I raised this question on another board, and would like to get your input on this subject also.

I am sure many of us have found mistakes in a pattern or kit when we are deep in the middle of a quilt. What are your experiences and how did you work around it? Here is mine.

I am enrolled in a BOM at an LQS called Flower Pots by Cindy Lammon. I enrolled because it involves a lot of techniques and blocks with construction that I am not familiar with or haven't done a lot of. There is applique and then lots of HST and points (I always seem to cut them off!) Anyway, this started at the beginning of this month and I was very excited when I picked up my book and first block kit. This kit includes 3 versions of the same block (with points) and I jumped right it. On of the 4-1/4" squares was off, but was a little large, so no problem, just squared off and got 1st block made. Started second one last night and 2 of my fabrics that were supposed to be 4-1/4 in sq were cut too small...4-1/8" doesn't sound like much, but that is 1/4 inch each side and when making HST out of these, definitely caused more challenge than I had anticipated. In addition, the center was to be a 6-1/2 square and that wasn't square! Need to start 3rd block tonight and am hoping that the blocks are cut right. So, do I mention this when I pick up Septembers blocks, check them before I leave the shop? What do you suggest?

I am sure I am not alone in my frustration with these things, please share your experiences and solutions or work-arounds.

I think I would mention it. Nobody wants customers struggling with BOMs. If it were my business, I would want to know so I can correct the problem.

That is a good point.

Have you ever encountered this problem or a mistake in a pattern?

Are the fabrics in the packs cut too small for the pattern pieces to fit?

The fabric in the packs is precut. These particular blocks call for HST and QST so start with a square of material a certain size. These were off, so the result was not the best, although I tried to compensate with narrower seams. The squares for the first of 3 blocks was bigger which was ok (they are all different coordinating fabrics), but the blocks for the 2nd block were really too small. Haven't worked far enough on the 3rd to have discover and discrepancies yet, but hopefully there will not be any. :shock:

GRRRR

IMHO BOM's are typically over priced anyway. So, if it's not correct, I'd be sure to say something to the owner!

I'd definitely say something and maybe they'll give you new pieces of the fabric that was too small. It doesn't hurt to ask and also check out the next BOM kit before leaving the store. Let us know what happens.

I ran across a mistake in the pattern when working on my first "real" quilt just a few weeks ago. I emailed the designer and got an extremely prompt response. She arranged for me to get more fabric and sent me the amended instructions.

I would feel very frustrated to find that pre-cut pieces were wrong.

I would have stopped and returned the whole thing the next day. Definitely tell the shop owner and check it out before you leave the shop next time.

I am glad I am not the only one to have this happen. I will definitely say something to the shop and I will not wait until next months block. I just sat down to work on the 3rd block of the kit and the first squares were just perfect 4.25 x 4.25. But after that....all of them were off! Some 1/8 some 1/4! I am so bummed! Well I guess I will just turn my attention to some other WIP. Thanks for letting me vent.

The pieces were cut carelessly and I would tell someone in LQS. They should give you new fabric. I'd check every new block before I started sewing. Good luck because it sounds like a good learnig project.

Yes it will be a good learning process....but right now it is certainly a lesson in frustration :roll:

I found an error in a chart once, and emailed the designer. The pattern instructed me to enlarge a pattern for applique 200%. That obviously made it WAY too big to fit on the background material. I emailed and asked for the correct percentage. The designer replied to do whatever I wanted - it was my choice. Keep in mind that this piece was a flower stem that needed to be the right size to match up with the petals and leaves. Anyway, I was really annoyed at her lack of response. She clearly didn't know that there was an error, and didn't care to give me a solution. Since I had paid good money for what was a defective pattern, and the designer refused to provide correct information, I was pretty upset. I politely but firmly wrote the lady back to let her know what I thought of her business practice, and she wrote me back some nonsense that didn't help any. I figured, live and learn. I played with the sizes until I found something I thought would look all right, but I will never buy another pattern from that designer.

Call the shop and explain what happened. I am doing a BOM with Stitchin' Heaven, I actually messed up some fabric and called to get more. They sent it free of charge, no problem. If the shop does not give you good service there is a lot out there that will. I believe thst I deserve good customer service and if I don't get it, I don't deal with them anymore. A good shop knows how important it is.

I'm in a BOM at an LQS where they cut chunks of fabric for the block. Each month (if you have the last month's block done) you pay $2 and get fabric and pattern for the that month. Once I said that they didn't give us enough of one of the colors. The woman that owned the shop said they did. She called in the woman that figured out what we needed and she refigured it on her fabric calculator and said that yes, we had enough. However she was adding both pieces of that color together and saying we had enough. We finally convinced them that it couldn't be done that way because there wasn't enough extra for the seam allowance to piece the two pieces together. (They try not to give more than just enough to make it so you have to trim about an 1/8" off on two sides.

I have a pretty good relationship with this shop, so I am thinking that there shouldn't be a problem, but it really is frustrating!

Mattee - Imagine putting a design out there for purchase, having a mistake come to light and helping out the consumer. I can understand her saying that you could size it to your desire, but she obviously lost sight of the fact all the pieces of the pattern she designed needed to match. sorry that happened.

I told them at Fons and Porter that one of their patterns did not state the right amount of fabric nor the right pieces to cut and they sent me a ten dollar gift certificate happy that I let them know

I bought a Winter Chateau (or something like that name) kit at a local quilt show (from a non-local vendor) and discovered that some dimensions were off. Of course, I discovered this after I had cut and was trying to assemble. Since then, I've seen the instructions for the quilt on the web with "corrected" in the advert. But, it's too late for my pieces. So, I've set them aside and someday I'll find some other pattern or some idea will come to mind where I'll be able to use the fabrics from this kit. I'm not really happy about it, but that's my decision. So far, this is the only kit that I've had problems with so overall I've been pleased with both patterns and kits.

Some time ago, I was constructing a king size quilt and ran into a problem. Contacted the company which printed the book. Turns out, they knew there was an error, but did not tell the consumer about it. Also said there was a disclaimer in front of book. Turns out, there was not disclaimer for errors in book. They sent new book and a check to cover cost of fabric. Wasn't all that happy, however, wasn't a total loss either. Moral of story SPEAK UP. If the problem is not known, can't be corrected.

Niizh - You are right, we need to give them a chance to make it right...but ARGH! the wasted time and fabric and the frustration!!1 :cry:

I am always cautious when it comes to "self- published" patterns. Many have not been tested for accuracy. Ihave had so many issues with the self published from missing pages in the directions, methods that were not clearly decribed or defined, fabric requirements that were either way to much or barely enough.
I recently purchased a book then come to find out there was a later edition that had corrections( i thought a few typos) ... went to the internet to get the corrections.... 20 pages!! What if I had not known about the errors and proceeded without the corrections. I went to the authors web site , left a comment about the errors and the "volume" of corrections... she did e- mail me and simply stated that the "corrections are available on the site and the new volume had the corrections included". I will not ever purchase another book from that author.
So .. nothing is safe!

Wow! So the lesson is, check online when at all possible for corrections to any patterns before beginng. Who would have thought it? Thanks for making that point.

Oh, BTW, took my misfit pieces back to the shop today and they gave me a whole new kit, which we checked and are properly cut. Since the pieces for one block were ok, I will actually come out with one extra block, that makes up for the frustration. ;-)

I found that for a lot of quilt kits by known designer there is a section on their web sites for corrections to their patterns as noted by customers. Very helpful!