I LOVE writing patterns. Making them for myself is one thing but making sure that my crazy inner thoughts make sense and look good for everyone else wouldn't be possible without the amazing people that test my patterns.
I'm going to walk you through what it's like to test a pattern for Quilting Fresh and then you can decide if it's something you want to pursue (which I hope you do!).
Requirements for Testing a Pattern
I'm not looking for any specific skill level. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or an experienced quilter. I will give you a heads up on the difficulty level of a pattern before you commit to it.
What you do need to be able to do is finish the pattern by the timeline given, provide feedback on the pattern, and supply a few good quality photos. Once you're testing a pattern, I will walk you through these things as well as give you tips for taking photos of your amazing quilt tops.
Most of the time I am fine with whatever fabric choices you want. The quilt should reflect you and your personality, not mine! There may be occasions, however, when I ask that you stick to a certain style of fabrics or color pallet.
Timeline for Testing a Pattern
You will know before you commit to testing a pattern what the timeline will be. For smaller projects, that turnaround time could be as little as two weeks. For larger projects like a queen size quilt or a pattern with a zillion tiny pieces, there will at least four weeks between when you have the pattern and when the quilt top needs to be done.
Getting Picked to Test a Pattern
As of right now, I can comfortably afford to have five people test a pattern. This means that not every pattern tester will get picked for every pattern. Once I have a pattern that is ready to be tested, I will send out an email to all pattern testers on my list that will include a picture of the pattern, the size (or sizes), and the timeline. If you are interested in that particular pattern, you reply to that email stating your interest by the deadline given. Then I'll select who will be testing the pattern and notify them. I try to keep this as fair as possible!
Compensation
As much as I would love to pay everyone handsomely for their time, effort, and ideas, I'd have to sell a whole lot more patterns to do that. When you've completed testing a pattern, each tester will receive a pdf copy of the final revised version of the pattern as well as a twenty dollar gift card. I should also mention that you will always have a friend to bounce ideas off of! I love the conversations that get started and the community that can develop through these opportunities.
Ready to Become a Pattern Tester?
Becoming a pattern tester is a really easy process. If you want to be added to the group of pattern testers, fill out this form:
Connect
Have questions or want more information? Please feel free to reach out to me. I'd love to chat!
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