Am I the only one disappointed with a lot of the quilt patterns we see today? Not just quilts, but totes,wall hangings etc.
Patterns are not cheap & many times, all it consists of is a small piece of paper with written how to's.I've even bought a pattern that was a 1/2 sheet.No pics,no drawings & the scantiest "directions" ever.
Thinking the books may be the better bargain. At least books have pics & can be found on sale.One LQS said they've had complaints.I'm lucky in that I don't need patterns,but if you do...check them out.
BTW.....any pattern by Eleanor Burns will be detailed.She does good work.

I agree...I bought one for a diaper bag tote a couple of weeks before I had surgery. I opened it up and it had a picture like it was some type of panel and about 1/2page of actual insructions. I am a visual quilter and rarely use patterns unless it is the first time I made something. I had my daughter return it for me ( can't drive yet). She said they gave her a hard time, but, with gentle persausion(spelling) she got my money back. I will resort to magazines and books. But I find there have been alot of issuses with quality lately. The batting seems thinner and more expensive, the fabric seems thinner or something, notions have increased in price and I seem to have to drive further to get everything or order it online.

I've had a pattern that had the wrong cutting directions!! talk about being upset, I got if worked out but went back to the LQS and found the pattern had been pulled!! No I didn't get me money back......I'm stickiing with mags or just making them up as I go. As you go is such fun!!

Long before I started trying to quilt I was buying books with patterns of various blocks. I had no idea then how to put the blocks together. They are mostly what I've been using to make my projects. Now, I'm so glad I made those purchases. Thank you for sharing about today's patterns.

Books and magazines are the best, alot more to choose from. Price per pattern is alot less.

Speaking of patterns, is there a way to just print a pattern from a tutorial? I've found some things I'd like to make but don't want to print out each step of the process. I just want the cutting sizes and piecing directions. I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to do this.

I just bought the printed pattern for BentoBox quilt. The cutting instructions are very difficult to follow. It's a very simple pattern and beginner recommended. Hah!! No beginner could follow these cutting directions.

I would like to know if this is possible also. Need something I can carry to my sewing room.

The tutorials on this message board are the best but I'm with all of you....a visual learner. So I open a word document and cut and paste the tutorials. Since many tutorials have full size pictures, the word document allows me to open up the margins so more text is on each page and then to shrink the pictures and make it all one cohesive tutorial with fewer pages. That way, I save and print it out so I can take it with me to my sewing machine. Thank you all for all the help you give us.

I happened to buy two tote bag/purse patterns by Lazy Girl Designs and they are like small magazines. lots of pics and in color too. I was very happy!

I am glad you created this post. I wondered what the standard format is for quilt patterns and what quilters expect from a quilt pattern. I would like to see the pattern start with step 1, then 2, then 3. Tell me exactly what to do in that step. Some patterns seem to have chatter in them and I don't know where to apply the chatter in what I am suppose to do.
I value our tutorials because the photos help me so much. I am a visual person.