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Trouble-shooting to Improve Community Metrics Building and growing an engaged community is fun and exciting! What isn't as fun is when it starts to plateau. Perhaps folks aren't sharing as much in the group, aren't attending live calls, and more. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. It's possible that you've built out the resources and support for them that they already have access to the questions they're asking. The Struggle to Identify What the Problem is... or if There Even is a Problem! The problem is: it can be hard to know what the scenario actually is for your community without the proper analytics... which is why I'm super excited about the new analytics now provided for Circle communities (that's the platform where I host my community membership). For example, it feels like there's been less participation in my community since I moved from Discord to Circle. However, there are a lot of different things that had been happening at the same time. Here are two examples: About six months before moving platforms, I was getting extremely overwhelmed by the setup and all of the things happening in the community within the Discord platform, which is part of why I was so anxious to move to Circle. So, it's possible that reorganizing the group on Circle in a way that felt more intuitive and easier to navigate makes it feel quieter, when really it's just less overwhelming. It also means that there are less questions from distraught members who can't find a replay, a call link, etc. since it's so much easier to find now. This (approximately) six month time period was also around the time things really started ramping up on a publication project that I was heading... meaning I had less time and energy to spend interacting in the group, and I was more desperately needing some automation in my community... things like Because incorporating more automation in my business decreased my workload for maintaining the community, it makes sense that the community now would feel calmer for me! Or, it's possible that the scheduled content now has created a gap between myself and my community members. That could be a good thing (they're less dependent on me and more able to solve problems on their own), or it could be a bad thing (they're feeling less connected to me and perhaps even somewhat abandoned even though I'm still very active in the community). So, these are the concerns that have been circling in my head for a couple of years now. Did I ruin the community? Even though the transfer saved my life, did it ruin my "baby" (the community that I'd built)? I've used surveys for my community to try to find answers, but honestly, they haven't helped a lot, because the responses seemingly contradict the trends that I see in the community. But now I have data from Circle's new Analytics Hub to help answer these questions for me! Here are three simple ways I've been loving and using the analytics. Using the Analytics to Ease Your Fear of a Dying Community and Improve Community Metrics What Monthly Active Members Tells Me as a Community Host When it feels like the community engagement is dead, I can't help but wonder: have the members completely forgotten about the community? Do they read any of the weekly email reminders with an overview of information? Have they even been on the platform? Why aren't they interacting - is it because they don't find the community helpful (survey responses say it's not this), already have the answers they need in the community, have forgotten the community exists, it's inconvenient to log into Circle, or don't like the Circle platform? As we sometimes tend to do, I'd found myself spiraling into negative thought patterns of assuming the worst: nobody liked the community, nobody liked me, the community and what I offered was no longer valuable, etc, etc, etc. Even though the data I did have should have already told me otherwise - there's a healthy retention rate in the group, and folks are consistently sharing, via surveys and through messages, that they find the community helpful. But it wasn't until I saw the data in the Analytics Hub on Circle.so that I really started to believe it. I finally could see that folks are regularly logging into the community. Even in the lowest engagement month, about 50% of members are active in the group. How Circle's Popular Day & Time Data Helps Me Schedule Calls Historically, I've relied on surveys to determine when would be the best time to host calls within the community. However, I often only get a few responses to the surveys (which apply to the call times for 6-12 months), and then live attendance is very minimal. Now, I'm so excited to be able to use the data to know when people really are using Circle. This way, not only do I know they're available and thinking about the community at this time, but if they are on the platform and see the event live, they are more likely to join, even if they forgot about the event! For reference, the last survey of community members indicated (from 3 members in total, and there was never a time when all three were available) they were most available Mondays 8 am to 5 pm, Tuesdays 8 am to 11 am, Wednesdays 8 am to 1 pm, and Thursdays 8 am to 5 pm. Between the continued morning sickness I've been experiencing in my pregnancy, and my Mondays already being mostly booked, this has mostly left me with Wednesday 12-1 pm and Thursday afternoons. I'd scheduled most of the calls for Thursdays 1-2 pm, with a few Thursdays 2-3 pm or 3-4 pm and Mondays 12-1 pm or 1-2 pm. Looking at the "Popular day & time" chart from Circle's Analytics Hub, I can see these definitely aren't the worst times to be scheduling calls, but they aren't necessarily the most ideal either. Based on this information, I would make Wednesday 10-11 am the #1 call time choice, followed by Thursdays at 12-1 pm and 4-5 pm. Although I've already scheduled out the calls through the summer, I am excited to use this data for scheduling autumn and winter calls, and to see if it makes a difference in call attendance! Plus - a really nice bonus is to not have to beg my community members to complete a survey to discover the optimal call time! Using Data and Analytics Hub to Keep Your Community Healthy In this post, I've primarily talked about using the data to identify if there's a problem, and if there is a problem, to identify what the core of that problem actually is (and potential answers to know how to solve it). However, we can use this data to facilitate a beautiful community experience and avoid those problems in the first place. For example, scheduling events during optimal times for members, optimizing content based on the device(s) community members are most using, and noticing trends in members and content and identifying ways to optimize the community in response. Here are a few more examples of data that can be found within Circle.so's Analytics Hub. But even if you aren't using Circle, be sure to look for similar data in the backend of your community platform! Not using Circle (yet) but want to check it out? Here's access to a 14-day free trial! *Note: this post includes an affiliate link for Circle. Should you choose to join, I may receive some compensation for the referral. I truly love using Circle for my community, and I only share it because I do love it!

As I was collecting information from my Instagram audience about their perspectives and opinions on test knitting and tech editing, I received several responses from test knitters for what they wanted to share with knit and crochet pattern designers who are running test knits. There were so many responses that I decided to create a blog post just with their feedback! #1: Test Knitters' Biggest Issue with Your Test Knit is the Deadline By far, the biggest complaint that test knitters have about test knits is that the test knitting deadlines are too short. They need to have plenty of time to order yarn, swatch, and knit the project; often while working around family and work duties. I followed up my survey with the timelines that I give my test knitters, and the majority of test knitters felt like these timelines were reasonable for test knitting. (So feel free to steal them!) 2 weeks for dishcloths 4 weeks for small accessories such as hats, mittens, headbands, and cowls 6 weeks for shawls* and socks *Two people shared that they'd like to have 8 weeks for test knitting fingering weight shawls that are large or have a lot of texture. At the time that I am writing this post, I haven't designed any sweaters, cardigans, pullovers, or vests. I know test knitters like to have more than 8 weeks for knitting sweaters, and it is extremely important to give plenty of time for test knitters to make the larger sizes in your pattern. One designer responded to my Instagram polls sharing that she gives 3 to 4 months for her sweater test knits. #2: Test Knitters' Second Complaint is that You Need to Communicate Better As they say, "communication is always key." (And actually, that's what one person responding to my survey said.) Specifically, test knitters are getting frustrated when test knits are lacking: a clear deadline -- and if you're using Instagram to host they test, they want to see the deadline in the chat title access to yardage and needle information prior to applying for the test knit a schematic of the design Good communication is key to any successful communication, and I figure it's better to over-communicate than to leave something unclear. Plus, this is what you want to receive from your test knitters so you aren't running into issues *after* they've finished test knitting because they made assumptions about directions that were unclear. #3: Test Knitters Want to See Clearer Expectations From You Ok, in my opinion this also falls under "communication," but there were enough specific comments about needing clear expectations that I decided it was important to make this point really clear. If there's something that you expect of your test knitters, you need to communicate with them. Do they need to complete the full project or just through a certain point? Do they need to share photos of their progress? Do they need to post finished object photos somewhere? Do they need to create a Ravelry project page linked to your pattern? Do they need to share photos on Instagram? Test knitters want to see all of the expectations clearly laid out in a list (Yarnpond actually gives you a section to share expectations!), including deadlines, required social media posts, hashtags to use, photo requirements, and more. They also want to see clear expectations throughout the test knitting process and after the pattern release. Include a progress calendar for when each stage should be completed by (helps set goals). #4: Test Knitters Want to Be Part of a Community If you've read my blog post, you know I recommend Yarnpond for new pattern designers that are feeling intimidated by the idea of hosting a test knit. And, if you use Yarnpond (or any platform that allows for group discussions, like Discord, Ravelry, or an Instagram group chat), that should take care of most of your issues around testers wanting to be a part of a community for the test knit. Based on the feedback in my survey, test knitters are wanting you to create "good community" via interactive group chat threads where test knitters don't feel alone and are welcome to share/discuss questions, concerns, and feedback. They also like to connect with each other and chat about their knitting, yarn, progress, and even a bit about everyday life. Note: If you're using email to host a test knit, it's suggested that you keep all of the details in one email thread. It'll also make it a lot easier for you to manage if your test knitters keep to that email thread as well! #5: Additional Comments from Test Knitters There were a few more comments that didn't fall into the four categories above, so I'll share those here: Test knitters want you to get your pattern tech edited prior to test knitting, because it can be frustrating for them to deal with errors in your pattern (and, remember, they're generally test knitting for free!). Not sure what the difference is between test knitting and tech editing? Read this post, "Knitting Tech Editor vs Test Knitters: Why Do I Need Both for My Knitting Patterns?" Test knitters are worried that designers are choosing test knitters based off "only aesthetically pleasing & purely knitting based" Instagram accounts. If that's you, they want you to stop that immediately. Test knitters want to remind you to share a copy of the finished pattern as a thank you for them test knitting the pattern. And I'll add to that: I recommend gifting at least one additional pattern to test knitters. They put a lot of effort into helping you! Want to learn more about test knitting? Get all of the details in my blog post, "A Knitting Pattern Designer's Guide to Test Knitting: What, Why, and How Pattern Testing Works."

Have you ever thought about how much stories connect us as human beings? I've been thinking about it a lot lately. We are each unique individuals, with different paths, different interests, different struggles, different goals. There is so much we don't know about other people and where they are, and often we think we don't share anything in common with many folks. But what I realized in college is that you'd be really surprised. Some of the folks that I felt the most distant from, I had the most in common with… when we sat down and talked about life. Our goals, ambitions, struggles, frustrations. And that's because, as humans, there is so much that we share emotionally. We often struggle with very similar feelings and concepts, even if we handle it differently. So why am I sharing this with you? It's because I think it's important to think about - and talk about - your story. Think about why you started knitting, why you started designing, and how you can connect with your audience. Talk about what you love about your patterns, the design process, and why knitters will love working with your patterns. Start to answer questions like: When will I want to knit this pattern? Why will I enjoy working on this pattern? How will this pattern fit into my life after I've finished knitting the pattern? Picture the situations and the scenarios, and share those stories. When folks in your audience realize you understand them, they will feel a greater connection with you. They'll like you and trust your work more, and will be more likely to purchase in the future. Don't be afraid to tell your story!

Wanting to decrease your tech editing costs but still publish high quality knitting patterns? The key is to pre-edit your pattern yourself before you send the pattern to your tech editor. This will help reduce your tech editor's workload by catching many of the smaller mistakes and reduce the amount of back-and-forth communication required for finalizing your pattern. So what are the most important things to check in your knitting pattern before sending it to your tech editor? What Mistakes Do You Tend to Make in Your Knitting Patterns? If you've worked with a tech editor before, you are likely aware of mistakes that you commonly make. Do you forget to check your headers, add alt text to your photos, or link tutorials in your pattern? Start making a list of the things your tech editor most commonly catches in your patterns. That's a great place to start. Then follow this checklist to catch other details you might've missed. Tip: Put your pattern aside for a few days before working through your checklist. Looking at your pattern with a fresh set of eyes will help you catch more mistakes than if you edit the pattern immediately after writing it. #1: Check your math. An error in your math can lead to additional errors. Perhaps your tech editor misinterprets your intent and then thinks the rest of your pattern is also incorrect, but really it was just a simple error at the beginning that doesn't affect the rest of your pattern. Whether that's the case or not, math errors can take up a lot of time and may require a bit of back-and-forth communication before realizing a solution. The easiest way to avoid that time, cost, and frustration is to doublecheck your math before you send your pattern to the tech editor. This can include: number of rows or rounds for each size number of stitches in each row or round for each size (are you calculating increases and decreases properly?) number of stitches worked in each row or round (do you provide instructions for every existing stitch? do your instructions require more stitches than exist from the previous row or row?) the sizing information the gauge information conversions between metric and imperial measuring systems #2: Check your grammar. This one can be a bit quicker to check since most of the programs we use already check our spelling and grammar for us. However, it's always a good idea to re-read all of your pattern instructions... both for grammar and to ensure the instructions are easy to understand. Tip: If you write the pattern before you knit your sample, you can essentially test knit the pattern as you knit. This can be a great way to catch math and grammar errors, at least for the size you're working. #3: Check that your charts and written instructions match. Checking that your charts and written instructions match is an easy way to reduce the time your tech editor has to spend editing your pattern. Either pull up the charts and written instructions so they both show on your computer or print one out, so you can easily look back and for between the two instructions without scrolling or toggling between platforms. #4: Check your pattern against your style sheet. Let your style sheet be your guide. Your style sheet will remind you of all the information you want to include in your pattern (pattern name, designer name, contact information, yarn information, gauge information, needle information, etc) as well as the formatting you want to use (which fonts and text sizes you use, how you word your abbreviations and their descriptions, how you choose to link to outside sources, how you word your instructions, how the page is laid out, etc). By checking your pattern against your style sheet, you will catch the majority of the inconsistencies that your tech editor would discover. #5: Check your headers and footers. Somehow, it seems like there's always some sort of an issue with a header and/or footer. Check that they're lining up correctly, your page numbers are numbered correctly, the correct pattern name is listed on every page, and that the copyright year is correct. And that's it! The five things to check in your knitting pattern before sending your pattern to your tech editor, to help reduce the time and cost associated with tech editing. Is there anything else you'd add to this list? Share it in the comments!

Struggling to create new ideas that are fun, intriguing, fit your audience, and aren't just another version of something you've already done? There are several methods to generating new ideas. In this blog post, I'll take about five sources of inspiration for generating new design ideas. But first, let's quickly talk about our creativity. Tips for Cultivating Creativity Here are a few of my favorite tips when it comes to creating. They all revolve around allowing creativity to begin, grow, and flourish in its own time. #1: Don't force it. Creativity can't be forced. It can be encouraged, but as soon as we put negative pressure on ourselves and feel stressed about it, creating is going to be hard. Our creativity needs a positive and encouraging environment (from ourselves even if no one else) in order to flourish. #2: Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your creativity is relax and do nothing. Allow your thoughts and your mind to wander. Let yourself be at ease. Stare at a blank wall, go for a walk, or visit your place of inspiration. When we give our creativity space, it finally has the opportunity to fill that space without fighting against the other things occupying our attention. #3: Enjoy the process without worrying about the outcome. It's ok if you don't follow through with every idea that you generate. Just start creating without judgment of what's a good idea versus a bad idea, or what's a right idea versus a wrong idea. As you begin to form ideas and give those ideas space to formulate and grow, you'll continue to create a stream of ideas. The amazing thing then is that you don't have to follow each idea; you get to choose the most valuable and interesting to you. Alright, now let's get into ways that we can generate new design ideas. Of course, I'm writing this from the perspective of knitting pattern designs, but these can work for nearly any art or creative process you can think of. 5 Ways to Generate New Design Ideas #1: Your Surroundings There is so much around us to gain inspiration from, including nature, textures, clothing, and your favorite home fixtures and furniture. Pay more attention to your surroundings; not necessarily looking for a design idea, but instead noticing and appreciating the details in your surroundings. You just might be surprised when design ideas suddenly start populating in your head! (That's actually how I suddenly started designing knitting patterns - I was inspired by a scarf someone was wearing... and immediately I had 5 design ideas... and the ideas haven't stopped since!) #2: Your Past Experiences & Stories We carry so much with us, through each moment of every day, without even realizing it. Emotions, experiences, relationships, stories. They all hold so much value, depth, and potential for pattern design ideas. Think about those things that you love and cherish, the things that bring strong emotions when you think of them, and the things that you value. Consider how you feel and why they're significant to you. (This is how I prefer to generate my design ideas, and that's why I say I like to tell "the stories of living" through my designs.) #3: Stitch Dictionaries Sometimes just seeing a stitch motif can give us an infinite amount of inspiration, whether our ideas are centered around using the motif as it is or modifying it for our needs. When you're looking for a bit of design inspiration, begin to flip through your stitch dictionaries. Pay attention to the texture, drape, and style of each stitch motif. How would it feel to touch or to wear that stitch texture? (I often refer to my stitch dictionaries when I have a particular design idea in mind from methods #1 and #2 but I'm needing to find the perfect stitch motif. I then inevitably generate other design ideas from stitch motifs that aren't perfect for the design I'm working on at the time but would work perfectly for a new design idea.) My favorite stitch dictionaries are The Knitting All Around Stitch Dictionary and 750 Knitting Stitches, although I also find some inspiration in Vogue Knitting's The Ultimate Knitting Book, which includes a section of stitch motifs and their respective instructions. Note: These links are affiliate links through Amazon. #4: Mood Boards Whether you're creating your own mood boards or using mood boards that you find online, the variation in colors, imagery, and subjects can be very inspiring for your creativity. If you're looking for mood boards in general, you can search "Mood Boards" or "Creative Mood Board" in Google Images or Pinterest. Or, if you're looking for something more specific, you can search for those too! #5: Design Prompts A common method that many knitting pattern designers use for generating new pattern design ideas is design prompts. Each time a magazine publishes a call for submissions, they'll share a design prompt (often a theme, and often accompanied by a mood board) that they want designers to design for. This provides parameters for you to design to, which is especially helpful if you find open-ended creativity overwhelming. You can search out calls for submissions, create your own design prompts, or join my 52 Weeks of Creativity email program for design prompts. Stretching Your Creativity Every Week Interested in stretching your creativity in new and interesting ways? I collaborated with a crochet pattern designer, Beth of Fig and Filament, to create a program just for you. It's called 52 Weeks of Creativity. We email you a design prompt every week and encourage you to follow a thought journey to arrive at a new design idea. So that's 52 prompts, 52 new designs, 30 minutes per week, for 52 weeks (1 year). You can expect that the prompts aren't like the prompts you'll see in a magazine's call for submissions, because we encouraging you to branch out into your own inspiration rather than confining yourself to certain parameters. Plus, you have the opportunity to connect and share your ideas with fellow designers!

Finding a membership platform that is absolutely perfect is impossible (not going to lie), but in my mind there is one membership platform that stands out from the others. It's a newer platform that's centered around doing things differently: focused around community. It's Circle.so. Note: This blog post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase from an affiliate link, I may receive some compensation. This does not impact the price that you pay for the product(s). The big problem with most membership platforms is their inability to integrate learning and community in the same platform. For years, there was a constant struggle in the business world. How to provide membership content on the same platform as the membership community? Many business folks opted to host their content on platforms like Kajabi and Teachable, excellent options for delivering content in an enjoyable format, but then left the community aspect to run on Facebook Groups. Not only does this allow for a less branded (and typically less enjoyable and more difficult to navigate) user experience, but it's also meant community members are easily distracted on the platform, and they must use two different platforms in order to get the full membership experience. Something that I hate as both a consumer and a creator. That's in part why my first two memberships were hosted on my website. I custom-built them through Wix, but it wasn't without some issues. This meant that it was less expensive than hosting on a "typical" membership website, I had more control over features, and I could try my best to integrate the content and community on the same platform. The History of My Membership Programs My first membership, a community for knitters named "Snickerdoodle Knits Community" that incorporated monthly mini-courses, incorporated a forum area for members to communicate. Unfortunately, I soon realized that I'd created a group I wasn't excited to run, for a number of reasons. My second membership was for the Design Circle (now known as Pattern Design Circle), which is the resource hub, learning center, and supportive community for crochet and knitting pattern designers. Because I couldn't completely delete the Snickerdoodle Knits Community yet, I couldn't create a second forum space on my website. So, I built out the custom membership experience with all of the content on Wix, but I used Discord as the community location. From the dashboard of the Design Circle, I had a link to easily access the community from within the membership. In reality, however, folks tended to spend their time on Discord and the content of the membership ended up getting a bit forgotten. (And after a bit of time, the membership platform wasn't showing all of the videos, folks were expressing frustration with having to navigate two platforms, and the configuration of the membership just seemed to be outgrowing the setup. And so it was clear I really ought to be looking for a better option. As it turned out, Circle.so is the platform that checked my boxes for a membership platform. As you may or may not have gathered by now, I can be a bit particular, erm, yes, a perfectionist, about my work, and I want my members to have the most enjoyable experience possible. A few months after starting Pattern Design Circle, I'd joined a membership located on Circle. I was extremely impressed by the aesthetics of the platform, the organization of it, and the ability to have different space groups and content types. In March 2022, I started to look into it a bit more. If you haven't heard of Circle before, I like to describe it as "the best of both worlds from Facebook Groups and Discord." It has all of the amazing organizational aspects of Discord, where you can categorize content based on topic, but it also has the organizational aspects from Facebook, where conversations are isolated to a post and don't get lost among each other. Here's what I immediately loved about Circle.so: it looks pretty it allows me to customize a lot of user experience aspects (including branding) it allows me to schedule posts (what a time saver!) it allows me to categorize/organize content the content within the membership is searchable it allows me to host BOTH the community and the content on the same platform it allows me to include a calendar of events so I don't have to update calendars in 3 different locations (also a time saver!) it sends automatic weekly overviews to members (another huge time saver!) I was excited, so I signed up for their free trial to test it out with my members. I spent some time creating a bit of the branding, and organizing the content and community how I envisioned it for the Design Circle. Not everyone loved it to start with. It's a new platform, and learning new platforms is almost never fun. However, folks did find it much easier to learn and navigate than Discord; they enjoyed having the content and community in the same place; and they were supportive of it saving me loads of time. One member knew she wouldn't use it as often, since she uses Discord a lot. And then several members were Android users and said there was no way they'd use it until there was an Android app. So, I chose to wait for the Android app. It seemed to take forever. I was so ready to just move to Circle already! And finally, in the fall of 2022, Circle announced their Android app was in beta, so I hopped on, got everything moved over, and haven't looked back since! After six months of using Circle.so with my community, these are my favorite parts. Everything is cohesive, all on the same platform, and for the most part, tech issue free! Not only can I share all of the content replays, host the community, have different access levels, and share the community calendar.... but I can also go live within the community, imbed photos and videos into the posts, and so much more! It saves me so much time and energy, gives me a better experience, and gives my members a more enjoyable experience! They're constantly adding features. Sometimes I kick myself for hopping on the bandwagon of these newer companies because their features can be a bit more limited, but honestly, I really love how excited they are to help their customers and grow their platform to be the best it can be. (Did you know Circle has a whole free community with loads of content to support their customers?! It's pretty epic!) And since I keep things real and honest, these are my least favorite parts. It's not perfect yet. I still believe it's the best option out there, but it's not perfect. There are things like (a) I can't co-host videos with guest speakers without them having an account, (b) if someone declines video and audio permissions on a call, it can be a pain to help them undo it, and (c) they don't have the ability to accommodate affiliates yet. The number of space groups allowed can feels a bit limiting. Workflows are limited to the Business and Enterprise tiers. Excited to learn more about Circle, the best platform for hosting a membership? Sign up for a free 14 day trial! There's nothing to lose, and I truly hope you love it as much as I do! These are the 4 tier levels Circle offers their customers. Circle currently has 3 tier levels: Basic, Professional, and Enterprise. The Basic level is $49/month or $468/year. It allows you to host all of your content and facilitate a community of up to 100 members with up to 10 spaces. The Professional level, at $99/month or $1068/year, has the same features as the Basic level, but with unlimited members and 20 spaces, plus the ability to: utilize courses host live streams access advanced analytics The Business level is a new level! It's $249/month, but with a new member price of $199/month for a limited time. It includes access to: workflows custom profile fields free course migrations The Enterprise level, at $399/month or $4788/year, includes all of the features of the Professional level, but with 100 spaces, plus: more customization options API access dedicated CSM Stop waiting. Start exploring. Create your new favorite membership today with Circle's 14-day free trial. Note: This blog post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase from an affiliate link, I may receive some compensation. This does not impact the price that you pay for the product(s).

As a business owner, there are so many different decisions to make around technology, apps, and platforms.... and so many factors to take into consideration, such as price, longevity, appearance, and functionality. Here, I'm listing all of the technology that I currently use for my business, and why I've chosen to use these platforms. If you're looking for some side-by-side comparisons of business tools for knitting pattern designers, keep an eye out for some future posts. If you're looking for tools specific to knitting and designing, check out my posts with my favorite tools for designing knitting patterns, and the best knitting supplies. Note: some of the links included in this blog post are affiliate links. I may receive some monetary compensation if you choose to purchase through my links. This does not impact the price that you pay for the product. Email Service Provider: Flodesk The email service provider I use is Flodesk. I was an early adopter, so I did get grandfathered in as a beta member. However, I continue to recommend Flodesk to other designers because it's made for pretty designs, and I believe our industry really does care about aesthetics... especially photos of your latest design! Flodesk works to increase the deliverability of emails with photos. Other features I love: you're locked in at the same price regardless of your subscriber account, and they're a smaller and newer company that seriously values customer input (which means they're constantly adding new features)! I'm super stoked that they recently launched the analytics dashboard. With my affiliate link, you can get 50% off your first year with Flodesk. Membership Platform: Circle.so Last year I moved Pattern Design Circle (from a combination of Wix and Discord) to Circle.so, and I really love it! It allows me to host my membership community on the same platform as all of my membership content, in an organized and searchable fashion. Plus they have so many options for making things look nice, scheduling content, hosting live streams, incorporating courses, and so much more. I tested it out with my community members prior to moving, and most members loved it! Calendar Booking: TidyCal I haven't always used TidyCal, but when I downgraded my website status with Wix last year, I needed to find an alternative. That's when I discovered TidyCal on App Sumo as a lifetime purchase option for just $29. It integrates very easily with Zoom and Google Calendar, was extremely simple to setup, looks nice, and runs smoothly. Definitely recommend! Bookings & Events: Google Calendar For any events that have a specific time attached, I use Google Calendar. All of my coaching calls get sent to my calendar automatically, and any events (calls, workshops, webinars, etc) I want or need to attend get added to the calendar. It's the best way to ensure I don't miss something! (and it's free 😊) Planner & Organizer: ClickUp Pretty much everything that doesn't have a specific time of the day attached to it gets added to my ClickUp. I especially love it for recurring events, events in the distant future, ideas that I don't have dates for yet, project templates (like all of the steps that go into a pattern design, from the idea through marketing), and documents like my SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). (I use the free version 😊) Podcast Recording: Zoom Since I already have Zoom for 1:1 coaching calls and recording calls with guests inside Pattern Design Circle, I record all of my podcasts on Zoom. I upload my edited audio files to Buzzsprout and my edited video files to YouTube. Podcast Host: Buzzsprout Buzzsprout was the recommendation I received from other podcasters, did all the things I was looking for, and was the least expensive in my quick search, so that's what I went with! With my affiliate link, you can get $20 in credit on Buzzsprout. Podcast & Video Editing: iMovie I haven't always used iMovie, but since it's free with my MacBook Air, that's what I use now! I found it pretty simple to learn and it does what I need it to do (I like to keep my video and audio editing as simple and real as possible). Short Clip Video Recording: Loom Honestly, I haven't looked into alternative options here, because this recommendation came from one of my business coaches, and I find it so handy that I haven't found reason to look around! It's free to record up to 5 minutes at a time, and it allows for recording your screen as well. I especially like to use Loom when I need to send a quick tutorial to a customer. (I use the free version 😊) Website Platform: Wix Lots of people have lots of opinions about where you "should" host your website. I started on a different platform that I didn't feel as comfortable with, and after a year of frustration I moved over to Wix. I'd already built a couple of very basic websites on Wix in college. I love the drag and drop abilities on Wix, making it (relatively) simple to create the custom look that I want... without needing to hire a professional. They have a great customer service team, and you can get started for free. I highly recommending trying out a free trial before committing to a website platform. Website Domain: Wix When I moved to Wix, I went ahead and moved my domain to Wix, too. It makes it simple to manage and pay for, but some folks recommend keeping your host and domain on separate platforms. Website Analytics: Wix & Google Analytics Wix offers a small amount of analytics, and then I use Google Analytics and UA for the more in-depth information. (both are free 😊) Email: Google Suite Although my email address does not have "gmail" within it, my email is hosted with Google Suite. I also pay for it through my website platform, Wix. Social Media Landing Page: Wix I just use my website! I've created a separate page for each of my Instagram handles, and I link those in my Instagram bios. That makes it easy to check the analytics via my website, simple to use my branding, and it doesn't require a separate platform (aka it's free)! Pinterest Scheduler: Tailwind Pinterest allows for scheduling within its platform, but I've used Tailwind for several years. They make it really convenient to make your graphics, schedule them to your boards, and connect with groups of fellow business owners in your industry. Plus, they also have Instagram scheduling, marketing content suggestions, and a really helpful customer service and staff! When you use my affiliate link, you'll receive 50 free Ghostwriter credits on Tailwind. Sales Platform: Thrivecart Thrivecart isn't the cheapest investment, but it is a one-time payment to get lifetime access to their features. I purchased Thrivecart when I moved my membership off Wix (to Circle). Thrivecart allows you to create sales pages with funnels, upsells, downsells, A/B testing, affiliates, and more. All of that said, it doesn't feel like the best platform for selling crochet or knitting patterns, because you don't have a storefront like you would on a website. Automations: Zapier Any time I need to connect two platforms (for example, Thrivecart with Circle), I use Zapier. You can get up to 5 zaps with 100 tasks per month for free. (I use the free version 😊) Photo Editing & Graphic Creation: Canva Although I've used Photoshoot (and editing apps on my phone) some in the past, I now almost exclusively use Canva. It's quick, easy, includes templates, and they have so many options available for texts, stickers, photos, and more! Pattern Writing: Microsoft Word I write all of my patterns in Microsoft Word. It's what I'm used to... and it works! Plus I use it for all sorts of other documents as well. As a family, we already have Microsoft 365, so this isn't an additional business expense for me. Accounting Spreadsheets: Microsoft Excel I do all of my accounting in spreadsheets that I've created within Microsoft Excel. This is also included in our Microsoft 365 account. File Storage: OneDrive In order to keep all of my files backed up on the cloud, I use Microsoft OneDrive. Not only does it mean I have backups of my files, but I can access files on both my phone and my computer. Our Microsoft 365 account includes free file storage on OneDrive. Camera: iPhone 13 Pro My DSLR camera is a bit old school, so the shuffle from SD card to computer to phone in order to do all of the things like social media, emails, and pattern listings was very tiring. When the iPhone 13 Pro came out, my spouse finally convinced me to just make the investment and switch over to my phone full-time. And I don't regret it. It's so easy to use, often the photos *look* better (yes, I know there are instances when my DSLR would still be a higher quality) and require less editing, it doesn't random quit recording on me! As an amateur, the convenience and time savings is worth it. I also love the storage size (256 GB) of this phone! Computer: MacBook Air This is my first time owning a computer made by Apple, but I really like it. I don't know if I'd be able to point out all of the technical advantages, but it runs smoothly and does what I need it to do! My spouse thinks I push every piece of technology I own to the max (which I probably do...), and he thought the MacBook Air would be a good fit for me, especially for activities like video editing. Laptop Stand In an effort to keep my setup more ergonomically friendly (aka better for my spine and back), I use a stand on my desk to hold my laptop screen closer to eye level. I've tried a couple, but this one from Amazon is my favorite. Wireless Mouse for Computer And because my laptop sits up higher, that means I have an external mouse. This is the ergonomic wireless mouse (also from Amazon) I currently use. Wireless Keyboard for Computer And similarly, I have a wireless keyboard from Amazon that's supposed to work well ergonomically as well. This is what I currently use. And that's it! The approximately 25 business and office tools that I currently use as a knitting pattern designer and business coach. Let me know if you have any questions, and keep an eye out for future posts with additional product recommendations!

Join us for the featured designer of the month, Kam, the knitting pattern designer behind Hand Knit by Kam. In this live chat, we talk all about Kam's creative and design journey, design process, a bit about the life of a designer, and more. We hope you enjoy getting this deeper peek behind her design work! Featured Knitting Pattern Designer - February 2022 Mark your calendar! The next featured knitting pattern designer will be Emma of Bloom and Create on my Instagram Live on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022 at 2 pm EST. Hope to see you there!

As a new knitting pattern designer, it's often a dream to think of collaborating yarn dyers. I remember feeling like I'd be a "real" designer as soon as I started collaborating with yarn dyers. {Spoiler alert: I still didn't feel like a "real" designer after I'd collaborated with a dozen yarn dyers... imposter syndrome can be a big liar.} I actually find it a bit shocking that yarn dyers were so willing to collaborate with me when I only had three published knitting patterns (and 0 pattern sales), but the truth is, I've always dreamed big and been a believer in asking for the opportunities that you want. My First Collaboration with Indie Yarn Dyers I had a vision to create a collection of four shawl knitting patterns, all with very specific themes, stitch motifs, and colors... and each with a different yarn dyer's yarn. So that's what I did. To say it was "a piece of cake" would be a stretch. I definitely stressed when I received several "not interested" responses, and even worse a lack of response... but, to be honest, I'd have to go back to my emails to even see how many or who they were! I worried that I wouldn't have the yarn in time to release my big collection for New Years. But the truth is, it all came together and worked perfectly. And that collection still contains some of my absolute favorite pattern designs... and yarns. It's the Guiding Principles Collection, with Hope, Trust, Patience, and Endurance Shawls, if you're curious. You can find it on my website and Ravelry. Continuing to Work with Indie Yarn Dyers Since that first collaboration, I've been hooked. I absolutely love working with and sharing the art of indie yarn dyers. Nearly all of my knitting patterns have been the result of collaborating with indie yarn dyers. I've now worked with over 20 indie yarn dyers (and I've worked with several of them on multiple designs). In fall/winter 2020, I decided to send out a survey to all of the pattern designers that I'd worked with up to that date to get their feedback: what they liked/didn't like, what is helpful for them, and so on. In fall 2021, I hosted three knitting pattern designers inside the Design Circle to talk all about Designer/Dyer collaborations. And so it is with all of this experience and feedback from designers that I share the ins and outs of collaborating with indie yarn dyers for your knitting pattern designers. Why Collaborate with Yarn Dyers? If you're not very familiar with how collaborations work between pattern designs and yarn dyers, you might be wondering, "Why would I choose to collaborate with a yarn dyer?" There are two main reasons why crochet and knitting pattern designers choose to collaborate with yarn companies, whether that is indie yarn dyers or larger yarn corporations. First of all, you typically receive free yarn support for your pattern design for free. As a beginning knitting pattern designer to make any money off your pattern designs as it is, this can be a huge weight lifted from your shoulders. Secondly, a huge benefit of any collaboration is that you share each other's work. So, as you work with a yarn company, you're sharing about their yarn via your marketing, all of your photos, on your pattern information page, and in the pattern itself. In return, the yarn company will often (keep reading for information on setting expectations!) share your design in their marketing. And bonus: by working in a collaboration, you start to build a relationship with another business in the industry. If the collaboration went well, you're likely to want to collaborate together again, and you're both likely to recommend each other's services and products in the future. How a Collaboration Between an Indie Yarn Dyer and a Knitting Pattern Designer Works Keep in mind that not all yarn dyers will work exactly the same way, but here's the typical process for collaborating with indie yarn dyers. #1: You, as the knitting pattern designer, reach out to the yarn dyer. While a yarn dyer may reach out to you first on occasion (and more often once you've established a relationship with a yarn dyer), it is far more common for designers to reach out to the yarn dyer first. When you reach out the yarn dyer, it is important to be clear about what you plan to design with the yarn support. If you just ask for free yarn from a stranger... well, that's not as likely to go so well for you. Instead, share as much information as you have about the design idea. You can describe the concept in detail (that's what most of my requests have had), but you can also include sketches, yarn swatches, and photos of stitch motifs you plan to use. In general, the more information you can provide, the better. You'll also want to include as much information as you have about the yarn you want. Are you looking for a certain yarn weight, fiber content, and/or color theme? Some yarn dyers will prefer that you tell them exactly which yarn and in which color that you want, while other yarn dyers are interested in collaborating in the yarn decision. They may even want to get on a video call with you to get an idea of what you're looking for and share the yarns (and yarn pairings) live. Many yarn dyers will even dye a custom color for you. Be sure to include information about your timeline. When do you plan to release the pattern and by what date do you need the yarn by? Finally, share your expectations for the collaboration. What do you expect of the yarn dyer? Do you expect them to share your design with their audience (on their social media and/or email list)? Will you be sharing photos with them, and if so, when? Are you interested in having the yarn dyer create kits for your design? Are you planning to host a knit along after you release your pattern? Think of everything you want the yarn dyer to know about your expectations and share it either in your first or second piece of communication with the dyer. A bit of a tip: most yarn dyers (especially smaller/newer companies) are extremely excited about collaborating! Don't feel intimidated when you reach out for yarn support. And remember, if a yarn dyer says "no," it's often because they have too much on their plate and it doesn't have to do with you, your designs, or your design idea. So keep asking other dyers until you find a good fit! #2: The yarn dyer will send you the yarn support. After the yarn dyer has confirmed that they're interested in the collaboration, and as a team, you've agreed on the specifics of the yarn you'll be using (and you've shared your mailing address), the yarn dyer will send the yarn to you in the mail. Sometimes yarn dyers will even share a little something special, from a sweet note to goodies, and sometimes even additional yarn to design with in the future. #3: You create the design. Once you've received the yarn from the yarn dyer, the ball is back in your court. You finally have the opportunity to turn the yarn into the beautiful design that you've been dreaming of. A bit of a tip: If a design isn't working the way you'd envisioned, don't panic. Instead, communicate with the yarn dyer to let them know of any changes you're making to the plan AND any consequent changes to the design release timeline. #4: You publish the pattern and then you both market the pattern. After you've designed the pattern and had it tech edited and test knit, your pattern is ready to publish and market! Be sure to follow the pattern launch expectations outlined in the beginning of the collaboration. What date did you say the pattern would be published? Do you need to send the yarn dyer a reminder, along with photos of the design and marketing copy that they can share? Did you promise to share any specific information about their yarn or post blog posts, Instagram posts, or videos? Need more information on tech editing and test knitting? Check out this blog post. What Yarn Dyers Want You to Know About Yarn Collaborations: Communication is key. They want to hear from you. They want to see your updates and to know that everything is working according to the original timeline. Also, it never hurts to remind them when the pattern release is coming up! Don't change the pattern release date without letting the yarn dyer know. Sometimes a yarn dyer has adjusted their dye schedule to accommodate your pattern release schedule. Be considerate and discuss and potential changes to the schedule well in advance. Also, know that an earlier release date is often more difficult for a yarn dyer than a later release date. Planning is important. Many yarn dyers are collaborating with multiple designers at the same time. It is important that you contact the yarn dyer well in advance of your idea to give them adequate time to prepare and ship your yarn, and to accommodate the pattern release in their schedule My biggest tip: have fun and enjoy the experience! Not every yarn dyer will work the same, and some yarn collaborations may end in a bit of disappointment. Remember each experience is a learning opportunity, teaching you what kind of collaborations you enjoy and who you enjoy working with. Also: the more communication there is, the higher the probability of a good collaboration!

Do you like to hang out and interact with fellow knitters? Do you enjoy casual conversation that is always sprinkled with knitting chat? Do you like to get to know the personalities of the people you buy from online? Would you like to get to know me, the designer and coach behind Snickerdoodle Knits, better? Compassion and Connection within the Knitting and Pattern Design World Two things I'm passionate about are connection and compassion, so one of my goals in 2022 is to do more connecting with you, and more connecting you with other people and resources in our industry. To start off, I'm planning to go live on Instagram every Friday at 4 pm (Eastern time) for a Weekly Knit Chit Chat. Weekly Knit Chit Chat on Instagram Live The Weekly Knit Chit Chats are a fun, casual occasion where we hang out and chat! Think of it as if we were hanging out in the living room, knitting and chatting away on the couch. Unfortunately, I'm not able to see you on video, but you can see me, and if you join live (which I would absolutely love if you did!), you can interact with me -- make comments, ask questions, and definitely share what's new in your world (including your knitting projects!). I'm currently hosting Weekly Knit Chit Chat on Instagram Live every Friday at 4:00 pm Eastern Time. You can always check the Knit Chit Chat schedule on my Instagram profile -- at the bottom of the bio section it shows a calendar icon with "Live Video" and the information for the next live event! If there are multiple events scheduled, just click on the information and it will show you the dates and times for each scheduled event! Knitting Talk & Casual Conversation While I do bring a few conversation ideas each week, this isn't a structured event, and it's very much guided by your questions and comments. What I do plan to talk about each week is: Share three words to describe your week. (I think this is a fun and easy way to reflect on the week and also start a conversation about what's been happening in our lives.) Sometimes this leads into some side/tangent story-telling on my part, sometimes it leads into Snickerdoodle Knits news from the week. Any important Snickerdoodle Knits announcements Encouraging/motivational/inspirational thoughts I've had on my mind lately The reminder that you're on your own journey; you get to choose your path; and I hope you enjoy that journey. And of course, I send you big hugs! Catching the Replay Videos You can catch the Weekly Chit Chat Replay Videos either on Instagram TV or on my YouTube channel. It will likely take a couple days for me to upload the videos on YouTube, whereas Instagram TV videos are posted within a few minutes of closing the chat. Looking to catch up on the full series? You can find the full series on Instagram TV and on YouTube. Featured Crochet or Knitting Pattern Designer on Instagram Live In additional to the weekly Knit Chit Chat calls, once a month I'll be hosting a fellow crochet or knitting pattern designer on Instagram Live to chat about their design journey for the Featured Designer series. The first Featured Designer is Hannah Thiessen of @hannahbelleknits on Instagram on Thursday, January 27th at 4 pm Eastern time. You can catch the Instagram Live videos, check the upcoming schedule, and watch the replay videos the same way as for Knit Chit Chat. However, these videos are saved in a different series, both on Instagram and on YouTube. If you're watching on Instagram from your phone, just click "Series" just above the saved videos to navigate to the series you're interested in!

Join us for the first featured designer of the month, Hannah Thiessen, the knitting pattern designer behind Hannah Belle Knits, author of the Slow Knitting books, and owner of By Hand Serial. In this live chat, we talk all about Hannah’s creative journey, design process, and more. We hope you enjoy getting this deeper peek behind her design work! Featured Knitting Pattern Designer - January 2022 Mark your calendar! The next featured knitting pattern designer will be Kam of Hand Knit by Kam on my Instagram Live on Thursday, February 10th, 2022 at 4 pm EST. Hope to see you there!

When you've finished writing your knitting pattern, you've only finished the first step of the process. Often the following steps, where your pattern is reviewed and edited, take even longer. If you're familiar with the design process, you're likely familiar with the terms "test knitting" and "tech editing," but what do they mean and how do you know if you need them for your own knitting patterns? What does a knitting tech editor do with my pattern? In general, a tech editor's job is to review your pattern for accuracy, consistency, and clarity. You will want to check what services a tech editor offers prior to hiring them, however, as not every tech editor offers the same thing. Some tech editors offer grading; some are more particular about your grammar; and some offer translation services for additional languages. Checking Your Knitting Pattern for Accuracy First and foremost, a tech editor will go through your knitting pattern line by line with fresh eyes (that's more important than you think!) to ensure your pattern is correct. They will check all of your stitch count numbers, ensure that any increases and decreases work correctly from a mathematical perspective, confirm the dimensions you give in your sizing align with your gauge and your stitch/row counts, and doublecheck the yarn quantities for each size align with the number of stitches in your pattern. A tech editor will also compare your instructions with your photos to make sure the pattern instructions will create the shape and size you are showing in your photos and your schematics, and they will check your written and charted instructions to ensure they match. When using a stitch pattern, whether it's textured, colorwork, brioche, or anything between, your tech editor will confirm that all of your stitches line up correctly in your instructions. This is all the very "technical" part of tech editing, where the tech editor double-checks all of your math and makes sure every stitch in the pattern is correct. While not all tech editors will do as much of the editing with grammar and clarity (which I'll discuss below), all technical editors will be checking your knitting pattern to ensure the pattern is mathematically correct, and that your pattern matches your photos and schematics. Checking Your Knitting Pattern for Consistency Nearly all tech editors will also check your pattern for consistency. If you've ever heard of a style guide (or style sheet), the purpose of a style guide is to keep your patterns consistent, both within a pattern itself, and between your patterns. This keeps the pattern clear for the knitter, and it ensures that a knitter who's worked one of your patterns before knows what to expect with any of your other patterns. Consistency applies to several areas of your pattern, from the layout (font, order, picture size, and colors, for example) to the way you write the instructions (abbreviations, how detailed your instructions are, how you indicate repeats, and how you link to tutorials, for example). Having a consistent pattern is very important for the customer's experience; without consistency, a pattern can be confusing and overwhelming. So, a tech editor will compare your pattern to your style guide, and they will point out anything that is inconsistent in your pattern writing. Checking Your Knitting Pattern for Clarity While not all tech editors put as much emphasis on checking your pattern for clarity, I believe all good tech editors are concerned with the clarity of your pattern. When your pattern isn't clear, it doesn't matter if your pattern is accurate (the math and instructions are correct) and consistent (you use the same formatting and writing style), because your customer will struggle. If they can't figure out if the row is a right side row or a wrong side row, if they're supposed to continue the repeat to the end of the row or if they stop at a certain point, or if they're supposed to work two repeats versus three repeats; the knitter is going to struggle and won't be able to follow the instructions as you'd intended. A tech editor is trained to recognize these frequent sources of misunderstandings. They also are familiar with several writing styles, as well as the standards of pattern writing. While you, as a designer, might think one style of writing is more clear than another, or you might be so familiar with the pattern that it makes sense to you, your tech editor is able to look at your pattern from a position that is removed from the design process and share how knitters commonly interpret the instructions. For example, writing repeat instructions as "Repeat Rows 1-4 four times" can be confusing; should the knitter work Rows 1-4 one time and the repeat them an additional four times, or should the knitter work Rows 1-4 for a total of four times? Writing "Work Rows 1-4 for a total of five times" or "Work Rows 1-4 an additional four times" is more clear. However, while a tech editor is able to give you their best recommendations and resources, in the end you have to decide what to keep, change, and/or remove. Who works as a knitting tech editor? Of course, anyone can become a tech editor, but folks that choose to become tech editors are often people that are good with knitting, numbers, and understanding knitting construction conceptually. They are thorough and detailed in their work. Although it's not always the case, tech editors have often taken tech editing courses. (For example, The Tech Editor Hub's Learn to Tech Edit course or Tian Connaughton's Edit for Clarity course.) Some tech editors haven't taken any courses but they are designers themselves and very familiar with the work of tech editors. In comparison to test knitters, tech editors tend to have more experience looking at patterns critically, and they work with more patterns. Where do I find a knitting tech editor for my knitting pattern? You can find tech editors across the online knitting communities, from Ravelry to Instagram. However, I find the most convenient place to find tech editors is in The Tech Editor Hub Facebook group. Inside the group, you can find a list of folks that have taken the Learn to Tech Edit course, and you can post a request for a tech editor based on your needs. I also highly recommend my tech editor, Joanna Fromstein of Professional Tech Editing. She's amazingly thorough and does great work. I found her via a recommendation on Ravelry, and after communicating with her via email (and seeing a sampling of patterns she's tech edited, including patterns by Holli Yeoh and Kate Atherley, among other names you might recognize), I decided to give her work a try. And I am so glad I did! She taught me how to read and create charted instructions, walked me through several phrasing changes for the sake of clarity, and completely transformed my pattern writing into the work it is today. You can read my testimonial here. No, I don't receive any compensation for referring her; I just love working with her! My #1 Tip for Working with Knitting Tech Editors: Start Right Away! I frequently hear new pattern designers say they can't afford to pay a tech editor. No judgment at all, because I waited a year to have most of my patterns tech edited. However, I would recommend you start working with a tech editor from your first design. In many ways, a designer most needs a tech editor with their first few designs. By working with a tech editor from the beginning, you will have a clearer understanding of how to create a well-written pattern (thus increasing your credibility and customer satisfaction) and you won't have to go back and edit all of your patterns down the road! Yep, that's what I did! I went back and had my 17 patterns from my first year of designing tech edited and re-test knit (due to the changes from tech editing and the addition of charted instructions to my patterns)... all while working on designing/tech editing/test knitting 9 new patterns that I was working on for upcoming collection releases! But what if I can't afford to pay a knitting tech editor? Can you afford free? Even if you can't afford to pay a tech editor monetarily, you can exchange goods and services. Many new tech editors (including students from the Learn to Tech Edit course, in The Tech Editor Hub Facebook group) are willing to exchange their tech edit for your testimonial of their work. You may also find that you can trade other goods and services in exchange for an editor's service. Want to learn more about the tech editing process? Check out my "A Knitting Pattern Designer's Guide to Tech Editing: What, Why, and How Pattern Tech Editing Works" blog post. What does a test knitter do with my pattern? A tech knitter's job is to ensure your pattern creates the project you're promising to your customers. This means your test knitters are checking your knitting pattern from the knitter's perspective. They're making sure the instructions work, make sense, and create the project they were hoping for (this includes design and size). While there is some overlap between the work of test knitters and tech editors, the work of test knitters is, well, less technical. What is test knitting? The main thing a test knitter does is test your pattern. While your tech editor is "only" reading and reviewing the pattern, test knitters are knitting the pattern just as if they had purchased the pattern and are working through it as a customer. This is extremely valuable because it gives you more perspective to how your customers will use and absorb the information in your pattern. I highly recommend including test knitters of different skill levels and familiarity with your work to replicate the diversity of your customers. Each test knitter will have a different perspective and interpretation of the pattern. The accuracy and clarity of the pattern are of particular importance in the tester's mind. They want to be sure they can knit the pattern without confusion and without having to rework any of the math. However, they typically don't have the same attention to detail as they work through the pattern. They also don't have the same breadth of pattern writing knowledge to recommend adjustments to that will work for other knitters as well. Who works as a test knitter? Typically, test knitters are "just" knitters. Meaning, they love to knit and they're happy to help test your pattern in exchange for the knitting experience. They haven't taken a class on "how to test knit," and they don't have a textbook telling them what to look for when test knitting a pattern. Instead, they are guided by their intuition, their understanding of your pattern, and your direction. Where do I find test knitters for my knitting patterns? There are several locations where you can find test knitters, from your Instagram audience to Ravelry and Facebook groups. However, most of the beginner designers that I coach love Yarnpond. Yarnpond is a platform that was created just for test knitting, test crocheting, and tech editing. However, it is primarily use for test knitting and test crocheting. The platform is set up so that, when you post your request for test knitters, all of the testers on the website can view the request. Additionally, Yarnpond sends an email to each person signed up as a test knitter every day (this may differ based on the knitter's email preferences) AND Yarnpond posts the call on their Instagram. This helps you reach a much larger audience. Not only that, but the platform is set up to make the test knitting process as simple and straightforward for you as possible. Before the test knit opens, it will prompt you to provide specific pieces of information that test knitters will want to know prior to applying for the test knit; and it makes it easy to link to the pattern so testers receive access immediately after they've been accepted to the test knit. Additionally, there is a chat area, an area to document changes you've made to the pattern, a feedback form for test knitters, and the ability to review test knitters (you will see reviews for each test knitter, and any comments other designers have left about the test knitter, as soon as they apply for your test knit). While the platform has many features, it does seem to help reduce the overwhelm of "I don't know how to run a test knit!" and keeps things organized in the same platform. However, it does cost to use the platform. At the time that I'm writing this post, it costs $5 USD to post one test knit, or you can purchase bundles for multiple test knits at a lower price per test knit. Prior to using Yarnpond, I used Ravelry groups. The group that I most preferred is called The Testing Pool (note: this is a Ravelry link). It is essentially a forum on Ravelry where you can find test knitters. Beyond the feature differences between the platforms, do remember that Ravelry isn't accessible to many knitters, including test knitters. Lastly, don't forget to share your call for test knitters on your social media platforms and with your email newsletter! And start building an email list of test knitters that want to work with you, so you can easily contact them when you have new test knits open. Want to learn more about running a test knit? Check out my "A Knitting Pattern Designer's Guide to Test Knitting: What, Why, and How Pattern Testing Works" blog post. Why do I need both test knitters and a tech editor for my knitting pattern? Sometimes designers feel that if they have test knitters or a tech editor, they don't need the other. I strongly disagree, for several reasons. Test knitters and tech editors do different work and look for different details, even though their work does overlap in some places. If you opt to work with test knitters and not a tech editor, your pattern doesn't end up as polished, accurate, and clear. If you opt to work with a tech editor and not test knitters, you don't get the variety of perspectives and input on how easy or difficult it is to knit from your pattern. It could be tempting to opt to work with just a tech editor because they tend to be more thorough and detailed in their work. However, it's important to remember (1) the tech editor is not knitting your pattern, and sometimes there are mistakes that don't work when you're knitting but look fine on paper; (2) tech editors are humans and may accidentally miss something; and (3) it's always valuable to have multiple perspectives. Plus, when you have test knitters, you have opportunity for testimonials and test knitter photos to share with your audience; and you know that the different sizes of your pattern are fitting correctly.