Deciphering quilt patterns
 

This is probably a dumb question but is there anything that can help you figure out a quilt pattern. I have recently gotten some Cheryl Malkoski Tonga Treat patterns and I'm having a tough figuring out what to do. Took me 15 minutes to figure out that WOF is nothing something a dog says but "width of fabric'. It's probably hit or miss but I've been garment sewing with Vogue patterns for many years - totally self taught - and never had this much trouble.

Are you stuck on the terminology or the directions? You could find "acronyms" in the forum to understand the verbiage.

Kind of hard to help when the problem is not fully understood. I do get your frustration though. I recently did an applique and was glad I knew enough to be dangerous or it would have never gotten finished.

We could help if we knew what the question was. :)

I've had a few patterns that after reading through I thought "say what???". I had to "practice" what they were talking about by folding fabric this way and that, pinning to 'pretend' I was sewing - etc. Once I did the "walk through" it all made sense.

Type out the directions your having an issue with and perhaps we can help.

I often have to read through more than once and picture what is being directed, or use paper to do a trial, kind of like DogHouseMom says. If you have mastered sewing patterns, you'll get this too!

Thanks for the help. terminology is a bit of a challenge but I can overcome that. I think that sometimes the directions are very explicit and sometime not. I was looking at instructions for a quilt of diamonds made of strips. it showed you how to lay out the diamonds and then how to cut the strips into diamond patterns but never said to sew them together
i guess that was assumed. I think the main problem is lack of insight as to what you are trying to accomplish. Sort of like learning to turn a collar - you have to get the space relations in your head. I think some construction papaer and practice squares might do the trick!