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What Attracts You to a Quilt Pattern?

Summary

You see a quilt pattern and you just have to get it, right? We cover 3 things to consider before you make that purchase. Read them now and share.

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What Attracts You to a Quilt Pattern?

Things to Consider Before You Make That Purchase

What Attracts You to a Quilt Pattern?

 

Have you ever thought about what attracts you to a quilt pattern? When purchasing patterns, it helps to think about this so that you will purchase patterns for something that you will ultimately make, or ones that give you a great jumping off point to create your own design using the inspiration and/or measurements from a pattern that is already on the market.

Precision Piecing

 

Pieced Quilt Patterns

Do you love the piecing aspect of quilt making? When looking at new patterns, look for ones that utilize shapes that you enjoy stitching. If you are "precision" challenged, a pattern that has hundreds of points that all need to line up may not be the best fit for you. Do you enjoy stitching curves or straight lines? Do you crave almost immediate gratification, then you may be happiest stitching large easy shapes that show off your fabric to best advantage but limit the time required to complete the quilt. When you first look at the pattern cover, are you drawn to the colors or the shapes and over all design? If it is just the color pallet, you might want to keep it in mind for a future project, but if the overall design is the draw for you it is time to make that purchase!

Simple Shapes Quilt

 

Appliqué Patterns

There are quite literally thousands of appliqué quilt patterns available for purchase so you can really have fun choosing your favorites. Since there are many different techniques for appliqué, you will want to keep in mind what method you will use to do your stitching so that you may choose patterns that will work best with your method. Remember that just because a pattern is designed for a certain type of appliqué, it doesn't mean that you cannot use it with a different method. Patterns that are designed for fusible appliqué are also great to use for wool appliqué. Just because the designer stitches a sample by machine does not mean you can't do it by hand or vice versa. Do you just love a design but think the pieces are too small or large for you to work with using the type of fabric that you wish to use? Purchase the pattern, you can always put the pieces on your printer and enlarge or shrink them to make an easier piece to work with.

Is the pattern you love designed for traditional appliqué and you only like wool appliqué or fused appliqué? No problem, just leave off the seam allowance that has been added to the pieces and stitch on.

Applique Quilt Pieced and Appliqued Quilt

 

Do You Love Design?

The main consideration when purchasing a pattern should always be, do you love the design itself? If so, you will find the time and resources to make the project, and you may just find that you "make it your own" by changing colors, sizes, or adding two patterns together to make a one of a kind creation. That beautiful pieced pattern may be even more beautiful if you add an appliqué. Or you may want your quilt to have an appliquéd center motif with pieced blocks and borders to surround it. Let your creativity run wild. Quilting can be just the outlet you need to express yourself without regard to what anyone thinks but yourself!

Great Colors Quilt

 

Looking for quilt patterns? Find a quilt shop near you or browse online quilt shops.

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Glossary

Appliqué
Attaching individual pieces of fabric to a background to form a design.

Same As: Applique
Fusible
Various webs or interfacings which can be ironed onto a fabric for easier applique or to support the fabric.
Motif
A decorative applique design or figure, as of lace or velvet, used in trimming.
Pieced Quilt
The most commonly seen quilt type which is made up of many small pieces of fabric sewn together by hand or machine. Often called Patchwork in some countries outside the USA.

Same As: Piecing Quilt
Piecing
The process of assembling quilt blocks from pieces of fabric sewn along their edges to form a whole.

See Also: English Paper Piecing, Assembly Piecing, Machine Piecing, Chain Piecing, Paper Piecing, Hand Piecing
Seam Allowance
The width of fabric left to the right of a sewn seam. In quilting this is traditionally 1/4 inch. For sewing garments it is usually 5/8 inch.
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