How do you go about getting work overseas?

How do I go about getting more knitting work?

• Seeking tips on finding more pattern testing and sample knitting opportunities (preferably compensated in money or goods). I'm an experienced hand knitter. Currently, I occasionally test patterns/knit samples for an online yarn store, who gives me free yarn in return for my work. I will be reducing my work schedule soon at my job and will have more time to knit. Some of this time is going to be devoted to starting to design my own patterns, but I would love to get more testing and sample knitting jobs to either make a little money or to get free yarn/supplies to use while working on developing my own designs. An unpaid gig would be worthwhile if it was for a magazine, book, or designer that would look especially good on my knitting "resume." Otherwise, I would really only be willing to do compensated work since I already have experience doing so. Ravelry has given me some tips (which is where I found the business that I currently knit for sometimes), but I haven't come up with many ways other than knowing pattern designers personally or being a quasi-well known craft blogger/designer. I don't think the local yarn shops are seeking any testers because their samples all seem to come from the major yarn companies, not in-house knitters. (In case anyone was going to suggest any crochet-related advice, I can't crochet at all beyond trimming knits). Does anyone have any tips for getting more opportunities in pattern testing and sample knitting?

• Answer:

  I have done this work in crochet and in my experience, while some pattern testing includes some tech editing (like checking stitch count and gauge), pattern testing and tech editing are two very different things. The work I have done has been directly for the designers, who pay me in money, not goods. You can buy the supplies you want, you should be receiving money for this work--it's not easy and if you calculate it hourly, pays well below minimum. Though, as you said, it has other compensations. You might also contact or join TKGA (The Knitting Guild of America). It is through their sister group, the CGOA, that I found much of the work I have gotten. Also, local guild chapters and online forums other than Ravelry (though Ravelry is a good one, too, of course). I agree that you should contact publishers directly and if they are no help, ask if they'll pass your resume along to their knitting book writers--start with the publishers of the big name knit designers, Nicki Epstein, Melissa Leapman, Lily Chin, etc. You should know, though, that they often have favorite pattern testers that they use first, but they also need to keep a back up list, so you may have a shot there. One other area to try would be contacting yarn companies directly. They often send samples for the yarn stores to use and might have a need for pattern testers, especially the larger companies that also offer pattern collections and free patterns on their websites, like Berocco and Lion Brand. Though I might want to start with higher-end yarns first... Good luck!