Author: Teresa

Quilts, good books and dogs. Plus a cup of tea. Life is good.

Psst – Pattern Designers – Hire a Tech Editor to Edit Your Patterns!

December 19, 2017

As a quilter whose “sew for me” time is a precious commodity, nothing is more AGGRAVATING than sitting down to start a project only to discover I have issues with a pattern I downloaded as a pdf file.  I mean, at least in the store, I can open the pattern up and look through it before purchasing.

Four friendly suggestions from this tech editor for quilt pattern designers:

  1. Format the pattern so that there are no pages with only a single line of text and the rest of the page is blank.  At the very least, insert a statement like [THIS SPACE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK].
  2. Patterns with lots of half-square triangles and other intricate bits of piecing require using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.  Put a reminder in the general directions section near the beginning of the pattern. [Use of a scant 1/4″ seam allowance is recommended for best results.]
  3. If your pattern makes use of a special notion or technique – say HSTs using triangle papers – clearly state this on the pattern envelope IN LARGE PRINT.  If offering the pattern as a pdf download, make it clear in the description that triangle papers are needed for this project – especially if fabric requirements, cutting directions and piecing directions are written exclusively for the use of triangle papers. (You may also consider putting an errata sheet on your website listing modifications for sewists who use a different HST construction method.) Putting an asterisk and mice type at the bottom of the fabric requirements grid suggesting triangle papers for HSTs doesn’t really help.
  4. There should be at least 3 photos in an online ad:  front of pattern envelope, back of pattern envelope, and a snippet from the sewing instructions featuring any specialty tools or techniques used in the pattern.

Hiring a tech editor doesn’t guarantee a 100% foolproof pattern – but it does mean another set of experienced eyes has reviewed your pattern and lessens the likelihood of glaring errors that will significantly impact your customer’s sewing project.

A fun time and successful result using YOUR pattern increases the chance that the customer will buy ANOTHER pattern from you.

So, hire a tech editor to help make you look good in print!

In case you were wondering, I am now accepting tech editing projects for January 2018. Easy to intermediate patterns require 2-4 hours to edit and have a 1-2 week turnaround time.   Email:  teresa@comestitchwithme.com

 

 

 

 

Updates & Deadlines

November 24, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving to those who will be gathering around the table to stuff yourself on turkey and all the trimmings today!  Be sure to rest up and peruse the Thanksgiving newspaper ads to plan your day of shopping on Black Friday! (I won’t be joining you!)

Now that the last customer quilt project for 2017 has been delivered, I plan to take a couple of months off from quilting for hire and spend them quilting for me.  My Black Friday will be spent shopping my stash for fabrics to make a Lady of the Lake quilt I picked up from a shop off my Instagram feed. If I do any shopping this weekend, it will be spent at the two local quilt shops that carry Kaffe Fasset fabric!  I am also going to try my hand at a Cashmerette Pattern with some luscious imported knit fabric I found at Topstitch ATL a few weeks ago (I foresee a blog post on this).  The next 3-1/2 weeks will be a little crazy at the day job, so having a project at the ready will keep me sane.

For your convenience, here’s a short list of services offered and current availability:

Teaching –  Ongoing (scheduled classes @ Stitch N Quilt, private lessons available)
Tech Editing – Now accepting projects for January 2018
Quilting Studio – On break until February 2018
Etsy Shop – Always open (watch for new items!)

I also plan to exhibit at a local community event in late January!  More details on that later!

 

 

 

 

Applique Letters

November 13, 2017

Need to add a name or monogram to a project and don’t have an embroidery machine?

You have options.  Most involve some tracing and a bit of paper backed fusible web.

Option 1:  Make your own letters either by hand or computer:  Reverse the letters before tracing onto paper-backed fusible web.

Option 2:  Die-cut machine.  If you own a Sizzix, Accquilt or similar manual machine,  you can buy letter dies to run through your machine. There’s a variety of fonts and sizes available. You are only limited by your budget and amount of storage space.

Option 3:  Electronic cutting machine.  If you have the funds, GO FOR IT! Make sure it can cut fabric. ‘Nuff said. 

Option 4: Bulletin Board Letter Sets – You can find these at any teacher supply store or in the school sections at your local office supply/big box craft store.  I have a 3″ basic letter set for when I need to use capital letters and a 4″ set in Playful and Friendly fonts for when I use lower case letters.

 

Option 5:  Freebies from around the web. Check Pinterest for alphabet letter sets or monogram letters that may meet your needs.

Be sure to use a size 75/11 or 80/12 embroidery needle and polyester thread. I like Isacord and the small spools of Coats Dual Duty thread. I either use a satin stitch or a small  zigzag (W=2.5 and L= 1.0)