Pollinae Cowl Test Knit
Thank you for your interest! The test is now closed, and testers were contacted on 6/25/21.
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Pollinae is one of those wonderfully flexible patterns that you can customize to suit your liking. Wider and shorter? Long and skinny for looping? An extra-wide, two-skein version? The pattern has you covered. You can even switch out the stockinette edges for garter stitch, if you want to cut down on the slight roll factor Pollinae is designed to have. And you have your pick of three joining methods: the three-needle bind-off and two flavors of grafting. Everything you need to make just the version you want!.
About the Pattern:
DIMENSIONS:
Circumference: 40.5” [103 cm]
Height: 13” [33 cm]
Measurements taken after firm blocking. See modification options below.
YARN:
I used Blue Skin Yarns Estel (50% Merino, 50% Silk; 437 yd / 400 m per 100 g / 3.53 oz skein), 1 skein, in Electric Lilla. You are welcome to substitute another fingering weight yarn with similar yardage.
YARDAGE:
Approximately 465 yd / 425 m of fingering weight yarn. This total includes a 10% buffer above what the sample used to accommodate different bases and gauges. Pattern includes notes about how to alter the size to accommodate different yardages.
MODIFICATION OPTIONS:
You are welcome to make the cowl narrower or wider and/or longer or shorter, as long as some testers knit according to the pattern. The pattern will help you figure out these modifications, and obviously they will affect your yardage usage. If you follow a modification, I will ask you to track yardage carefully and note any changes on your Ravelry project page for future knitters to follow, if desired.
NEEDLES:
US 4 [3.5 mm] needles of choice for working flat, or size needed to obtain gauge
Second set of needles in a similar size for joining (grafting or three-needle bind-off); you may use alternate needle configurations for joining, but pattern is written assuming two pairs of needles
Optional: If using three-needle bind-off to join, additional needle (circular, straight, or DPN) of the same or similar size. You may also use non-working end of one pair holding live stitches if you're using this setup. Extra needle is not necessary if you will be grafting the cowl.
NOTIONS:
2 stitch markers, waste yarn, crochet hook similar to working needles in size, lifeline yarn (optional), tapestry needle
GAUGE:
1 16-stitch, 32-row repeat of Motif = 2.75” [7 cm] wide and 4” [10 cm] tall after firm blocking
TECHNIQUES REQUIRED:
Single and double decreases, yarn overs, twisted stitches, provisional cast-on, grafting OR three-needle bind-off. Information about relevant stitches and techniques is included with the pattern, so if you’re comfortable with most what's listed here and are willing to learn the rest, you are welcome to apply.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Instructions are fully written and charted. Pattern has been professionally tech edited.
About the Test:
TESTER SELECTION:
I’m looking for at least 10 testers. I may accept more. If there are more interested testers than I can accommodate, I'll make selections based on past projects (including photography, notes, ratings, etc.) as well as creating a good mix of yarn choice, experience, and instruction preference among testers. You can read more about how I select testers here.
TEST TIMELINE:
Testing call posted: Thursday, June 24, 2021
Testers selected and notified by: Saturday, June 26, 2021 (EDT)
Test deadline: Sunday, August 15, 2021
EXPECTATIONS:
To successfully complete this test knit, I ask that you:
Track the yardage you use.
Let me know any time you have any doubt about something in the pattern, you find a mistake (actual or suspected), an instruction seems unclear, etc. If you’re wondering about it, other knitters will be, too, and I want to clear up the confusion!
Finish your project by the deadline noted above, including blocking and photographing.
Fill out a survey about the test knit after your project is finished and completed before the deadline.
If you use Ravelry, create a complete project page (including gauge, needles, yarn used, and photos of the finished piece) and link it to the pattern page when the pattern is released.
Bonus: If you are willing to share photos on social media (both in progress and of your FO), all the better!
COMMUNICATION:
We will primarily communicate via Slack. Slack is a free communication tool. There is a web-based version and a mobile app, both of which are fairly straightforward. I’ve created a help page explaining relevant features here, and I’ll do my best to support testers in getting up and running.
Testers are welcome to chat alongside pattern talk. You can also always contact me by email or via Slack DM if the information is private (such as a personal reason for why a project will be delayed). Check-ins at regular intervals are not required, but if I haven’t heard from you in a while, I may tag or email you to see how things are going. In general, I would rather hear from you with lots of questions than hear nothing at all.
PRIVACY:
This is a public test, so please feel free to share WIP and FO photos on social media and Ravelry as you go. If you tag @remadebyhand on Instagram, I’m sure to see them. I will most likely share some of them as well.
COMPENSATION:
Knitters who complete the test—meaning fulfill all expectations listed above—will receive:
A copy of the final pattern once released (on Ravelry or another platform)
The option to gift a copy of the final pattern to a friend (on Ravelry or another platform)
A code for another self-published pattern of choice from my Ravelry store, good for one year (I am working on a non-Ravelry workaround for this one, but there will be an alternative)
Credit (by Ravelry username or other preferred identifier) in the final version of the pattern
Good juju for future tests
…and, of course, a huge heap of my gratitude!
Testers have been contacted as of Friday, June 25, 2021 (I’m in the U.S., Eastern time zone). Be sure to check your spam, junk, promotions, etc. folders. Thank you!