What on earth is “test knitting” you might be wondering. Well, there are lovely groups on Ravelry that pair up pattern designers with knitters (or crocheters) that are willing to test your pattern out to make sure that it is well written and with no errors.
It is a mutually beneficial arrangement, which are the best kind! What they get out of it is a free copy of the pattern that you have designed while the designer gets both valuable feedback as well as projects in the database that can be linked back to the design.
I have been working with the “Free Pattern Testers” group on Ravelry recently on my latest design, Singularity Shawl. The group offers a nice structure and plenty of advice on how best to write your pattern up and while the rules may seem rigid to some, offer a fantastic tool to organize your thoughts and get the most out of the process.
This will add to the time it takes from getting a design idea down on paper to getting it out to the public, but it has offered a great opportunity to polish the final result first. I highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about writing up their own designs!
Sneak peak of the Singularity Shawl, anticipated release date of October 17th, 2016.
craftyequestrian 
I am planning to use that group as well, and I agree, it’s awesome that there are mutual benefits. I didn’t know about it until recently, and so I did all my test knitting myself because I am really uncomfortable asking people for favors. This is a really pretty shawl btw! 🙂
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Thanks! The group rules look intimidating at first, but they are there to offer structure and make sure nothing is missed. There is a thread called “The Lab” where you can post your proposed test and the mods will help you make sure you have everything right! Good luck and thank you!
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