I like size options in quilt patterns. When I used to work in a quilt shop those were the patterns I typically purchased. Most patterns don't have size options. It takes more time to work out all the numbers and more pages to give all the information.
People who know me well know I'm a math nerd. Numbers fascinate me & I like to work with them. Put all that together, and it is only logical that I'd provide size options with my Quilt Patterns.
I've received a number of e-mails over the years asking why a certain pattern doesn't have a specific size option. I've answered these e-mails over the years and decided I'd put all that information together into a post and share it with everyone. My answer is never because I didn't like that size or because I didn't feel like it. The answer varies from quilt to quilt.
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Lack of Size Options
Of the 14 quilt patterns I've released, 10 have size options. {I have a bunch of new ones in the works and they all have size options too!}
These are the 4 patterns without size options. Interestingly all of the quilts that I've made without size options have borders. I'm very particular about the scale of a border to the blocks in a quilt. Sometimes using the same size border on a quilt with twice as many blocks doesn't look right.
Dance Floor is one size because of the layout and design of the blocks. Firecracker has one size because of the block construction layout and border size. Carnival has one size because of the scale of the borders to the blocks. Plaid Parade has one size because of the fabric requirements and placement. Plaid Parade could have had other sizes & I'm considering re-releasing it with size options later this year.
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The Numbers
Sometimes a specific block size doesn't work out to a specific finished quilt size. Many people will add a border or take a border away to "make a quilt fit," but that just has never been my style. Most of my quilts don't have borders in the first place which was part of the inspiration for writing my book,
Skip the Borders.
This chart shows all of my quilt patterns and the sizes available in the pattern. Most as you see have the Lap size since this is the most "flexible" size option. Bed sizes have less flexibility since beds come in standard sizes. Informal polling that I did provided information that Baby & Youth sizes were more in demand than Full Bed size. My later patterns represent that request.
Examples that just didn't work.
Off the Rail - The queen worked out to be 94" x 94" and I felt this wasn't big enough for a Queen size quilt. Radio Way - The queen worked out to be 90" x 90" which was also too small. Taffy is square and when I made it a rectangle to create the bed sizes I decided that the design needed to be square. I could go on & on, but hopefully you get what I'm explaining here.
If you want to make one of my quilts in a size that isn't listed you have a few options. Start with the directions for the size that is closest. Add/Subtract a row or column of blocks. Keep in mind that if I didn't list the size I didn't think it was ideal, but that doesn't mean you can't make it work. You can also add a border to a smaller size quilt to make it larger.
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I'd like to know your thoughts.
Do you like having size options?
Does the inclusion of size options make you more inclined to buy a pattern vs. one that doesn't have size options?
Are you interested in Plaid Parade in other sizes & in new fabrics?
Do you want to see full size as a size option again?
What size is most important to you?
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts! I really appreciate it.
© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/
