Test Knitter of the Month - January
Each month I feature a test knitter from one (or more) 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.
Luna Rising Sweater
Golden Horizon Sweater
Test Knitter of the Month - January Feature: CeCe
How do you identify? Hi everyone! My name is CeCe (she/her) and I’m Chinese American from Long Island, NY.
How many years have you been knitting? What’s your knitting origin story? Officially, I’ve been knitting for about 10 years, but I didn’t start knitting regularly until about 5 years ago. Prior to that I focused on crocheting so I always consider myself a crocheter first, even if I knit more than I crochet now. Funny enough, I found a knitting & weaving kit that I had as a child but I can’t remember if I ever actually tried to knit back then.
Which pattern did you test knit? What size, if garment, and yarns did you use? I tested 6 of Tina’s patterns:
Burst Into Bloom Shawl, using yarn from Voolenvine & Lambstrings
Breathe it In Shawl, using yarn from Asylum Fibers and Voolenvine
Lunar Revel Shawl, using yarn from Asylum Fibers and Miss Babs
Luna Rising Sweater (size 2), using yarn from Lambstrings
Golden Horizon Sweater (size 2), using yarn from La Bien Aimée
Seven Maidens Shawl, using yarn from Star Seed and Wobble Gobble
What is your favorite thing about test knitting or why do you test knit? Hmm... At first I wanted to test knit because it was a new challenge for me. I like being a part of the process - there’s something about it, you know?
What other making superpowers do you have? As I said earlier, I’m a crocheter first. But I also spin when I get a chance, and I used to do a lot of cross stitch and Chinese knotting, and have dabbled in embroidery. I took a Diné weaving class a few years back at Rhinebeck and I think I’d like to try some other forms of weaving.
Where can readers find your makes? You can find me on Ravelry at @essiemay83. I do have an IG account but I prefer to keep it private (although if you follow Tina’s IG, you can probably find me among her followers).
Burst into Bloom shawl