Pitter Pattern
Got little feet on the way? Thinking of making a quilt to wrap the little darling in? First thing to do is find a pattern, which is no little feat! There are more patterns out there to choose from than baby names; it can be quite daunting. Here are a few suggestions to help you on your way.

Some patterns are marked with a difficulty level. This is definitely something to consider. If you are a beginner quilter, or do not have a lot of time to finish the project, choose a pattern marked “beginner”, “easy”, or “quick”. If the pattern does not indicate the difficulty level, there are some things to look for that will help you know. Straight-line seams are easier than curves to line up and sew flat. Lots of curves require more cutting time and sometimes, special templates.

Next, check for “points”. A point is the corner of a piece of fabric. This can be a triangle, a square, etc. If the point “floats” i.e. does not touch the end of another point, the pattern is easier than one where your points must line up exactly.

Now look at the blocks. A block is the basic unit of the quilt that repeats in the pattern. Some blocks are constructed from many small pieces, others from larger, simpler units. The smaller the pieces, the longer and more complicated the cutting and piecing time will be.

Finally, check the borders. How many are there? Are they pieced, or cut from long strips of fabric? Strip-cut borders may take more fabric, but they go together much faster than a border that must be pieced.

Once you’ve chosen the pattern, the next step is figuring out the directions. We’ll tackle that next time!