How to Read a Quilt Pattern
Quilt patterns are amazing feats of geometry– outlining all the math necessary to take pieces of fabric and transform it into a gorgeous quilt. But what do all those tables, parentheses, and abbreviations mean? If you’re new to quilting, or just find it challenging to follow written patterns, then this blog is for you!
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Quilt math is a doozy. First, the designer envisions and draws the design. Then, they must figure out the different sizes of all the components to make that design (in several different finished quilt sizes), calculate the total fabric needed, then pick the whole thing apart again into cutting instructions and assembly instructions. I’ve written nearly ten patterns, and it never gets easier.
The goal of every pattern designer is to take all those complicated steps and translate them to be a simple as possible for other quilters to follow. But most quilt patterns contain a lot of information in 10-12 pages. Let’s talk about all the parts of a quilt pattern and how to interpret and digest all that information so you can successfully make a new quilt and feel like a Quilting Rockstar!
Throughout this blog I’m going to use my free Sawtooth Star Pattern as my example. You can download the pattern for free here:
Video
The Front Cover
The front cover of a quilt pattern is usually dominated by a large photo or graphic of the quilt top you’re going to make. Ideally, it is a flat image of the quilt top so you can see the full design and any secondary designs. The front cover will also include the title of the quilt, the different sizes you can make, and the name of the designer.
The Back Cover
The back cover of the quilt is where you will likely find your first chart (there are usually several charts in quilt patterns). This chart tells you what fabric you need to make the quilt. It will usually have the different colors of the quilt down the side and the different sizes at the top. It usually includes all the fabric for the quilt top as well as the yardage needed for backing and binding. The fabric requirements may be listed as yardage (eg 1/2 yard, 1 yard, 3 1/2 yards) or precuts (eg 1 fat eighth (F8), 1 fat quarter (FQ), 5” squares, etc)
The back of the pattern may also include more images of the quilt (sometimes in different colors or fabrics), more information about the designer, and a barcode.
Common Abbreviations
Quilt patterns are full of abbreviations to save space as well as quilting terminology. Here’s a few you’re likely to see:
WOF: width of fabric, the width selvage to selvage
Seam allowance: the space between the line of stitching and the raw edge of fabric. aka how far in from the edge of the fabric you should stitch
FQ: Fat quarter, approximately 18 x 21 inches, the same surface area as a traditional quarter yard cut of fabric
F8: Fat eighth, approximately 9 x 21 inches, the same surface area as a traditional eighth of a yard cut of fabric
LC: Layer cake or 10 inch squares
CP: Charm pack or 5 inch squares
JR: Jelly roll or 2 1/2 inch strips
HST: Half square triangle; a square pieced with two right triangles
QST: Quarter square triangle; a square pieced with four right triangles
HRT: Half- rectangle triangle, a rectangle pieced with two right triangles
Cutting Instructions
The cutting instructions are often the most confusing part of the quilt pattern. Cutting instructions are often listed in charts, but sub-cutting (secondary cutting) may be written out in a list as well.
There are two common formats for writing cutting directions. The first will simply have a chart of the final shapes and sizes you need (eg 32 5” squares, 64 2 1/2” squares, etc). More recently it has become popular to include a first chart that says how many strips you need to cut from yardage (eg 4- 2 1/2” strips), and then have a second sub-cutting chart with the final counts and sizes.
To read a cutting chart, you’ll pay attention to three pieces of information: the fabric color (usually listed on the left), the measurements to cut (usually across the top), and the quantity to cut. Quantities are listed inside the cell of the chart. The quantity for the smallest size is listed first followed by a parenthesis, then the quantities for additional sizes are listed, separated by commas. For example, if you need to cut 3 1/2” X WOF (width of fabric, selvage to selvage) for a pattern that has pillow, throw, and bed sizes, then the requirements would be listed 2 (6, 24) if you need to cut 2 strips for the pillow, 6 for the throw, and 24 for the bed sized.
Sub-cutting charts usually indicate pieces you will cut out of the WOF strips. The color will again be listed down the left, the cut size at the top, and the same parentheses convention for the different quilt sizes. On the sub- cutting chart, there may be an indication for 3 1/2” squares. It is assumed you’ll cut these from the strips you cut in the previous step. Again, for pillow, throw, and bed sized quilts, it may read 4 (64, 264).
For quilts with a limited number of colors, it may combine the colors and cut sizes along the size and indicate the project size across the top.
I highly recommend you label your pieces as you cut them. You can read my blog about keeping your project organized HERE.
Unit Assembly
Personally, I think the cutting is the most difficult part of almost any pattern. Putting the pieces back together often follows some pretty standard formulas to make common quilting units like HSTs, QSTs, four patches, flying geese, etc. This part of the pattern is usually a combination of written directions and diagrams. Sometimes there’s even a URL or QR code to direct you to a tutorial video if a section is tricky. If you’re having trouble, consider checking out the designer’s website for other resources that may help. I also have a collection of tutorials for common quilt units here.
Block & Quilt Top Assembly
Finally, the pattern will have diagrams and instructions for how to turn the units into blocks and blocks (or quilt pieces) into a finished quilt top. There’s often a few photos or diagrams of different color/ fabric choices, possible different layouts, and a coloring page to help you choose your own fabrics. Many designers also use tools like PreQuilt to make it easy for you to digitally color the quilt before choosing fabrics and cutting your pieces.
Conclusion
Quilt Patterns are one of our most important tools as quilters, but they can also feel overwhelming. Hopefully this walk through helps you understand what to expect inside a quilt pattern, how to read all the charts, diagrams, and directions, and inspires to you practice by making your very own Sawtooth Star quilt!
Resources
FREE Pattern: Sawtooth Star Quilt Pattern
String & Story Quilt Patterns
BLOG: Quilting Basics Series
