Tech editing is an intensive review of a quilt pattern to ensure clarity, correctness, and consistency. It is essentially another brain double-checking the pattern to make sure everything is accurate and makes sense before it is published for customers.

I will:

• closely proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and edit for clarity and readability.

• make revision suggestions for sense and logic based on the indicated experience level of the pattern (e.g., beginner, intermediate, advanced).

• triple check all math, including the fabric requirements, cutting instructions, and written instructions, cross-checking across all three sections.

• examine the graphics and formatting for consistency and clarity.

• print and check any templates for size according to the pattern.

• make suggestions for improving accessibility for all customers.

You may choose to hire a technical editor to review your patterns to ensure the instructions make sense and that all the math is correct before publication, significantly reducing the risk of confusion and errors.

An editor saves you time and the headache of the fine proofreading and constant rechecking of the calculations that publishing requires. You can spend more of your precious energy on design and making and less on tedious editing!

Some designers choose to hire an editor before sending a pattern to testers to reduce the amount of labor they ask of their testers, and other designers choose to hire an editor as an alternative to using pattern testers.

When I edit a pattern, I generally work in four stages:

1. I print and read through the entire pattern to get a sense of the overall design and instructions. During this stage, I tend to mark grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors.

2. I do a second, more focused read through of the pattern. I start at the beginning and read through all instructions for clarity and consistency.

3. I check all math. I start by cross-checking the fabric requirements table with the cutting instructions table, and then I cross-check the cutting instructions with other numbers throughout the pattern (unit and block sizes, numbers of units and blocks, etc.). I use a calculator and double or triple check all equations to reduce the risk of data input errors.

4. I copy all of my notes to the PDF copy of the quilt pattern. Then I write a summary of my feedback, tally up the time I have spent working on the pattern, and send the marked PDF, summary, and time spreadsheet back to the designer.

Working in these stages ensures my eyes see every letter, number, and diagram in the pattern multiple times, which helps ensure I catch anything that needs catching!

Most quilt patterns take 2 to 4 hours to edit. The amount of time I spend on a pattern corresponds to the complexity of the pattern, including the number of color/fabric options and the number of size options. (More options = more math for me to check!) I will provide a time estimate based on a few details about your pattern so you know what to expect. The first time I work with a designer tends to take a little bit longer as I learn their writing and designing style.

I typically return a pattern within 5 business days (one week). I will ask if you have a timeline or deadlines you are working with to help plan my schedule.

I include one additional round of edits (up to 15 minutes) in the initial quoted services. This means that once I send the pattern edits back to you, you can make changes and ask me to look over the pattern again without accruing any additional charges.

Designers may choose to use this included second round of editing after they make changes and before sending their pattern to testers OR after the pattern has been tested and revised and is ready for publication. I recommend the second option as a way to get a final check for typos and consistency before final publication.

I believe in trying to make quilting as equitable as possible. For this reason, I choose to use a sliding scale pricing structure. Read more about the pricing structures here.