How to make a panto, or continuous pattern/open pattern, from a motif/closed pattern.

What is an open pattern? This is one that has the start point at one side of the design and the end point at the other. Pantographs, line patterns, point to point patterns and e2e patterns are all open.

What is a closed pattern? This usually a motif or single pattern that has the start and end in the same place. 

So, how can you change a closed pattern into an open pattern?

There are a few ways. These are the notes from a class I held in 2015 with steps you can follow. You should all have this holly leaf pattern on your iQ.

Using Holly from Patterns by Helen to create an open pattern.

1. Using Split pattern.

Design/Sew Quilt > Start New > Add Block > Enter Rectangle Manually 

Width 10", Height  10" > Continue > Finished > Finished >Add/Edit Pattern > Add Pattern > Block Pattern > Use Current Block.

Search. Enter holly and choose this pattern.

 

Select holly > Continue > Finished > Split Pattern.

Zoom in to the end of the left hand curl. Turn the zoom off and touch the end. Move the target until it’s

right at the end then touch Split.

Turn zoom on, then pan and move across to the end of the right hand curl. Turn zoom off. Touch the end of that curl

> Split. Go to zoom full.

Delete pattern. Touch the pattern so this part is red. Continue.

Now you’ll see that there is an S/E in the middle so the pattern needs to be combined so that there is only

an S at one side and an E at the other. 

Combine Patterns > touch the right hand curl > continue > touch the

rest of the pattern > Continue > Continuous Stitch Line. (There is a small gap between the S/E point in the

center of the pattern – zoom in to take a look.) Finished.

Before we save this pattern we need to make sure the S and E are on the same horizontal plane.

Modify Pattern > touch the pattern > Continue.

Turn the grid on and turn snap on. Move the pattern so that S snaps to one of the grid intersections.

Stretch. Touch S to anchor that point, then grab E and move it until it snaps to an intersection on the same horizontal plane as S. Finished > Finished > Finished > Save Quilt/Pattern > Save A Pattern From The Quilt > touch the

pattern, Continue.

Name the pattern Holly open. Select new catalog and name it Holly Set.

Now let’s test that saved pattern to see how it works as a pantograph.

Add/Edit Pattern > Delete Pattern > touch the pattern, Continue > Add Pattern > Pantograph > Use

Current Block > select Holly Open for both the rows.

Change row height to 2” (this is a small block). Offset the rows 50%, flip Y on the right. Use Shift to

evenly space the rows, then use Gap to bring them closer together. Reduce the row height to 1”.

 2. Using Divide pattern.

Divide pattern can be used to create the open pattern in fewer steps.

Here are the steps, starting from where we are. Finished > Accept > Add/Edit Pattern > Delete Pattern >

Select All > Continue.

Add Pattern > Block Pattern > Use Current Block > select holly > Continue ( Turn off the grid) >Finished > Divide Pattern 

Touch the pattern, Continue.

Look at Mode - if it says open, change it to Divide by first touching the button then the plus or minus button. 

Touch Move and move the green horizontal line up to a position that looks good to you then touch finished 

Delete Pattern > touch the top of the pattern > Continue. Answer yes to the pop up question.

Modify pattern > touch the pattern, Continue. Note how there is no S/E at the center. Using divide

eliminated it so there is no need to combine the two parts like we did when using split. Also, because we used the horizontal line in Divide the S and E are already on the same horizontal plane.

Because this pattern was an original recording, it is not symmetrical and the right hand curl ends higher

than the left hand curl. Zoom in on the end of the right hand curl. We need to get rid of that little extra

line.

Finished > Split Pattern > zoom into the end of the right hand curl > turn zoom off > touch the left hand

line next to S > Split > Delete Pattern > zoom in if necessary to touch the little end (having zoom lock on

would be advantageous at this step), look to make sure just the end part is red then touch Continue.

Now we need to check that the S and E are still on the same horizontal plane.

Modify Pattern > touch the pattern, Continue > Turn on the grid and snap > move E so it snaps to the grid > Stretch, touch E to anchor it then grab S and snap it to an intersection.

Finished > Finished > Finished > Save Quilt/Pattern > Save a Pattern From The Quilt > touch the pattern,

Continue. Name the pattern Holly Open 2 and place it in the Holly Set catalog.

3. Adding a Connector

A third way to create an open pattern from a closed pattern is by adding a double stitched line or a connecting line from the geometric catalog.

In the Patterns by Helen catalog, you'll find a pattern called Lob. This is a closed pattern. I simply added a double stitched line to make it continuous. You'll find instructions on how to do that in another blog post at this link.

It is a simple process to add a connecting line to an existing motif or closed pattern.

We'll use Fancy Fish by Vickie Malaski that everyone has on their iQ. To change this into a pattern that can be used as an edge to edge or border pattern, follow these steps.

Design/Sew Quilt > Start New > Block Pattern > Enter Rectangle Manually > width 10", height 10" Continue > Finished.

Select Fancy Fish  block 1 from Vickie Malaski's catalog. If you have re-organised your library, search for Fancy Fish.

Notice where the start/end point is for this pattern. We are going to move it.

Touch Start/End. Touch the  S/E and drag it to the point of the top fin.

Finished > Copy Pattern, touch the fish > Continue > Move.

Turn the grid on and snap on

Move the fish copy to the right, zooming out if necessary. Make the S/E of that fish snap to a grid intersection.

Select > touch the other fish > Continue > Move. Move the S/E pont of the fish so it snaps to a grid point on the same horizontal plane as the other fish, leaving a gap between them. Finished.

Add Pattern > Block Pattern > Use Current Block > choose the geometric catalog and select arc-2.

Flip X. Start/End (note how the S and E switch places.)

Move. Drag the S until it snaps to the S/E of the left hand fish. 

Stretch. Touch the S of arc-2 then drag the E so that it snaps to the S/E of the second fish. Finished.

Combine Patterns. Touch the left hand fish > Continue > touch arc-2 > Continue > Finished > Finished > Save Quilt/Pattern > Save a Pattern From The Quilt > touch the left hand fish > Continue.

Change the name to Fancy Fish cont. and save it to Vickie Malaski's catalog.

Now let's see how it looks as a panto.

Add/Edit Pattern > Delete Patterns > Select All > Continue > Yes > Add Pattern > Pantograph > Use Current Block > Selecet Fancy Fish cont for both rows.

Change the row height to 2"

Will  it look better offset? Let's try that.

Touch the gear button. If progressive Offset is disabled, change it to enabled by selecting its button followed by  the plus or minus sign. Finished.

Offset - either tap the < button or sweep the screen to shift the rows until you like the look of the offset then close the gap if you want to.