A New Business

Along with everything else going on in our lives, I've decided to start a pattern business.  On the surface this doesn't sound all that complicated.  Having been a quilter for over 35 years and sewing my own clothes since I was 12, I know a thing or two about patterns.  Mostly, what I don't like.  Isn't it frustrating to get all the materials needed to find out you've either bought too little or to much?  Or that they have left out part of the direction.  Or worse yet, given you wrong measurements!  Take for example the cute little Teddy Bear shown on my October 17th post.  My daughter, Alissa, made that for me.  They had her put together the head and then the body.  The next direction was: "Join the head to the body".  That's all.  Not how to do it.  Not where to line it up.  Hand sew it, machine sew it??  Obviously, there's only one direction the head should be sewn on, but come on, a bit more instruction would have been nice.

Three dimensional projects are a little more complicated than a flat project.  But a good pattern, no matter what it is for needs to be complete.  It also must be tested.  When questioning other pattern makers, I found that they say it's really fast to make a quilt and then write out the directions.  Or they write them out but make the quilt without reading their own directions.  "I know how to make half square triangles".  So why bother reading what you have written for your pattern.  The the reason is, is that you may have mis-written it.  And you won't know that unless you follow what you've actually put in writing.

I've almost completed the first pattern.  Followed the directions I have written out.  So far, so good.  Just have the borders to complete. 

As I stated at the beginning, we have a lot going on in our lives right now.  There are client quilts to work on.  Deadlines to meet.  Work on the house.  Plus trips to see that precious new granddaughter of ours. 

I'll try to keep you posted as to how things are coming along.  Would like to have 3 or 4 patterns completed and tested before we put them out in the market place.

 Our first granddaughter arrived on Monday, December 5th.  We are so pleased to introduce Molly Kathleen to the world.  Mother and daughter are doing great.  Miss Molly already has 3 homemade quilts.  Her mother has made a beautiful star quilt with aqua minky on the back.  I have no doubt this little one will have lots of quilts made for her over the years.  Who knows we may have a 3rd generation quilter in our future.