[NFB-Blind-Crafters] Pattern Testing

Sat Jan 11 01:48:37 UTC 2025

Hi ReNae,

I can assure you that all of the designers writing these patterns are being educated. We've established a set of standards for them to follow, and to be listed on either Ravelry or in the AccessiblePatternsIndex.com, these standards must be met.

I think what you may have missed is that if a pattern is edited for accessibility before it has been tested and tech edited for errors, it then has to be re-edited all over again for accessibility, which is a lot of work for nothing. That is why the accessibility editing, wether it is being done by the designer, an accessibility editor like myself, or perhaps by a tech editor, takes place only after a pattern has been tested, corrected, and checked for errors by the tech editor. When I work with a magazine, budgets are very tight, and there is no extra money to pay for editing twice, and the same is true for an independent designer who rarely makes anything profit on a pattern.

My site is the AccessiblePatternsIndex.com. I do not have a facebook page because I do not find it accessible to my own visual challenges. I speak for other groups, including this one! But I do not know how the discussion from a few years ago might be archived. I talk to knitters, tech editors, designers, and most recently I gave a presentation for The Weaving Way community. Any money I am paid goes to support the cost of hosting the Index.

If you google my name, several of my podcast interviews are available to listen to. Cindwood Looms has one or two I believe. Tech Tip Talk, Making Stories Magazine, and I think there is one from a few years ago that I did for Indie Untangled during the Reinbeck Festival. I do try to get the word out.

Will also mention that I'm a bit older with several debilitating illnesses, so health is always a challenge for me, but I am determined to keep the index going. I sell a recorded class for designers to take as another way to support the index. I've worked with Ravelry to establish all of the visual accessibility search features as well as medical search features and a medical category, and I maintain these as a volunteer as well. You can find me in the Loom Knitters and Loom-a-long groups on Ravelry as a moderator.

Renee Van Hoy

Renee Van Hoy
Accessibility Consultant
Renee Van Hoy Designs & Consulting

________________________________
From: mother27dragon at gmail.com <mother27dragon at gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2025 12:32 PM
To: 'Renee Van Hoy' <rvanhoy at hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Pattern Testing

This is interesting.  I don’t search for accessibility, as I feel all designers need to be educated and not all patterns later adjusted.  I personally reach out to the designers I often use and always have great results to this.  Abbreviations are not an issue, mainly the showing something in a diagram or photo is what I find hard.

Where would I find any of your posts?  Is this on your own Facebook page or something?

Thanks,

ReNae

From: Renee Van Hoy <rvanhoy at hotmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2025 11:49 AM
To: mother27dragon at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Pattern Testing

Hi ReNae,

I've done presentations, posts and lots of other promotions over the year. I speak on podcasts and do all I can to let people know about the index and the work the designers have been doing, so I am sad to hear you didn't know about it - but thrilled that you do now. I hope you enjoy exploring the wonderful patterns. I'm a loom knitting designer, and I also have accessible classes that I've recorded as well as patterns, if you enjoy loom knitting.

Renee

Renee Van Hoy

Accessibility Consultant

Renee Van Hoy Designs & Consulting

________________________________

From: mother27dragon at gmail.com<mailto:mother27dragon at gmail.com> <mother27dragon at gmail.com<mailto:mother27dragon at gmail.com>>
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2025 10:42 AM
To: 'List for Blind Crafters and Artists' <nfb-blind-crafters at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfb-blind-crafters at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: 'Renee Van Hoy' <rvanhoy at hotmail.com<mailto:rvanhoy at hotmail.com>>
Subject: RE: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Pattern Testing

This is good to know.  I never knew this and am glad that designers are becoming more aware.  I am surprised that we haven’t heard of this until now, at least I haven’t 😉

Thank you,

ReNae

From: NFB-Blind-Crafters <nfb-blind-crafters-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfb-blind-crafters-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Renee Van Hoy via NFB-Blind-Crafters
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2025 10:57 AM
To: nfb-blind-crafters at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfb-blind-crafters at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Renee Van Hoy <rvanhoy at hotmail.com<mailto:rvanhoy at hotmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Pattern Testing

Hi Everyone! I'd like to remind you that there is an entire group of designers on and off of Ravelry devoted to writing visually accessible patterns. Please try to support them when ever possible. To find the patterns on ravelry, use the search terms:

Screen Reader

and

Low Vision.

The screen reader search will be the best for those of you who use screen readers. One caution: often non-English speakers will add this term to a pattern not understanding how it is meant to be used. They think a pattern read on a screen is a screen reader pattern. I am the special editor on Ravelry for accessible and medical patterns, and along with other editors, we try very hard to remove these quickly.

If you find a screen reader pattern, it must include a statement in the pattern notes that describes in detail what makes it screen reader pattern. It should tell you that abbreviations have been removed, that you can make the pattern without using a chart, and how the pattern has been tested on a screen reader. If you don't find the statement, which is often at the very end of the notes, do not trust that pattern. For example, I found one this morning that says alt text, but nothing about the abbreviations or any testing. I'm going to scold that designer, but that is not a pattern I would trust.

Regarding testing:

I have been training designers and magazines for many years now on how to write accessible patterns. That process takes place after the pattern has been fully tested and edited by a tech editor and submitted to a proof reader. We are the last step in the process so that the pattern you get is an accurate pattern. To see this in action, you might take a look at Moorit Magazine, a beautiful crochet magazine from Scotland. It has two separate accessible issues. One is a large print issue, and the other a screen reader issue. Every word and every photo of the magazine has been re-written and re-formatted to make it accessible. But I do scramble for the deadline every 6 months, as I get the patterns often just a few weeks before the publication date!

For those of you who do not use Ravelry, please remember I have the AccessiblePatternsIndex.com for you. I'm a little behind in adding new patterns due to some health issues, but there are hundreds of resources listed for you to explore and enjoy on this free site. I'll also add a plug for any donations to support the hosting for the site, which is not free. Last year we had an angel who paid for all of our hosting fees, but this past year, we haven't had any donations. Please support the designers and the index if you are able.

Any questions? Just ask!

Renee Van Hoy

Renee Van Hoy

Accessibility Consultant

Renee Van Hoy Designs & Consulting

________________________________

From: NFB-Blind-Crafters <nfb-blind-crafters-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfb-blind-crafters-bounces at nfbnet.org>> on behalf of nfb-blind-crafters-request at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfb-blind-crafters-request at nfbnet.org> <nfb-blind-crafters-request at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfb-blind-crafters-request at nfbnet.org>>
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Subject: NFB-Blind-Crafters Digest, Vol 6, Issue 10

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Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2025 08:42:12 -0500
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Subject: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Pattern testing
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During Tuesday's class, ReNae mentioned that she has done some pattern
testing.  That's when designers have people test their pattern before it
gets published.  I think it would be great to have some blind people testing
patterns and giving designers feedback.  For instance, ReNae told the
designer that the photos showing how to put the project together didn't work
for her, and the designer then included a description of how to do it.

I'd love to hear how a person can get started with pattern testing, and any
experiences people have with it.  I read a bit on Google, and testers get
the pattern for free, and get to try something different, though there's a
deadline.  And designers want testers with a variety of skill levels, so you
don't have to be the greatest to do it.

I think it would be an interesting and useful project to explore.

Tracy

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