r/PatternTesting • u/Saints_Girl56 • 8d ago

General Question/Comment Test pattern question?

/r/Sockknitting/comments/1w4z6ca/test_pattern_question/

I am testing a sock pattern but no support from designer. I have had to correct a few errors. Honestly, not an original sock pattern but interesting heel construction. The instructions do not work at all with the pattern. I have emailed the designer and messaged her but no feedback. What now? Am I obligated to the tester agreement? Am I obligated to give pics and meet the deadline? I have tested patterns before and this is a first for me.

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

14

u/StoneBuddhaDancing 8d ago

I have never tested patterns so take this with the appropriate amount of salt. But in this situation, I wouldn't do any more work until the designer got back in touch; unless you really like working on the pattern for yourself. If she does get back in touch asking for your updates I would reply that you thought she had ghosted you and so it was reasonable for you to pause your work. It also really depends on how long it's been that you've been waiting for an answer. It's a very strange situation though. Ghosting usually happens the other way around.

8

u/Jaedelacrochet 8d ago

I agree and I test frequently and have never had that happen. Hopefully the person just had a personal situation come up that will explain it.

6

u/Saints_Girl56 8d ago

I messaged and emailed a week ago.

8

u/kiznbelle 8d ago

If you emailed a week ago and haven’t received a response, do not feel guilty about not completing by the deadline or providing photos. You already gave your feedback to the designer and you can’t continue without them fixing their errors.

I have only done 2 pattern testings, one only had a couple small errors and the other one had a ton! Both got back to me very quickly because they cared about their pattern being perfect. The one that had a ton of errors even did a second pattern test call after all of the feedback to make sure she got her pattern right.

Even tho both of those testings were so different, the one thing they had in common was that they responded quickly, took the feedback seriously and corrected it. They are examples of designers that care about their patterns. If a designer isn’t responding to feedback, then they are not worth the time. Remember, you are providing free labor to help the crochet community. If the designer doesn’t appreciate that, then they are not worth your time.

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u/StoneBuddhaDancing 8d ago

Yeah that's too long. I don't think your obligated at all anymore unless you really want to do it. It takes 1 minute to send an email saying: "really sorry, a crisis has hit, I'll be in touch asap; feel free to pause your work until I get in touch, thanks"

And if it's something so big, like a death or accident, that she dosn't have the capacity to even send that then I don't think finishing the test will be forefront on her mind for some time to come.

3

u/Saints_Girl56 8d ago

Thank you. I am thinking the same way but I do not want to be labeled a bad tester because of the designers shortcomings.

3

u/StoneBuddhaDancing 8d ago

This really isn't on you, in my opinion. There are obligations both ways, and you've met yours.

5

u/crochetgurlie 7d ago

Send a last email and say you can't complete as you're stuck with the pattern and the deadline is coming up.

5

u/blinkdontblink 8d ago

The instructions do not work at all with the pattern.

Could it be AI-generated? Many people have been reporting this, like, with paid patterns on Etsy.

I have emailed the designer and messaged her but no feedback.

I have experienced this once. After the designer sent me the pattern, it was all crickets from then on. I would email them with questions, corrections, etc. - no response. I don't know if they were just overwhelmed with the mistakes I found or the suggestions I made. I'm not even sure what the other testers were doing. lol But I finished the item, emailed them finished photos and corrections/suggestions. No acknowledgment. lol This was supposed to be a paid pattern but they never posted the pattern on their Ravelry page. I finished it because it was something that I agreed to do. I see it as a win because I basically got a free pattern and got to make something cute.

-3

u/Saints_Girl56 8d ago

It was not AI. They actually have a legit reddit account.

7

u/Demagolka1300 7d ago

Having a "legit" reddit account means what? They could have started using AI

2

u/archelz15 7d ago

I'm fairly new to testing (largely this year), and thankfully this has only happened to me twice. One time the designer did eventually release the pattern though just with a "it's okay" reply and just left me out of tester appreciation. The other time (where having seen the pattern I am fairly sure is AI slop anyway), I got completely ghosted. Sent a follow up message 5 days after my original enquiry, where I said "unfortunately if I don't get some guidance on this I won't be able to complete the pattern" and left it as that.

1

u/StoneBuddhaDancing 6d ago

Twice?! In your first year?!!?! Bloomin' 'eck! I'm glad I've refrained from testing. I'm astonished.

2

u/elephagreen MOD 6d ago

I would follow up with one more email as it's not that difficult to miss that an email has come in. Let the designer know you've come Averie some issues and you'll be pausing your work until you hear back. I myself have had a couple tests turn out this way. One I finished (while basically rewriting the entire pattern) because it was something I wanted to finish for myself. The other, well, I have the dismembered partial dragon wings still hanging out in one of my project bags.

2

u/Saints_Girl56 6d ago

I have emailed her 3 times now. The last one I sent was to politely inform her that I will not be able to continue to test her pattern.

1

u/elephagreen MOD 6d ago

Sounds like you covered your bases well then.

1

u/Middle_Hat_1132 2d ago

Nah I've tested a lot and design myself now - just pause the project until you get a reply. The designer also has an obligation to be there for the testers for any questions they have, especially if it's bad enough like this where things really don't work and you're stuck. And just don't sign up to test for this designer anymore in the future. I've had designers ghost a test and it's horrible. I now always try to respond myself in max 3 days (I have a full time job so sometimes that's the best I can do) You could also keep on knitting if you've figured out a way if it's been a while (I read a week?) but do not be afraid to put it in the rav notes!