How many patterns must you like before buying?
 

Just received an e-mail from Amazon with a quilting book advertised for jelly rolls usage. I know many quilters can figure out patterns by just looking at the pictures, orthers will purchase a pattern packet, and ones like me buy the quilt books. My question is for the book buyers...how many patterns must you like in the book before buying? The one I saw had three that I knew I'd make, plus others I'm not sure about. The price of the book was $16 and some change.

Individual patterns cost $9-$12 per pattern so if there are 3 quilts you'd like to make in a book that cost $16, I would say it's a good deal and buy it. How many patterns in a book for me usually depends on how much I like a particular pattern. I have been know to buy a book just because I REALLY liked one thing but this isn't often. Most of the time I like 3 in a book before I consider it worthy of purchase.

Most of the time I buy books because of a specific type...jelly rolls, fat quarters, or layer cakes, but there is at least one pattern in there that I like.

I think 3 is the number for me. But I have purchased if there is a complicated pattern that I just have to make. Sometimes patterns speak.

If I see one pattern I like, that's justification for buying the book. Even if I never make that quilt, I will get hours of enjoyment looking at that book and dreaming of the quilts I could make. I can get a lot of entertainment out of a $30 book.

Have you checked to see if your library has the book? I was able to find almost 20 quilting or similar ebooks with Jelly Roll in their title in my library’s Hoopla section. I am actually extremely impressed with the number of quilting books available on demand through Hoopla. It looks like they have almost 700 ebooks from C&T Publishing alone.

I usually check used book stores for the book before buying new. With the cost of a single pattern I have no issue buying a used book if there is only one pattern in said book. If its a new book it has to have at least 2 patterns for me to press the buy button.

Ha! I think I treat quilt books like novels. I don't necessarily think I will actually make one from that book. But most I have paged through several times looking at the pretty pictures. Some were bought with the idea of making a specific quilt, but I found my attention turned elsewhere before I got to it. Sometimes, I will pick up a book and get inspired to actually make one. Maybe I will get a certain fabric and then see the pattern for it. During the past few years I am grateful I have my collection of quilt books and fabric stash.

I have books I've made multiple patterns with and several I've never made any. I have started looking in my public library and at used book stores. I'm out of bookcase space!

If it has a pattern in it that I have been searching for, I'd probably buy it. But if I was just basically window shopping, then there would have to be multiple patterns in it, probably 3 or more for me to buy it. I usually don't look for pattern books, instead just buying single patterns. If, like I mentioned above, I'm directed to a pattern book as I can only get that pattern in the book form, then again, I would get the book just for that one pattern.

I’ll buy a book if it has just one pattern that I like, but then I own several thousand books covering a wide variety of topics both non fiction and fiction. Audio, print, pictures, and magazines. I may have a small problem.

Did I mention I moved last year? I plan on dying in this house. Someone else can move my crap when I’m dead.

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto. I only buy those that have multiple, 3 or more is a good number, of quilts that catch my imagination. And like others, I will pull them from the shelf and just read them for pleasure from time to time.. My problem is that I often get caught admiring he colors of the illustrations but then when I go to make the quilt, I discover the writer uses odd techniques, specialized rulers of has incomplete or "weird" directions. I like to have the book in hand and randomly read the directions for clarity. Yup, some have been returned to the shelf because I discover that I will NEVER use the patterns even if they are lovely.

Honestly, I now use mostly free patterns or for a select few, I will purchase a digital copy. Over time and with experience, you can learn to figure out a pattern on your own, but it is still nice to have that paper/page in front of you too.

Because art techniques/elements are learned from multiple exposure, I’m not looking for patterns. If a book has a new technique or a great use of an art element with good illustrated examples, even though no patterns, it just might make it to my home. I like making my own patterns.

If looking for patterns, for say a charity project, I need look no further than QB pictures.

As long as it has 3 or more patterns that I might make I will buy it, plus if it has scrappy patterns I will buy it, love my scrappies. Individual patterns are expensive now so a book is a bargain.

For me, just one. When I see a pattern that I like, I spend as much time (and money) as it takes to obtain that one pattern. Even if I never get around to actually doing it, I will have the pattern, just in case. I just bought a small quilt on ebay, that I fully intend to cut down to make an exact copy ( didn't like the colors, but I did like the quilt) I have bought a multitude of back copies of magazines just to get a specific pattern. At this moment, I have 5 notebooks of patterns. I know that in my lifetime, I will never make all of them, but when I die, maybe someone else will like my patterns as much as I do. A few times, I actually got more than 1 pattern, but my primary goal was just one at the time.

I've bought PP patterns that have run in the $70-$100 range, so will buy a book even if it's only one pattern I really like. I've got several Jen Kingwell patterns that are basically books, with a book price too. However, I draw up most of the patterns I make, so when I decide to buy, it's because it's a pattern that would be difficult to draw up, and at that point I feel the cost is worth it.

I have bought books for just 1 pattern and sometimes I keep the book; other times I take it to the Quilt day at the Senior Center and give it to anyone that wants it.