Oh maybe not so bad, BUT - my mom just came back from an RV trip out west. When they were in Kansas, mom bought me some beautiful quilt patterns - you've seen them - the ones in the little zip lock bags for about $8.00. There was an Americana wall hanging that I thought 'hmmm.. I gotta do this one'.

So I look at the directions. Holy COW! This happened to be a combination of Flying Geese and something called a New York Block. As I am reading this I am getting more and more confused - the overall dimensions were not given for each of the unit blocks and the sizes for the pieces were things like '3 1/8' and 1 9/16'. Now I'm sorry but I defy ANYONE, especially the novices, to cut pieces exactly to 9/16s and 1/8 - not to mention the fact that doing it this way will take FOREVER. I am going to convert all the sizes to something more sensible like 1/2 and 3/4", and I will probably use a strip piece method to make the geese, but for heaven's sake, how many beginner quilters buy these patterns and become completely overwhelmed by the directions, depriving them of a fun experience in making the quilt! And the time it will take to do the conversions sort of puts a damper on the project!

Is it just me that has a problem with this?

It is not just you, JNCT14. I've had the same problem and refuse to buy any more patterns. I print up patterns on the internet (draft mode to save on toner) and place in notebooks.

I'm right there with you, it drives me nuts!! I quit trying to make quilts from a pattern and just use the idea of the pattern. I the only instructions I have been able to follow is Rhonda's!

I won't buy patterns that call for 5/8. 7/8 etc. I can't convert so I just ignore those patterns, I miss out on making some of the things I want to make, but math is not my strong point.

WOW not cool!
flying geese the new york block...that would be enough for my newbie brain. Id hang up my seam ripper.

I'm not a newbie and I have trouble with certain patterns. I love QuiltersCache and use patterns from it all the time but one thing I have trouble with are her cutting directions. If I'm making a block that has a large center square, the cutting directions aren't given (I can figure them out) so after everything is ready to sew, I have to find that fabric and cut that one square. (I know in the grand scheme of things this is no big deal, but one of my little peeves).
I bought a purse pattern at an expo in January; the directions are so confusing I haven't even attempted it.
Think I'll stick with free internet patterns.

Ya know, if geometry was applied to piecing quilts it would have been soooo much more interesting!

I hated geometry, your thought may have made it so much more interesting as I always loved sewing

Flying geese and the New York block sound like you would be able to make that into paper piecing blocks. It's not hard at all, otherwise those are odd measurements.

Yes I am going to have to do that - if I tried from their directions, I would NEVER be able to make the block! Trouble is, without the overall dimensions, I am going to have to guess, or use graph paper to figure it out. This is ridiculous - we pay the money to make these and then can't! What UP with that????