Step Up: Build Your Quilting Skills

Last night the first two patterns in the new Step Up Series went live. This is something I have been working toward for a while, and am very happy to see finally come to fruition! I love designing more intricate modern patterns, but realize that they require a variety skills to make, and while saying suitable for beginner or intermediate or advanced might help some people figure out if they have the skills already in place for a pattern, it really isn’t going to help them know for sure, or determine what skills are missing that they need to learn. Of course, for the longest time I couldn’t figure out how to fix this issue- it was one of those times that every solution I came up with just created another problem, and I really didn’t want a band-aid solution. So after a lot of back and forth (and I do mean a lot!) I realized the solution was actually going to be multi-part (like I said no band-aid fixes), and that was how the Step Up Series came about. 

So how exactly does the Step Up Series work, and how is it going to fix these problems? Let’s tackle the first part of that question. The Step Up Series is a series of patterns, each of which teaches a specific quilting skill. For example, Cat Tails teaches strip piecing, and Color Storm teaches two at a time half-square triangles. The series will be added to each quarter, with new skills covering topics like no waste flying geese, precision piecing, stitch and flip corners and more. The quilts made in these projects are primarily going to be throw sized, and I am working on patterns that use precuts when possible. If there is a skill that you want to learn, or one that  you need some more practice with, then you can simply check for the pattern with that skill and off you go! Even if you already have these skills, the quilts are designed to go together quickly and easily, so they make ideal gifts. 

Okay, so that answers what the Step Up Series is, but how is it going to help quilters now if they have the skills for a project? Well, over the next year I am going to be releasing the Step Up Series patterns that cover all of the skills needed to make my patterns to date. Each Step Up pattern is going to be given a Step Number (these can already be seen in the top left corner of the cover in the series symbol). Once all of those patterns have been released, all previously released patterns will be overhauled to include a listing of which “steps” are needed to complete the project. That way anyone can quickly check though and make sure that they have those skills, or purchase a Step Up pattern to review the missing skill before starting. From that point on, any time I introduce a new pattern with a new basic skill a new Step Up pattern will be introduced at the same time. 

In this way I am hoping to clear up a lot of confusion on what confidence level you need to make one of my patterns. You will no longer need to figure out if you are an advanced beginner, intermediate or what have you- you just need to look at the Steps! My hope is that this will encourage more quilters to get out of their comfort zone and try new patterns with confidence. It will still take some time before the complete program is up and running, but in the meantime make sure to check out the first two Step Up patterns, Cat Tails and Color Storm. 

Happy Sewing, 

Siobhan