Test Knitter of the Month - August
Each month I’ll like to feature a test knitter from one of my designs.
My hope for a part of this blog is to feature the knitters who spend their time helping me execute a hand knitting pattern. Test knitting, especially garments, are a critical part of the design process and I wouldn’t be able to do it without their valuable feedback.
It’s been important for me to connect with knitters, and people in general, on a human level. My hope is that these introductions will help us connect to others that are more than what we see on the surface.
Test Knitter of the Month - August Feature: Yvonne
How do you identify? Pronoun: She/her. Ethnicity: Chinese. Birthplace: Hong Kong. Have been a New Yorker for almost twenty years!
How many years have you been knitting? What’s your knitting origin story?
I learned knitting when I was around 6 - still recall vividly the moment my mom taught me the basics: cast on, knit, purl, and bind off, as if it was yesterday. When I was in primary school, I chose knitting as my extracurricular activity and my teacher showed me how to read patterns in Chinese, I remember I was so proud when I knitted (and purled!) the basket weave pattern - I thought I was so cool!
In high school, during Home Economics classes, I made a vest but asked my paternal grandma to seam it for me. Sadly I wasn’t that interested to knit with her, as knitting felt more like homework then. But it was during high school I learned how to read patterns in English - and there’s no going back!
I got back into knitting after I lost my dog, Muffin, hence MissingMuffin on Instagram, in December 2017. Knitting soothes my souls, and helps me heal from my tremendous loss as Muff was like a child to me. Being creative and able to create can be empowering. I feel like I can do anything so long I put my heart and mind into it. The accomplishment I feel each time an FO comes off of my needles is indescribable. Each time I put on my Luna Rising sweater, I feel like I’ve grown a couple of inches taller. I pinch myself, oh, did I make this? Why yes, I made it with my heart and soul.
Which pattern did you test knit? What size, if garment, and yarns did you use?
I test knitted the Luna Rising sweater in size 2. I asked Hana (@hanamadethat) to help with color options as I’m just not good with pairing colors! She custom dyed Something Blue for me and it’s the most gorgeous blue colorway I’ve ever laid my eyes on! The rest of the colorways are Midnight Magic and Wintry Mix.
What is your favorite thing about test knitting or why do you test knit?
Learning about the techniques each designer uses to create the garment. I remember after separating front and back, I was like, “OMG, HOW DID TINA KNOW WHAT TO DO HERE??” as it’s my first time using backward loop CO to connect the underarm. It’s quite magical really! I’m always amazed by how designers are able to translate their vision onto written (and charted) instructions, and then knitters interpret the design in their own unique ways. By the way, if I may say so, test knitters are truly the best knitters out there! The ones I’ve met so far are funny and caring, and also eager to share their techniques whenever you feel stuck. There’s such a great camaraderie and kinship among us and I feel inspired by our community as well!
What other making superpowers do you have? (other making skills you might have besides knitting, like crocheting, sewing, embroidery, etc.)
Before I reacquainted myself with knitting, my first love was actually cross stitch! It was also for a homework assignment back in middle school, and I was self-taught. Many, many years ago I took a crochet class and though I’ve always been fascinated by making intricate looking stitches with just a hook only - and oh my the speed in completing a little round thingy! - I somewhat lost interest thereafter. Two April’s ago when my dear friend forbade me from signing up for a class (“Too much money and it doesn’t even come with materials???”) that I decided to rekindle my crochet romance with a rendezvou on YouTube. She encouraged me to check out free tutorials and kept reassuring me “it’s not that hard”. And she was right! I was, um, instantly, hooked! Now I alternate knitting with crochet as a palette cleanser.
Where can readers find your makes? (IG, ravelry, etc.) IG: @missingmuffin. Ravelry: yvonnepak
What other aspects of life are you passionate about besides making?
I’m passionate about home design and have recently become a plant parent! But most importantly, I hope everyone will vote in November. By mail (please do it early!!) or in-person. I believe we all deserve equal pay and equal rights, and that we should always be kind to one another, among many other things. As cliché as it sounds, treat others as you want to be treated - oh yes, you bet this applies to our current POTUS!
