Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a pattern? How hard can it be, right? Well, I have discovered that it takes a LOT more work to bring those ideas to life than you would think, especially if it's going to be a quality pattern that's easy for others to use. After all, if it was easy to do, everybody would just write their own patterns, right? Now that I'm a pattern designer myself, I have a much better understanding of what goes into creating a pattern. So today I thought I would take you behind the scenes and share some of my pattern making process with you. Hopefully, it will give you a better understanding and an appreciation for the efforts that designers put into those cool patterns. When an idea for a new pattern pops into my head, I usually begin by working with pencil and paper, drawing out ideas in a sketch book. If I'm working on an applique quilt, I will sketch a rough draft of the entire scene first. Next, I'll retrace each applique