Tech Editing | Polinary Soup Llc

So What Is a Tech Editor and Why Do I Need One?

A Tech Editor for your knitting pattern is your second set of eyes.

Tech Editors are adept at spotting errors and inconsistencies before a pattern is published, minimizing frustration for both the designer and the knitter. Having your pattern edited before the test knitting stage is a great investment in your final product and your brand.

I will double check the following:

all the math is correct
your pattern has a logical flow and layout
stitch counts match your gauge, sizing, and schematic
pattern layout and wording match your style sheet
written instructions match a chart and vice versa
instructions are clear and concise
grammar and spelling are correct
wording and abbreviations are consistent
all materials, needle sizes, and techniques are listed

GET STARTED!

Policies and Payment

How does it work?

I will take a quick look at your pattern and give you a rough estimate of how long the Tech Editing process may take. This estimate includes the original edit and the final look through. If anything more time consuming pops up that will take me over my estimate, I will reach out to you for approval before moving forward.

You will email me your pattern and any charts, files, sketches, and photos of a finished item and/or swatches for me to look over. Your style sheet and what sizing standards you use should be included as well.

Let me know upfront if there are any points of concern in the math or wording that you would like me to pay extra close attention to.

I prefer working with PDF documents but can work with Word or Google Docs as well.

I add suggestions and notes to your document but I do not make any permanent changes.
Your pattern should have your voice!

I will get your pattern back to you, with notes, for you to look over. After you make any changes, I will look it over again and make sure nothing else needs adjustment.

Rates

My current rate is $30/ hour (USD) with a 30-minute minimum. I bill in 10-minute intervals after that.

Invoices are sent via PayPal with the final edit and payment is due within 15 days.

I have a one week turnaround, but most often can get your pattern back to you much quicker.

In a rush? I can get it back to you within 48 hours at a rate of $50/hour with a 30-minute minimum.

Add On Services:

Do you have a chart that needs to be written out line by line? Or written instructions that need to be charted?

I use Stitch Mastery to develop charts from written instructions or even hand drawn charts.

Times range from 30-minutes for small charts to 2.5 hours for larger or more complex charts.

Please let me know if you need chart/writing service when you send your pattern so that I can better calculate my estimated time!

Send A Message

How and why I edit

My goal is to help you make your pattern shine and to support your small business!
I started knitting the way many did: learning from books and videos and only knitting free patterns. Very quickly I got frustrated with the errors I found in many of them and I began making changes on the fly.

As my skill in knitting grew, more nuanced details, errors, and anomalies stood out to me.

I have always liked a challenge so I started test knitting and became a regular test knitter for some well known designers. This process taught me to work out the math beforehand, appreciate the wide variety of feedback given, and above all else, to value Tech Editors!

The first time I knit a pattern that was a first draft, I ended up so frustrated that I messaged the designer and asked if she could check her numbers because her math didn't match mine. I didn't want to embarrass her by posting my questions in the Ravelry thread, but something was really off! After emailing her all my math, I found out that the size I was knitting wasn't the only one with issues and the designer ended up going back to the drawing board. All that frustration and time on both ends could have been completely avoided by running the pattern by a Tech Editor first.

Hiring a Tech Editor is an investment in a designer's brand, as well as in sanity for themselves and their customers!

I'm dedicated to helping designers make the most readable, coherent, accurate, and enjoyable knitting patterns. I've spent years answering questions in knitting Facebook groups, such as, "What does the designer mean here?"and, " What does this symbol mean? It's not in the key!"
The most active group I'm in is all moms, and when we get a chance to just be, to sit and knit, the last thing we want is to muddle through a poorly written pattern in our few precious moments.

As your Tech Editor, my job is to help you make your pattern the best it can be. I'm here to be your second set of eyes, to catch any errors or inconsistencies before test knitters do, avoid errata, and to keep frustration to a bare minimum for you and knitters who buy your pattern.

We are all human, but I promise to do the best I can to help your pattern shine!

Error Policy:

I do my absolute best to make sure I catch everything, but I am human!

If anything pops up in the test knitting process, or afterwards that I personally missed in the final edit, please reach out to me! I will fix any mistakes at no cost to you.

I will not share your pattern with anyone. I do not knit the patterns I edit unless I am gifted or purchase the pattern myself.
If you send me your pattern but end up not hiring me, your pattern will not be saved. If you do hire me, I will keep copies of your pattern for future reference, but they will not be shared.