Hello, Lovelies!
Yep, it is Moi on a Tuesday with a few thoughts.
Just a reminder: THIS coming Friday is the release of Part 1 * the Extension * for the Golden Tea Floral Block. You're going to hate me! It's A LOT of repetition and A LOT of needlework *sorry, not sorry*. Unfortunately, it just had to be this ( you'll have to wait until Friday to see what "this" is ). All I can say is, the crochet Muses made me do it!
Ok, so on to my "thoughts". Firstly, this is not about me but rather my response to an outrageous "Tester Application Form" that is circulating Crochetland and which was forwarded to my email.
This has been a bugbear for me since I designed my very first pattern. Unbeknown to me at the time, in Crochetland, there lives wonderful magical creatures called Testers ( not a pretty name for such lovelies ). These "Testers" will contact you and offer their skills FOR FREE! Immediately my very first pattern was released I was swamped with messages from these amazing Folk and I jumped at the offers. However, it didn't take me long to start feeling very uncomfortable. This was free skilled labour that I was unwittingly exploiting. No matter which way I looked at it... I was exploiting the good nature of some extremely talented and experienced people and it made me squirm. Much!
Now, before you all start throwing balls of yarn at me let me say that I do understand that for many Testers there is some sort of fairy dust residue that settles over them when the person they Test for is a super-duper famous Designer! I get that! Also, some Testers are rewarded with Yarn ( at least ) for their troubles and a scant few may receive actual greenbacks for their skilled testing. All well and good. HOWEVER, many, many Testers do this for FREE, for the love of Crochet, to ride the coat-tails of celebrated Designers...and that too, if it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable, is also OK. But none of that sits well with me at all. It never has. It never will.
I have had wonderful Testers contact me over the years, who all regularly test for well-known Designers. A few I accepted but all too soon, as I said, I began to feel very uncomfortable with the exchange of labour. I wasn't in a position to offer payment to a small posse of willing Testers. A free pattern somehow didn't feel sufficient. It's actually NOT sufficient payback. Reluctantly I decided that in all good conscience, I could not continue accepting Testers without remunerating them accordingly, for their experience, their time, their yarn, their hard work! So I cut my Testers loose.
In my head, I can hear the words " but we want to, we don't mind, it's what we do, it's an honour, it's satisfying, we get something out of it too". No, none of that sits well with me. In my heart of hearts, I know it is absolutely wrong to take advantage of these generous offers without reciprocating accordingly. I am truly shocked and disheartened that many Designers are comfortable with this free labour, this unequal exchange of energy. More chilling, is that some Designers have elevated their own status to such a level that they issue lengthly "Tester Application Forms" where there is no mention of what they are willing to offer back! Testers, you need to ask what a Designer is willing to do FOR YOU! You are worth it!
To the Designers who make great efforts to concretely reward their Testers, I salute you! To the Testers who give so freely of their time and experience, you are amazing!
Testers:
Your time has value!
Your experience has value!
Your work has value!
You have value, and you should always bring your value to the negotiating table.
Many Designers would be absolutely lost without their loyal Testers. It shouldn't be enough that you get a mention ( if you're lucky! ) at the bottom of a pattern.
Yes, yes I know...there will probably be many Testers ( and Designers ) throwing their hooks at me right now but so be it. Testers, I love your generous hearts. You deserve so much more!
Over and out.
💗Jen
You have such a generous heart Jen and we all love you for it.
ReplyDeleteAnd before you berate yourself for testers having to work for 'free', just bear in mind that they also do it for the love of our beloved craft.
It may be the closest many of them may get to the design process, and that, for them may be payment enough😁.
But having or not having testers is the designer's prerogative.
Just remember, we love your patterns as they come, whether tested or untested. Just keep those beautiful designs coming.
Thank you for your comment. I want Testers to be rewarded properly for their labour. If a Designer can't offer proper remuneration then, in some way, Testers must be elevated along with the rise or station of the Designers they test for. This is not about me at all. I made my peace with my own officially untested designs and I accept the consequences thereof. :D xx
DeleteJen, I down loaded Karoo Vintage as free gift but I feel that I owe you for the amazing pattern and time crocheting my project... The English Tea Garden going to be my next project... Thank you again for your time and energy for beautiful patterns you create
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments! I am a tester for several designers (up and coming, not very well known). I have tested patterns that will be offered FREE and those that will be sold on Ravelry. NO, a free pattern is probably not enough payment - in return for my time and use of my yarn as I have never been sent yarn to make a test item. However, I have to admit that I use the pattern tests to increase my skills and to make me MAKE something I wouldn't make on my own. This year, I learned how to crochet sweaters and tops and am thrilled that now I can make CLOTHING that is cute and wearable in public. LOL! Of course, I would love to be paid for my time and energy, but for now, I am happy to be expanding my skills beyond blankets and scarves!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Kris. I particularly would love to hear from more Testers and get their take on this subject. I think if the Tester feels the exchange of energy ( labour ) is mutually beneficial then all is well. Sadly though, from some of the tales that have been shared with me, this is not always the case. Testers, more than I thought, feel trapped and sometimes bullied by Designers who treat them like servants who should feel honoured and grateful to be accepted as Testers and that this should be enough "payment". I find that disturbing.
DeleteI am not a tester but a translator that gets a pattern to translate it. Or check a pattern written on mistakes. The big ego's out there are always taking advantage. I translate because it will be accessible for a big group that are not able to do it without being written in their language. But it has to be a free pattern, always. If you want money you can pay a translator. Remember some designers sell their pattern for $10,- and the pattern is sold 6000 times. Meaning, yay, you get it. So a free pattern like that of Emma May that promised her patterns will be always free will be a translation for free. Others, pay hun.
ReplyDeleteJen your insights amaze me. I did one test pattern and everything you said is on point. The "celebs" do need testers, but as a Designer myself, I have found that there is no way I can compensate a tester, so do it myself and if there is an error the lovely people who have bought the pattern ask and I rectify or elaborate if something doesn't make sense. I just wish followers of any designer would stop elevating them as some get the arrogant attitude of being untouchable. Jen you are not one of those! Every designer is a person just like the rest of us, do not place them on pedestals that they probably don't want anyway, #JustSaying thanks Jen
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on everything you say. Sadly, many Testers still feel it's a fair exchange and I'm guessing those are Testers who test for lovely, gracious Designers? But that's not the case for all Testers, and there are MANY who get treated like subordinates who should feel grateful for the chance to Test for Designers who often have elevated themselves to a position they are not really entitled to. I was absolutely shocked to read a Tester Application Form from a local Designer that had so may people up in arms. I laughed, as did others, but the reality is that there will be Testers who comply with this nonsense! It's beyond comprehension. Weirdly, after this post I had a slew of Testers asking to Test for me. Hahahaha... didn't I just say that if I can't pay Testers for their time, then no way am I going to accept free labour? Go figure. xx
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