I’ve previously posted tutorials in the form of step by step instructions instead of PDF patterns. You can check out a few of my tutorials here and here. In my instructional posts, I always said that there wouldn’t be a PDF because I’m not a pattern writer. Well, I can no longer claim that, because I have written a pattern! It’s currently out with testers, and I’m planning to add an instant download of my pattern to my Etsy Shop on August 5! I’ve decided to call it “Pumpkins ‘N Patches”.
So, after all this time of telling myself, and anyone who asks me for my pattern when I post a quilt on Instagram, that I’m not a pattern writer, why did I now decide to write a pattern?
My inspiration
Ideas don’t always come when you’re actually looking for them. If I’d been trying to think of an idea for a pattern, it may never have come. This one was actually inspired by some fabric. I do occasionally buy fabric on impulse. Ok, so if I’m being honest it’s more like I FREQUENTLY buy fabric on impulse; surely I’m not the only quilter who does this. I saw some super cute and unique fabric online at Fat Quarter Shop probably while checking out their Flash Sale.
The fabric I ordered that day was a fat eighth bundle: “Quotation” by Brigette Heitland for Zen Chic for Moda Fabrics. It’s a super fun fabric line with bright colors and fun prints. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I would make with this bundle. Unfortunately, I had trouble finding a lot of patterns using fat eighths. There were some super cute patterns available, but they just didn’t feel right for this fabric. So, I decided to try to design my own pattern.
Now determined to write my own pattern for this fabulous fabric, I started thinking about the colors in the fabric line and what they were suited for. With all orange and blacks, I chose to make a pattern based on pumpkins. I know, I know: could I be any more obvious? I decided to leave the pumpkins plain, with no faces, so that a simple color change could make the difference between a quilt that is specifically Halloween themed or appropriate for fall in general.
A beginner friendly, fat eighth AND fat quarter friendly pattern
My original intentions for this pattern were to design something specifically for fat eighths, but I know that sometimes fat eighths are not as easy to come by as fat quarters. What good is a cute beginner friendly pattern if you can’t find fabrics for it? So, the pattern has fabric requirements, cutting instructions, and diagrams for use with BOTH fat eighths AND fat quarters.
There are instructions for three different layouts
When I was working on piecing my quilt and laying out my blocks, I couldn’t decide which layout I wanted to go with for the pattern. They all looked cute to me, and I could see how they would each appeal to different people for different reasons. I actually took pictures of three different layouts and texted them to my mom and sister. I even brought my husband and kiddos into the decision. Unfortunately, they weren’t really any help. Each layout got a vote plus one for “I like them all”, and one for “I don’t care”. Can anybody guess who the “I don’t care” came from? Since I couldn’t decide, I just included them all in the pattern.
That’s all folks
Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling about my first quilt pattern that I’m SO excited about. I hope you’ll check it out in August when I list it in my Etsy Shop. With an early August release, it’s perfect timing for making your fall quilt. Pop on over to my Instagram to see what my testers are doing with my “Pumpkins ‘N Patches” quilt pattern. I’ll also be posting some peeks of a few more of my own versions.
As always, thank you for reading my blog. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment or email me.
