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.

Most of the time when putting anything together I like words and pictures. Doesn't matter if it is a quilt or a tool.

I agree with that.

I have to look at what they are trying to create, like a quarter square triangle and do it my way. I love patterns that give an unfinished size of the components. Like make 244 3 1/2 inch quarter square triangles. It seems like few do that. Bonnie Hunter spoiled me for that in her Mystery quilts.

I will surely need to try out one of her patterns. My sewing buddy (she passed way in January) was my go to. I remember her watching some videos of her and other well known quilters. Thankfully, I still have this forum for guidance!

100% Agreed!

I've come to believe that good pattern writing is an art form of it's own.
A poorly written pattern has made me abandon projects at times.

Occasionally I will have problems even with well written ones and in that case I will email the designer for clarification. I haven't been disappointed yet.
I also love youtube videos. I think I'm more visual.

I need visual This is why I take classes or watch video tutorials. Written instructions are not my favorite, most are written to death or starving. Once I see it done then I'm all set. The pattern can't go into detail of the why it's cut or sewn the right way, that would be a how to quilt book, not a pattern. It's very hard to write clear instructions for everyone but demo it and everyone gets it.
My guild uses the 3 yard quilt Easy Beginner patterns for kids quilts. No one has had a problem with following those instructions.

I read a pattern until it makes complete sense to me, which can take several readings. I like to work with a visual reference, to check my placement and orientation. It's so easy to make a mistake, and I prefer taking my time the first time to having to re-do something.

I normally don't follow patterns. for a quilt per se. I will for the block that I make and then decide if they are what I want in the quilt and then lay it out. I am a traditionalist at heart so I have a large range of blocks to choose from. I have spread my wings a great deal over the last year because I bought the Accuquilt cutting system and am making block I never considered before. I find I must follow the piecing patterns very closely this way. I love sampler quilts so I can put a lot of different blocks I am trying out in a single quilt. I think I have just about every quilt magazine printed between 1983 and 2008. It seemed like the patterns in them were beginning to repeat themselves so I stopped subscribing. I love getting ideas from here too. If I see a quilt I like I will keep the link in my bookmarks so I can pull it anytime I want.

Let's face it. Some authors do a better job of explaining things than others. I've done some quilts where there's a picture of a block, the template sizes, but not a single explanation of how you're supposed to put it all together. I figure it out but I'm not fond of those kinds of patterns.

THIS....my biggest peeve too....when I was a pattern tester it was the #1 thing I always included in my direction remarks..I miss pattern testing...so many need use them today!

For now, I may stick to a certain pattern until I am comfortable with it. You all have been great at chiming in with your thoughts!