Quilting Patterns

I have aquired a number of patterns from the internet, shop hop, block of the month, etc.  I have put them in plastic sheet covers and secured them in a binder so I can quickly see what I have when I need a pattern.  It keeps them neat and organized instead of all over my house!

In an attempt to organize my magazines, I use Post-it Tape Flags to indicate all of the patterns and articles that might be of interest at a later date.  I write the name of the pattern on the flag and attach it to the page.  I color code them, yellow for patterns, green for interesting articles and blue for quilting designs.  The tape flags can be removed or left in place if you need to photocopy the pattern.  Now it's a lot easier to find a pattern.

When I buy or receive a quilting magazine, I immediately put a piece or two of masking on a blank part of the front cover. Then, as I am reading it , I rate the projects I like from 1-4 stars and record these stars and names of the patterns on the masking tape. This makes it easy for me to find my favorite inspiration patterns from my magazines when I am ready to do them (without having to flip through all of my magazines looking for that certain pattern that "I know I saw somewhere").

keep a folder with clear plastic inserts next to the computer when you are looking at quilting sites and print out patterns, tips etc when you find them. A great standby for times when you need a pattern in a hurry or when you find a freebie that you want to make "1 day"

A couple of years ago I bought a book by a well known quilter and haveing used her books before I did not forsee and problems but that was just what I had at least four blocks had to be redone the sizing not right.  Finally frustrated with the project I put it aside.  Later when complaining to a fellow quilter she mentioned there were corrections on the authors website which could be printed and added to my book.  I suggest you check out all books carefully for errors and the web is a good resource for accomplishing this.

I purchase clear vinyl that comes on a roll. I cut out a square or rectangle a few inches larger than the area I am designing for. I place the vinyl over the area that I want to quilt. Using a dry marker, I then proceed to draw my ideas out. Erasing it and starting over as many times as I want. Sometimes I will use two or three vinyl pieces, so if I have more than one idea, I can switch back and forth until I decide which one I like the best.

You can ensure you get the most mileage out of your patterns by taking certain steps to protect the patterns. Before you use your pattern, cover both sides with clear Contact paper, then cut the pattern out. The Contact paper will protect the patterns from being torn, ripped, or damaged. Make sure you label all pieces of the pattern before covering it with the Contact paper so you can keep all pieces together and quickly identify the pattern.

For your first quilt, you should stick to a simple pattern. Don't automatically confuse pattern with beauty. A quilt with a very simple pattern or no pattern at all can be quite beautiful. Using colorful, well-coordinated fabrics, you can create a breathtaking quilt using a simple pattern. An easy pattern for a beginning quilter is a square quilt. This quilt is just simple squares sewn together. If you start off with a complicated pattern, chances are, you will become frustrated with the process and may not finish the project.

Quilt patterns are easily available from websites, books, or magazines. The Internet is an excellent source for quilt patterns. Once you find a pattern you are interested in, print the image and take steps to protect the pattern for future use. Your local library is an excellent source for quilting patterns, as many libraries have an extensive collection of quilting books and periodicals. When you find an interesting pattern, make a photocopy of the image, then protect the image as you would with any other pattern.