Why I rarely buy quilt patterns anymore…

Last year, a sewing friend of mine who adores Christmas (I mean she starts planning in JULY), announced she wasn’t going to buy Christmas craft magazines any longer. Publishers seemed to be recycling previous content. There wasn’t anything new for her to get excited about.

I thought about what she said.  I also chuckled as I remembered back to Christmas time with my 13 year old niece asking for t-shirts with 80’s bands logos on them. I listened to those groups when I was her age. The old adage, “what’s old is new again” certainly rings true.

I love Pinterest and am inspired by many designers, but here again, many things I like are simply a “refresh” of an earlier project or idea. There’s usually no need for me to buy every single pattern I see.  Why?

• I already have an extensive pattern and book library at my fingertips.
• I use EQ8, which comes with a number of ready-to-use quilt designs.
• Similar projects/tutorials can be found online for free.
• Like Ma Ingalls, who made Laura Ingalls Wilder’s wedding dress without a pattern in These Happy Golden Years, I’ve been sewing long enough that I can figure out basic quilt/home dec projects merely by looking at a picture and the pattern envelope.

I actually still buy books, patterns and magazines, only they must be something geared to a more intermediate/advanced level sewist or be by a designer I like (e.g., Lori Holt).