Diagrams Vs. Photos

In the over 40 quilting patterns that we've published since 1997 we've made extensive use of diagrams. Now, with the advent of digital photography, we've started to use photos, too.

Sometimes the simplicity of a diagram gives clarity to a quilting or knitting direction. With photographs, the setting can get in the way of the process that is being illustrated. Diagrams are usually black and white line art. I have been known to spend several hours on one diagram, just trying to get the sense of the drawing correct for the quilter who will follow the diagram. I like the sparseness of a drawing; it can focus on a particular step in a set of instructions in a way that a photo cannot.

Photographs, on the other hand, are wonderful for showing an overall sense of a quilt or table runner or knit hat or our little Knitcushion project. You can see the shape and color; one gets a broader idea of the ambiance of the work that is being created. Detail can be captured with a photo, too. Don't we all love seeing quilting stitches up close and personal. Photos can give us this sense of immediacy and reality that can't be obtained in a drawing or diagram.

The challenge in writing instructions for both quilting and knitting is knowing when to use either of these methods.