Now that the Boat Race Hat prototypes are finished, and the pattern is written, it's time to move on to the next steps: testing and editing. I suppose you can argue that doing both test knitting AND tech editing is a bit redundant, but I would disagree.

Test knitting is a great way to get feedback on your pattern before it goes live - you'll be able to know if the wording in one section isn't clear, or if you've left out an important line of the instructions. You'll be able to get a good sense of the yardage requirements for each size (as long as your testers are knitting to the correct gauge), and as a bonus, you'll have a number of projects that can be uploaded to Ravelry when the pattern is published, so people will be able to see your design knit up in different colours or yarns right from the beginning.

With that in mind, the next step for the Boat Race Hats is test knitting - I find that test knitters can very often pinpoint a number of errors and inconsistencies that I would otherwise depend on a tech editor to find. And while tech editing is crucial for any knitting pattern, it's also a service that has to be (and should be!) paid for. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have my tech editor spend their time on a pattern that's been tested and had most of the kinks worked out already.

In an ideal world, test knitters would also be paid for their work, but sadly that's not something I'm able to do at this stage, so I have to rely on knitters who enjoy getting a sneak peek at a new pattern, or like helping to work out the kinks. You can pick your yarn, and I'm happy to send you a copy of the pattern when it's finished, as well as your choice of another of my self-published patterns if you'd like one.

Here are the two hats and their specs/requirements. If anyone is interested in test knitting, please give me a shout in the comments or head over to my Ravelry group and post in the Boat Race test knitting thread that's there.

A bit about both hats: both hats are sized in S (M, L) sizes, and both are worked from charts with no written directions.

Oxford

This hat is a slouchy, comfy knit, with two staggered twisted stitch boat motifs worked on a reverse stockinette background. The only complicated bit is the knitter will need to be comfortable shifting the crown decreases to keep the stitch motif intact as much as possible as the crown gets towards the top.

Techniques: twisted stitches and working stitches through the back loop.

Yarn: the large size pictured used less then one skein of baa ram ewe Titus (a fingering weight yarn) held doubled, so under 175 yds/160 m. Appropriate yarns would be sock yarn held double or DK yarn, or any yarn that knits to gauge specified.

Gauge: 23 sts/30 rows over 4 inches/10 cm in reverse stockinette.

Needles: US 4/3.5 mm circulars or dpns, as preferred

Cambridge

This hat is a close-fitting beanie style. Although the stitch pattern is worked all over, the crown decreases are much simpler then in Oxford.

Techniques: twisted stitches and working stitches through the back loop.

Yarn: the large size pictured used less then one skein of baa ram ewe Titus (a fingering weight yarn) held doubled, so under 175 yds/160 m. Appropriate yarns would be sock yarn held double or DK yarn, or any yarn that knits to gauge specified.

Gauge: 23 sts/30 rows over 4 inches/10 cm in reverse stockinette.

Needles: US 4/3.5 mm circulars or dpns, as preferred

And views of the tops of the hats:

Although I wanted to get these up and published earlier this year (like in time for The Boat Race. Hahahahahaha!), I'm not in a rush to get them out ASAP, and the deadline for this test is going to be the end of September. If you're interested, leave a comment on this post, or PM me on Ravelry, letting me know the size you'd like to test, and the yarn you'd like to use. If you're on Ravelry, you can also post in the testing thread in my group. Thanks!

Porpoise Fur