Designing Quilt Patterns
01-04-2011, 07:25 PM
#21
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 88
The quilt is stunning. I think you'll get as many ideas as there are people responding. A pattern changes alot with different use of fabric. When I pick pattterns it can be for a different reason for each quilt. It might be because of block combination or the illusion or the effect form a distance. I think you need to design what pleases you, make sure it's accurate simple or intermediate to construct. (The more complex, the smaller the market.) Good luck.
01-04-2011, 08:23 PM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
[quote=luvspaper I have bought one of JN's and one Be Colourful for close to $40, but that is very rare. I prefer a price point around mid-teens. I don't mind copying my own pages because I can do it as I go along. Which means I can spread out the cost a bit.
I know the Be Colourful one I bought is one where she did NOT give good directions and it is one where some of the pieces will not copy well.....frustrating when you pay that much. It is also confusing about how much of what colors you need. I think part of it has to do with a language barrier. I am actually thinking of selling it because of those reasons.
Good luck! I'd love to see more of your work![/quote]
Interesting you refered to the Be Colourful , there are several designs ... but after having suffered through one , and I am not a beginner by any definition, I did a bit of homework. Since I was so ....dissatisfied. The designer does not speak English , it is a Dutch designer , her husband does the translations. That explained alot. I e-mailed them and listed the improvements to be more user freindly. I did get a response but ... it summed up "we are working on it". I thought I had seen it all but when I read one of the yardage requirements it just said... "lots" that has stuck with me as one of the... I can not believe you would sell me a pattern that just used the term "lots" for a fabric requirement. This is why I am cautious about self published patterns.
I know the Be Colourful one I bought is one where she did NOT give good directions and it is one where some of the pieces will not copy well.....frustrating when you pay that much. It is also confusing about how much of what colors you need. I think part of it has to do with a language barrier. I am actually thinking of selling it because of those reasons.
Good luck! I'd love to see more of your work![/quote]
Interesting you refered to the Be Colourful , there are several designs ... but after having suffered through one , and I am not a beginner by any definition, I did a bit of homework. Since I was so ....dissatisfied. The designer does not speak English , it is a Dutch designer , her husband does the translations. That explained alot. I e-mailed them and listed the improvements to be more user freindly. I did get a response but ... it summed up "we are working on it". I thought I had seen it all but when I read one of the yardage requirements it just said... "lots" that has stuck with me as one of the... I can not believe you would sell me a pattern that just used the term "lots" for a fabric requirement. This is why I am cautious about self published patterns.
01-05-2011, 06:06 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,029
Originally Posted by Lori S
I thought I had seen it all but when I read one of the yardage requirements it just said... "lots" that has stuck with me as one of the... I can not believe you would sell me a pattern that just used the term "lots" for a fabric requirement. This is why I am cautious about self published patterns.
01-07-2011, 08:44 PM
#25
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Northern Lower Michigan
Posts: 102
Thank you all for these ideas.
I was shocked to hear that the one pattern called for "LOTS" of fabric. I wouldn't buy that pattern for sure.
I noticed that many patterns figure out how much fabric you need then add 1/4 to 1/3 more to allow for mistakes, etc. This really bothers me when I purchase the fabric needed then find that I have a huge amount left. One pattern I bought called for 4-1/2 yards for backing (lap size) when what I needed was 3-1/2... at $10 yard, I didn't appreciate that. It was a flannel so it's not something I can just add to my stash and use up later.
Do you like amounts to be more exact or do you like a little wiggle room? I would think adding an 1/8 wouldn't be so bad but if you add that to every fabric called for.. and sometimes it's many, many fabrics.. well, that just adds to the final cost. But I suppose if someone made an error in cutting and the fabric was no longer available, then it would be a good thing....
I was shocked to hear that the one pattern called for "LOTS" of fabric. I wouldn't buy that pattern for sure.
I noticed that many patterns figure out how much fabric you need then add 1/4 to 1/3 more to allow for mistakes, etc. This really bothers me when I purchase the fabric needed then find that I have a huge amount left. One pattern I bought called for 4-1/2 yards for backing (lap size) when what I needed was 3-1/2... at $10 yard, I didn't appreciate that. It was a flannel so it's not something I can just add to my stash and use up later.
Do you like amounts to be more exact or do you like a little wiggle room? I would think adding an 1/8 wouldn't be so bad but if you add that to every fabric called for.. and sometimes it's many, many fabrics.. well, that just adds to the final cost. But I suppose if someone made an error in cutting and the fabric was no longer available, then it would be a good thing....
01-07-2011, 09:28 PM
#26
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
I would like to say WELCOME to one of the most over rated, under paid job markets in the country! Being a quilt pattern designer is like being a stand up comedian! You are only going to appeal to about 1% of the industry market and you have to hope what you have will be enough to make it!
You can join a group at yahoogroups.com that is just for professional pattern designers. They really give you all the dirt, and all the help you need!
Aside from that, I would ad, that you should NEVER create your pattern in EQ...and do ALL your research before putting it out into the world! Like the name....google it first...nothing worse that finding out after you print 500 copies that there is another pattern out there with the same or close to the same name!
Search the copyright files to see if anyone already owns the name!
Learn your copyright laws!
Go to markets/shows and meet your peers!
Make sure what your are doing is different! Unique...BUT not the same thing over and over. Case in point, a really nice Engineer lady decided she could design quilt patterns. I did testing for her and teach her techniques, BUT check out her stuff....http://www.quiltswithatwist.com
look at all those patterns...see a trend....yeah...she is stuck in a box....she keeps reproducing the same LOOK with different fabrics...boring....
another one I know self-publishes and publishes for others.
http://www.http://www.ashtonpub.com/books.htm
again...can you look at her stuff and ask, well, how long can you ride the applique pony??? Once you do simple fusible applique, you have done it, you don't need a new class every year...or a new book! She is in a rut now too!
Add to that the fact that every person that owns EQ. quilt pro, quilt wizard, etc, etc, can replicate 99.9% of any pattern they can gleen a pix of off the internet, and you have an over crowded, lack luster amount of people trying to hawk patterns to distributors, magazines, trade shows, etc.
I do know that there are now people who design QUILT patterns and sell those same patterns cheaper to pattern companies! Several designers in the McCalls pattern book also sell in quilt shops..and you pay more for the same pattern in the quilt shop!
For all the good the internet has given us, it has also created a monster when it comes to youtube videos, blogs with tutes, etc....all a person needs to do is know how to google and they can find a pattern for anything right in their own living room at 3am....legal or not, they will print it off and your sewing machine pattern will never be seen nor sold...because somebody made one on a youtube tutorial FREE for the world!
You can join a group at yahoogroups.com that is just for professional pattern designers. They really give you all the dirt, and all the help you need!
Aside from that, I would ad, that you should NEVER create your pattern in EQ...and do ALL your research before putting it out into the world! Like the name....google it first...nothing worse that finding out after you print 500 copies that there is another pattern out there with the same or close to the same name!
Search the copyright files to see if anyone already owns the name!
Learn your copyright laws!
Go to markets/shows and meet your peers!
Make sure what your are doing is different! Unique...BUT not the same thing over and over. Case in point, a really nice Engineer lady decided she could design quilt patterns. I did testing for her and teach her techniques, BUT check out her stuff....http://www.quiltswithatwist.com
look at all those patterns...see a trend....yeah...she is stuck in a box....she keeps reproducing the same LOOK with different fabrics...boring....
another one I know self-publishes and publishes for others.
http://www.http://www.ashtonpub.com/books.htm
again...can you look at her stuff and ask, well, how long can you ride the applique pony??? Once you do simple fusible applique, you have done it, you don't need a new class every year...or a new book! She is in a rut now too!
Add to that the fact that every person that owns EQ. quilt pro, quilt wizard, etc, etc, can replicate 99.9% of any pattern they can gleen a pix of off the internet, and you have an over crowded, lack luster amount of people trying to hawk patterns to distributors, magazines, trade shows, etc.
I do know that there are now people who design QUILT patterns and sell those same patterns cheaper to pattern companies! Several designers in the McCalls pattern book also sell in quilt shops..and you pay more for the same pattern in the quilt shop!
For all the good the internet has given us, it has also created a monster when it comes to youtube videos, blogs with tutes, etc....all a person needs to do is know how to google and they can find a pattern for anything right in their own living room at 3am....legal or not, they will print it off and your sewing machine pattern will never be seen nor sold...because somebody made one on a youtube tutorial FREE for the world!
01-07-2011, 09:41 PM
#27
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
Originally Posted by NorthernDeb
Thank you all for these ideas.
Do you like amounts to be more exact or do you like a little wiggle room? I would think adding an 1/8 wouldn't be so bad but if you add that to every fabric called for.. and sometimes it's many, many fabrics.. well, that just adds to the final cost. But I suppose if someone made an error in cutting and the fabric was no longer available, then it would be a good thing....
Do you like amounts to be more exact or do you like a little wiggle room? I would think adding an 1/8 wouldn't be so bad but if you add that to every fabric called for.. and sometimes it's many, many fabrics.. well, that just adds to the final cost. But I suppose if someone made an error in cutting and the fabric was no longer available, then it would be a good thing....
It is frustrating to end up with leftover fabric, but that is way better than ending up short. Here is what one must remember when they are either buying or designing a pattern.
#1- not all fabric manufactures use the same amount of selvage edge, so fabric widths vary!
#2- not all fabric purchasers will WASH that fabric properly BEFORE cutting it, let alone sewing it...those who do wash it know that you can lose up 8% in shrinkage!
#3- those who DO NOT wash before hand find that when steaming pieces, they do not fit together, so they have to cut more...
#4- not all people who buy that pattern are going to use non-directional fabric, so if they want to fussy cut, match stripes, etc. they will need MORE fabric..
#5- not all people can walk into the LQS and but more of that fabric..they used the internet, bought while traveling, etc...so they need MORE right off the bat...
A pattern designer has to go with the highest amount of fabric possibly needed to please the vast majority of people who will use that pattern! HOWEVER, it would be nice if the designer put in a statement that read
"DUE TO THE HIGH COST FABRIC, I WOULD LIKE YOU KNOW THAT THIS PATTERN HAS ENOUGH FABRIC TO ALLOW FOR SMALL MISTAKES, SHRINKAGE IN PRE-WASHING, OR TO USE FOR SMALL COORDINATING ITEMS"
MOST designers use at least 3 pattern testers to make sure things are kosher before publishing, those 3 results will vary greatly and with good reason...different machine=different seams, different tastes in fabric= different amounts required...and so on!
Designing, creating, and publishing a pattern is not a one size fits all quilters deed!
01-07-2011, 10:02 PM
#29
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
Originally Posted by luvspaper
It is also confusing about how much of what colors you need. I think part of it has to do with a language barrier. I am actually thinking of selling it because of those reasons.
Good luck! I'd love to see more of your work!
Good luck! I'd love to see more of your work!
Have you been to her website to see if any corrections to that pattern have been made?
I can't tell you how frustrating it is as a shop owner to have a customer come in and start complaining about how bad a pattern was, and when I asked them if they contacted the designer or checked the website, they look at me and say NO, YOU should have done that before you sold it...WHAT...I just order the patterns, I don't test them alll!
But I have found that over the years it pays to go the website and check for updates/corrections!
Point in fact. A very popular designer put out a collection of patterns 2 years ago...one of those that when you bought all of the patterns it cost you about $120.00 PLUS there were embellishing kits adding another $85.oo...OY....and as soon as those patterns were released, the website was posting corrections...simple things really like cutting 5 1/8" not 5 7/8"..but still...frustrating for everyone involved!
Last week I wanted to make a shop sample, I opened the pattern and began reading the direction, I looked over and over and over...and could not figure out how I was to make a 10" frog out of tracing those 2" designs...I finally gave up and said, ok.,,I am 50, blonde and not a college grad, but really, something MUST be missing here...I contacted the designer and found out that only did that pattern not have the 2 pages of pattern pieces, but NONE of the 12 patterns I had ordered had them....talk about upsetting the designer...who now has to track down the last shipments to all of her distributors and find out how many more had missing pages....UGH....
It pays to stop and ask if there is something missing!
01-07-2011, 10:08 PM
#30
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
ONE more point about going PRO...if you are serious about it, then you must NEVER put a pix of anything you plan to publish on the internet..not even in your FLICKR type photo albums...
once it can be seen on the internet, it is considered published, and if someone snipes it, and can publish before you...well...it gets ugly...
also if you plan to do some magazine patterns first to test your waters...do NOT put pix on the internet or show at guild, nothing....any pix of it can lead to the same path as above!
People don't realize that when they post pix of their quilts that they are in fact "publishing" them. Many of the upper quilt shows now will not allow quilts that have been PUBLISHED...if they google your name or the quilt entry name and that quilt comes up, it is pulled...and not entered!
Don't you just love the internet???
once it can be seen on the internet, it is considered published, and if someone snipes it, and can publish before you...well...it gets ugly...
also if you plan to do some magazine patterns first to test your waters...do NOT put pix on the internet or show at guild, nothing....any pix of it can lead to the same path as above!
People don't realize that when they post pix of their quilts that they are in fact "publishing" them. Many of the upper quilt shows now will not allow quilts that have been PUBLISHED...if they google your name or the quilt entry name and that quilt comes up, it is pulled...and not entered!
Don't you just love the internet???
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