Most Excellent Patterns & Instructions
 

What does it take to turn your custom quilt into a pattern for sale or distribution. I'd like to get some insight beyond my own experience, of what makes a great pattern from the quilter's point of view. My focus is on independent designers, so more looking for opinions on individual patterns rather than published books.

What are some things that can make or break a quilt pattern (besides having mistakes)? Is there a pattern that sticks out in your memory as being very well done and easy to follow?

Elizabeth Hartman's "Forest Friends" and the reason is the colored drawings showing you exactly what to do. A lot of wordiness confuses me. I like to see what I'm supposed to do.

Written and VISUAL instructions.

In laymans's terms.

Good pressing directions! Frustrating when seams don't lock when joining.

I'm the same way, would much rather have a diagram than a paragraph of texts. That's why I always like Pam Bono's patterns, tons of diagrams.

Alternative cutting/construction directions. At the very least, measurements for completed subunits. For instance, many have personal favorite HST and/or flying geese construction preferences. If I know the flying geese unit will finish at 2/4, I know how large the required squares for the 4 at a time method should be. Did I mention size of subunits?

All cutting directions at start of pattern helps. I am working on a project where the cutting is as a step occurs

I also love to hear the "story" behind the quilt pattern, if there is one. The inspiration for it, how it makes the designer feel.... I know that is all fluff, but I find it quite interesting and it really adds to the appeal (at least for me it does!)

That's a good point - related, should the yardage requirements include the range of methods that may be used? with the possibility of extra? My go to method of HST has a fair amount of fabric waste compared to the 4 at a time. I know from talking to a few LQS, they prefer minimum yardage to make kitting economical.

I look for patterns that have good bones but I hate it when I have to figure out the direction to press my seams.

That's not a term I am familiar with... what does it mean?

I want a pattern that has choices of sizes : wall, throw, twin, queen, king.

I like to know what size the finished quilt will be before I order the pattern. (ordering online) I know that isn't part of the instructions, but it is important to me. I took a chance on the last two I ordered, and it turned out they were for queen-sized. I can do the math to make a different size, but it is so much easier to not have to... I also like the instructions to be sort of like a recipe....listing the fabric requirements first and then breaking the rest down into parts. Illustrations are always good.

Dina

I want to see the instructions and measurements for a single block, as well as for the entire quilt in various sizes. I don't want to read, "Cut 56 4" blocks" if I only want to make a baby blanket instead of a queen-sized quilt, for instance. I want to wrap my head around the block, and then if I want to make many blocks, then I will look for cutting instructions and directions for that.

I rarely use patterns so I can't help much. I just wanted to say it's the design that sells the pattern. You, as the author, can go any way you want with conveying how to make up your quilt design. But people will buy your pattern if they love your design, regardless.

Bonnie Hunter has lots of free patterns on her Quiltville.com site. She has written tons of books and is a very, very popular author and teacher. I'd look at her pattern formats just as a learning experience. Also other places such as the Moda site.

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/free-patterns.html

http://blog.modafabrics.com/funfree/free-patterns/

Did you know there is a Yahoo group for quilt pattern designers? I would check that out.
I like to see the completed quilt in alternate colorways. Also, I like it if multiple finished sizes are included in the pattern: crib, twin, queen & king.

When I started quilting, and even sewing, I didn't start with beginner patterns. If I saw something I really wanted to make, I read the directions and dove in. What makes a good pattern is if the one reading it can go through it and clearly understand every step before tackling it. I have found advanced and 'expert' patterns that are easily mastered turn into very easily done mainly because the directions were clearly understandable. Pictures are always a huge plus. If there is a section of the pattern that may have been tricky for you to master, then that would be a good area to make sure there are diagrams or better yet, a clear picture of the exact steps. Not too difficult to figure something out if a beginning picture, middle picture(s), and especially an ending picture of a section were included with the pattern (tutorial).
Ever said to yourself, "why can't I do it this way?" If there is a part of the pattern that would raise that question, clearly stating the answer helps make a pattern make perfect sense.

i agree with all the suggestions....... I like also if a pattern would give some idea on what kind of quilting designs to use, i find after i followed all the directions and have the quilt done i'm always stumped as how to quilt it and trying to decide takes me longer then it did to sew the quilt together,usually the pattern will say quilt as desired, but a few hints and suggestions would be nice..........

I agree with all of the above, but would like to add that I've always been completely satisfied with any/all of the Eleanor Burns' patterns, whether in books, online, etc. Occasionally, I've thought that there was way more explanation and diagram than really needed, but then I remember the confidence I developed early on a I used her patterns. They always, ALWAYS turned out just as they should have. She is tops.

I hate patterns with not enough words to explain what to do or assume the reader /quilter can mind guess.
Pictures don't explain everything photos are better .

I like lists that are bulleted

I actively dislike lists that are in paragraph form

All of the wants/needs are in Eleanor burns patterns....

Step by step explanations in simple terms. Diagrams of steps if appropriate. Multiple sizes with # of blocks needed to complete each size. Consider alternatives to making the blocks...i.e., "these blocks can be paper pieced" (and give the paper pieced pattern) or "you can use HST paper for this step".

Good luck! Hope all the suggestions you are receiving help.

Just a couple of points to consider-if using photographs look at the photo as it will appear in the pattern-taken in color but b/w in the pattern? A good amount of contrast will be lost so high contrast fabrics and tight focus to show important details are important. A picture that seems great, but is downsized for the pattern can lose contrast and detail. Also some techniques need left handed instructions as well as right handed. Deb Tucker does a great job with this.

I think the Terry Atkinson patterns are presented how I like to see them. Fabric requirements for all sizes are visible on the outside of the pattern, there is clear instruction on how many of each unit to make for every size presented, they tell if they are FQ or precut friendly, and the diagrams and instructions are clear. Seeing photos of the quilt in various sizes and colors is a nice bonus.

I mostly buy patterns for quilts that I can't figure out myself. For example, I just finished the Gravity quilt by Jaybird Quilts. The pattern for it was a book (too much to work out on my own), but very clearly laid out. There were lots of diagrams, and just enough text to explain. The text was simply written and not crowded. I would consider this an example of an extremely good pattern.

I don't like it when I have to "decode" a pattern before I can start on it. I like Judy Neimeyer quilts, but I hate her patterns - the text is crammed together, and everything is number/letter coded in a way that I don't find intuitive.

Rob--just did a VERY simple crib quilt pattern for a give away at the LQS--one thing that I struggled with (and I have to say I do not have a future as a pattern designer!) was how basic to make some of the directions and whether to include each little step. One thing that I did was put a list of abbreviations at the first (WOF, HST, etc) as this was intended as beginner pattern and us "old hands" sometimes forget that not everyone knows the lingo. Good Luck!

I definitely like this also! I usually want a size bigger or smaller than what the pattern is written for and hate having to try to figure out needed yardage, etc., on my own. Many times I will pass up a pattern if it doesn't have this information.

I miss Pam Bono too. I have all her books and info. So tragic.

ditto to many of the suggestions

Also ... measurements for each element as it is completed .... and then, as they are joined up, measurements after each join.

If possible, printed on only one side of the paper.

With enough space left for my personal notes.

Any of Eleanor Burns' patterns work. her training was originally for children with learning disabilities and I believe she wrote curriculum. So that translated into clear, concise directions. If you have a pattern that she wrote, take a good look at how the directions are constructed and that should give you some good ideas. I've tried others, but always go back to hers.
Edited to add: Adkinson patterns are excellent as well.

I'm trying to figure out the "bones" too. I'm thinking it is a typo, but can't figure out what it might mean. Guess we'll have to private message Maniac quilter to find out.

I think good bones is just a term meaning it's got a good solid start. Think a house with good bones might have all the walls up but not have floors and finishes.

But to the main question... Have show all sizes cutting requirements, and pictures, pictures, pictures.

Maybe the most important part of any pattern, is not the pattern itself.
But that it has been tested and proofread to the nth degree, so as to ensure
there are NO MISTAKES! And I mean absolutely NONE! :)

I like a pattern that doesn't take a whole book to go through to figure it out. Front and back sheet of paper (or 2) max with instructions. A good cover of the finished project on an 8"x 10'' paper closeup. Font print where magnifying glass is not required.

Lots of good suggestions. I think that a professional photo of the quilt makes a pattern more appealing to the consumer as well

I fully agree with the confidence building patterns from E.B., love everything she has put in books. Need to get a few more so I have all her books. Timeless patterns.

I really do best when words and pictures go together. And I really like to know periodically in the process, what my measurements so far should be. The pattern I am working on right now calls for 14 fat quarters as one of the "ingredients", when in reality, I only needed 14 pieces that are 6" x 19". I could have used many of the scraps I already had instead of getting fat quarters.