I often rewrite them too, as I hardly every make one exactly as it's written, usually overall size and color differences. And, there are sometimes mistakes in them - it pays to make ONE block up first. :)

Sometimes the patterns seem so much more complicated then they need to be...I usually re-read them, and re-write them to make them more understandable. Some designers are better than others at writing instructions that are more readable....like Atkinson designs.

Boy, do I ever agree. It seems they make more than a couple of mistakes, and they have you do things in a way that is ten times harder than the way you normally do them. I used to try and do them their way, because I felt they were "published" and I was just an ordinary quilter. Not any more. I do it my way and the overall look doesn't change at all.

I have a problem also, I have to read, reread and read again. Sometimes I have to take a pencil and draw out the pattern, just so it finally makes sense to me.

thanx for all your comments!sometimes it helps justknowing someone else is out there,you're not alone!
dar

Credit goes to the designers who write their patterns on a beginner level, step by step and in true step sequence. They are out there and as I learn who they are I will buy only their patterns.

I believe the reason some patterns are so hard to comprehend is because the designer is at such an excelled level of thought and knowledge. They no longer remember to 'think about' what others need to know. They have done it so long at such a high level of thought they leave out things that would lead us from one step to the next. They, sometimes, also do not seem to go in step sequence.
I keep my less desirable fabrics to user test new patterns. As I am making a new pattern I write it so I will understand what 'I' did the next time I make it.
This is a good post and one all designers should take to heart. Thank you for posting it.

And a lot of the time a designer will build something and have someone else write the pattern. I just finished a quilt like that. It was obvious the writer had not made the quilt.

Ohmigosh. I was absolutely certain that I was the only one who had to read then read again, then re-write the entire pattern into "English" and draw pics.

Well, I feel lots better just knowing I'm not alone! You have no idea how many times I have beat myself up over this. And sometimes, I just give it up and look at the picture and make my own pattern directions. I don't make any more mistakes doing that than when I try to follow "their" pattern. At least I know where I'm going. :-D

Me too!