I cant go by directions ,I have to look at the picture and figuor it out.I really love it when I can watch someone do it ,then I can.

If I didn't follow directions, I'd be in a world of hurt! I'm like that. For example, when I get a new small appliance or a new car, etc., I always read all through the instuctions/manual before I use it. Crazy, I know, but that's just me.

I usually read all directions first and try to figure out how to do it. I have learned to make a test block first before I take off and cut up a lot of good fabric. Now my DH never reads directions because of course he knows how it is supposed to go together.

I really think it is funny that we think we don't have to read the directions. I am a newbie and I, so far, read the directions. Of course, the first quilt I started, I looked in a book, I saw a pattern I really liked, but I thought I needed to simplify the pattern. Well, how do you follow the directions when you've decided to delete 2 or 3 elements of the q2uilt? I cut out most of the pieces. Put together several blocks and was just ready to sew the fourth block on. Uh Oh!!! The third block pieces did not line up with the other two blocks. I still haven't figured out how I did that.
Needless to say, I suddenly had another quilt, an easier pattern that I decided to make before I go back to the other one. The second one is working fine so far, except that I had to order more fabric so I can replace a block I didn't cut correctly.
I am now trying to figure out what happened to the first quilt and what I have to do to get the rest of it together correctly. Hope I am successful.

i am just as bad. I tend to jump right in and then when i run into a problem i will actually read the directions. :lol:

I knew I was the strange one around here I always follow directions for everything I do. :oops: :cry: :!:

i sewed all my own clothes for my senior year in high school... except my calvin kliens... we had a pattern that made 10 articles of clothing... lined blazer, vest, skirt, dress trousers... a couple blouses....

made them all... duplicates of the blazer.. had 3-4 different colors...

failed home ec, making a knife edge pillow.... i was first one in the class done... looked perfect

BUT i never looked at the directions... = failing grade

I'm with you. If I read the directions first they don't always make sense to me.

Like Dunster, I pay for the pattern/book so I read it all the way through before I begin. I pay particular attn to the bold hints as they usually tell you something that can help before you cut it wrong and have to go buy more fabric.....

Have to say I agree..as a new "self-taught" (mostly by this board) I tend to buy books with patterns I like and follow the directions and even use the same colors suggested...that way I get what I thought I was getting in the finished project, when I get more sophisticated, I'll start switching things up. But I'm happy for now, and I only do one project at a time..Love the knowledge put out by the board members here!

I'm a directions girl. It might have something to do with the creativity that I am lacking. :oops:

Guess I'm not the only visual person. I like patterns with lots of pictures and few words to follow.

I thought you followed directions "if all else fails"

I cut my own patterns so they don't come with directions!

I do pay attention to hints about the best way to do stuff. Very helpful, at times.

But ONLY if every other avenue has been a bust!

LOL!!! This thread is so funny! I have never been one to follow directions and my husband calls me on it all the time. :roll: I like to play with stuff and get the 'aha' moment when I discover something. Drives him crazy. BUT....when I started quilting, I couldn't figure out anything so I sent myself to the corner to read the instructions. :cry: 'Bout kills me to do it, but I don't have the eye or experience some of you picture readers do......but someday.....I'll make a quilt without instructions!!! :lol:

I follow the pictures but even when I read the directions, I get lost and end up doing something different. Sometimes it is a good thing but most of the time, well you know LOL.

And I thought only men didn't read the directions. I like pictures of every step. Some of the written directions are so hard to understand. There is a National teacher, quilt pattern person that does classes at my LQS. She had everyone so confused on the 1st night of the class I didn't go back. I'm a math person so I understood her "shortcuts" but the others could not follow the directions. They should have read over the directions or looked at the pictures before class to have a basic understanding. I have found errors in patterns so I always check the math to make sure it "adds up". Mags. can have miss prints so always check for corrections.

I also read the instructions before starting a project in case there is a special hint that I didn't know about, first.