Winnie & Pip (and the pattern testing gig)

By hook or by crook this pattern will be ready for testing on Monday. Winnie and Pip were a kind of challenge after I made The Cabbages. A friend asked me if I could create a  simpler doll that still had some accessories ( oh be careful what you wish for: This is not Winnie and Pip’s only adventure).                 So what’s the whole deal with pattern testing? Sometimes, if I have been showing the blog progress of a toy as I go, someone might send me an email asking if they can test it. Usually its because they especially like that one or have a “thing” for a certain animal. Other times I might ask on Bookface or here on the blog to see if people want to test a pattern.

Pip

Basically pattern testing means just what you think it means. You get the pattern and a kit of fabric to make the toy. I always send the fabrics to the same measurements that I list in the requirements…

• So that’s the first challenge. Did it all fit on the fabric provided or was I bit too stingy, conversely do you half a metre left over because I wrote a number wrong? (or just made that bit up)
• Then you follow the directions and make the toy. You might notice I said “cut 8 arms”, when we really only need four. There might be spelling mistakes or I may have forgotten to say –“turn the leg out the right way”  before I tell you to stuff it.
• Hopefully it all goes together ok but even then I need to hear which bits were a confusing or took a few tries or which bits just made no sense and made you swear. You don’t have to “fix” anything or rewrite anything – you just need to point out the wobblies for me. There are always a few people testing so there is no pressure to pick up every little thing.

Winnie

I think pattern testing is really important. I know how frustrating it is to struggle to understand a pattern or to find the instructions are so brief that I have to guess the construction. (and I am not suggesting for a moment that I rock this pattern writing stuff – you people know I sweat this part all the time) Yes, it adds more time to the pattern making but after a while my brain simply cannot read it’s own writing and I really need fresh (crafty) eyes to have a look at things. Patterns are expensive and I think its important that they are easy to follow.

As I almost always say – there is not much in it for the tester, something that I still struggle with ( but you know with 30 million in the lotto tonight that’s sure to change). Pattern testers get the pattern, all the necessary fabric, my undying gratitude, always a small gift and elevation to the status of Senior Management. 

Anyway, Obviously I’m hoping someone would like to test Winnie or Pip but I also thought there might be people who don’t really know what the pattern testing stuff is about so thought I’d just bang-on a bit. I’d parcel everything off to you on Monday and hope you could have one doll made by about the 15th July (its a tight timeframe due to the Show in July). You don’t need to send me the doll or anything, just email the sticky bits.

(Why does spell check want to call Winnie, Winkie? )

Thanks to everyone who offered, I wish I could say yes to everyone but that might end in a case of "too many cooks". Winnie and Pip have at least two more adventures planned and I working as hard as I can to get them out into the world so stay tuned and if you are of an equine bent, you are going to love the next one!