Lets Talk....Poorly Written Quilting Patterns

It happened again.....I bought myself a quilting pattern, from a local quilt shop, only to be disappointed. What's to be disappointed about, you might ask?? Or perhaps you might be thinking "I know exactly where she is going with this!!!"

 I have been reading quilting blogs for over three years and quilting books and magazines for over twenty and have yet to see this topic addressed.

The majority of quilting magazines give book reviews of the latest quilting books, as do several bloggers. They feel free to review some of the negative aspects of the books along with the positive. But I have yet to read a pattern review. But why wouldn't we??? Why don't we?  Quilting patterns are rather expensive. In Canada the average cost for one pattern is approximately twelve dollars. Whereas  quilting magazines run anywhere from six to fifteen dollars (approximately). Each magazine has several patterns included with well written instructions including photos making it much easier for us visual learners.

Back to the pattern at hand:

I saw a pattern using a QAYG technique that I hadn't used before and rather than just try to figure it out from the quilt hanging in the store....I bought the pattern. I didn't buy the pattern for the design as it was a four patch alternated with a one patch square....nothing too original or exciting right. I BOUHGT the PATTERN for the TECHNIQUE.....only to have the technique NOT EXPLAINED in full. Sound familiar????

Here are my complaints for this particular pattern:

• Fabric amounts not calculated....telling me I need twenty four 9" squares etc. is not calculating yardage as far as I'm concerned.

• Spelling mistakes in the Supply list....calling sashing fabric cashing fabric might just confuse a new quilter.

• Including a suggested free motion quilting pattern without showing stitching starts and stops etc. is again, not all that helpful.

• My biggest complaint comes in the directions for joining the quilted blocks. One small paragraph of sketchy instructions just doesn't do it. I have a fairly good idea what they are trying to say only because I have a fair bit of experience joining quilted blocks. There are no instructions regarding the bulk in the seam allowances, of the joined blocks. To be fair, they do suggest to clip the corners of the blocks to eliminate bulk, but, that's all.  As written, the quilter has no idea which way to press, or should they trim the bulk etc. A few pictures at this stage would be extremely beneficial. I am then told to top-stitch my horizontal rows in the same manner as my vertical blocks but THEY NEVER MENTIONED TOP-STITCHING in the instructions for the vertical blocks, in the first place.

• Also this particular quilt has reversible binding.....one small how to paragraph just doesn't do it. Yup, one would have to run to You Tube to figure it out or a well written book.

My question.....why is this pattern costing me twelve dollars?? 

Included in the small pattern bag there are 3 sheets of standard photocopying paper and a coloured picture of the finished quilt glued to the sheet......that's it. It certainly can't be high overhead costs. 

This is not the first time I have been disappointed by quilting patterns being sold in quilt shops. The standard might be different for patterns that can be downloaded, that I don't have much experience with. 

There are many of us who take the time to write comprehensive tutorials on our blogs.....which many of us, offer to our fellow quilters at no cost. It doesn't seem quite fair to me that in order to understand these poorly written patterns one would have to search the Internet for better instructions or take a class to figure out what the pattern is trying to tell them.  After all, the pattern writer is charging you 12 dollars a pop.....just sayin'!!

Any thoughts?

Marianne

Note: I will respond to all comments regarding this topic in the comment thread as with all my "Let's Talk Posts".