Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
When making a pattern...my suggestion.... >

When making a pattern...my suggestion....

When making a pattern...my suggestion....

Thread Tools
 
Old 07-01-2016, 09:12 AM
  #11  
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Victorian Sweatshop Forum
Posts: 4,096
Default

Every pattern I've gotten from Connecting Threads has the fabrics listed in order with a pic of the fabric used. Makes it easy to substitute my own fabrics if I wish to do so.

Cari
Cari-in-Oly is offline  
Old 07-01-2016, 09:34 AM
  #12  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
Default

Originally Posted by LTeachergeorge View Post
I work part time at the LQS, and it is my understanding that pattern designers are hired by the fabric companies to make patterns as examples of the fabric line. I know my boss asks if there is a pattern to go with the fabric. Once a sample is in the store, we sell more of the fabric. Many of the fabric companies have free downloads on their websites. Hope this helps, and yes, it is very irritating not knowing what color each piece is.

Linda in Missouri
Yes, I notice this a LOT when I download the freebies from the fabric sites.
This is why I love books so much as when they give the yardage cutting instructions it is often given in generic decriptive terms such as "dark brown" print or "light blue solid" etc to give a generic description of the sample in the picture. Pam Bono color codes things nicely in her patterns.
feline fanatic is offline  
Old 07-02-2016, 09:46 AM
  #13  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
Watson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,349
Default

Update to my original post I decided I liked the pattern enough that I would chase all over the internet trying to match up the numbers with the pictures and bought the pattern anyway.
To my surprise, when I received the pattern PDF, there were pictures of the fabric beside the code numbers!
I wonder how many sales they have lost because people didn't know this was going to be the case? I know I almost didn't buy it.
Anyhow, I now have a new pattern to play with and will wait until my LQS has their annual 30% off sale to buy the 12 FQ's that it takes.

Lesson learned is to ask next time if there are pics of the fabric on the pattern.

Watson

Last edited by QuiltnNan; 09-09-2016 at 10:13 AM.
Watson is offline  
Old 07-02-2016, 11:16 AM
  #14  
Junior Member
 
UncleGravy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 181
Default

Just to clarify... the fabric requirements were listed on the website? Like on the product detail page? And they were also listed in the pattern, but the pattern has swatches along with the SKUs? Or was this a pattern in a LQS?
UncleGravy is offline  
Old 07-03-2016, 03:55 AM
  #15  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 17,636
Default

this has been a pet peeve of mine for a lonnng time and I kept thinking
somebody (a designer), would address it sooner.
If they only knew the number of patterns that ppl turn away from and
just dismiss, (albeit beautiful),,...there are those of us
that just say, "Forget it. I can find something else I like."
This change has been way overdue.
I could hug you Watson for bringing it to the light and I hope the
designers start addressing it.
Mousie is offline  
Old 07-03-2016, 04:26 AM
  #16  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Winchester, VA
Posts: 1,552
Default

Originally Posted by dunster View Post
I have the a similar problem with a well known paper piecing designer's patterns, but in reverse. She gives yardage amounts for each fabric, but identifies them as "medium background 1" and "medium background 2". I have no idea from looking at the pattern how to match these up with actual parts of the design. I wind up spending a lot of time matching up pattern pieces to the pattern, going to the pattern to find out what fabrics I'm supposed to use with those pieces, and developing my own diagram of where "medium background 1" belongs in the design. To make it worse, she will then mix up the terms, so what was once "medium dark" becomes "dark". Her designs are beautiful, and well worth the extra work to decipher the directions, but I just wish it were more clear to begin with.
DUNSTER - I wholeheartedly agree!!!!! A friend signed me up for a class with this particular paper piecing guru's pattern. I spend almost 2 hours with a WONDERFUL LQS owner who is great with fabrics and colors, and at the end, we had NO IDEA where in the pattern the 12 - 1/4 yard and 1/8 yard pieces went. Pattern was for a Hoffman collection back in 2013 - not colors I wanted to use, even if they WERE still available, which they are not. I agree that fabric designers want pattern makers to use their collections, but in addition to those, they need to understand that people buy the patterns long after the collections have finished their runs!!
Shorebird is offline  
Old 07-03-2016, 05:06 AM
  #17  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 5,901
Default

I've never thought of it like that. I always think patterns that give exact fabrics have a kit somewhere that someone wants you to buy. Since a lot of LQS don't carry an entire line. I seldom make an exact quilt either in fabrics or sizes. You are right. They are short changing themselves and their pattern. It seems like it would be so easy to provide directions not using the fabrics.
toverly is offline  
Old 07-03-2016, 05:20 AM
  #18  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,410
Default

Good point - many times the patterns are available long after the fabrics shown on the illustration are long gone.

Or someone decides to make it years after buying the pattern. Or the shop only has SOME of the fabrics available at the time.

Would you prefer fabrics be listed as "Fabric A" or "light blue" in the requirement list?
bearisgray is offline  
Old 07-03-2016, 06:17 AM
  #19  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,148
Default

Yes, this has happened to me especially with "free" patterns. There are many patterns that I like but I do not like the color scheme that it is shown in. I will still buy the pastern since I like the pattern itself even if not the color it is shown in What I do is to copy the pattern and enlarge if needed. I then mark the colors from the original pattern on the copy so I can cross reference the yardage . I then take the pattern and marked copy to the store to pick out my own colors. May seem like a lot of work but well worth the effort if I like the quilt pattern.
bigsister63 is offline  
Old 07-03-2016, 06:42 AM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Posts: 939
Default

I think you should post the pattern makers name. It is a problem that should be addressed. It is a whole lot easier to locate material if you know the name of the manufacturer or designer, the name of the collection and which specific materials were used, especially if the material is no longer in production. If it were me, I would contact the pattern designer and let them know of my frustration and my hesitation to buy any more of their patterns because of this problem. Things get changed if you make your concerns known to the right people.
paoberle is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lady Shivesa
Main
5
07-22-2010 03:09 PM
Mamagus
Main
21
04-28-2010 04:26 AM
AkAngel
Main
4
02-27-2010 06:07 PM
granny_59
Main
20
02-26-2010 04:35 AM
crkathleen
Main
21
03-15-2009 04:56 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



FREE Quilting Newsletter