MKAL - Game of Thrones

I am participating in a MKAL through Jimmy Beans Wool on Ravelry.  For those who need a translation this means:  a Jimmy Beans Wool designer a has proposed "Mystery Knit A Long (MKAL).  The theme is from Game of Thrones, a very popular book and HBO series.  The mystery is we have no idea what the designer has in mind.  We get a new clue once a week for 5 or 6 weeks and happily or fearfully knit, trusting we will recognise the item at the end.  Whether it is something we will ever use is not the point.  It is the experience of mystery and stretching our skill set we are chasing (at least it is for me).   There are apparently some 500 individuals who are participating in this and the skill range runs the gamut from beginners to seasoned beta knit testers who have no fear of plowing there way through any thing because they have this incredibly broad skill set from which to draw when things get wonky.  This MKAL is on the website, Ravelry.  Ravelry is a knit and crochet social networking site and one of the best  social networking sites I've ever seen.  Absolutely brilliant and free.   Everything was just honky-dory until Clue #4.  Then all hell broke loose and the "we all play nice" gloves came off.

Clues 1-3 were pretty simple knit/purl in the round stuff.  Clue #3 added short rows for some shaping which caused some of the beginner knitters a crisis in confidence.  But everyone made it through.  The forum provides chat, feedback, pictures and encouragement.  There were some very seasoned knitters that provided advice, pictures and were the vanguard - they also managed to knit the entire damn first 3 clues in less than 15 minutes.  Personally, I think some of them have magic knitting wands - but that is a separate issue.  Clue #4 got a bit tricky - you have to separate the front from the back, start knitting flat and do this birds eye lace piece and oh yes....add some button holes on either side.  Just to add some spice - the instructions were wrong, some lines of instructions were missing and .....well......the designer was at a wedding.  Between last night and this morning there were some 200+ comments about this clue and some of the opinions were less than courteous.  It seems everyone has an opinion about Clue #4.  Typically, both sides have valid points. 

Crazysalad had this to say: 

Everyone is so patient and expects so little. Not me. I expected the instructions to have been written in advance, tested and proofread. Some of the knitters seem to feel that the designer is offering this Mystery KAL as an act of charity. Jimmy Bean’s is a multi-million dollar company that is taking advantage of a hugely popular TV show. At least 500 knitters joined, many of them purchasing (as I did) Jimmy Bean’s own custom-dyed yarn specified in the pattern. I assumed that all the blog postings were prepared and ready to go BEFORE the first clue was even published. I never dreamed that we’d have to wait for someone to recover from a family wedding to post the 4th clue two hours late.
As for the mistakes in the pattern…
When you offer a Mystery KAL, it is essential that the instructions are crystal clear because we are following BLINDLY. We have no pictures. We don’t even know what the finished object is. We are trusting that, at least, the instructions are correct. We follow on faith.


Lilb had this to say in response: 

I think everyone here has had patterns where there are errors. I’ve been a beta tester for knitting/needlework/beading patterns for years & it ALWAYS happens. The most common types are the one we had with the lace “I knew what to do so it just slipped my mind to put it in” I’ve seen that on almost every pattern I’ve checked & done it myself more times than I can count when trying to write out instructions or teach someone a new technique (I’m no designer, having the ‘honor’ of having FLUNKED kindergarten art & I’ve got the report card to prove it). To expect perfection all the time is unreasonable especially when the person posting the pattern in a KAL is in the middle of a big, happy family event.

I think these two individuals pretty well represent the two sides and are both correct.  Most of the other commentary is clarifications or comments on the comments.  Having designed a couple of things - it is amazing what gets overlooked, or isn't clear in the instructions when it is all so clear in one's own mind.  Test knitters catch all kinds of things.  Knitting patterns often end up with mistakes some knitter out there catches after dozens have knitted it up without comment.  Experienced knitters often just wing it, fiddle, or go their own way when they run into a confusing bit and mistakes don't get noticed until some new knitter tries to follow the instructions literally.  This MKAL has some 500 test knitters of different skills levels and I have to agree a greater attention to detail and clarity in the 4th clue would have been appropriate and helpful.  I also agree that to expect perfection is unrealistic.  But above all - I would expect courtesy which is so much a part of the Ravelry experience.

One of the things I have always appreciated is the courtesy, support and generous sharing of experience and skills on the Ravelry website.  While Clue #4 definately had some instruction difficulties, time and good intent on the part of the designer (and the other eperienced knitters) would and is making it all come out correctly.

In the meantime, some rules from the road of life:

Patience is a virtue
I don't think everything that can be said, should be said. 
Our moods shouldn't dictate our manners.
Criticize in private and praise in public.