not brain challenged....??creative thinker?? i don't use patterns either...unless it is one i have drafted myself. i don't know why...maybe because when i started quilting 25+ yrs ago...most of the books available were more along the lines of history of quilting and how-to's. my friend owned a craft store...took a quilt class from her...and she wasn't able to sell me any yarn or embroidery thread after that. but fabric and books...oh yeah!!!