I have been reading GeeGee and Becky's posts with great interest. I make samples for a local quilt shop, and am amazed at how many of the customers want exactly what I used in the sample. The samples are usually meant to highlight a new fabric line, and I chose a pattern based on that premise. My inspiration usually comes from seeing someone elses use of a pattern and then make it my own. I guess I thought everyone did that. I don't want my quilt to be a copy of someone elses, but a creation of mine. Does that make sense? What are your feelings? So many of the shop's customers request we cut them a kit of the finished quilt and I am sure that is great for the shop, but I am still surprised by the fact they don't visualize another option.

When I think about making a quilt, I'm like you, I don't want it to be a copy of someone else's. But I look at the colors brought together, the placement of the color, How one color looks next to the other, How the color makes me feel when I look at it. So I'll usually go with maybe the color scheme, or pull colors that I see from it. Then I'll decide what picture I want to create. When I'm going to make a quilt for a friend or family member, I think about what the person likes, Ex' I'm going to make a appliqued Black Eyed Susan quilt for a friend of mine, Her favorite flower is the Black Eyed Susan, And it's going to be for her bed, so it's got to go with the colors of her bedroom, Which are red,blue,yellow, The only black will be the prominent cone of the Black Eyed Susan, But I'll want to add some pizazz to this quilt, so I will add various beads to my appliques, I started using some beads and various other trinkets to my quilts about a year ago, I have since discovered that other people doing this as well. I did'nt copy this from anyone else it was an idea of my own, Don't get me wrong I have copied ideas before, but not this one. I want to create MY OWN, I hope that dosen't sound pious, I find that way I'm really giving of myself. I think fear keeps people from stepping out of the box. Dose this help any. Believe me I have a head full of ideas..........

Amen, Becky. I also pull from others ideas, but tweak them. I tell folks that I haven't a creative bone in my body. The truth is, inspiration is all around. We got a new line of fabric recently, that couples tuquoise and a rusty burgundy. Never in my wildest dreams would I have put those colors together, but it really is a pretty line. That line has given me another option that would not have come to me otherwise. Some day in the future, that combination will come to me when I least expect it.

Sometimes I see unusual color combinations in magazines that I really like; I cut the pictures and save them in a folder. If I want, I can use that combination in a quilt by trying to have the same % amount of colors as in the picture. Does it make sense?
Lucia

Lucia, that is a great idea! These designers are paid to come up with this stuff. That must mean they know what they are doing. Artists keep idea books, why not quilters? You have given me something to think about.

Lucia, my new favorite color combo is brown and pink! Haven't made a quilt in these colors yet, but it's on my list of things to do.

Hi Boo
No need to think about! Just do it and enjoy. The only thing I do is to mention the color inspiration source. I love to give credit wher it is due.
Lucia