BLOOMS in Panama City

Last weekend at the Quilters Paradise retreat, hosted by Quilting By the Bay, my new pattern debuted.

After teaching "Blooms For Beginners & Other Flower Lovers" as a class for 5 or 6 years, I bowed to the many requests to turn it into a pattern.

The original wallhanging became the pattern cover

It is interesting to recall that this is yet another project inspired by Cherry-Cherry, who one day mentioned that some people would like to learn quilting, but don't want to make a Bear Paw or Ohio Star or other traditional blocks. They would like something contemporary or "artsy".
So I devised BLOOMS to teach some basic quick-piecing methods, with none of the seams needing to match, and even sneaked in designing-on-a-grid!

As most of my classes, this is basic enough for beginners, but provides a great creative "canvas" for the more experienced quilter to really take off on.

Here are some of the pieces done at the retreat:
Some students enjoyed making two-fabric flowers

Others made one-fabric flowers from two different fabrics
(I really like the reversed colors in this one!)

Fantasy flowers made of checked fabric! Beautiful!

And what happened to the other photos? I sure wish I knew! I am sorry to be missing the ones of the three ladies who had purchased kits made up for the class by QBTB. They all had red flowers, and each one was quite different!
We had lots of fun watching all the BLOOMS come into full flower, and discussing plans to embellish and quilt in some wonderful details.

Here is a picture of my teacher's table. Wasn't it nice to have a cup that matched my quilt?

The flowers in the original BLOOMS were made from one fabric that shaded orange to purple.
The lap size sample has shaded pink flowers.

Draping over the edge there is the lap quilt size I am still working on. It had borders, and I took them off because I really want to experiment with some checkerboard ideas.

So many quilts...so little time!
Electric Quilt helps a lot to run through ideas about settings, values, colors, etc. but eventually it just has to be done in fabric.

What makes a good pattern?

This is my Folded Pockets Purse, a pattern I sell and teach. It looks hard, but turns out to be very easy, has loads of "fudge factors" (hard to make a mistake), and many options.

Each side has two pockets: a large pocket with a secret pocket inside, perfect for keeping things secure & safe.


You may have purchased a similar pattern (folding a square to make a container). Many have come out since I first made this in 1999. That's OK, because it's based on an old Japanese sort of design, and you can hold a copyright for instructions but not really for an idea.

Originally I taught it as a class for two years, and then designed the pattern because there were so many requests for one. It was an interesting process that helped me clarify what makes a good pattern:


1. Complete instructions so the item can be finished. Skipped steps are frustrating and not fair to the person who bought the pattern.

2. Just the facts! It's better to give more information that to add some chatty humor or non-helpful suggestions.

3. Diagrams are the saving grace of many patterns...if they are good ones. People learn in different ways. I know several people who try using patterns by only looking at the diagrams. Though a pattern cannot meet every single need, it is good to consider the various ways people take in information.

4. Information on the cover needs to include a good picture, the size(s) of the item, and a very good supplies list.

I'm glad to say I did OK on most of those points...though I think in the picture it's hard to see that there are flaps covering the outside pockets!
There are two things I am very pleased about: that I was able to write the folding instructions without using the terms "left" and "right"; and that several people have taught this as a class using my pattern.

There are patterns on the market made by people who just toss something together and assume it's OK because that's the way they did it, so everyone should be happy. It's very disappointing to buy a pattern and still have to figure everything out on your own...if you can!
Most patterns are designed for sale by people who have put a lot of work into them, including many trials and working with "beta testers" to make the best product possible. Those are worth every penny you pay.