By: Anna Branch

I have been a quilter for over forty years. The first couple of decades I spent most of my time dressmaking and, occasionally, made something for my bed or a gift. Then, the quilting bug took hold and there hasn’t been a day since when I haven’t been working on, thinking about or planning a quilt. It wasn’t long before I was changing patterns and then designing my own. The purchase of Electric Quilt (EQ) freed me from the mechanical aspects of designing and I was soon creating more patterns than I would be able to ever use.

Three years ago, I retired and, at the urging of my friends, began to seriously think about selling my work. I am certainly not a big name designer but do I sell enough to help pay for my addiction’s demand to be fed more and more fabric.

If you have been thinking about becoming a pattern designer, here are a few tips which I hope will help you on your way to success. This is just a brief general guideline but I have included steps which will help you find more information.

1. Make Quilts. Aspiring writers are told to read books. Designers need to quilt so they are familiar with both the practical steps and the emotion that results in a successful project.
2. Study the Work of Other Designers. You have probably been quilting for some time and have a collection of patterns. Pick out a few of your favourites and read them through carefully. What makes the design work? Are the steps easy to follow? Did you have to re-read some of the instructions? Repeat the process with patterns you dislike. Why aren’t they a favourite? Go to quilt shows; real or virtual and see what is trending. This is also probably a good time to decide if you are going to focus on one type of quilting i.e. appliqué or cover everything.
3. Talk to other quilters and ask them what they like, dislike about patterns.
4. Keep a Journal. I cannot express enough the importance of making notes. You will develop your own system so I am not going to make suggestions, just make sure you have a special note book that is used specifically for this purpose.
5. Purchase, if possible, a Computerized Program. I use EQ for my designing but there are other programs available. A program lets you change colours, make and move blocks, add borders, change border types, and a myriad of other things. It will also tell you how many blocks, strips etc. you will need as well as fabric amounts.
6. Don’t Rely on Your Program. This may sound like a contradiction but you need to double check the math. I have trained my husband to understand how to do this as he is the family math whiz. Accurate instructions are crucial. Let me say that again. Accurate instructions are crucial. Have you ever followed a cooking recipe and the result was a disaster because the instructions said tablespoons instead of teaspoons. Inaccurate quilting instructions won’t make anyone sick but they will derail any future in designing.
7. Test Your Design. I have a wonderful group of ladies who are willing to use their own fabric and time to make my patterns. They tell me if it works, what needs a clearer explanation and whether or not they like it. You need people who will be honest in their opinions. Expert quilters aren’t necessary. Not everyone who buys your patterns will have achieved that status so it is important that beginners are also included. Don’t forget to acknowledge your testers especially if your patterns are going to be included in a book.
8. Marketing. Decide how you are going to market your patterns. Are you going to sell to quilt stores or on line? Are you going to do your own marketing or use a distributor? Are you going to sell through other web sites or your own? There are pros and cons to all of those choices so you need to take time to decide what will work best for you. You may add other options later but setting the ground work now will make it easier. Do get a web site or, at least, a blog to help promote your work.
9. Network. If possible, join a quilt guild, especially a national one, or group. You need support and a reminder of why you are doing this. Join on line groups that are specifically for designers. Both Yahoo and Google list their groups by categories so it is easy to find one that will meet your needs. Quilters are very generous with support and advice and they can save you a lot of time and money. Remember to give back. You may not be as advanced as some of them but you have an opinion. Share it. Your voice is valuable and unique.
10. Have Fun. If you find that designing is no longer enjoyable, take a break. This might be a good time to go on a retreat – just as a participant or visit a pioneer village museum and look at antique quilts. If you can’t do any of these things, go for a walk; preferably in the country. You cannot be creative if your mind is tired and stagnant.

Thanks so much to Anna for these great tips. If you have any additional tips to add, please share them in the comments below.

Visit Anna’s blog or her web site Ark Angel Creations.

Please join me in welcoming today’s guest blogger Lindy Weber. Her story warms my heart and I’m thrilled to have played a small part in her dreams. Lindy will be a regular guest here as she embarks on her adventure of a lifetime. She’s giving away a beautiful framed piece of her own art work too.

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, yours truly was quilting, fiber arting, fabric dyeing and quilt blogging.

Through a Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb approach to web-surfing I came upon a friendly, informative, fun web site – the Quilting Gallery! I registered my blog, ‘liked’ QG on Facebook and signed up for the newsletter.

One day Michele, QG web developer extraordinaire, shared an offer from Jamie Malden, owner of media business, Colouricious. There would be a series of free tutorial videos from Jamie’s Talking Threads DVDs. They would arrive in my email box on a weekly basis. I signed up for what turned out to be a life-altering experience.

Through these presentations, I was introduced to some of the UK’s top fiber artists; Gilda Baron’s sumptuous landscape embroideries, Myfanway Hart’s creative dyeing of fabrics, Jill Kennedy’s stunning silk painting and Fay Maxwell’s elegant slash work. I began craving (fiercely) to take workshops from these ladies, but I live way out in the woods of Washington state, USA. “Dream on,” I told myself. “Can’t hop in your car to cross the Pond.”

Sunset over the poppies - Gilda Baron

Meanwhile, my very bright, focused, preacher/husband, Rick, was online day and night researching for a book he is writing on wisdom. He was finding theological colleges with stellar libraries that he would love to loose himself in – all in the UK. He attended a science/theology seminar, 2009 & 2010, in Oxford. I went with him the first trip and loved it there!

Every time Rick found some wonderful library he would turn from his PC, mournfully sigh, tell me all about it, and go back to searching. This went on for months…at the same time I was silently longing to attend all those workshops. About eight months ago Rick began his “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go and research?” I replied, “Let’s do it!” His jaw dropped, his eyes lit up. “Really? Really!”

We are not rich. We are not poor. We just have a dream. Because Rick is receiving a letter of appointment from Black Friars College, Oxford as a Visiting Academic, we will be able to stay for one year. Mere mortals are only allowed 6 months. We will sell the house, the truck, a car. I’ve parted with one antique sewing machine and oak table through the want ads. I’ve donated books to the library, clothes and household items to the women’s shelter and stuff to the Senior’s Center. I’ve already found a good home for our dog. I still need to place two very spoiled felines.

I don’t know if all artist types are like me, more dream than reality, but thank good husband Rick is Practical, with a capital P. I was going to pack all my batiks and hand-dyes. I would take my cutting mat/padded ironing surface and rotary cutter. Hmm…should take the huge one and the little one, as well. I need my PC, printer, monitor, my faithful sewing machine, and what if I wanted to make some clothes ‘over there’? Throw in the serger. I will need paints, printer fabric and canvas. My ribbons, trims and beads. An entire roll of batting, three bolts of PFD fabric, dyes and supplies.

All this impracticality came to a screeching halt when Mr. Practical announced his research on the Ex-Pat sites suggested packing very, very little, as the cost of shipping is prohibitive, around $125 per 3 cubic feet box. “30 cubic feet?” I asked. “No, 3 cubic feet.” he reiterated.

But he didn’t leave me in tears. Instead, he did more research and found a 7 year old Viking sewing machine for $150 US on the UK version of Ebay. My current machine is 34 years old. Hmm…I am being forced to buy a newer machine when I get there? I can live with that. What about fabric for the workshops I will be taking? I will have to buy what I need? Hmm…I can manage shopping for fabric. What about my PC? Santa brought me a Kindle Fire for Christmas with a purpose in mind. Thank goodness for Cloud storage!

So, we have our flight tickets for June 18th. (Mr. Research found a tremendous deal – we are going first class! My first time ever to escape the cattle car section!) I have registered for a 5 day workshop at Missenden Abbey with Gilda Baron on felted landscapes beginning July 29th.

Missenden Abbey, where I will take my 5 day course with Gilda Baron

I am on a waiting list for a one-day class on silk painting/embroidery flowers with Alison Holt, in Oswestry, which is close enough to Wales that Rick will drive me to the class August 11th, then into Wales for a couple days. On the way ‘home’ to Dingwall, Scotland we will stop at the large quilt show in Birmingham, August 16th. Mr. Research found that one, too. He is a keeper, yes?

Dingwall where we plan to live in Scotland

I am already ‘over there’ in mind and soul. My body just has to make the trip to catch up and then the dream begins. Friends and Family are in one of two camps; “How exciting! An adventure of a lifetime!” or “Are you guys nuts?”. I think it is both. Thank you Michele, Jamie Malden and serendipity!

Give-Away

Each month I will be giving away a prize to a randomly picked someone who answers my question in the comments below. Since I will be taking a class from Gilda Baron, this month’s prize is a 3″x5″ framed piece that I was inspired to try after watching the Colouricious tutorial.

The question? If you were adventurous/nuts, where would you go on your Great Adventure? Winner will be chosen March 28, 2012.

Lindy Weber

Winner selected: Congratulations to #21 Louisa Lawson.

A couple of weeks ago I posted this photo to Facebook with a caption something like “Please tell my mom, or my Nana, that I need a new bed!”.

My friend Tammy said she’d whip up a new bed for Milo. Really, I thought she was joking and was trying to guilt me into making one myself… LOL. Nope, she was serious, and she just so happens to live in the same town as my sister who was coming to visit me the next weekend. Imagine my surprise when I got a message from Tammy the day before my sister was leaving to come pick up the bed.

This is what she sent, isn’t it just fabulous.

My sister took the bed out of the box she had it in and tossed it on the kitchen floor. Milo wasted no time at all jumping on top.

He was very sleepy after my nieces were here playing with him for a couple of hours.

Sleeping in my office:

I’ll often find him stretched out on his new bed playing with his ball or chewing a bone:

In other news, I finished putting the binding on the two Milo’s Star mini quilts I made for my nieces.

Of course, Milo had to get into the action as I was trying to take a photo.

Last week, I was packing to go meet up with my folks for an overnight trip. Milo was a little worried I might leave him behind.

Milo’s six-month birthday, earlier this month: “Please mom can we go to the dog park now!”

We’re off to the dog park on this glorious sunny day. Is it really March?

Earlier puppy photos of Milo are here and here.