Testing. Testing.

UPDATE: Whoa, what a response! I think we're all set with testers, so thank you very much for your overwhelming response! I will try to reply to everyone with a confirmation or a nay, first come first served. Thank you, everyone! If this goes smoothly maybe we can make it a regular thing, and that way everyone will have an opportunity to test a pattern or two somewhere down the road.

Well, I wasn't planning to do this, but I think it's worth a try. It's truly a test:

I have fourteen draft copies of the Oliver + S patterns available for testing.

Here are the terms:

1. Test patterns are available in size 3-6 months and size 5 only. I'll try to accommodate specific requests within those parameters, but if you agree to test a pattern please accept whatever pattern and size is available.

2. Testers must live inside the U.S. (due to time constraints; sorry)

3. Garment must be finished and tester's questionnaire returned to me within two weeks of receipt. I'll send everything via Priority Mail just as quickly as I can, but please take the holidays into account if you're going to be busy or travelling! (Most patterns don't take that long to complete, but please allow yourself enough time to finish within the two week deadline.)

4. You don't need to send me the finished garment, but I would appreciate getting a few photos of it when you're finished, especially if you can find someone who actually wears that size so we can see how the size grading looks on a variety of little bodies.

5. In order to be a tester, you should be at least an Advanced Beginning seamstress (I hate that word, but "sewer" looks so, I don't know, sewage related...). I define Advanced Beginner as someone who as sewn from a pattern before or has taken a few classes and/or has completed several projects.

6. Testers must be detail oriented. You must be willing to take some time to finish the garment, complete the three-page testing questionnaire and, hopefully, track down someone to wear the finished garment and/or take some photos of that garment.


And since those are some pretty heavy requirements, here's what I offer in return:

1. You'll get to be among the first people to make an Oliver + S pattern! And I'll listen to everything you have to say, good or bad, about them. Consider yourself one of my closest advisers, if you like.

2. You get to keep the draft pattern and the finished garment.

3. You get to pick two printed patterns from the collection, which I'll send when they arrive in February.

4. And I'll even throw in a little fabric, just for fun. Who knows what it will be, but I'll try to make it something interesting.

Ready? Email me if you fit all of the requirements and are ready to go: liesl@oliverands.com. I'll post again when all the patterns are gone.

And thank you! It will be interesting to see how this little test works out for all of us.