Quiltingboard Forums - reading the quilt pattern

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)

- Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)

- - reading the quilt pattern (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/reading-quilt-pattern-t131658.html)

You are NOT stupid! Sometimes I have to leave a pattern for a day or two and then come back to it. Sometimes I find that I can figure something out one or two steps at a time, but I get confused with patterns sometimes. Like others have said some patterns are easier to understand than others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bj

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackie54

One thing I do if there are lots of fabrics and I'm not following their fabric/color scheme is make myself a cheat sheet. I put up a poster that has my fabrics I'm using that I number from one to whatever. Then beside mine, I put their fabric reference in ( ). If possible, I go thru the pattern and write my number over their reference (I've been known to use white-out :-D :-D liberally!)

Cheat sheets have been a lifesaver for me. But another thing I do if I have found a particularly challenging pattern:

I have a pad of large-size (11 x 17 or so) construction paper of various colors. I will often do a mock-up of the pattern in construction paper (different colors representing different fabrics) to make sure I got my head around it. (I use a rotary blade that's on its last legs which I save for cutting paper.)

Throwing away paper is not nearly so frustrating as tossing fabric, one try after another.

Hope this helps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmabby

For me it took 3-4 quilts before I felt comfortable reading them. This is what I do on paper
1) Make a copy of the pattern to write notes on
Fabrics needed:
2)On copy of the pattern check the list of fabric to cut and label them A, B, C, D etc; do the same with the cutting instructions
3) Now mark the quilt layout diagram to corespond with their fabric A, B, C, D etc.
3) Write down all the colors
after the colors I write down the fabric I will be using
Example:pattern: A) 1/4 yard small orange primrose(#3005-33, Gold/Rust) (my fabric) rust shamrock
B) 2/3 yard large gold orchid (#3002-33, forest gold) (my fabric) rust/gold gnomes etc.

Now I can easily see by following the pattern which fabric I will use replacing the pattern colors with my colors.
Make sense so far??

Now I go to cutting fabric
Cutting fabric:
A From the small orange primrose cut------- rust shammrock
B From large gold orchid cut---------- rust gold gnomes
etc

If you do this it keeps your mind in order, or does mine. The rest I write down notes where I make changes or write something that takes awhile to figure out. I have a 3 ring binder with sheets of copies of quilts I have made with my notes, next time it will be a breeze. By making a copy if you make the quilt again you can start with a fresh copy and write down the new colors. I keep these loose pages by my machine and continously use them while, cutting and piecing all the time. Good luck

Fantastic instructions given here - I might add that marking your own fabrics with blue painters tape could be helpful in keeping things straight.

I do the same as I did with clothes patterns years ago.

My sister taught me to sew and told me from the very beginning, read the pattern and then read it again......if necessary, do it again.

There are times when something just doesn't sink in...but after a few readings, the light shines !!!!!!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackie54

Does anyone have trouble with reading a quilt pattern? Sometimes I think Iam stupid. I find a pattern, looks great, buy it, and for what ever reason , I dont understand it. Is there an easy way of understanding these things. I know they are not all hard but my brain dont want to understand it. Can anyone help me in understand this? Please........... :roll: :roll:
Any help is welcomed.

An engineer once told me that sewing pattern instructions were uniformly badly written. He said that includes garment construction, quilt construction and most other sewing projects. I can't say that he was correct all the time. On the other hand, some are really badly written! froggyintexas

It helps me to cut a little piece (about an inch or less) of fabric and stick it to the pattern. that way I know which fabric goes where.

I too have problems with this. The first thing with me is trying to read the ruler. For instance if the pattern calls for 7 and 1/8 or 7 and 1/16. The rest of the ruler I understand (1/4, 1/2, 3/4 etc.) Why does it have to be so precise?

[quote=quiltease]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackie54

Thanks everyone, my pattern is Joesph's Pinwheel by fons& porter. I know its not a hard pattern, but I make it hard.It is in this months issuse book from Fons& Porter. I think alot of it is, because I dont use their choice of material, so when it tells me to say like go with blue poka dot material cut 4 7/8 wide strip, from strip cut 2 4 7/8 squares. Cut squares in half diagonally to make 4 half square. Now am I makeing a mountain out of a nothing.If you have the issue of the book it is on page 62.

I don't have the book, but I know what they want you to do. You're making half square triangles. They like to use the 7/8" to save fabric. Up it to 1 inch. So your fabric is cut in a 5 inch wide strip. Then you cut that 5" strip into two 5" squares. Do NOT cut it in half yet!! Match it with another 5" square of an alternate fabric, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line from left upper corner to right lower corner. You will be stitching 1/4" on both sides of this line. When you have sewn the seam on each side of the line, then you can cut on the diagonal line you drew. Press seam open or to darkest side. Your HST will be a bit oversized. Trim it down to 4 1/2 inches. Do the same for the other 5" square.
Hope this helps.
bev.

Now to me Bev your instructions makes all the sense in the world. The way the pattern is written is what would confuse me. Why can't they just write it the way you explained it?

Judy

OOOOuuuuuu. I see by your avatar that you have a Shiba Inu. Yes? I do to. She is fifteen years old. Sorry off topic, but anyway...

I have trouble too. I used to make lined suits and dresses and clothing all from reading patterns. Now it seems that I am just so confused by them. Some quilt patterns I can read ok and some just seem to tax my brain cells. For those taxing patterns I tend to go to my LQS for help or take an ongoing class there where the instructor helps everyone do their own separate quilts and she will help me with my specific issues.