So just out of curiosity, how does everyone come up with thier patterns? I use 1-2-3-Quilt! with the patterns and blocks. I love it because it calculates yardage and everything for me. THe only problem I've found is that sometimes I'll find a block I want to do and it doesn't have it ni there, so I can't calculate the fabric as easily.

How does everyone else get their ideas?

I usually buy patterns at quilt shops, or get them from magazines or books. The yardage is there for me. I have not made a quilt using blocks I found online.

I've made quilts from online block patterns, magazines, books and patterns bought from shops!

I have owned a copy of EQ5 for several years, but only just installed it on my computer a week or two ago! LOL My son wanted a very simple quilt that was easy for me (a total beginner with EQ5) to design. It's so cool because that gives me fabric yardages too!

Drafting paper and a ruler.

Oh I make mine up as I go. Sometimes I use Quilter's Cache, but I always have DH to help me with the math. For my bday he bought me a quilter's calc, but some of the math on the 60 degree diamonds needs a personal effort.

If it is a baby quilt, I try to go by the expected Mom's Theme. Then I usually design it. I draw and color so I can get a good resemblence of what I want. Sometimes I use EQ5,but if it is a simple one I just use drafting or sometimes just plain old copy paper. THE BIG QUILTS I use a pattern. I love the planning and designing of quilt making.
Bill'sBonBon

I do the good old algebra and calculate what I need.

I steal ideas from all the wonderful quilters here :):):):)

I bought fabric by the yards, and then I hope for the best.

Really not the best way to do things, but when I saw something great on sale, I grabbed it. Sometimes everything comes together perfectly.

I use EQ 5 and it has saved me so much money since I suck at measuring and estimating. Case in point...before I got EQ5 I was going to make a baby quilt using 3 Pooh fabrics. I got like 4 or 5 yards of each fabric. That's a LOT of flippin' fabric for one baby quilt!

magazines, books, pre-packaged patterns, free patterns online& graph paper. i never really know the exact amount of fabric needed but love the look of scrappy quilts. i like to leave my options open.

Most of the quilts I have made have came from blocks on the internet. I just figure what I need for one block then take that times how many blocks. Some times I use an on line caculator.

I have EQ6 and love designing with it. I get inspiration from magazines, the internet and quilt shows. My favorite site for block designs has to be the Quilter's Cache.

Wow, what great responses! I used the ruler and graph paper for a while and then my mind couldn't calculate how much of what I needed. So I'm using 1-2-3-Quilt and love it! :lol:

:oops:

Many times I make up my own , as I have a hard time with finding measurements on a ruler (ex. 4 7/8ths) Thank God I have hubby to help me in that area.... But I normally just go the next size up (5) and then square off later...

Same here...graph paper, pencil, ruler, internet:)

My sister gave me a book with a bunch of blocks.

I have seen things on television.

I found a site called quilt blocks galore.

AND

I just think of stuff. I have one in progress, called "I Love New York" I used the state map for the outline and am putting things like a baseball for the hall of fame, Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls, Coney Island Hot Dog, a horse for Saratoga, all sorts of stuff.

Anne

Doreen Speckman had a great book out called "Pattern Play"

I think it's out of print, but it may be available on some of the used book sites.

I usually start out with a pattern, kit picture, (or an idea) and decide to change the size, shape, or fabric combination and end up redrawing the whole pattern. :roll:

Or, don't have quite enough fabric to do the original and redraft it to fit the amount of fabric I have. That sometimes takes almost as much time as making the quilt!!!

Hmmmm, just thinking how many quilts I could have made!!! :lol:

I am cheking from time to time what color of fabric and how much can go into some quilt...(minimun of 3 different colors as main colors....)then decide about how big this quilt is going to be and for whom....(baby, lap or full).....Then I go to look for design and sometimes if I don't have enough fabric ..I insert something around or in between blocks.... :D

I start off with a focus color and go from there. A lot of scrap paper and math. :D Oh, and I ALWAYS over buy. I'm always afraid my math was wrong. :?