I have ten bajillion ideas in my head and I really want to release new patterns regularly so you have lots of fun stuff to knit, but I can’t knit them fast enough! So I need your help! I’m looking for a couple of sample knitters to knit my design prototypes. SAMPLE KNITTING IS A PAID GIG.
Sample knitting is different than test knitting. As a sample knitter, you will be paid for your work (pro!), but you will lose most of the creative control over a project (con). You will get free yarn (pro!) but you will have to give up the project when you’re finished knitting it (con). You’ll get your eyes on my new designs before anybody else (pro!) but you may have to knit from a very rough pattern draft (con).
Sample knitting is not for everybody, but if you’re a process knitter who just enjoys, uh, the process, and loves the idea of getting paid to knit stuff, read more below about what I’m looking for in my sample knitters!
Please carefully read the guidelines and requirements below. If you feel you will be able to complete all sample knit requirements accurately and on time, please fill out the accompanying Sample Knitter Application at the bottom of this page.
what I'm looking for
I'm looking for sample knitters who:
are experienced (or adventurous intermediate) knitters
are US based (for shipping cost reasons)
are organized and responsible
can hit a strict deadline
won’t lose stuff
won’t ghost me when they get their paws on free yarn (ie. are willing to check in regularly with progress updates)
are comfortable shipping stuff back and forth (support the USPS!)
have a PayPal account and are comfy using it to send and receive payments
are cool giving up creative control over a project and are happy to knit stuff to my specifications
are comfy working from a very rough or incomplete pattern draft (or even notes about an idea scribbled on a napkin)
will take lots of notes on boring details like gauge, measurements, yardage used, etc.
will ask questions and provide constructive feedback to help me improve my designs
are comfy communicating virtually, including via text, email, and possibly video chat (Zoom, Skype, Facetime, etc.)
are stoked to earn $.10 per yard of yarn used per sample project
are active on social media (especially Instagram) and will brag about what they’re working on
can be trusted to keep quiet if they're working on a top secret project
what you can expect
Here’s what you can expect as a sample knitter (…probably; I haven’t actually done this yet so I’m just guessing at how it’ll go):
You'll slide into my Instagram DMs like, “hey I want to knit a sample of your next design!” and I’ll be like “awesome! let’s jump on a video call and talk more about it!” so then we'll Skype or whatever and talk about details like what yarn you’ll be using and how long you think you’ll need to knit the design.
You’ll look over the pattern draft and we’ll agree on a deadline and payment amount. Then you’ll give me your address and PayPal info and I’ll pop the yarn in the mail.
When you receive it, you’ll open it up and squeeeeee! because omg free yarn. And probably share a pic of it on your social media channels and Ravelry. And then you’ll get to knitting.
As you knit my design, you’ll keep detailed notes about your project and check in with me regularly to update me on your progress and to ask any questions (“wtf does SSP2TOGTBL mean, Christine?”) which I will then clarify because sorry my notes are so weird and confusing. They made sense in my head.
Once you finish the project—which you will do by the deadline because you are a very responsible and organized adult person—you’ll ship your finished project and any leftover yarn back to me.
Once I receive the package, I’ll open it up and squeeeee! because omg you knit my design and it’s beautiful! Good job!
And then I’ll send payment to you via PayPal and you’ll be rich! Go buy yourself some yarn, friend! You totally earned it. ♥
If sample knitting sounds like your jam, I want to hear from you! Fill out this quick survey & I'll be in touch!