Many years ago, I thought my career would be in engineering, specifically biomedical engineering, as it combined my love for math and science with a heavy dose of logic and concise communication. My path changed when I married and chose to stay home with our future children. Remnants of my engineering background remained, and the friendships forged in college continued. One of those engineering friends taught me how to knit during her visit to meet my first baby girl, and I was quickly enamored. Knitting provided me with the creative outlet I had desired but in a portable attainable way. I could pick up and set down projects.
As our children increased in numbers and grew in their independence, I became part of an incredible online knitting group. They encouraged me to develop my technical skills as a knitter. As I grew in confidence, I sought out new challenges. Test knitting seemed like the perfect next-step opportunity – practical in the economic savings and alluring as I was among the first to try a new design.
In science terminology, I tested the designer’s theory of how the garment would fit, how the fabric would flow, how the materials would integrate into the design, whether the listed supplies would be sufficient, and the outcome consistent with the variability of a larger pool of knitters. The entire process was beautiful. I couldn’t help but write precise notes, which became the starting point for my journey into tech editing.
Subsequently, several independent designers encouraged me to pursue technical editing and determine if it fit my innate skill set. Flash forward to now, and I am pleased to say it was and continues to be a fulfilling career.
~Becky
Becky Monahan 