers will take so long to pick testers that once they get approved they don’t have enough time to finish the project and then it messes up their karma and testing scores.
I totally agree with you here. I’ve seen what you are saying as a tester. Just onse or twice, but given the fact that I test very few patterns, it’s still a lot.
Some creators are waiting till the very end of the pattern testing to make all the corrections, which is making it harder for a tester’s feedback to be more precise in the journal.
I’ve seen that too. I had a part of a pattern written in a way that made no sense to most of my testers. They couldn’t understand what they should do for a couple of days and I didn’t have the time to remake it at that time. But another tester simply put up a finished photo without mentioning anything wrong or helping the others to understand.
Thank you for the rant. I really thought I would return to this post to only find comments telling me that I ask too much. I’m glad to see there are others with the same problem.
I agree, also, during a pattern testing is NOT time to take creative liberties. You can do the pattern however you want AFTER the rest is done. Lol. Don’t add rounds of the pattern doesn’t instruct you to. Don’t go just not doing color changes when they are called for.
Also don’t go marking the pattern as “hard to follow” or “would not recommend” especially about things that the designer fixed during the test. that is essentially a bad review that other people when they go to get the pattern will think it is just a crap pattern, when it isn’t.
Thank you for adding these! I had the first part happen to me a few times and it’s very annoying. Changing colours when it’s not needed, not changing colours when it’s needed, not adding details ect. That’s not representing the pattern.
I’m absolutely clueless to the whole pattern testing process. Therefore I’ve avoided even trying to apply. But it is something I’m interested in. I’m probably beginner to intermediate on some things but I really want to learn. I’ve done a few of the patterns I’ve found here (free and paid) and I think they turned out pretty good.
I would love any feedback about how to dive into pattern testing the right way!!
I can only speak as a tester, not a pattern creator.
But i agree with all thats been said.
When testing, if I didnt find any mistakes or errors I always say that in my communication in the group chat. I always let them know if there was anything I feel could be altered, as in the way something is worded if I feel it could be written more clearly, for readability. But I also always say that, that is just my suggestion. Totally up to the pattern creator, as it’s not an error but maybe I felt it could be confusing so thats why I shared the suggestion.
I also see a lot of finished pictures in testers chat and think, why did you apply to test when clearly you aren’t at that level of crocheting, and no shade espeically to begginers, we all start as a begginer. But I didnt reply to a test if I wasn’t confident that I could do the required stitches or colour change when needed etc.
And then you see the picture in the reviews for the pattern. And it’s a bad look for that pattern, which isn’t fair especially if the pattern creator said it was an intermediate level pattern but you applied anyway but you werent at that level.
Thats why sometimes when I apply I included photos of previous pattern tests I did, so the pattern creator can see my work.
Sometimes I worry it will be taken as “showing off” but I am just trying to get picked based off my skill level.
I think maybe testers should start asking for one or two photos of previous tests just so they can see whether that person is a right fit.
I know a lot pattern creators like to give everyone a chance and thats their choice but other creators may want to weed out who can complete their pattern test and who cant.
Well, I’d suggest you trying to test beginner level patterns. Usually, pattern tests say what level the pattern is and if they don’t, you can always ask.
After being accepted, think of what information you’d like to have as a buyer. Is it really a beginner level pattern? Do the instructions make sense to you? Do you see any grammatical, counting or other errors? Are the photos accompanying the pattern helpful (clear, easy to understand, add information, ect)? Make sure you’re following the pattern and take well lightened photos with a clean background.
These are the most basic steps that will make you a good tester. I also like to add the yarn, hook, stuffing and eyes I used and how much time it took me to complete the pattern as they are helpful to people who are interested in the pattern.
I personally do love to give people a chance because someone can have a couple or more years of experience before joining riblbr, but I definitely appreciate when someone posts photos that prove their skills. I always check people’s makes but most of the time I can’t tell if it’s just a beginner level pattern or a bad make, if I don’t have the time to investigate.
So if people who have other social media that I can see their work and know that they are willing to share their makes by my pattern, I’ll give them a chance more easily
I couldn’t agree more. Not to call anyone out, but I feel like every time I put out a pattern for testing like 80% don’t even mention if they have any feedback, they send a picture and said they finished “testing” and I’m starting to feel like people aren’t even looking for problems with the pattern, just making it so they can get it for free. Thank you for making this post I feel like a lot of people need to see this 
( truly no offense to anyone who has tested for me 
)
