The checklist your tech editor wants you to use

You're a designer and you want your pattern to be in the best possible shape before you send it to your tech editor, right?

Of course you do! 

The better the quality of the pattern you send in, the better the quality of the pattern you get out. 

The more issues a tech editor has to fix, the more things that are potentially going to be missed. It will cost you more time and money. Patterns which come to a third-party publisher in bad shape don't help your reputation with them.

So, here's a checklist that your tech editor will thank you for following (and you'll thank yourself as well):

• Look at your pictures and make sure you include detail shots. Send them in the email to the tech editor if they aren't included in the pattern itself. The tech editor needs these to make sure that your instructions are making what's pictured in the sample. 

• All descriptions make sense. I know designers reuse templates a lot and sometimes you forget to update something.

• Layout is logical and clear and the pattern is consistent in style—for example, you might want to check your capitalization throughout and make sure you haven't used "rep to end" in one spot and "repeat to end" in another. 

• All needles listed are used and all needles used are listed.

• Gauge is listed stockinette stitch but also in stitch patterns used. It's really helpful to the tech editor to have the gauge in stitch pattern listed as well (really helpful is an understatement if you want them to be able to accurately check the finished measurements. Absolutely vital would be more accurate.)

• All notions are listed and in the correct amounts: buttons, ribbons, snaps, stitch holders, tapestry needles, etc. (Make sure you have button quantities correct for different sizes. I know I'm often guilty of listing the number of buttons I used in my sample, but not checking how many each size actually needs.)

• If there is an abbreviations section then check all abbreviations used in the pattern are listed. Remember special or unusual abbreviations including cables should always be listed.

• Pattern makes logical sense. Give it a quick read through and make sure all elements are there. Mittens should have thumbs, socks should have heels and toes, garments should have two sleeves and a neck opening, etc.

• Right side and wrong side are labelled correctly and follow on correctly (i.e. if Row 1 is a right side row then all odd numbered rows should be right side rows.)

• Rows are numbered correctly (particularly if a pattern says something like “Rows 10-20: Work 10 rows in pattern.”). If you have Rows X-Y then the number of rows worked is Y- X+1.

• Check all the numbers—look at pattern repeats working with the number of stitches in the rows and increases and decreases resulting in correct stitch counts. And please list the stitch counts after every change if possible. You can remove these before publishing but it helps the tech editor stay on the same track as you.

• Finishing instructions are listed and correct. Designers often miss listing a seam to be sewn or an area to be grafted.

• All necessary charts and schematics are included. If no schematic is going to be provided then you've got to have finished measurements listed somewhere.

• Charts match written instructions and chart keys are given and correct. All stitches shown in the key are used in the chart and all stitches shown in the chart are listed in the key. It's helpful to let your tech editor know if the written instructions have been generated by your charting software or not. (If they have been then most likely the tech editor does not need to do a line by line comparison with the chart and this is for the two of you to discuss.)

• Pattern sizing should be reasonable when held up to some sizing standard. Perhaps give the tech editor a heads up of what sizing standard you used or make sure you are following the one given to you by the publisher.

• Can you improve the clarity of the pattern in any way? Are there spots you are unsure about the phrasing? Point these out to your tech editor! Let them know your specifically worried about it. It might not raise a red flag with them otherwise and it's important that you get feedback (even if it's just a "looks good to me!") to ease your worries. 

Do you agree or disagree with the points above? Have I missed anything? How do you get your pattern ready for your tech editor? I'd love to hear from you, so feel free to leave a comment below!

Does reading this list make you think you might be a good tech editor? I've got a course for that!

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Joeli Kelly is the instructor for Learn to Tech Edit and the founder of the Tech Editor Hub. She is a self-belief coach who is obsessed with expanding what you believe is possible for yourself. You can find out more about her at www.joelikelly.com.

The truth about the role of a tech editor

What is the role of the technical editor in the process of producing a pattern? They receive the pattern from the designer or the publisher, and read it through line by line, working it in their head, going over all the math involved, making sure the numbers are right. They make sure the stitch patterns are correct and that the charts match the instructions.

When I first started editing, I thought our job was to make sure the pattern was correct as written, that what was printed on the page worked out mathematically and was easy to follow, and that’s it, all done. And it is that—the numbers in the instructions and the measurements they produce need to be correct on the page. But is that all? Are they the numbers the designer wants, just because the math works out? Is it our job to know what the designer wants, to question what is in front of us?

At first, I didn’t ask those questions. I checked the math and made sure it was right and that stitches and rows equaled the right measurements. It didn’t take me long, however, to realize that there is a lot more going on in a tech edit than checking for accuracy and clarity. That may not be true for all tech editors, but it certainly was for me. What exactly is the tech editor’s role? What is their responsibility to the designer and to the pattern?

RESPONSIBILITY TO THE DESIGNER

A tech editor’s goal is to help designers put out their best work and produce quality patterns. They also want to be sure the designer’s voice in the pattern is their own and matches what they are striving for. They have to be thinking about the maker too—my goal is always happy makers because ultimately makers being happy with a pattern is what will make my clients successful. Making that happen includes a lot more than just ensuring the pattern is correct as written and is easy to follow, and once a tech editor sees how much the pattern needs to accomplish, it obligates them to expand what they are looking for and what they check when editing that pattern.

There is the responsibility to the designer, but there is also a responsibility to the craft of making clothing and to the maker of that clothing. In our industry, the tech editor is a person in the process that is also bound by that responsibility. I maintain that it is our job as tech editors to do more than check what is in front of us, because we are where the buck stops in this process of creating patterns, and designers are counting on us to consider the maker’s needs,  to value what the designers are trying to accomplish in writing a pattern. We make sure the art of writing a pattern is its best. We respect both maker and designer by making sure the business of making clothing is done well.

RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ART OF MAKING CLOTHING

Consider what a maker is looking for in a pattern and from a designer—they want a pattern that will come out as they expect when they work it and that the project will be fun to do.

The instructions need to be clear and consistently done, as well as correct. This may lead a tech editor to check for consistency across a designer’s pattern portfolio and not just that one pattern, which might mean they help the designer write a style sheet, or consult their previously published patterns. This may lead to some conversation back and forth about establishing trust and cementing a designer’s voice in their pattern. These things help the maker along and get them to trust the designer, but they also make the pattern easy to follow and fun to do!

The finished item needs to look like the picture. This may lead a tech editor to work a little bit of a repeat or a bind off or a shaping section, to be sure the instructions have it right. It may lead them to research yarn characteristics, stitches, cables, or shaping constructions, to be sure the finishing instructions are clear as to what the photo shows. A pattern can be written so it will produce what it states and be correct, but not match the picture the maker was promised. Watch out!

The item has to fit as the designer intends. This element of tech editing is often missed. Patterns can be correctly written but produce poor fit, and the designer doesn’t want that, and it will not make for a happy maker.

Why does fit often get missed? Tech editors (rightly so) work hard to respect the designer’s autonomy over their work, and they recognize that it is not the tech editor’s place to change their pattern or take any ownership over it. And fit is certainly something that is subjective in the design process—a design is intended to fit and look a certain way, and that is the designer’s call, 100 percent.

So, not all tech editors think to question fit, or even check for it. They do the math of the pattern and it produces the measurements it produces and they call it good. The pattern is correct. But part of checking a pattern, part of checking all those measurements, is checking the grading to ensure that the measurements on the pattern actually reflect the fit the designer intended in their process—to make sure their intended fit is indeed coming through in the instructions. And that is entirely objective, and does not take anything away from the designer’s voice or ownership of their work. It is, in fact, supporting their work and their choices!

Interested in learning more about grading or learning to grade? Click HERE!

CHECKING FOR GOOD FIT

This doesn’t mean all tech editors grade patterns, or even need to know how to grade patterns. You don’t have to know how to grade to check the grading for accuracy. Checking grading means seeing what ease was applied to all the body points in the sample size and making sure that the same ease was applied in all the sizes. It also means checking the sample size for things that seem off—like a neckline that is wide when the photo shows a close crew neck, or an upper arm so tight it wouldn’t make sense in that size.

This checking practice is simply using tools, like construction resources and body size charts, to determine if the fit is what is intended based on the sample. This is also part of the correctness of a pattern! Remember that what the maker wants is to get what they expect. This is based on the pattern pictures they have seen or the gauge listed in the pattern—those things need to come true when the work is done.

Just like you would check to make sure the cables are leaning the proper way, the ribbing is the right pattern, or the chart matches the written instructions, the fit also needs to be checked. I would go so far as to say that fit may be the most important thing to be checked, far above cables and ribbing, and not the thing that is overlooked or forgotten. If a clothing pattern doesn’t fit, it hardly matters that cables cross the same way or ribbing is instructed correctly.

Please check the grades in your clients’ patterns. Check for correctness in fit. Because if the fit is off, even if the numbers work out, the pattern is not correct. 

Ask your clients for the following in each pattern:

·         What is their sample size?

·         What ease did they apply (and want) for each body point in the sample?

·         What sizing chart did they use to base their grading and design?

·         Are there any specific issues they had in grading that need to be addressed?

PRODUCING A GREAT PATTERN

Our responsibility as tech editors is to our client, to help them produce a clear and correct pattern, to check to make sure the maker will have a smooth experience working the pattern, to make sure the pattern supports the designer's vision and communicates what they want to share—the design, the fit, their voice, and their style.

A technical editor’s role is to check that a pattern is clear, correct, consistent, and concise, and that encompasses a lot more than making sure the math on the page works out. There is a lot in a pattern that has to be right for it to produce a beautiful item and for it to be a happy experience for the maker. The math and words have to be right for the pattern, not just right on the page. Well done style and proper grading are the nuances that make these patterns great and allow them to stand the test of time. Making sure this is accomplished is our role, and our responsibility, when we pick up that pencil.

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Kristina McGrath is a knitting tech editor and designer consultant who is passionate about size inclusivity and well-written patterns. You can find out more about her at https://www.kristinamcgrath.com/

What is pattern grading?

Grading is the process of creating a range of sizes from a single sample size in a garment design. Grading is also commonly called sizing or multi-sizing a pattern, making it larger and smaller to fit the body sizes the design is intended for in the same way that the sample size does, with all the same design elements and style. It is a skill that requires the knowledge of garment construction, design, and fit, as well as the necessary technical skills specific to the area of garment production (ready-to-wear, sewing patterns, knitting/crochet patterns).

When does grading happen?

Grading comes after all design decisions have been made, most importantly after a test garment or sample is finished and the fit and design eases are confirmed. Depending on how the garment will be produced, the pattern for that one size may also be written or drawn out before the grading process begins.

How is grading done?

Here is where the process gets its name: grading is accomplished by using grade rules. These are measurements applied at specific points of the pattern to increase or decrease the total size by a particular measurement, which is also called a grade.

Grading in flat pattern

paper sewing pattern pieces graded to 4 sizes

In garment manufacturing and in the sewing industry, pattern graders apply grades and size specifications to each flat pattern piece systematically to produce all the sizes required. Grading is often done using specialized computer software, but it can be done manually using rulers and other tools to cut and spread or shift the base pattern to produce the sizes. Each size has its own set of pattern pieces that are then used to cut out the fabric and construct or manufacture the garment.

Grading for flat pattern does not change the shape of the base design, but only increases or decreases the size. This means that there often needs to be more than one sample made to accommodate the changing body shapes as the sizes increase or decrease.

Grading for knitting and crochet patterns

In garments that are made with yarn, the fabric is produced at the same time as the garment pieces, so there are no physical pattern pieces used in the garment production. Instead, the grader (which can be the designer or a technical editor) uses spreadsheet calculations to apply the grade rules to the sample pattern measurements. They then write the pattern instructions that will reproduce the design for the various body sizes, including a schematic drawing and/or table that illustrates the finished measurements (and sometimes more instructions).

schematic table for a knitting pattern

Grading for designs made with yarn is more flexible than in flat pattern because the grader is working with numbers and calculations, not physical patterns. Thus, there is rarely a need to make multiple samples and the shape of the garment can be easily adjusted so the finished pattern fits all the sizes well. 

Want to know if your knitting or crochet design is ready for grading? Read more here.

What grading is not

Grading is not adding or subtracting the same amount of design ease at every part of the pattern, nor applying the same percentage change everywhere.

As body sizes increase and decrease, the various body parts do not increase/decrease at the same rate. For example, if a chest circumference increases from one size to the next by 2”/5 cm, the neck circumference may only increase by ⅛”/0.3 cm. So adding the same 4”/10 cm of design ease at both the chest and neck as the sizes increase would yield a catastrophically ill-fitting garment.

What is a “good grade”?

• A well-graded pattern results in the same fit for all the body sizes. In each size, the neckline is proportional to the neck, the cuffs and hem all end at the same point on the body, and fit in the arms, chest, and hips are all the same. 

• A well-graded pattern also takes every design detail and scales it correctly to the body size: trims, pockets, cuff depths all will match the sample size in style.

• A well-graded pattern is inclusive in its size range. It is available for all body sizes in the market that the pattern is being sold to; no body size is excluded.

Want to learn how to grade knitting and crochet patterns?

Sign up here to be notified when our Masterclass on Grading opens for enrollment.

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Sarah Walworth is an instructor for A Masterclass on Grading and the owner of the Tech Editor Hub. She is a tech editor, knitting instructor, and loves to solve grading problems. You can find out more about her at www.sarahwalworth.com.

Is my pattern ready to grade?

When you are designing, there are many tasks to accomplish before publishing, and it helps to have things lined up so you don’t have to backtrack and lose momentum in your process. This post outlines all the aspects of a design to have in place and/or have completed before you sit down to that spreadsheet and begin figuring out the instructions for your size range. Scroll down for a PDF download of this article you can keep on hand to help streamline your design process!

There are seven important aspects of a design that need to be in place before you can begin grading. If you don’t have these finished, you might get halfway through your grading and have to go complete these tasks in order to grade your pattern more easily. Stay a step ahead and think through or gather all this information so you can grade without any issues.

Design intention

First and foremost, put some thought into whether or not your design can be easily graded into multiple sizes, so that every size can have the same outcome and end up with something that matches your sample. Consider:

• Is there anything in your design that might make it a more difficult task?

• Is there a large motif that may need to be modified to fit a larger or smaller size?

• Does a motif need to end or begin on a certain part of the body in order for it to work?

• Is there asymmetry that ends on a part of the body that would be difficult to calculate?

• Will certain fit aspects need to have special consideration such as oversized or a negative ease garment?

None of these aspects are deal breakers for grading, but they may require more time to problem solve. You may also have to decide how to present the design to your customers in a way that holds true to your design intention if these aspects make a different result across sizes.

Note: Under no circumstance would we recommend limiting your size range because of any of these aspects. It is always worthwhile to have an extensive size range for your design so every size person can make it!

Second, get very clear on what exactly your design will look like on a person. How will it fit the body, the head, the foot, or the hand? Is it relaxed, oversized, or fitted? Where on the body do the various parts of your design sit or where do you intend for the hems or cuffs to end? It may help to have sketches of your design on various body sizes if you are making a garment. Write all of the fit aspects down in one place so that when you are grading, you can cross check that you have met your design intention.

Third, make note also of where your customers can customize their creation. Will they be able to modify length, width, or circumference of various parts to better fit their own bodies?

Stitch patterns

 Calculate how your stitch patterns fit into your pattern and into the fabric of your design. Consider:

• What are the stitch multiples?

• Are there mirroring stitch patterns for left and right?

• Are there edge stitches that need to be included into the total stitch count at various parts of the design?

Carefully record all the stitch patterns used in your design, where they are used, and how various patterns might flow or fit together.

Gauge

Before you can begin any grading tasks, you must have very accurate information on the gauges of all the stitch patterns used in your design. You can gather this from your finished sample or from a large stitch pattern swatch.  You can get the most accurate gauge from a finished sample (because you most likely will have more surface area to measure). Measure a large portion in the stitch patterns at various points and record this information in your measurement system (inches or centimeters).

Note: We highly recommend that you complete an entire sample of your design before you begin the grading process. While it is not imperative to complete this step before grading, you’ll most likely save yourself a lot of time and headache if you have a completed sample. If the sample is completely finished, then you would have already worked out some of the kinks and problems in the design and therefore your grading process will be smoother. (And you will avoid having to create a second sample!)

Sample measurements

If your design sample has been completed, take detailed measurements of the piece at all the various points that will require sizing. You can use these numbers later to begin to build your schematic information for your customers. For garments, this might be:

• neckline

• back neck width

• shoulder width

• armhole depth

• sleeve length from underarm

• body length

• length to various shaping

• width or length of trims and bands

Keep your design sample on hand so you can refer to it during grading. If you are sending your design to a tech editor to grade, take a lot of pictures of the sample with a ruler so your tech editor can have a way to confirm measurements and use them to determine sizing.

Design ease

Next, compare your sample measurements to the body size that will be your sample size. The positive or negative number at various points is considered the “design ease”. Record these numbers carefully. When you begin grading, this design ease will be applied across sizes so you can calculate your finished garment measurements before calculating stitch and row/round counts and shaping.

Sample stitch counts and instructions

This information is most important for when you are writing the pattern, but can happen at different times in the design process depending on how you design.

Some designers completely figure all the stitch counts and row/round counts and instructions before they begin the sample creation. This method works especially well if you are using a sample knitter or crocheter as part of your design process. Other designers use their sample creation as part of the design process to hone and work out all of their ideas on the needle or hook.

Whichever type of designer you are, the actual stitch counts, row/round counts, increases and decreases, and all the shaping information has to be put into a format for the pattern instructions. Some designers do this in a spreadsheet that they use for grading that then can be exported into a document. Others just use a document that they update as they work through the design process.

Ultimately you need exact instructions for what your customers do with a hook or needle to produce the design for themselves. At this stage of the process, it’s best to have all the sample information completed so you can begin to think about instructions for all the sizes as you grade.

Body size chart

Your body size chart is the foundation of your sizing process. Choose a size chart that has enough body points on it to meet your design needs. For instance, if you are designing something with a lot of shaping, you will need a chart that has more than a few simple points on it. Here are some free body size charts available online:
Ysolda Teague has published an extensive sizing chart for women.

Extensive knitting size charts for men, women, and children including standards for ease:  www.KnitItNow.com

Children’s size charts for a variety of clothes and apparel: www.childrenssizechart.com

Eileen Casey’s tables of standard measurements: www.eileencaseycreations.com

Craft Yarn Council’s standard body measurements: www.craftyarncouncil.com

Jill Wolcott developed these sizing charts based on years of experience in the clothing industry.

WoollyWormhead on hat sizing: www.woollywormhead.com/sizing

Children’s hat sizing: www.tottoppers.com/sizing/

Optional things

You may find it helpful to start to set up a grading spreadsheet before you begin to grade. This may help you begin to think about all the parts of your design and how they need to be sized.

Many tech editors and designers gather book and online resources that directly relate to design they are working on: helps for the construction, shaping formulas, tips and even other patterns they know work well.

To sum up

Getting your design ready to grade isn’t difficult. It may only take a little organization of the information you already have ready in your design process: your design intention, your stitch pattern information and gauges, your sample measurements, and the size chart you want to use to grade.

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Sarah Walworth is an instructor for A Masterclass on Grading and the owner of the Tech Editor Hub. She is a tech editor, knitting instructor, and loves to solve grading problems. You can find out more about her at www.sarahwalworth.com.