New at quilting & frustrated

[Margo C.]

Hi all, Forgive me for whining? :? I'm fairly new to quilting, although I've sewn clothing and home dec for 35+ years. (and I'm only 29!) I've made a few quilted pillows, a table topper but nothing on a large scale until now. I chose a free download pattern from a highly respected quilt shop who also has their own magazine. But as I'm following the directions I've found numerous errors. Almost 1/4 of the cutting measurements are inaccurate, and I've had to rip out, re-cut and start again. Fortunately, I didn't do all the cutting before I started sewing. I decided to cut as needed during the progression of the quilt and found the first error almost immediately.

My question is, this is the second inaccurate pattern I've found in my quest for learning how to quilt. The first one was a purchased pattern, the Latte Quilt, a quilt that uses machine embroidered blocks. I quit making that quilt after making the pillow that goes with the quilt. Machine embroidering a block takes hours, and then to find out the cutting measurements were wrong... no way was I going to do that quilt.

What I'd like to know is, am I simply unlucky? Or is this something I should expect with a certain percentage of patterns, both purchased & downloadable patterns. What has been your experience with purchased patterns as well as the free downloadable patterns?

[Eileen K.]

Hi Christine,

In this instance, you have to contact the shop you bought the pattern from. Ask them if they've published a correction sheet. You're right, you were lucky that you didn't cut out everything before you found the mistake. If they're not willing to fix the problem, ask for a refund. That may light a fire under them.

As for the Latte quilt, I've never made one, so I'm sorry I can't help with that.

[Frances L.]

Christine,
Most patterns are correct, I think you were just unlucky. The first quilt my daughter and I made had a mistake in it that I caught early enough to go back to the store and get more of the same fabric. Because if that, I always buy more fabric than it says in the pattern. I usually add a quarter of a yard. That covers the fabric being wrapped on the bolt funny, mistakes in the pattern, fabric that shrinks more than you think, and cutter error (not that that ever happens). Don't give up on quilting, and if you get a chance, read the cutting directions before you buy the fabric to see if there is a glaring error.

[Hannelore N.]

Interesting. I must have been lucky so far, because I have not found any errors in a commercial pattern I have used. Normally errors are due to me getting something wrong.

I'd ask the shop for a refund (handing them back their pattern) because you did not get what you paid for it. It's like if you buy a skirt, and the zipper won't work.

[Nancy R.]

Hi Christine -

I've found a few errors in patterns, but most patterns I've gotten have been correct. I think you've just been unlucky. I also always buy extra fabric when using a pattern for several reasons: I always prewash my fabric and have to account for shrinkage, I've found that a lot of quilting fabric doesn't have a usable width of the 40" that most patterns expect and I often make changes to the pattern as I go along. Enjoy your quilting journey and try to overlook the bumps in the road along the way!

Nancy

[Nancy R.]

Thanks for the feedback, I was getting discouraged. I'll keep buying patterns, I think I'll cut as I go from now on though.

With the Latte Quilt (which was published about 10 yrs ago) I found a forum that published all the corrections, so at least I've got the corrections for the Latte Quilt (if I decide to go back to it).

As for the pattern I'm working on now, it came from a magazine published 3 yrs ago so I went to their website to see if corrections were available, they only had 1 correction listed, although I found 6 errors. It was frustrating because every time I was ready to cut I remeasured every measurement and a few times I changed a measurement that was actually correct to begin with. Grrrr In the end, 6 measurements were wrong.

Happily, I finished the quilt top tonight, and now I'm adding a few applique to the top. Tomorrow I QUILT!!! YIPPEE!!!

[Nancy R.]

I've also come across a few published patterns with errors. One was posted online and I informed them of the error. They were very nice about it and even sent me a stack of wonderful fat quarters for my efforts, but never corrected the error online for as long as the pattern was posted. My guess is that most patterns have been tested before published. However, if a pattern tester works regularly for the same designer they may begin to have stacomas to the designer's errors. It's like editing your own work--you read what you expect, rather than what's actually written.

Don't give up!

[Teri L.]

I know how frustrating it is from all three sides of pattern use
1) the quilter who is trying to make a good quilt - I expect the pattern to be correct
2) as a pattern tester I really work hard to make sure that the yardage requirements are correct, the measurements are correct, everything lines up
3) as a pattern designer to make sure before it gets to the other two that I've gone through everything to make sure I've written with clarity, checked all the measurements, calculated all the yardage correctly etc.

Particularly as a beginner quilter it's frustrating.
That said, its part of the learning process. If you're making a quilt that has embroidery that can change the size of the block because of the potential density of the thread work. Cut those blocks bigger and then trim them down to what's needed.
I'd also suggest making a test block. If the test block goes together well, then cut the rest of the pieces.
I never cut borders until I have the main part of the quilt complete so I can measure for them accurately. My quarter inch, while I strive for an accurate quarter can be off a bit regardless of the pattern.
I'd recommend Sally Collins books for patterns and instruction for you, she's all about precision piecing. And of course question us here on the forums.

Teri

[Teri L.]

I digitize machine embroidery designs. You've got pull compensation to consider, as well as choosing the correct stabilizer that is hooped with the fabric.

The Latte Quilt is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL quilt, it's been 10 years of more since the book came out. I bought the book within weeks after it was released, but later publications were revised with the correct measurements. I should just buy the revised edition. Designs are duplicated, mirrored, rotated, etc. and stitched next to each other. Using 1 design, you might stitch it 8 times, rotating combined designs which result in a large circle in the middle of a 24" piece of fabric. With the Latte quilt, the inaccuracies were found, it's been revised and I'll probably go back to it one day, it uses luscious fabric!!

A photo is shown here if you'd like to see the Latte Quilt:
http://www.ericas.com/sewing/74516b.jpg