Pattern Instructions
 

I am making a 3 yard quilt from a book I purchased from a local shop. I've not ever been good at reading patterns. Anyway,
I watched a YouTube video of a lady who has made it her goal to make one quilt from each book from Fabric Cafe. The video was helpful to see how it is assembled, however I did have to watch it several times over to figure out what I may have done wrong. Thank goodness, I either didn't mess up too bad or at all. I am however determined to make this quilt top today!
My question is what do you find works for you. I understand everyone processes things differently. Right now, I can tell you I do not feel smarter than 3rd grader. I am kinda feeling more like color code things for me will ya?!

I am currently making purses and I have to go by the video. I literally watch the video step...pause...do it...play the video step...pause..do it...for the entire purse. So, I guess you could say I'm a visual learner.

From a pattern, I have to read it over and over and over in order to get it. And have my seam ripper handy. And my engineer husband.

Watson

Depends. I generally do better with illustrations than with words. Especially if the illustrations are well done.

Sometimes I get it right on the first try. Other times, my seam ripper and I have a close personal relationship for a while.

I have enough experience now so I can usually tell if the pattern is at fault instead of me. I used to think it was always me that was the problem.

Although it does seem that on something like youtube - the one step or thing I am really "not getting" - is the thing that is skimmed over or not even mentioned!

I hate when things are 'assumed'. As in, the pattern writer assumes the reader knows how to make certain basic blocks. Over the last two years, I have been part of our guild's BOM committee. I have learned that many participants want their hands held the whole way and/or are so new to quilting that no instructions are too basic to be left out.

I too, am a visual learner. I love illustrations. And I suppose I am also an audio learner, since I tend to understand directions better when I read them aloud.

My biggest pet peeve is the omission of one very important distinction in many patterns or directions. That distinction is the 'finished' or 'unfinished' size of a block.

I did the same thing when I first learned how to do pillow cases!! I had to watch/pause it so many times just to feel "confident" enough I was doing it correctly!

I've gone as far as using excel as a graph to help me visualize what I putting together. It comes in handy when I need help with similar projects.

I read it aloud several times, listened to the lady doing the tutorial. Come to find out that she herself, made a mistake in cutting. My sewing has improved quite a bit since I started back in 2012,so I feel accomplished. Can't say I am "seasoned", still marinating though! It's been proven that the recipient always is in awe of such a craft. They see all the beauty in the quilt.

I love the way Bonnie Hunter writes her books, the newer ones, she first writes it like a traditional pattern with good directions and illustrations, and then does a "at -A-Glance" section which basically provides illustrations of the steps and I find her books and patterns real easy to follow.

I will have to check that out. Makes sense - some of us only need dimensions and a picture for some patterns and off we go.

Others (and at other times) need to start with: This is a needle. This is fabric. (woven, more description) This is thread. (Maybe skip how many variations of needles and thread there are at this point). This is a scissors. This is a rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat.

It is like learning a foreign language when starting out.

I find that most patterns are confusing to me. I have EQ7 (Electric Quilt 7, newest version is EQ8) and I frequently use it to redraw the blocks so that I understand them. EQ makes me have to understand what the pattern maker is trying to teach me. I am very wary with a pattern that shows all the cutting you need to do for an entire quilt, because I can cut anything & everything wrong. Yes, I do use the videos if it is a pattern I just can't figure out, or if I just want an easier way to understand.