Draft - Topic 10 Series Wrap Up Post

Topic X - Pattern Writing Blog Series Wrap Up

my wrap up section



I asked the guest designers for any last tips and words of encouragement about pattern writing.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - If you are passionate about designing quilts and offering patterns for those designs, don't be intimidated by the process of pattern writing. It does take a lot of work, but the whole thing can be broken down into steps. It is a rewarding experience to sell a pattern that others can enjoy. So don't give up.

Amy of 13 Spools - I found the book Publish Your Patterns! How to Write, Print, and Market Your Designs (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0971450137?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage) very helpful.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - The most important thing is to have fun with the pattern that you are writing. As with everything else, practice makes pattern writing easier.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I strongly believe that everyone is creative, and you are doing your best work right now. Trying something new is a leap into the unknown, but remember that you can reach out to your quilting community (whether they be in person or online) for help when you need it.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - If you love designing AND have an interest in explaining how to do it to others then go for it. You just need to understand that you not only need a strong design, but also a clear ability to explain and illustrate how to do it. We’ve gotten used to seeing tutorials on blogs with lots of photo step outs included. A written pattern most likely won’t have all those photos or it would be a book. You need to be able to condense and illustrate while still conveying the same information.

Amy of 13 Spools - I’m absolutely positive all of this will seem extremely overwhelming. Honestly, it did to me too, and now I feel like I’ve got this - only a few years after writing my first pattern. And let me tell you - that first pattern was horrible. It was horribly written. No one needed a pattern to make that quilt. The photographs were less than amazing. The layout was lacking. The graphic design was crap. No one bought it. (Probably a good thing.)

That’s ok. That’s what your first project is for. The Sistine Chapel wasn’t Michelangelo's first project, and your first project won’t be amazing. Make it free, share it with others, whatever - or get help! Hire a designer, get a mentor, buy a ton of patterns to scour, take some design classes on CreativeLive or DesignShare. Fail. Get back up again. Fail again. Dust it off. Keep going. There’s no secrets here but hard work, good preparation, and learning from your mistakes.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - If you do decide to write patterns, look at the bigger picture. Will you want to offer printed patterns in the future? It’s easy to have digital pattern that is several pages long. Not so easy to turn that same thing into a printed pattern without major editing.

Christa of Christa Quilts - When choosing to offer print patterns, do your homework and get several different quotes. I found the best prices on printing at gotprint.com online, but you have to buy them in volume.

Don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to gain traction. Most shops and distributors don’t respond well to cold calls, i.e. hitting them up at their shops or at quilt market without an appointment. Find out who the buyers are, develop a relationship with them, and conduct yourself professionally at all times. It can take several tries before they are willing to see what you have to offer, but don’t give up. Also, develop a pattern line of about 5-6 patterns before you approach a shop or distributor to carry your line.

Like anything in business, take yourself seriously and don’t give up when the going gets tough. If you want something bad enough, you can make it happen!

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - We all have things to learn. I struggle with being wordy and wanting to visually represent everything in my patterns. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but if I ever do move toward printing my patterns or having them sold wholesale, I will definitely need to continue to learn the art of editing and culling where appropriate.

Giveaway section

Draft - PWS- How to Write a Quilt Pattern - Publishing Round Table (Topic 9)

Topic IX - Publishing- Round Table Discussion





On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic IX which covered the publication of quilt patterns, both digitally and in hard copy.  Our guest designers are here today to discuss their experiences with publishing and why they have decided to go down the publishing route that they have. 

This Friday (March 11th) we are going to wrap up this series with some final thoughts from myself
and the guest designers along with a giveaway which will have 7 winners!


a. Do you sell your pattern in digital, print, or both formats and why? What factors did you consider when making your sales strategy?

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I currently only offer my patterns in digital format as it is economical.

Christa of Christa Quilts - I offer them in both formats. Although it’s great to sell PDF’s because of the low overhead, brick and mortar quilt stores prefer print copies that they can resell and kit. Also, most distributors will only purchase print patterns. When I first launched, my patterns were PDF only for a few months and then I chose to print only the better sellers.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - Digital pattern sales offer you the most profit per sale. Up until recently, I have only offered my patterns for sale in digital format. However, in 2015 I began providing Trunk Shows and Workshops, and would bring along a few printed versions of my patterns to offer for sale at these events. Printed patterns offer a lower profit because they must include a cost for the printing. Providing printed patterns at wholesale prices for sale in quilt shops results in even less profit. But I am now looking into having some patterns printed professionally to accommodate these new sales opportunities.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - At this time, my patterns are available in digital format only. That keeps the cost low for myself and the buyer.

Amy of 13 Spools - I only sell digital patterns at the moment - because printing’s a b****. No, really! In order to really make a profit, you have to print thousands of patterns in a go and get them picked up by a distributor. You make a fraction of the price that they sell for. My patterns appeal to a more niche market, and simply aren’t going to be as widely popular as other styles of quilting. That’s ok! I know it, and I own it, and I don’t put thousands of dollars printing patterns when I don’t believe they’ll sell.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - This is a loaded question for me at the moment. I started out selling only digital patterns and that format is still my primary means of selling. In the back of my mind I had thoughts of printed patterns but didn’t fully consider how that would work with my given pattern format. I have been fortunate to have a few shops contact me directly asking for paper patterns for their shop and have been able to fulfill those by self printing. I’m at the point now where I need to make some decisions moving forward about commercial printing and distribution.



b. Where do you sell your patterns? (different online platforms, individual shops, wholesale)

Soma of Whims and Fancies - Etsy, Craftsy and sometimes over Paypal directly.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I currently offer my patterns through the online platforms Craftsy, Etsy, and Payhip.

Amy of 13 Spools - At the moment, just Etsy and Craftsy. I have one (maybe two?) up on Patternspot.com, but that didn’t take off, so I haven’t had a sale on there in ages.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - I started out with Craftsy about the same time they introduced their pattern selling option. Later I added Etsy and Pattern Spot.

Christa of Christa Quilts - I sell my PDF patterns through Craftsy. I sell my print patterns in my online Amazon store at theprecutstore.com. I also sell them wholesale to quilt shops and through distributors (United Notions, Brewer, and Checker).

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - I sell my patterns online using PayHip.com and in my Etsy shop.


c. How did you decide on the pricing for your pattern?

Amy of 13 Spools - Eh. I really didn’t put enough thought into it, but since my individual digital patterns aren’t where I put my marketing, I don’t ever think about it. In all seriousness, I should price my patterns much higher (somewhere in the $20 range) since they are soooo very niche and take sooo very long to write, just due to my style. I originally grabbed pricing based on the majority of patterns I saw around me - averaging from $8-$12. But my patterns take a lot more pages, hence part of the reason I have issues with printing them, etc. etc….I’ll probably re-evaluate my pricing soon.

For the Tribal Block Club, which includes 6 block patterns & 3 quilt top patterns, I looked at it two ways:

1) How did this compare to a bundle of regular quilt patterns? I wanted students to feel like they were getting a deal. If each quilt pattern was worth $12 (these aren’t as complex as my paper piecing ones to write), then the patterns were worth a total of $36. For just $4 more, you could get a whopping 6 block tutorials in full photographed detail! And a Facebook group & private post access where you could read comments from others and me! That sounded like a pretty good deal to me. I offered an early bird price of $29 because that was a really good deal - while still giving me a decent sale.

2) If I was giving away more than 3 patterns worth of material, then I needed to make more than I would from selling the 3 patterns to magazines. I usually make around $300 from selling a baby to twin size quilt pattern, including making the quilt, to a magazine. I have no idea what’s normal, but that’s what I’ve been making. So I wanted to make more than $900, since I was also providing the quilt block tutorials - probably closer to $1500. Not just that I wanted to “make more”, but that I wanted to see if the online block club route was a better fit for me. I knew that I had a little over ~1000 bloglovin followers, so I figured that if at least 5% of my readers purchased a membership, then I would make that goal.

So when you are trying to figure out how to price your patterns, yes, you could look at the market - but if everyone else in the market is pricing too low, then you will be, too! And if your overhead costs are different than someone else, then your prices should be, too. I ended up finding the way I priced the Tribal Block Club to be a much smarter way of pricing. Take into account the amount of money you would like to earn, all of your costs, and how you can persuade buyers that you priced your product correctly. I sold far more of my Tribal Block Club than I have of any of my other patterns combined; probably because of the way they were bundled, priced, and all of the extras added in.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - I looked around to get a general idea of the price spread and took into account the added benefits my patterns offered. I also was told early on by a distributor I contacted that they would not carry a pattern that sold for less online. I know there is some discussion out there that online prices should be less than printed patterns. The argument is that there is no expense to the designer with a digital product. This doesn’t take into account that the work (and expense) to create and write a pattern is the same regardless of the final format. Hours and hours go into producing a good quality quilt pattern not to mention the likelihood that multiple quilts were probably made during the process. For those designers selling digital patterns at a lower price point, they most likely cannot even afford to offer a printed pattern at that same price. The profit margin on a printed pattern can be pretty small, especially when a distributor is involved.

Christa of Christa Quilts - I don’t mind sharing my pricing strategy since I know it’s hard to figure this stuff out. My retail prices are $10 per pattern and I don’t discount the PDF prices (unless it’s a limited time holiday sale, or clearance). In fact, distributors require that your PDF and print prices are the same.

Wholesale prices are usually 50% off retail. Then distributor prices are 30% off retail prices. So in my case, the wholesale price is $5 and the distributor price is $3.50. The distributor then sells the pattern to the shops for $5 so either way, the shop is paying the same price.

Now, many people would wonder why I don’t sell just directly to shops only and earn the extra $1.50 per pattern. Also, why sell wholesale at all since selling retail is so much more profitable? The main reason is distribution. The distributors and shops have a wider reach than I do and many shops will only purchase from distributors because it’s easier on them to buy all their patterns from one place. So even though wholesale profits less and distributor profits are even less, you make up for it in volume. The rule of thumb is to set your pricing based on distributor pricing. Selling wholesale to shops or retail yourself is just icing on the cake!

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - Factors such as: how much work went into a particular design, how much detail is offered in the pattern, how many pages are in the pattern, how popular is the pattern - are used to determine the pricing for my patterns.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I was not too scientific about it, but I did put some thought into what might happen if I eventually am able to sell my patterns wholesale. I recommend Modern Quilt Guild members watch Shea Henderson’s MQG Webinar (“Pattern Writing: Discussing the Ins and Outs 9/10/14”) in general, but specifically when it came to pricing my patterns her presentation influenced me. The first patterns that I wrote and that were not peer reviewed or tested are $5. Patterns that have multiple sizes are $10. Patterns that only offer one size are $9.


Thanks for reading!  This Friday (March 11th) we are going to wrap up this series with some final thoughts from myself and the guest designers along with a giveaway which will have 7 winners!

Draft - PWS- How to Write a Quilt Pattern - Pattern Testing Round Table (Topic 8)

Topic VIII - Testing - Round Table Discussion







On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic VIII, the testing of the pattern.  The post covered why is a good idea to test you patterns and how you would do so.  Today our guest designers and going to talk about how they test patterns.

Tomorrow (Thursday, March 3rd), there is going to be an exciting, exciting announcement so be sure to check back!

a. Do you use testers for your patters?

Amy of 13 Spools - If they are paid patterns, yes.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - In the beginning I didn’t. Now I use block testers to ensure that the directions and cutting for the block make sense. I would like to have full pattern testers in the future and would love to know how others make this work for them.

Christa of Christa Quilts - So far I have not done so because most of my patterns have been quilt alongs first and my followers sort of helped pattern test as we go. Also, since I usually write up the pattern before I make the quilt, I pattern test it myself.

However, as my pattern line grows, I plan to add pattern testers in the future. If anyone is interested in becoming a pattern tester for me, they can email me at christa@christaquilts.com.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - When it comes to my own work, I like to see it through end to end. Other than custom pattern requests, I always write patterns that I would make for myself. That covers the testing aspect of the patterns too.

Sometimes I share my patterns with my friends and I am very grateful when I get feedback from them.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - Yes. I am a firm believer in pattern testers. At the very least, I will have a pattern edited / reviewed by 2 quilters.



b. How do you find your testers?

Anne of Springleaf Studios - So far my block testers have been through my online bee. Local guild members have also expressed an interest in pattern testing which will be a nice option in the future.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - To find someone willing to test a pattern, write a blog post requesting anyone who is interested to leave a comment. Put out a call for pattern testers using social media such as your Facebook page or Instagram. Ask a trusted quilting friend or two if they would be willing to test for you.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I put out a call for pattern testers on my blog at the end of 2014. I have worked with everyone who has said they were interested at that time and learned a lot about what I expect out of a pattern tester along the way. I now have a small group of trusted testers that I will ask if they have availability first, and I am also considering putting out another call for testers later in 2015.

Amy of 13 Spools - I have a close quilty friend who tests most all of my patterns. Many of my other quilty friends (through my quilt guild) are also willing to test for me. For my book, Stash Books provided 2 techinical editors to comb through my work. For the Tribal Block Club, I put out a pattern testing call - but that was the first time! My mom tested my first patterns for me. Yup.



c. What are your expectations of a tester?

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - A pattern tester should be willing to give helpful feedback and constructive criticism, perhaps even offering suggestions for rewording the instructions to make them clearer and easier to follow. They should be able to provide you with a review of the quilt math. Are the fabric requirements accurate? Are the cutting instructions correct? To have a pattern tester tell you that they did not read the pattern, but simply followed the pictures is not very helpful.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I wrote a pattern tester expectations document that I send to potential testers so that they understand my expectations before committing to pattern testing for me. I also send out the pattern testing form to any returning testers as it contains a set of questions about each individual pattern that I am specifically looking for feedback on.

In general, some of the things I expect are:
Frequent and timely communication, specifically where the deadline is concerned. I understand that life happens, but if a date commitment cannot be met, I need to know sooner rather than later.

• I expect completed quilts and not just finished flimsies. I want to feature different colorways / sizes within the pattern, and I find that finished quilts inspire quilters to do better photography than a finished flimsy.
• Testers must follow the pattern – this is not the time to get creative and modify to make the quilt something else.
• If fabric is being used from a tester’s stash, I ask that they please pre-cut down to the suggested yardage. I need to know what works and does not work in the pattern including yardage recommendations.

Amy of 13 Spools - Tell me what I did wrong - and hopefully be nice about it :) Some people give excessive feedback - or tell me the errors they made, and that I should add extra instructions because they made errors. Unfortunately, no matter how I write a pattern (and no matter how correctly I write it!), someone will always make an error. So sometimes, I honestly do ignore suggestions. You have to. Otherwise everything would be in bold and highlighted!

Anne of Springleaf Studios - I can only speak to the block testing part, but I expect them to ask questions about anything that isn’t clear in the instructions. Comments on whether the measurements, wording, and illustrations make sense and are easy to follow. Pointing out any errors or confusing things. I am always open to suggestions on ways to clarify so that the user has a good experience.




d. Do you compensate your testers? If so how?

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - Yes. I think my blog post might stand alone here, but it also explains why I feel OK having high expectations (previous question).

Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs - Yvonne has a great post about compensating testers on her blog here.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - Since I haven’t used testers for the full pattern yet, I don’t have an answer to this, but am curious to know how the rest of you handle this.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - A pattern tester that has been willing to provided you with a thorough review is deserving of compensation. Yes, they got a free pattern. And no you may not be able to afford to compensate them "out of pocket". But someone who has been particularly helpful may be rewarded with a portion or a percentage of your sales. Other ways to compensate them would be to give them recognition on your blog or other social media. Praise them for their invaluable work and efforts.

Amy of 13 Spools - It varies. I don’t compensate my mom!! When I started out, I simply couldn’t. Since it’s mostly my friends testing for me, it’s a non-issue: if they want to volunteer to test for free, they do. If they don’t, they won’t. If my friends volunteer to pattern test for me for free, I always give them a gift at the end - usually something fabric related. And yes, I give a gift to my mom, too. Sometimes I’ve had people help me put together a quilt top (like for my book), and then I can turn around and give the quilt to them. That’s pretty awesome.

With my friend Darcie, who now pattern tests most everything I write, it varies - she began by purchasing her own fabric and not getting paid. Now, I can usually provide her with some or all of the fabric for the quilt. We also trade services - I’ve been building her website in exchange for some of her testing & quilting work. I paid her to help me finish some of the blocks for the Tribal Rose quilt. It’s great to have a regular tester because 1) she really knows how to communicate what was wrong with a pattern and 2) we can talk openly about what we both need at that point in time. If I ask her to test something, she’ll either say, Yes! I have some fabric from my stash that would work great for that! Or, Yes! Let me know if you want any input on the fabric you’re going to order. It’s been working awesome for us to have that kind of partnership.

Remember to check back tomorrow for an exciting announcement!

PSW- How to Write a Quilt Pattern - Round table Topic 7 - Illustrations and Text

Topic VII - Illustrations and Text - Round Table Discussion






On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic VII, the illustrations and text of the pattern.  I went through each section of the quilt pattern and discussed what each one typically held as well as how I write the sample pattern, Ninja Bears,

Today we are going to discuss order the guest designers develop and write their patterns and Soma from Whims and Fancies will be sharing some thoughts on paper piecing.

Tomorrow (Thursday, Feb 25th), Amy from 13 Spools will be posting on writing patterns for paper pieced designs including a video of how she makes her patterns!

In what order do you draft the pattern (do you start with the text, graphics, math, etc)?

Soma of Whims and Fancies - My pattern drafting always starts with a drawing, which I then turn into a pattern and finally write the pattern file.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I pretty much always start with the quilt math, then I make the graphics, and I fill in with writing the text along the way. Sitting down and writing the text is the hardest part for me, so if I break up the writing as I do the other steps it helps me maintain momentum. Breaking up the writing also allows me more time for editing / reviewing what I have written.

Also, I tend to do the quilt math first because it is fun. I do the graphics second because I find that if I can visually represent a step it is much easier for me to then describe the step in writing.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - Once the design is finalized, I do all the math and even tweak the design if it makes the yardage work better. I usually work out yardage and cutting simultaneously. The next step is usually a combination of illustrations and block directions. The final text, including the Design Lesson and Design Exploration text is the last thing I do.

Christa of Christa Quilts - I start with the design and then make a lot of notes. I usually do a piece count for myself as a double check. I figure out the math that is needed first, such as how many squares I can cut from a strip of fabric, etc. If the math is weird, for example, if I need exactly 41” from a WOF strip of fabric, then I will try to alter the pattern so that pieces can be cut efficiently from 40” of fabric or less. Also, I try not to use non-standard finished sizes if that can be avoided.

Once the math makes sense, then I will write out the cutting instructions. From that, I will calculate how much yardage of each fabric is needed and create a materials list. Then I finish writing the text of the pattern with notes to myself such as “draw graphic of 4” finished half-square triangle” or “show exploded block diagram.”

Once the pattern text is completely written, I will draw the rough illustrations.

Then I make the quilt and do the photography. I only use photography for the cover picture and quilting details. All of the step-by-step instructions are done with illustrations.  When the quilt is finished and the pattern parts are ready (photos, rough illustrations, text), I hand that off to the graphic designer to create the first pattern draft. We then go back and forth several times until I’m happy with the final layout and design, and I’ve double checked all the math and spelling.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - Because my typical pattern is one that uses the Stitch and Flip method, once I have finalized the design, I usually start drafting the pattern by working on the graphics, breaking each block down into the pieces needed to construct the block.

Amy of 13 Spools - I draw out my pattern, then figure out the cutting directions. I write out the cutting directions by hand, and loosely write out the piecing directions by hand. If I know I’m going to write a pattern, I consciously consider myself the “first pattern tester” and write corrections & notes as I go. Then I just kind of do the rest all at once. Or whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.

(add here Soma's thoughts on paper piecing)

PSW- How to Write a Quilt Pattern - Round table Topic 6 - Computer Programs

Topic VI - Computer Programs - Round Table Discussion






On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic VI, I covered the various computer programs available to create your designs, illustrations, text, and pattern layout as well as what I use to create my patterns.  In this round table discussion the guest designers are going to share which programs they use in their pattern work.  I think that you will be amazed at the variety of programs used by them, it really shows that there is no one "right" program to create your pattern.

Tomorrow (Thursday, Feb 19th), Christa from Christa Quilts will be posting on experiences in hiring a graphic designer to create her patterns.

Which computer program(s) do you use for the illustrations, text, and for laying out the pattern (word, powerpoint, adobe, etc). Did you hire out any of the work out?

Christaof Christa Quilts - I use EQ7 to design all of my quilts. When I first began selling quilt patterns, I would import my EQ images into photoshop for cropping and adjusting. Then I would copy and paste them into a word processing program in between the pattern text.

My husband helps me with the photography. I tried to hire that part out to a professional photography studio but found that I could get better detail images of my quilting if I did it myself.

I recently hired a graphic designer to make my patterns look more professional. I give her the EQ images along with a “transcript” – a rough draft of the pattern instructions with notes that say “insert illustration 1 here, insert photograph 2 here” etc. She takes the images and imports them into adobe illustrator, or redraws them if needed. She then takes the images, words, and photography and lays everything out in Adobe In Design. Because she’s a quilter, she understands the terminology I am using and knows what I’m trying to convey. If anyone is interested, they can contact her at designbylindsie.com.

It’s worth it for me to pay for things I don’t like to do, like graphic design, because she is much faster than I am, and it frees me up to do more of the fun stuff I like to do.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - To write the pattern I use MS Word and, for the illustrations, I use the Paint program on my computer.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - I do all of the work myself, using Adobe Illustrator for everything.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I use Inkscape for illustrations, and I write my patterns in Word. To date, I have not hired out any work.

Amy of 13 Spools - Adobe Illustrator for all of the illustrations, and Adobe InDesign for the text and layout - and no! Even for my book, I did all of the illustrations. They listed an illustrator in the front of the book, but I really have no clue what he did…no offense. Seriously, I just don’t know.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - I use Adobe Illustrator for all the illustrations and Adobe InDesign for the actual writing and pattern layout. Both my husband and I have degrees in graphic design so the pattern layout process is something we are familiar with. 

PSW- How to Write a Quilt Pattern - Roundtable Topic 4 - Turning Designs into Patterns

Topic IV - General Pattern Writing - Round Table Discussion







On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic IV, I discussed some general pattern writing guidelines such as figuring out your audience, building a library of block instructions, and consistency within the pattern. 

In this round table discussion, I picked the guest designers' brains on their thoughts on general pattern writing.

Tomorrow (Thursday, Feb 11th), Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts will be posting on her perspective and evolution as a pattern designer so make sure you check back!


When writing patterns, what are some assumptions you make (about the skill level of the quilter, what materials are standard, etc)?

Soma of Whims and Fancies - Other than custom pattern projects,  I mainly write patterns for my own use, I typically don’t write them with selling in mind.  I like to make it as easy as possible for anyone to sew from any given pattern.  That includes myself. 

Due to extra details, some patterns are more complex than others, but I have had beginners make wonderful, finished blocks from my complex patterns.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I generally assume that the width of fabric is 40ʺ. I assume a quilter is capable of a consistent ¼ʺ seam allowance and knows what to do if I call for a scant ¼ʺ seam allowance. I assume basic fabric cutting capabilities/tools, but if a specific ruler (such as a square ruler) is really helpful or necessary for success, I will note that in the pattern. *Craftsy has a required tools section to fill in which is really great for letting buyers know if there are specific tools they will need.

Amy of 13 Spools - Ugh, I’d like to assume everything! Lol. I always list patterns for “confident beginners” or something higher, because if someone has never once sat down at a sewing machine, well….they won’t know how to thread a needle or sew a quarter-inch seam or...anything.

I always assume that my quilters have the following: sewing machine, thread, needles, scissors, cutting mat, rotary cutter, iron, pencils, paper - all those basics, and a few I’m probably missing. A friend, a stiff drink, and a seam ripper might also be necessary, but I don’t mention those ;) Anything else, I try to include in the materials list.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - I still wonder about how I should approach this. My early inclination was to include everything but it quickly became apparent that I was writing a pattern not a book. Therefore some assumptions like a general understanding of basic quilting skills have to be made. I still try to include as much as is feasible given the space restraints of a pattern.

Christa of Christa Quilts - I gear my patterns towards comfortable beginners. I assume they know how to use a rotary cutter and understand basic quilting terminology. I include fabric requirements, batting requirements, backing requirements and any specialty tools that are needed. I assume the reader has basic rotary cutting equipment and a sewing machine.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - When writing patterns, I assume that the buyer of the pattern would have a general knowledge of how to make a quilt. If the construction of the blocks requires making units such as HST or Flying Geese, I will include the instructions of how to make them using my preferred method. Other than the materials needed in the construction of the quilt, such as fabric and batting, I don't list that they will need to have an acrylic ruler, rotary cutter, cutting mat, sewing machine, thread, iron, etc.

In addition to the instructions in the pattern, is there anything you typically include? (Extra tips, links to websites for basic quilting instructions, how long steps take, etc)

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I like to provide tips in the pattern along the way, especially when I have found myself making a mistake when doing a particular step. I referenced a website for a basic Y seam introduction when I did not want to spend time in my pattern dedicated to the topic and I also did not want to assume that the quilter had proficiency in that skill.

Amy of 13 Spools - Not really - does that make me a bad quilt patterner?

Anne of Springleaf Studios - Yes, I do include extras. In addition to tips throughout the instructions, I also include a mini Design Lesson to help the quilter understand the block and the overall quilt design, a Design Explorations section that shows examples of alternative ways the pattern can be used to create different versions, and a coloring page so the quilter can play with their own ideas. A couple of patterns also include directions for a pillow that is made from the block trimmings.

Christa of Christa Quilts - Because I specialize in teaching others how to quilt on their home sewing machines, I will usually include machine quilting ideas with a closeup or two of the quilting I did in the pattern. I also include links to a few basic tutorials on my website like basting and binding.

Lornaof Sew Fresh Quilts - If your quilt design uses a specific method such as Paper Piecing or Stitch and Flip, I would either include a short tutorial or recommend links to an in depth tutorial. "Quilt as desired" can be an annoyance to those who would appreciate more guidance. Offering suggestions for the quilting is a courtesy.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - I always sew from my finished patterns following the instructions that I have written down.  If I come across any helpful tips as I sew the blocks, I add those tips to the pattern file.

Any tips on common pattern drafting errors to avoid?

Anne of Springleaf Studios - Double check and double check again. Thankfully I haven’t had any errors that I’m aware of yet. Having someone familiar with quilting proofread is not only enormously helpful but necessary. I wouldn’t publish a pattern without several rounds of proofreading by myself and at least one or two other people. This includes checking yardage and cutting figures as well as the overall clarity of the writing and illustrations.

Christa of Christa Quilts - Double and triple check your math. I usually write up the pattern either before I make the quilt, or as I go, so I can pattern test my own patterns.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - I have found that reviewing the patterns multiple times works well for me.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I had the benefit of having a professional editor review my first quilt pattern and offer some advice. The things I learned are:

•  When noting inches in a pattern, do not use the curly que quotes from the keyboard (“) instead, use the Modifier Letter Double Prime symbol which can be found in Word by going to Insert > Symbol (ʺ)
• Simplify wording! Not everyone buying your pattern will have English as a first language. Use the easiest synonym and cut out unnecessary words.
• Start instructions with an action verb. Cut. Press. Sew.
• Be consistent. For example, choose whether you are going to use decimals or fractions and stick with that convention throughout the pattern.

Pattern Series Workshop - Designer Roundtable Discussion on Topic 3 - Turning Designs into Patterns

On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic 3 which discussed how to start turning your quilt designs into quilt patterns.  I discussed how to find the block within your quilt pattern and then how to go about sizing the blocks and deciding on a layout to get to the quilt size(s) that you would like to include in your pattern.  

Two questions I have been asked over and over again are around offering a quilt pattern in more than one size and the difference between free and paid quilt patterns.  Our designers (and myself) weigh in on these questions below.

Do you typically offer your patterns in one size or more than one size? How did you decide on this? 


Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - I typically offer my patterns in more than one size. This allows for more flexible use of the pattern to suit the buyer's needs.


Soma of Whims and Fancies - The size of my patterns is based on the details of the designs. I design them in such a way that they can be resized by printing them at different percentages.


Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I have patterns both ways, and I price accordingly. A pattern that is only one size is slightly less expensive than a pattern with multiple sizes. Ideally, I would like my patterns to offer multiple sizes.

I always try to offer more than one size in my quilt patterns, but if a pattern is complex, making the pattern in a different size would require really odd measurements, etc., I will chose to offer the pattern in one size only.


Amy of 13 Spools - I only offer them in one size because it’s a freaking pain to do more! This is usually because my patterns have complex cutting directions, and it would be crazy to do it for many sizes.


Anne of Springleaf Studios - Right now it’s about half and half. The patterns that offer multiple sizes range from baby to queen size. Others have just a single throw/lap size. The decision is generally based on the design. If it’s a block based design, it’s easier to offer multiple sizes. Exceptions to this would be an overly large block which can make it difficult to work into traditional bed sized quilts or if the overall design requires a set number of blocks. The complexity of a design can also simply get to be too confusing for multiple sizes when it comes to listing yardage and cutting. I don’t want to overwhelm the quilter with things they don’t need. I do sometimes include tips on how to rescale a block or make another size when the pattern doesn’t include other size options.


Christa of Christa Quilts - I offer them in four sizes. When I was ready to get serious about pattern design, I began to do a bunch of research. I paid attention to what other designers did and asked my instagram followers if they wanted multiple sizes and what sizes they preferred. For my general pattern layout, I realized that four different sizes was enough to make the pattern valuable, but didn’t make the pattern too long for printing.

I also wanted to differentiate my single patterns from the patterns I write for books. My books are a themed collection of patterns in one size only; therefore the individual unit price of a book pattern is much cheaper when you consider how many patterns are offered in a book. For stand-alone patterns, I wanted to make sure I was providing enough value to the consumer to justify the higher unit cost of just one pattern. 

Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs - As I stated in my Monday post, I do not think that you must include multiple sizes in your quilt patterns, but when speaking with pattern purchasers, most indicated that having multiple sizes made the pattern more valuable and that they tended to buy more multiple size patterns than single size patterns.  In my own patterns, almost all have multiple sizes, with the number of sizes and which sizes are offered based on the block size, complexity, and other factors.





With all of the free patterns out there on Craftsy, Moda Bake Shop, and blogs, do you feel that there is a difference in what a free versus for sale pattern should contain? 


Soma of Whims and Fancies - I haven’t felt any difference between the two. My patterns contain the same level of detail whether they are paid or not. That way, people get a realistic impression of working with my patterns, regardless of which one they pick.


Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - When I am making a quilt pattern that will be purchased, I try to offer something “more” than would be realistic for a free pattern. For instance, I will include a coloring page, give detailed information on fabric selection, or even provide a worksheet to outline a thought process to help a quilter cultivate a story and meaning behind the quilt they are making. I have also included additional information like a secondary quilt pattern that can be made from scraps generated when piecing the quilt top.

I believe that a quilt pattern that is offered for sale should be pattern tested and edited more carefully than a free pattern / tutorial. It is one thing for me to write a free pattern / tutorial and work through the pattern on my own, but when I offer a pattern for sale at the very least I want several other quilters to have looked it over.


Amy of 13 Spools - For starters, I don’t really concern myself with what I think others should include in a free v. paid pattern - only what works for me. My situation (stay at home mom with 3 very young children; I can only sew if I pay for a babysitter, etc.) is not necessarily the same as quilter a and quilter b, etc. - so our needs are different, as well. That’s ok. If someone else offers a great pattern for free, I don’t worry about my own pricing model - I do what I need to do, and they can do what they need to do.

When I’m deciding whether to offer a pattern for sale or for free, it’s about three things: time, complexity, and pattern testing.  I nearly always make quilts for-sale patterns. That’s just a practical thing - my quilt patterns tend to take quite awhile to write, and I can’t justify that time if I’m not going to get at least some compensation.

Block patterns are a toss-up. Here, there is a difference in content - I usually don’t provide cutting directions for the free paper-pieced patterns. That part takes awhile to figure out & write, so I will decide to either 1) include it & offer the pattern for sale, or 2) skip it and offer the pattern for free.

For me, another concern with paid v. free is pattern testing - I always have my patterns for sale tested! I don’t have my free ones tested - it just doesn’t make sense monetarily for me.


Anne of Springleaf Studios - Yes, I do. As a designer trying to make money from my pattern sales it can be a challenge to compete with all the free patterns available. Most free patterns are fairly straight forward and provide a minimum of instruction. I try to offer more than what you would expect in a free pattern. Things like alternative ways to use the pattern and a coloring page to name a few. I really want the quilter to take my pattern and use it as a starting point to create their own unique version.

I might add that with such easy access to information online these days, I think there can be an assumption that everything online is free. What many people don’t think about is the amount of time it takes to fully develop a pattern. That’s what this series is all about and I hope by the end more quilters will appreciate the effort that goes into publishing patterns. You don’t just write one up in a day.


Christa of Christa Quilts - I limit how much free content I offer. I have one free pattern called “Puzzle Box” that my readers get when they sign up for my email newsletter on my website. It is available in one size only and gives my readers a “taste” for my other multi-size patterns. I also offer step-by-step quilt along tutorials on my website. These aren’t full blown illustrated patterns, but they give me a chance to test-out my ideas before I create a pattern. These, too, are offered in one size only.


Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - A free pattern should contain as much or as little information as the creator of that pattern feels like offering. A for sale pattern should ALL the information needed for making the quilt from start to finish, including fabric requirements, cutting directions, block construction, and quilt top assembly instructions. Additional information may include a fabric selection guide, a variety of quilt layout options, a colouring sheet or quilting suggestions.

Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs - For my free patterns, they are almost always one size and contain instructions for one design option.  For example, I might have a free pattern of a lap size quilt using a jelly roll.  If I were to make it into a paid pattern, I would try to expand the number of quilt sizes offered and would probably offer instructions for cutting and piecing from yardage, scraps, and any other pre-cuts that might work along with additional tips and content.

Test post for Round Table Discussion - Topic 2 Design

On Monday {insert link} I covered Topic 2 of the Pattern Writing Series - Design, sharing my inspirations and process of coming up with quilt designs.  Coming up with designs is a highly individual process, so to gain other perspectives on the topic, our designers are going to share a little about what inspires their quilt designs and how they come up with new and exciting patterns.

I wanted to how the designers came up with their pattern ideas, what inspired them. I also wanted to know what tools (computers or other tools) they used when coming up with a design.

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl will be presenting a more in depth post tomorrow (Thursday, January 22st) about her inspiration process and Anne from Springleaf Studios will be posting on Friday January 23rd about the differences of starting the quilt pattern process from a design versus starting from a collection of fabrics.


Where do you find inspiration?

Anne of Springleaf Studios - Inspiration can come from almost anywhere. The trick is in being open to the possibilities of what you see and the potential it might hold for a design. You can see the same thing over and over and then all of a sudden you see it in a new light and an idea is sparked that brings things together. I tend to look for inspiration in other textiles, graphic design and fine art as well as nature and the environment. Plus, I simply play on my computer. Looking at other quilts can also be very inspiring, but I generally avoid that when I am designing a new pattern. I don’t want to be overly influenced by existing quilts. The more you become aware of your personal creative style, the less you will be inclined to borrow from others. Whatever you do, don’t copy . . . be inspired by something, but find a way to translate the idea into your own unique vision.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts- I find inspiration in nature and modern minimalist artists like Charley Harper, Ed Emberly and Eleanor Grosch.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - Most of my pattern designs are initiated by my drawings and paintings. Inspiration for those comes pretty much from every aspect of life.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I have been inspired by photography and specific design goals or challenges (Triangle Transparency was created based on my desire to use transparency play in a design), but I am mostly inspired by doodling.

Amy of 13 Spools - I primarily find inspiration in architecture, furniture design, and modern art. When I’m not looking to these, I find inspiration in other quilts, woven blankets, and in a few of my favorite shapes - “flying kites” (a sharp version of a boomerang shape) and sharp, scalene triangles.




What computer programs or other tools do you use to come up with a quilt design?

Christa of Christa Quilts - I design the majority of my quilts in Electric Quilt (EQ7). The only time I don’t is if it’s a very unique design that I can’t figure out how to draw electronically. Then I’ll use graph paper to work out the proportions and then re-draw it in EQ once I’m ready to finalize the design and add fabrics.

My favorite part about using the software is the fact that I can save a fabric image of any print I want to use, and import that into the program. This lets me know exactly how the quilt will look before I make the first fabric cut.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts - I initially use graph paper for designing quilts. Then I use EQ7 to allow for showing how that design would look using different fabric choices.

Soma of Whims and Fancies - Since I love to draw, I always have something with me that I can doodle on. Sometimes I sketch out ideas on my ipad. I also use Adobe Illustrator to draw on my computer.

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl - I use Inkscape, which is a free “professional quality vector graphics software which runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.” Right now the designs I come up with are probably 50% started by hand sketches and 50% started within Inkscape. My husband bought me a Rhodia dotPad for my birthday this year, and I like curling up with a pencil and seeing what happens. Many of my initial sketches morph when I start working on them on the computer.

Amy of 13 Spools - I solely use Adobe Illustrator to sketch my quilt designs. To create a printable pattern with instructions, I use Adobe InDesign to create a PDF document with the Illustrator sketches placed alongside the directions.

Anne of Springleaf Studios - I used to do everything in grid paper notebooks. Now it’s almost exclusively done in Adobe Illustrator. While I love the idea of maintaining a single sketchbook, in reality I tend to jot ideas down all over the place and end up with lots of loose pieces of paper. I’m currently trying to get my older sketches into a single file and perhaps even into the computer where I can keep them more organized. Regardless of where an idea initially starts, I use the computer to fully develop the concept. The computer gives me the freedom to explore a wider range of possibilities. I am able to easily and quickly play with color and layout and find that this exploration results in a much better final design. The main downside is that the computer is not as organic as sketching.

Pattern Series Workshop - Round Table - Panel Introduction

There is no right way or wrong way to write a quilt pattern, so to help give other perspectives and ways of writing quilt patterns a number of wonderful pattern designers will be joining me for round table discussions and additional posts.

With me will be (in alphabetic order) Amy of 13 Spools, Anne of Springleaf Studios, Christa of Christa Quilts, Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts, Soma of Whims and Fancies, and Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl.

Here is a little about each designer...

My name is Amy Garro and I’m a stay at home mom and quilter. I graduated from Notre Dame in 2009 with a Theology degree and do some light writing, but for the most part, I fill my time with giggles and stitches. My three sons (Charlie, Johnny, and Gus) are all under four. They keep me busy, but my husband (John) does a great job making sure I have some crafty time.

I started crafting at age 4 and sewing at age 7. I mostly sewed garments, but jumped fully into quilting in 2011 and haven’t looked back since! I love both modern and traditional quilts, but focus on designing and creating modern quilts. My style is structured, striking, mathematical, and geometric. I lean heavily on the use of strong lines when creating compositions, and draw inspiration from architecture. I have book entitled PaperPieced Modern, patterns available in my Craftsy and Etsy shops, and a new block club called the Tribal Block Club.

Hi, I'm Anne Deister of SpringLeaf Studios. I have a degree in graphic design and worked for many years doing corporate design. After having my second child, I left to be a stay-at-home mom, doing some design work from home. During that time, I also sewed for my children and home and eventually started quilting. 

I was drawn to quilting as a means of pairing my design skills with the fabrics and colors I love to create beautiful things. My passion is mixing bright prints and colors in relatively simple ways to produce bold graphic compositions. My work comes from a place of graphic design first with a foundation in traditional quilt making. In my patterns, I love exploring how the repetition of a unique block, plus simple shifts in the placement of color, can produce a wide variety of different designs, all within a single quilt pattern. 

In addition to block based patterns, I also enjoy designing quilts from what I call a whole composition approach where the entire quilt is my canvas as opposed to the individual block. This approach often employs asymmetrical design, negative space, and use of an alternative grid which are more commonly seen in modern quilts.

Discovering the online quilting community a few years ago led to starting my blog, SpringLeaf Studios, and eventually publishing quilt patterns so I could share my design explorations with other quilters. My hope is they will take a pattern and make it their own. SpringLeaf Studios patterns are currently available through Etsy and Craftsy. 

Christa Watson of ChristaQuilts.com is a quiltmaker, pattern designer, quilting instructor, and author of two books: Machine Quilting With Style, and The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting. After making quilts and searching for her “artistic voice” for nearly two decades, she finally found it within the modern quilting community.

Meet Lorna McMahon, modern quilter, pattern designer and the author of the Sew Fresh Quilts blog. Lorna's use of eye-catching colour and minimalist design has taken modern quilting in an entirely new direction, as traditional piecing methods are used to create a menagerie of animals and entirely new blocks. A few of her signature items are her “Elephant Parade” and “Dog Gone Cute” quilt patterns, which are offered as free quilt alongs. On her website you can learn from her creative processes as she shares her love of quilting, tips and clever tutorials.  Lorna's patterns are available on her PayHip shop.

I am a software engineer by trade. Aside from math and science, I have loved painting and photography since I was a child. I started quilting in 2012. Within a couple months of that, I started writing quilt patterns.  Soma blogs at Whims and Fancies and her patterns are available through her Etsy and Craftsy shops.

An intuitive introvert who is passionate about hometown and online quilting community, I believe that quilts can cover the world with care and love. I use my blogging platform to cultivate a community with which I share my passion for quilt making and quilt pattern design. Yvonne blogs at Quilting Jetgirl and her patterns are available through her Etsy, Payhip, and Craftsy shops.


I hope that you are as excited for this series to start as I am! The next post will be on Monday, January 25th all about quilt design.